by Tom Wacaster
The late evangelist Billy Sunday is reported to have said, “Put a polecat in the parlor: which changes first? Parlor or polecat?” Please permit me to define a couple of words before I seek to make application of Billy’s bold assertion. A polecat is a sophisticated way of referring to a skunk. It is unlikely that folks in Texas and Oklahoma have heard such elevated terminology to refer to that little fury scavenger that few have ever seen up close except in their efforts to dodge the remains of what some poor unfortunate driver left in his tracks for you to thus endure. A parlor could refer to any meeting place where the air has a sweet aroma, produced by artificial air fresheners, perfumed women, and men with a heavy dose of “Old Spice” or “Brute” cologne. Now, try to imagine, if you will, just such a parlor that has been invaded by one of our West Texas skunks – it does not take a lot of imagination to envision the outcome, not to mention the hasty retreat of those in the parlor upon the arrival of the polecat, i.e. skunk.
One need not be a Solomon to realize that there have been some mighty drastic changes in the past thirty years with regard to the thinking and behavior of the Western world. There is little doubt that radical changes in sociology, politics, and even religion, have opened the door for polecats to invade the parlor. Consider the following.
First, in the realm of judicial expediency, swift and prudent punishment of the evil doer has been replaced with a greater respect for the criminal than the victim. Crooked lawyers, liberal judges, and a silent population have combined to produce a polecat in the parlor that is simply unbearable to those who have in years gone by enjoyed the sweet fragrance of judicial and social uprightness. The polecats of the liberal left have hijacked our constitution, harassed the law-abiding citizens, and hood-winked the people. All that remains is a stench of a political system that, in many cases, is as strong and repulsive as the roadkill on our Texas highways. A case in point is the recent decision at the Department of Justice to expunge all references to Islam, jihadist, or “radical Islam” from the transcript of the recent event in Orlando, Florida-all in the name of political correctness. The common man wonders what has happened to the sweet aroma of judicial prudence that serves as a solid foundation of the nation for whom those judges serve.
Second, when it comes to ethics and morality, some things once labeled as “sin” have become socially and religiously acceptable. It used to be that adultery and fornication were abhorred, homosexuality was an absolute no-no, gambling a vice, and drunkenness a shame to society. But the polecats have gotten into the parlor, and you can guess which has suffered. Men now glory in their ungodly behavior. Gay pride and good times have robbed our society of that pure and fresh aroma of moral decency that once filled our spiritual nostrils with a sense of moral integrity and righteousness. Indeed, the moral consensus of our land is not what it used to be. In light of this it is refreshing to come across a news item that gives some glimmer of hope to a nation that has allowed the polecats to run rampant. I came across a little item on Fox news website this week that reported a sharp increase in the last ten years of teens who chose sexual abstinence over promiscuity. May their number increase.
Third, the polecats have made a stench of the sacred institution of marriage. Some no longer view marriage as a viable institution. Others chose to enter marriage, but not as a lifelong commitment. Still others have perverted the Biblical arrangement, calling for variety of family styles, including but not limited to same-sex marriage, multiple partners, and in one case, marriage of a man to his horse! The list goes on, but a polecat by any other name is still a polecat.
Finally, the polecats have infiltrated the realm of the sacred and holy. Modern day televangelists as well as the hypocritical religious elite have wreaked havoc upon the word of God. John has told us to “try the spirits, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). I wonder if Billy Sunday had this inspired passage in mind when he asked the question about the polecats in the parlor? It is incredible the naivety of the human race. It seems the more ridiculous a religion, the more the unbelieving and ignorant are anxious to embrace its tenants. The Bible speaks of such as those who have closed their spiritual eyes and ears to the truth. But can I be so bold as to suggest that such masses of deluded souls suffer from some kind of spiritual sinus infection in which they simply cannot (or will not) smell the stench of error that is repulsive to our God and truth loving men and women! Tragically, religious perversion has done more to discredit Christianity in the eyes of an unbelieving world, than perhaps any other single effort on the part of Satan. During my first visit to Russia in September of 1993 I was asked on more than one occasion what I thought about a certain prophet who had predicted the world would end in November of that year. Curiously, I had also been asked a similar question on our trip in 1994 on a prophecy of the second coming in November of THAT year. Well, we are all aware of the fact that Jesus did not come in 1993 OR 1994. The late Bobby Duncan made some very significant remarks about the effect of such foolishness upon those who have never taken the time to investigate the Christian faith. He wrote, “Is it any wonder that so many intelligent people reject anything that claims to be based on the Bible? When people claiming belief in God and allegiance to the Bible take such ridiculous positions, it causes people who are unfamiliar with the Bible to think the Bible is a ridiculous book.” You and I enjoy the fragrance of Christianity as it should be. Too bad some of the polecats have infiltrated some of our congregations and made a mess of all that is holy.
Before I leave this “stinkn” article with you, maybe a word needs to be said about the gradual desensitization that is taking place in our country, yea the world. A skunk evidently has become so accustomed to his odor that it does not seem to bother him in the least. I have been told that someone who lives with the animals soon grows accustomed to the smell. What really scares me is the fact that too many politicians, social workers, and so-called religious leaders have grown accustomed to the stench that has been left by the polecats in the parlor!