Christian Integrity

Integrity is integrity. I do not think we need two dictionaries (a secular one and a Christian one). Words have meaning.

I am sometimes amazed at the lack of integrity in the world and even our churches today. At one time a man's word meant something. Now even something as simple as an agreement to conduct on an online forum is enough for some to forfeit integrity (even Christians on Christian boards).

When I was a NCO in the Army the one thing that stood out was integrity. We take responsibility for our actions and are forthright about our mistakes.

I work with NBIB (beginning 1 Oct with the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency). One thing I try to stress to people is that their honesty about an issue sometimes carries more weight than any adverse issue itself. That and the polygraph .

In seminary our integrity was often examined as our papers were put through a program (I can't recall its name) checking for plagiarism. Integrity includes not only honesty in what we say but in giving credit to others. To lie is, in a way, to steal. I had a 1SGT who always said a liar and a thief were the same (just remembered that).

What I see is "subjective truth" gaining prominence ("your truth", revised histories, decontextualized events, etc.). And sometimes people get caught up in misjudging others.

A man may claim the earth is flat. If the man believes his claim then his integrity is not an issue even as his statement may be false. Quite often I have seen false accusations of lying when in truth members were talking past one another. So here exists another type of character flaw (judgementalism). I have experienced this type of a "lack of integrity" first hand. I've responded about one post or thread not knowing the other was talking about another. I cannot say the other person lacked integrity as the other may have never realized the context of the disagreement, but the other lacked discernment.

So this means "integrity" as a word has a couple of meanings. It could mean a state of being honest, which we've just discussed.

But it could mean a state of being whole - and BOTH applies to our discussion. One can be honest yet lack the ability to speak of a situation without compromising its integrity (not honest in the presentation). We see this when people lift passages or comments out of context. They accurately represent the words, but do so in a dishonest manner by removing the words or statement from their context and degrading the integrity of the quote. This may or may not include a lack of integrity (as a character flaw) but the result is the same.

Another way of looking at it is consistency. One may, for example, denounce censorship when it suits him under the illusion of free expression while at the same time begging those who post to his disliking be censored. This would be a lack of integrity in character (given the second definition). We can see this daily if we watch political discussions.

 

As the OP is on a mandatory vacation this thread is closed.