An object lesson from Al Gore.

Al Gore has become famous for making extravagant claims, particularly in his film, “An Inconvenient Truth.” The most infamous part of that film was the graph of a sudden spike in carbon dioxide levels predicting an equally sudden and dire spike in global temperatures.

Well, despite the high carbon dioxide, the temperatures have been flat or lower for several years now. As a result of this and other alarmist exaggerations, many people consider Al Gore to be an unreliable joke. Moreover, since Al Gore has been the main spokesman for global warming, they transfer his discredit back to that issue, concluding that it, too, must be exaggerated or false.

However, it’s very important to remember that Al Gore’s discredibility does not disprove the cause he represents. Despite his outrageousness, global warming might be real. I don’t happen to think so, but I know that one buffoon doesn’t disprove a viewpoint. But it does make it much easier for the opponents of that cause to reject it.

And in this way, Al Gore can remind Christians of a very important lesson. When we yell or exaggerate, we make it easier for non-Christians to dismiss our Lord. But when we simply tell the truth in humility, we at least don’t make it any harder for them to accept Him.

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