Fake Bait
Author: The Rev. Dr. David Bridges, Priest
September 14, 2021
I have been getting fishing tips from Clint Baranowski of
Infinity Fishing for a few years and I am amazed at the extent of his
knowledge. When setting-up a plastic worm on a hook, he tells me to make sure
the worm is straight on the hook and that the tip of the hook is covered
(hidden).
It seems odd to think the fish can tell the difference
from live bait and fake bait. If the worm isn’t straight and the hook not
hidden, it is not as attractive to the fish. If it looks like real bait and it
moves like real bait, it must be real bait, right? At least that’s what we hope
the fish believe. If so, we can call it “catching” rather than “fishing”. Are
fish getting smarter?
I suppose we are all susceptible to being “faked-out” by
something that looks and acts real, but may not be. Take fear, for example.
Often, the things we fear the most don’t happen. Like being afraid of snakes.
Many people are afraid of any snake, although few are
poisonous. Most snakes will try harder to get away from you than anything else.
Yet, the mere sight of a snake sends panic into the hearts of many.
We may avoid walking through tall grass for fear of
snakes that may not be there. Our mind sets-up a scenario wherein we are afraid
of something that may not exist, yet it is real to us. There is an old saying
that FEAR stands for, False Evidence Appearing Real.
The devil Satan is called the Father of the Lie. Any
untruth, no matter how big or small, is an offspring of darkness. Darkness can
use false evidence to create the appearance of something fearful or dangerous.
It can cause us to lose faith in God and ourselves.
How do you destroy an individual? By destroying them from
within. Perhaps you or someone you love have been taught that God is angry with
them or just doesn’t like them for some reason.
The bible has been misinterpreted and misused for
centuries. Artful deceivers have manipulated the translation of scripture and
created religious structures that separate people rather than build them up.
Perhaps you have been taught judgmental gibberish by a
forceful voice of “religion” claiming to be the voice of “God”. An innumerable
crowd of shysters have used their “preaching voice” to convince, coerce and
otherwise manipulate millions of unsuspecting people.
Perhaps you have been faked-out by the “bait” offered by
these false prophets and wanna-be “gods”. If anyone tells you God doesn’t like
you, refer them to John 3:16. We’re all in this together.
Blessings and Peace to you
All,
Fr.
David+
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