Identity Theft
Identity theft is the fraudulent acquisition and use of a person’s private identifying information, usually for financial gain.
Identity theft is a growing problem in our modern world. Our bank accounts, investment accounts, social media accounts, and a host of other personal and private information are constantly under threat. As we move forward in this internet connected society it becomes more and more difficult to keep our information safe and secure. Identity theft can lead to financial or social ruin as the thief begins to speak or act on behalf of the victim. Before the thief can be caught, he has often done irreputable damage to both the reputation and finances of the victim. According to a report conducted by the New York Times, the thief spends time researching the individual but does not have a personal relationship with the individual. The article went on to say that, “the key is to have a working knowledge of the person, for example shopping habits, geographical locations, or marital status. What is not needed is a relationship or emotional knowledge”. Not all identity theft is created equal. I believe we have all been complicit in the greatest identity theft in the history of the world.
During Pride Month I saw “Christian” protestors. Some of their signs and posters read as follows:
“God hates gays”
“Jesus was white”
“Jesus would vote Republican”
“All lives matter”
These sentiments were not restricted to Pride Month. They continued through Juneteenth and Independence Day.
After reading signs such as these, I had to wonder what god are they praying to? After further investigation and a little conversation with one of the gentlemen, I believe I have the answer. I believe his god was white and about 5’10”, 185 pounds, and voted for Donald Trump. He loves to destroy the “left”. There is no doubt that god is a Chevy or Ford man because he only drives American made. He can’t get enough of Fox News and will mute the Communist News Network (CNN). As children we learn that God created us in his image, but then after becoming adults we mold Him into our image. I believe that sooner or later we all must come to the conclusion that the god some claim to pray to is just our own very shadow. We simply stand in front of a mirror and worship our own reflection. The more I ruminated the more I realized his god stole my God’s identity. You see, my God was not white; he was a brown Jewish man. My God may hate sin, but he loves the sinners. My God did not endorse this country or a particular political party. How did a poor brown many from the Middle East become a blue-eyed white republican? The truth is he never did, but it merely seems more palatable to worship a god in our image than a God in whose image we must aspire to be. If we as Christians allow the identity and character of our God to be denigrated, we are complicit in the most blasphemous identity theft of all time.
