Ten Lies and Ten Truths (Second Edition)
Page 7
While the audience applauded, Ms. Keenan, in her late forties and dressed in a blue suit with a vibrant red scarf, smiled and nodded.
As the camera moved to the right, Palmer continued, "In the middle position, please say hello to Mr. Tyrone Lewis, founder of the well known 'Association of Collegiate Educators.' We're glad you're here, Mr. Lewis."
More applause. With a smile and a wave of the hand the impeccably dressed, rather thin African-American with gold rimmed glasses and a dark blue handkerchief jutting from his suit pocket acknowledged the audience.
"Finally, a man who needs no introduction to television viewers. Please give a big Truth Pursuit welcome to the anchor on Cable News Group's Evening News, Mr. Brad Woods."
The applause intensified as Woods, youthful and tan despite his obvious years, nodded to the game show host and then smiled into the camera.
Another camera cut in for a close-up of Rob Palmer. "All right, we'll learn a little more about each celebrity guest and the charity that he or she has designated as the game goes on, but right now let's start with our first question."
Palmer turned to face the contestants and the camera pulled back to show the entire stage. On the large game board in the center, twenty-five squares were arranged in a five by five grid.
Above each of the five vertical columns was a subject header. "All right, contestants. The object is to spell the word TRUTH from left to right, mixing any rows to accomplish it. There are five categories of questions, and today we've chosen questions centered on current events, politics, and American history. We hope to give away a lot of money to the charities you've chosen. The questions on the bottom row are worth $500 each, and on the top row, $5,000. The harder the question you The Game Show answer, the more money you win for your charity. The person who puts the last letter in TRUTH wins that letter plus an additional $5,000. At the end, we have our super round, when all of the amounts are doubled. Once I've asked the question and given the three possible answers, only one of which is true, as soon as you think you know it, touch your buzzer. If you fail to get the right answer, either of the other two panelists can ring in and try. All right, if we're ready, let's begin. Patricia, we'll let you select the first question."
The newspaper editor smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Rob.
Let's try Family Economics for $3,000."
The square exactly in the center of the game board lit up. "Great, Patricia. Here's the question. In America today, what percentage of African-American families are at or below the poverty level, when both parents are present? Is it
A. 25%
B. 15%, or
C. 8%?"
The console in front of Tyrone Lewis immediately lit up as he hit his buzzer. The camera shifted to him. "That's easy, Rob. It's at least 25%."
A gong sounded. Lewis frowned. The camera shifted back to the whole group.
"No, Tyrone, I'm..."
Patricia's console lit up. "It must be 15%."
The gong again.
Palmer shook his head again. "No, I'm sorry, Patricia." He looked at the card in his hand. "When husband and wife stay together, the incidence of poverty in African-American homes is only 8%. It's even lower if they both work. But in single parent homes, the incidence is five times higher, at 40%.
"I'm sorry that no one got the first question, but that leaves the full board to spell on. Brad, it's your turn to choose a category and a dollar amount."
The evening news anchor smiled, shifted on his feet and said, "All right, Rob, let's try American History for $4,000."
The next to the top square in the first column lit up. "Okay, if any of you gets this one, we'll have the first T in TRUTH, and one of you will have $4,000 for your charity. Here's the question. On the day that the House of Representatives passed the First Amendment to the U. S. Constitution, commonly referred to as erecting the Wall of Separation between Church and State, the same legislators also passed:
A. A bill expressing its official displeasure with the Catholic Church for trying to influence the vote in local elections in New England;
B. A bill asking President Washington to set aside a day of prayer and fasting to thank God for the new Constitution; or
C. A bill funding the teaching of religion and morality in public schools in the newly formed territories to the west."
There was a pause. Finally, Brad Woods hit his buzzer.
Palmer nodded.
"Well, it doesn't seem like either of the last two would be right, given the Separation of Church and State, so I guess I'll go with the first one."
The Game Show
The gong. The contestants looked at each other. Patricia Keenan shrugged and touched her buzzer. "Rob, I guess they might have thought that religion would make some sort of general moral difference, so they probably approved spending money on that, and I'll pick C."
The gong again.
"I'm sorry, Patricia. Congress did pay for teaching religion in the schools, but it was done six weeks before passing the First Amendment. On the same day in September, 1789, when the House of Representatives passed the First Amendment, those same members called on the President to thank God for so clearly helping in the difficult task of creating the Constitution, a document which at that time was unique in all the world."
He was about to continue when Brad Woods interrupted. "Are you sure of that? We know that there's a separation of Church and State in our country. How could the same representatives vote for separation but also explicitly thank God for the Constitution? That can't be right."
Palmer shrugged and looked down at his cards. "I understand. But all of our questions are reviewed by a panel of experts. It says in my notes that the date was September 25, 1789."
"Then why call it a 'Wall of Separation' if the first Congress was paying for religious teaching in the schools and openly thanking God for the Constitution?" Woods asked.
Palmer smiled. "I don't know. Well, anyway, I'm sorry that we've stumped you with the first two questions. But let's take a quick break, and after the commercial, Patricia, please tell us about the charity you've selected."
* * *
Following the break Rob Palmer addressed the newspaper editor.
"So, Patricia, tell us about the charity that you've designated for your winnings today."
"For twenty years I've been supporting the We Want Babies Foundation. The foundation helps insure that babies are born only when the mother really wants them and is ready to love and care for them."
"And how do you do that, Patricia? Through adoption?" Palmer asked.
"We insure that every baby is wanted through guaranteeing the mother's right to choose."
"Thank you, and, again, good luck. Let's move on with our next question. Tyrone, it's your turn to choose."
"I think it's time to get some points on the board. Let's try a low value one. How about Science for $500?"
The bottom right square lit. Palmer said, "Okay, if you get this, it will be the H in TRUTH. Here's the question. Darwin postulated in the 1850's that his theory of evolution would be proven correct because all lower life forms would be shown to be very simple, as he predicted, and that as one moved up the evolutionary scale, life forms would become much more complex. Recently scientists have found that the bacteria flagellum, a tiny "rotary motor" spinning at 17,000 rpm, is used to propel bacteria in liquids and:
A. Is incredibly simple in its structure, showing scientists how it could easily mutate into the higher forms that Darwin predicted on the evolutionary ladder.
B. Is moderately complex but still simple in basic structure, showing that the flagellum has itself evolved over the ages.
C. Is incredibly complex, with over forty essential parts which were invisible to Darwin, each of which interlocks in ways that imply a simultaneous origin, because their functions are totally dependent on each other."
Lewis pounded his buzzer. "It must be one of the first two, and I think you're being a little sneaky today, so I'll choose B."
Gong. Lewis frowned.
Patricia Keenan quickly hit hers. "A. It has to be A." Gong again. Keenan scowled at Palmer.
"I'm sorry again panel. Apparently, the truth is that these forms, which Darwin thought to be the most simple building blocks for more complex forms, are actually also incredibly complex. And that's just as true of the ones preserved from long ago, as it is for ones living today. They're the same." He looked up and saw the glares from the panel. "I know. But it's on the card."
Lewis started to speak but Palmer continued quickly. "And now it's time for another break."
When the show returned after the commercials, calm seemed to have been restored, and everyone was smiling.
"Before we take our next question, Tyrone, please tell us about the charity which you hope to help today."
"Certainly, Rob. It's funny that you'd have a question on Darwin, because I'm supporting the Black is Best Foundation. This group has done research to disprove Darwin, and to show that the original, purest forms of human life were our Black ancestors in Africa. And that everyone else since then are much less pure and much less capable."
"Interesting. Interesting. Thank you. All right, panel, let's hope that you start to rack up the money for your charities with this next question. Patricia, it's your tum again to choose the question."
"Okay. Let's try Science again for $1,000."
The square above the previous one in the lower right corner lit.
"Here's your question. In 1973, the prestigious American
Psychiatric Association reclassified homosexuality from a disorder, like polygamy or incest, into normal behavior. This change was the result of the following scientific studies in the preceding ten years:
A. A study of cadavers showing that homosexuality is directly related to the size of the anterior hypothalamus in the human brain.
B. An exhaustive experiment with over 5,000 homosexuals showing that in all other activities and relationships their characteristics were well within the bounds of "normal."
C. There were no scientific studies as the basis for this change."
Patricia hit her buzzer. "It's obviously answer B, Rob." Gong.
Woods touched his buzzer. "Then it must be A. In fact, I think we reported on that study a couple of years ago."
Gong.
"What?" Woods asked.
"I'm sorry, panel. The truth is that the reclassification occurred only because the gay lobby violently disrupted the meetings of the APA for four years and threatened its governing Board until they agreed to change the designation. And it says on my card here, Brad, that the study you reported on has been discredited because its procedure has never been able to be repeated by any other researcher. All right, we have to move on. Time is running short. Brad, can you quickly tell us about your charity?"
"Well, it's sort of like Tyrone and the question on Darwin. I happen to be supporting the Gay Boy Guides. This is a new organization for boys, so that those of us who are enlightened and realize that there really is no difference can send our sons off camping with openly gay older teenagers and male leaders. It's an idea whose time has come."
"And how is the Gay Boy Guides idea catching on?"
"To date it's been a little slow, but it's new. And that's why I'm supporting it."
"Great. Well, now that we've heard about all three charities, let's try to get them some money today. So far, we aren't doing as well as we hoped, but there are still a couple of questions remaining. Brad, it's your turn again."
"Let's try International Policy for $1,000."
"Here's your question, panel. A 1972 report with global recommendations published by a group known as the Club of Rome has been called a huge mistake. One recent critic charged that if the report had been adopted, 'people the world over would have suffered immensely and would have been condemned to perpetual poverty with little hope of improving their lives.' The Club of Rome was:
A. A group of wealthy industrialists who recommended more trade, less government spending on social welfare, and fewer taxes across the globe.
B. A panel of prestigious scientists who, using an MIT computer model, predicted limits on world growth from the depletion of natural resources like oil and food.
C. A pro-life action committee that called for more live births and increasing populations in all nations."
Lewis' buzzer sounded. "Clearly the answer is C. With unbridled population growth, there must be destitute poverty."
Gong.
"No way," Lewis said.
Keenan's buzzer went off. "Then it must be A. With less government spending on social welfare, people would have little hope for improvement in their lives."
Gong.
"It must be," Lewis repeated.
Palmer looked intently at his cards. "The answer is B. The Club of Rome was a group of imminent international scientists who met in the late 1960s. They published Limits to Growth in 1972, which received wide publicity in the press. In it, they predicted that by 2000, the world would run out of farm land, food, oil, copper, silver, etc., and that world health would be undermined by exponential increases in population and pollution. They called for strict government controls as the world's only hope. But in fact, without adopting any of their recommendations, none of their predictions has proven to be true. With few exceptions across the globe, people live longer, eat more, and have rising incomes, declining pollution, and lower food prices than in 1972."
"Hmpf," Lewis said, frowning.
Palmer tried to smile at his guest. "I'm sorry. Those are the facts. Unfortunately, we still have no part of TRUTH spelled and no income on the board for your charities, and we're down to our last question. So this is the super round, and any winnings will be doubled. Tyrone it's your turn."
"All right. I don't like how this has gone so far. Let's try
Family Economics one last time for $4,000."
"I'm just as sorry as you are," Palmer said, as he pulled up the question card. "Here is our last question. If the federal income tax rate for the upper 60% of income earners was reduced by ten percent, what would be the effect on the lower 40% of income earners?
A. Their immediate share of the nation's income tax burden would increase.
B. There would be no effect.
C. Their long term tax burden would increase because of interest on the increased debt created by the resulting deficits.
No buzzer sounded. The contestants looked at each other. Finally, Keenan hit hers. "I think we're all a little gun shy.
But let me take a crack at it. When we started, I would have jumped at A as being the most logical, or perhaps C. But based on what we've learned in the last thirty minutes, I'm going to guess
B, which seems illogical, but may be correct. I couldn't tell you why."
For the first time that day a series of pleasant chimes sounded.
"Yes, Patricia, you're right!" Palmer exclaimed. "B is the correct answer. There would be no effect on the lower 40% of income earners of reducing taxes on everyone else."
Keenan shook her head. "I'm glad to win, but why, Rob?"
He smiled. "It says on the card because the lower 40% of income earners in America pay no Federal income tax. Any change in the tax rate to the rest of us won't alter the proportion they pay, since they pay no tax anyway. And in every recent example of a tax rate reduction, tax receipts have actually increased, so no long term deficit was created by a tax cut.
No one on the panel said anything.
Palmer smiled and continued. "Well, we're out of time. This is the first time I can remember that we only got a single answer right. I'm sorry that there weren't more. But we wish you and your charities all the best."
He turned to face the audience. The camera pulled in tight. "Until next time, please keep up the Pursuit of Truth!"
The Game Show
Lie #8: The Elites know better than you how to raise families and govern the nation.
Truth: Experts are always important for specif
ic knowledge and expertise. God wants us to gain knowledge and to be the best possible stewards of the world He created. But knowledge is not wisdom. And knowledge is not always Truth. Judgment, wisdom, values, and morality are foundational to families and to nations. These truths are passed from generation to generation by faith, family and friends. Always seek input from trusted experts. But also seek truth, wisdom and judgment from God and those whom He places closest to you.
Family
http://www.frc.org/newsroom/frcs-marri-unveils-fifth-index-of-family-belonging-and-report-on-state-of-the-black-family
http://www.frcblog.com/categories/family-facts/
http://www.frcblog.com/2014/10/we-know-social-science-children-do-best-mom-and-dad-true/
Poverty
http://www.frc.org/family-economics
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2015/03/the-moynihan-report-50-years-later-why-marriage-more-than-ever-promotes-opportunity-for-all
http://www.census.gov/population/www/
Exercise of Belief in God
http://www.parkerhudson.com/2010/12/america-christian-nation-2/
http://www.parkerhudson.com/2013/10/
Hypothalamus
https://apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=7&article=1388
http://www.equip.org/article/is-there-a-gay-gene/
Flagellum
http://www.evolutionnews.org/2011/03/michael_behe_hasnt_been_refute044801.html
Club of Rome
https://reason.com/archives/2012/04/18/the-limits-to-growth-40-year-update