Why Are People Mad About What Jussie Smollet Has Done

I know what some of you are thinking, "isn't it obvious, Tommy?" That is the whole point up for debate when it should not be. Sometimes things are so obvious they don't even need an explanation. I think we are at that point as a nation. Objective truth is needed so badly in our country that no one needs to explain it anymore; when I ask this question, your mind races back to the headlines the past few weeks during his trial. As the evidence began to unfold, my sorrow for him turned into frustration and unbelief. Why would he lie about something that could potentially divide our country more? In this article, I want to briefly review his claims, the evidence given in the trial, and practical application with a twist.

Jussie Smollet claimed that white men attacked him at 2 am one morning by pouring bleach on him, tying a noose around his neck, and yelling racial slurs. The evidence showed that Jussie planned the whole thing via text and email; the lawyer had his correspondence to prove it. He paid two Nigerian men three thousand five hundred dollars to carry out this staged attack. The lawyer had a copy of the check-in court. The straw that broke the Camel's back was the videoing of the practice run the day before the planned attack. Jussie took the stand to claim his innocence and that it was a racist attack on him.

When this happened, I could not help but reflect on what I have been writing about the past few years on subjective truth (personal truth) and how this will destroy our culture. Jussie took to the witness stand and continued his lie- after all the evidence exposed him- before a jury shows that autonomy and subjectivity are pressing in on our law system, and this time it withstood the pressure. What about next time? I want to give five observations as a Christian, but before I want to say, I hope Jussie Smollet finds the forgiveness found in Jesus. I do not write about it because of his skin color, but the principal his lie attacked.

1. The obvious is being overlooked for the personal agenda of autonomy

To lie is obvious a two-year-old knows it wrong, but they still do it. However, to try to get away with a lie on this level that has so many societal implications is devasting. What is the principal being attacked? There is no such thing as objective truth- a lie is a lie. The only thing that matters is what the person believes to be true, which is propagated through autonomy. I wanted to play this little game in my question that drew you to read this article. Why is everyone mad about what Jussey Smollet has done? According to this standard- whatever a person believes is true-there is nothing wrong with what Jussie Smollet did.

I asked the question: Why is everyone mad about what Jussie Smollet has done? So many claim they believe the statement-whatever a person believes is true. However, whenever they are confronted with the statement applied in real life, they are appalled by its fruit. Hence, the Jussie Smollet lie exposed. There is a twist in the application; why are people mad about Jussie Smollet's lying and they buy into his same broken belief? Let me try to tie together more cultural scenarios to make my point clearer.

2. Captain obvious exposes the flaw.

Everybody loves Captain Obvious. He is funny because he is making statements that, in implication, are redundant. However, his redundancy is exposed the fatal flaw in our culture. As he would state, "you do you." Some other terms recently became famous, like following your heart and love is love. These terms are driving at the same thing. The lordship of self. Jesus knew this about human nature; this is why he states, "love your neighbor as you love yourself." He knew how much focus we put on ourselves. Hence, He is omniscient. This is a great way to reorient our focus away from where it naturally is-self- to where it should be- others. Nevertheless, Captain Obvious has exposed our flaw, and it is becoming glaringly plain to anyone with an average IQ. Personal belief cannot trump objective truth.

We see this everywhere in our culture, people breaking in stores taking what they want at will with no penalty and governing officials making laws that support criminals. Why are people mad about this if whatever someone believes is true? People are beginning to wake up to the reality that this thinking produces- the rotten fruit of anarchy. The Christian worldview is needed to say this is rotten fruit. Why do I believe people are waking up? Because Jury's are made of people with average IQ that have common sense. Not crooked politicians in Washington and local Governors. I hope people wake up completely. What would it look like to wake up completely?

3. Objective truth will always ground us in reality

Objective truth is God's grace to humanity. This is God's world, and He shows through the gift of objective truth. Could it be that revival will come when a culture wakes up completely to see the ones driving ideas in culture are the ones who want to destroy what God has given? This started because we let it get to this point. Everyone will be individually accountable for their actions before God. Here are two points that will show us the way.

4. God has written the law on our hearts

For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them (Romans 2:14-16)

What does this mean? When someone does not rob his neighbor, lie to his boss, or murder someone he is angry with, they fulfill the law—showing that the law is written on their hearts. The conflicting thoughts ,addressed in the above text, are between what is right and what is wrong. These laws lead to a shalom-filled society and getting away from these leads to anarchy and destruction. However, the fundamental need is for all to see that we fail these holy laws individually even though they are the framework of any peaceful society. When we know that the law shows that God is good in giving them and we are bad for breaking them, personal revival will come and, in return, lasting cultural change. See,

Jussie Smollet is a symptom of a more significant issue. Can we say a lie is a lie and the truth is the truth anymore?

5. This type of craziness calling lies truth, and truth lies will point us to God's good objective truth

Why is this God's grace? God has placed in everyone a conscience. That is God's internal smoke alarm to let us know something is wrong. God is the ultimate authority in everyone's life, even if they deny Him. God allows us to look at the craziness around us in the lotters, lairs, and lunatics to emphatically state they are wrong. This is gift of God’s grace that gives the ability to say three words- “they are wrong.” Not because I said so but because God has demonstrated it in the fabric of human existence. Let captain obvious, Jussie Smollet, and all the other culture craziness lead you to being honest with yourself.

Are you the one that believes everyone makes their own belief? Welcome to the world of nothing matters where left can be right, right can be left, good can be evil and evil can be good, a boy can be a girl, and a girl can be a boy, up can be down, and down can be up. I think you get the picture. I would encourage you to repent from your law-breaking. How have you broken God's law? Have you lied? Have you stolen- regardless of the value? You are guilty of breaking God's revealed objective laws. Jesus came and obeyed all of them so you could be set free. Believe in Jesus today to be forgiven for your sin.

Those of you who believe the truth of the word of God rejoice that you have the truth. The problem inside our society will point them to ask for the solution. When the captain obvious exposes the flaw and Jussie Smollet's of the world and exposes the most significant cultural issue of autonomy, we must be willing to love people enough to give them the solution- Jesus. It will save their souls and the societies they live in; until next month, go proclaim the gospel to see a life transformed.