The Twisted Logic

of the World

Richard Hollerman

We are living in a very perplexing world and in a time when inequities abound.  Whenever we read the news, again and again we are dismayed with the strange way that society deals with criminals and responds to national and local problems.  We walk away from the daily news with dismay, wondering how the public as well as those in places of authority can deal with moral and social issues in such an ignorant manner.

For example, I opened the local newspaper (the Fort Worth Star-Telegram) one day recently and noticed a news story in the “Local” section that read, “Woman’s killer is convicted.”  It told of the murder and robbery of a woman in a small suburb of the city.  This man may be condemned to death for the atrocity that he committed.  On the same page, we read of another criminal—of a different nature.  The story’ title tells something of the conviction: “Fort Worth man sentenced to 21 years for child porn.”  This perverted man may have also secretly taped children in the shower.  Two pages later, we read, “Ex-convict gets life for abusing children.”  The man was justly convicted of sexually abusing his girlfriend’s two daughters, age six and ten.  These examples have some degree of justice to them.

Society has deemed these crimes punishable by death, by a sentence of life in prison, and by another sentence of 21 years.  These crimes are definitely sinful and deserve the state’s wrath and the criminals’ punishment.  Murder and sexual sins were punishable under the Law of Moses.  And in New Testament times, Paul tells us of the rightful punishing authority of the state.  The apostle explains, “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.  Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God, and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves” (Romans 13:1-2). He continues, “It is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil” (v. 4).  This shows that in God’s economy, punishment is the expected and just result of criminal behavior.

But not all is good. In fact, as bizarre as it may seem, society has twisted moral standards on many issues. The same issue of the newspaper mentioned above states that five states will vote on “gay marriage” legislation to make sodomite unions legal.  Already, six additional states and the District of Columbia have legalized these homosexual unions, but this was done through court rulings or legislation.  These other states could actually condone such unions through popular vote.

In the Law of Moses, homosexuality was considered an “abomination” (Leviticus 18:22).  If two men committed such a perverse and wicked deed and engaged in such an unnatural relationship, “both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death.  Their blood guiltiness is upon them” (20:13). The New Testament likewise condemns this sin against nature and against God, saying that sodomy involves “degrading passions” and is “unnatural.”  These sinful sexual acts, are “indecent acts” and involve impurity (Romans 1:24, 26-27).  Why is it that society condemns the murderer, the robber, the child abuser, and the pornographer—but fully accepts the sodomite, one guilty of heinous sexual actions, too perverted to even describe?

Or consider murder itself.  God is the creator of life (Genesis 1:26-27) and every child is a gift from God (Psalm 127:3-4).  We must treat children with the respect that God gives to them.  But what does society do?  The United States as made child murder legal!  Some even applaud the mother’s decision to abort her child, especially if the mother is poor or the child is deformed or is considered “undesirable” in some way.  God says, “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man” (Genesis 9:6).  Why is it that society has decided to punish the murderer who kills a child one day old, but protects the murderer who kills a child a week before birth?  Since 1973, when abortion murder became legal, over 55 million babies have been killed!  There is something basically wrong about this insane reasoning!

As we noticed, society deems that the child pornographer and the child abuser should receive a lengthy sentence.  This sin is an utter abomination—a sin against the child, against the parent, against God Himself.  It violates the principle of love and compassion and it abuses what God wants to protect—the innocence of a young and impressionable child.  This crime should be punished—and punished severely!

But what else does society do?  For decades now, society has maintained “no fault divorce” which has allowed millions and millions of spouses to separate and divorce, all with the government’s approval.  Today there are multiplied millions of couples who are plainly living in adultery through remarriage (most remarriages are adulterous—Matthew 5:31-32; 19:9; Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18; Romans 7:2-3).  Instead of society saying “no” to couples who desire to divorce, it opens the door to remarriage that brings adultery in most cases. What is wrong with such twisted logic?  Do they not realize that their own children will grow to have a tolerance of divorce and remarriage—and maybe follow their parents’ lead?

In the Law of Moses, adulterers were put to death (Leviticus 18:20).  We read, “If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death” (20:10; cf. Deuteronomy 5:18).  Society today fully accepts adultery (in the form of remarriage) and few really question its legitimacy. It is condoned in every state of the union.  Yet the Scriptures are clear that “fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4). God says that those who commit adultery “will not inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

Why is it that the American government can forbid rape, polygamy, bigamy, and pedophilia—but accept fornication, pornography, adultery, sodomy, and even bestiality (the government recently legalized bestiality in the military)?  Isn’t there some kind of perverse reasoning here?  Isaiah wrote, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20). How better to describe what is happening in American society today!  In fact, this characterizes the world’s society to a great extent.  Isaiah’s next verse continues the description: “Who to whose who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight!” (v. 21).

Today we have government officials, educators, entertainers, and the majority of the public who pride themselves in being “wise in their own eyes” and “clever in their own sight” but who can’t see the twisted logic and misplaced values that allow for sins like abortion, adultery, homosexuality, and much more—while condemning other sins. 

This is the day for God’s people to be light in the darkness, to be moral in the midst of an immoral society, and to be righteous when all around them are wallowing in unrighteousness.  John writes, “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19).  Now is the time to heed Paul’s urgent words, “You will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15).  Let’s look at the sins and problems of society with God’s wisdom which is usually very different from the “wise” but perverse ways of the world!  Let’s not fall prey to the twisted logic of the world!