Jesus is telling people to “beware of the scribes.” They like to “accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets.” He also says they like to “devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext recite lengthy prayers.” Jesus knows scribes exploit those who are vulnerable, for example, widows. Later, Jesus notes that the scribes and a widow both take the same action of giving to the Temple treasury – but for different reasons.
The Gospel story is an opportunity to reflect upon a current phrase, ‘Both sides do it.’ It is used by today’s rulers to exploit those who are vulnerable. The phrase accentuates appearance while it diminishes conscience. Our conscience is diminished from distinguishing between accurate and inaccurate, between truth and lies, as well as between good and bad, between healthy and harmful, between life-giving and deadly. All distinctions are diminished under the ‘both sides do it’ falsehood. The diminishment begins by the phrase’s assumption that there are always two sides. This is illogical, termed a fallacy of balance; everybody has a side or an opinion which should be balanced by an opposite and equally valid side or opinion. Thus, the fact that the sun rises in the East, is balanced by someone who believes it rises in the West. Or the facts from all humanitarians, scientists, and societies proving the harm of gun violence is balanced with opinions from frightened people who believe guns keep them safe. Substantial knowledge cannot be balanced with or made equivalent to uniformed ignorance; especially in moral matters. But that is precisely what speakers of the ‘both sides’ lie attempt to do. Illogical balance unto false moral equivalence of ‘both sides’ is routinely asserted across moral issues in which lives are at stake; asylum seekers, health care, people wanting freedom from guns and freedom for democracy. The manipulative phrase was recently asserted by Trump. In an example of horrendous moral equivalency he said of neo-Nazi supporters in Charlottesville, “But you also had people that were very fine people on both sides.” Conscience, expressing objective truth about the harm being done by Nazis, is diminished by Trump with a single line that is a calculated lie. The lie of moral equivalency is relayed via a modern scribal class, the corporate news media. They are pleased with appearance while they diminish thoughtful conscience. Media owners gain financially from exploiting the vulnerable. Fox News is scribal from its inception and invented the ‘both sides’ diversion. But all corporate media, as corporate, are, to degrees, like Fox; a scribal class that diminishes conscience to exploit and gain as they can. Former CBS President Lester Moonves admitted it about their coverage of Trump, “It may not be good for America, but it’s damn good for CBS. The money’s rolling in, and this is fun.” Corporate media exploits a ‘both sides’ scenario that does not exist by inventing an umpire role that is not needed. News shows have people spar over illogical balance fallacies and immoral equivalencies that hosts then referee. It makes for great entertainment, and, as a result, great plunder. Jeff Zucker, President of CNN Worldwide devises such news shows. Zucker is the former NBC Entertainment Director who spent years promoting and gaining from Donald Trump being his Apprentice star celebrity. Zucker is now spending years promoting and gaining from Donald Trump being his apprentice star president.
Rulers and their scribal class routinely assert that people on ‘both sides’ keep growing farther and farther apart. But this is not so. Thoughtful conscientious people continue to hold place in centered integrity by relating in communion. People diminished of conscience keep moving extremely away from this core Christ-like witness. This is not two poles of opposites. This is a center of thoughtful conscientious humanity rejected by a scribal class and those it exploits. We do not need to convince people of our side. We need to help people get back in touch with their own conscience.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, keep me true when I reach out to those who exploit.
Question: How is my moral core doing?
November 11, 2018 Gospel Mark 12:38-44 Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time