Sir,
When we blunder and make mistakes in life, as we all do, we must live with the sad
consequences, as one politician found out to his cost recently. Mr Tim Farron, the
former Liberal Democrat leader, knew in his heart of hearts that, as a committed
Bible-
Yes, his conscience was diametrically opposed to what he said publicly before a British audience, when asked during a TV interview whether he believed homosexual practice was a sin. The Bible clearly says it is, but he said it clearly isn’t – after which his accusing conscience deeply convicted and condemned him. He knew the truth of God’s Word to be unquestionably true, and that sin is sin in God’s eyes, but alas he denied it at the time.
On being dishonest with God’s Word and dishonest with himself, he came to realise very sorely that, as one philosopher once said ‘False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.’ Mark Twain on one occasion said that, ‘An uneasy conscience is a hair on the mouth.’
It was because of ‘false words’ and an ‘uneasy conscience’ that Mr Farron eventually resigned, or rather was pushed out, admitting that it would be 'impossible' for him to be Liberal Democrat leader and 'remain faithful to Christ’ at the same time. The Bible reminds us that you cannot live a Christian, if you tell the truth in one breath, and then a lie in the next, ‘Lie not one to another…lying lips are an abomination to the Lord’ (Proverbs 12:22).
After resigning he also spoke of his deep regret in misleading the public, during last year’s general election campaign, when he said that he didn’t believe gay sex was sinful. On deliberately reneging on his Christian beliefs, he soon afterwards acknowledged his sin with deep sorrow, ‘I foolishly and wrongly gave an answer that was frankly not right.’ His awakened conscience assured him that absolute truth, as recorded in the Scriptures, can never be edited. As the old maxim goes, ‘Truth exists, only falsehood has to be invented.’
Donald J Morrison
85 Old Edinburgh Road
Inverness.
Letter: Uneasy conscience
10 February 2018