In the hullabaloo about Sarah Palin’s lack of familiarity with Paul Revere, some of the attention seems to me to focus on what is a less important point. Everyone flubs historical details at some point, even major ones.
The bigger issue is one that I highlighted in another post recently, and which Scott Bailey also highlighted, namely an unwillingness, having been caught ill-informed, to admit that one was wrong.
Apparently fans of Sarah Palin have been rewriting the Wikipedia entry on Paul Revere, in an attempt to make it conform to her version of the story.
I would expect nothing less of politicians and ideologues.
But I hope that any and all will acknowledge that the attempt to fabricate history rather than admit that oneself, or one’s favorite politician, is wrong, is absolutely incompatible with the label Christian.
If you disagree, then just rewrite Wikipedia, so that instead of the Gospel of John having him say “the truth will set you free,” it said “you’re free to set the truth.”
On a related note, John Blake has an article on phantom Bible verses, which people have invented, misremembered, or misattributed to the Bible, and how surprisingly difficult it is to persuade people they have got it wrong.
Also, David Miller has a quote from renowned New Testament scholar C. F. D. Moule on the humility that should characterize Christians.
And in mostly unrelated news, Richard Hall has a parable about the difference between climate and weather, and Religion Nerd has a post about weather and religion. But you can connect them with the theme of this post by way of this cartoon, if you really want to.
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