Patheos

BuddhistCatholicContemplativeEvangelicalGeneral ChristianHinduJewishLatter-day SaintMuslimNew VisionsProgressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Patheos

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube

walkhumbly

How Does Nāšā’ Connect Kristi Noem & Stephen Miller?

Last updated on: January 29, 2026 at 8:24 pm   by Martin Thomas Johnson

0 Comments

How Does Nāšā’ Connect Kristi Noem & Stephen Miller? 2026-01-29T20:24:46-05:00 Martin Thomas Johnson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

This week, the big news has been the continued fallout of the murder of another US citizen by the government. First, the leadership in charge of ICE and border patrol on the ground in Minnesota was transferred back to California, where he is expected to retire.

Image by Wikipedia Commons

Then director of homeland security, Kristi Noem, faced pushback as she continued to tell lies about Alex Pretti and his actions before he was murdered by her agency. My Bible tells me that murder is wrong in God’s eyes (Genesis 9:6, Exodus 21:12-14, Deuteronomy 5:17).

Many conservatives have also forgotten that bearing false witness is an abomination to God (Exodus 20:16, Proverbs 6:16-19). We cannot cover sin or cover evil with more evil:

While many conservatives want to call and believe America a Christian nation, they refuse to follow the basic teachings of the Christian faith (Proverbs 19:17, Hebrews 13:2).

We must love our neighbor, even when we disagree with them (Mark 12:31). We must care for foreigners, regardless of their legal status by our standards (Matthew 25:35).  Nor can we bear false witness against others (Matthew 19:18).

Many conservatives have turned to rationalization to try to justify their own disobedience, and that is a play out of Satan’s playbook (Genesis 3:4). This life is to prepare us for eternity.

What Is Rationalization

Rationalization is something we do when we know that something isn’t quite right. But we still like or want, so we try to justify things in our minds and hearts so it won’t feel or be wrong.

Image by Pixabay

The bottom line is that it is a way to ignore God and His spirit that is telling us otherwise. But rationalization isn’t just a spiritual act.

Rationalization is defined as “A way of describing, interpreting, or explaining something (such as bad behavior) that makes it seem proper, more attractive, etc.”

That is why none of us should trust our hearts, regardless of political affiliation or age (Jeremiah 17:9).

Fortunately, the Bible has a lot to say about rationalization, or self-deception as we call it spiritually (Proverbs 3:5-6, Hebrews 4:13, James 1:26). That is why God’s people are repeatedly commanded to avoid doing or condoning what God calls evil(Proverbs 8:13, Romans 12:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:22).

The Bible draws a clear line between what God calls good and what is evil (Isaiah 5:20, 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22). If we aren’t careful as God’s people, we won’t see that sin is crouching at our door to lead us away from God (Romans 7:21-23, 1 Corinthians 10:12, Hebrews 3:12-13, James 1:14-15, 1 Peter 5:8).

The apostles remembered their Jewish education about rationalization and self-deception, which comes from our own hearts.

Nāšā’

The Torah tells us how mankind started rationalizing in the garden soon after they listened to Satan, who also disobeyed God (Genesis 3:6). Rationalization doesn’t always start out as some big sin; it comes in small compromises that often make us happy, at least for a little while.

It doesn’t take long before our little compromise begins to lead us away from the goodness of God because, like Adam and Eve, we think we know better than God (Genesis 3:5, 22).

Rationalization is a result of the enticement of sin that is appealing and makes us happy. The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for rationalization is nāšā,’ and it can also mean, “Deceive, beguile, utterly, to lead astray.”

That is why God called His people out of this fallen world to obey Him faithfully and practice His ways and not listen to their deceptive hearts (Leviticus 19:2, Deuteronomy 7:6, Isaiah 43:1).

God’s people are called to stand up against both evil in the world and the evil within themselves (Proverbs 3:7, Isaiah 1:17, Micah 6:8, Zachariah 7:9-10):

  1. Resist evil
  2. Be the light
  3. Tikkun Olam
  4. Fight injustice
  5. Be ethical

Jesus reminded His followers to be the light of the world and to turn from their own evil ways (Matthew 3:2; 5:14-16). He cautioned His followers about being lukewarm and not doing what He taught them to do (Matthew 6:24; 7:21-23).

Image by Pixabay

Because rationalization makes us think we can have it both ways, Jesus made it clear we can only have one Master (Joshua 24:15, Luke 16:13). Our Rabbi warned that even His followers’ hearts were evil and could not be trusted (Ecclesiastes 9:3, Matthew 15:19).

Jesus even confronted the religious leaders and Pharisees about their self-deception when they claimed to be of Abraham, yet did the works of Satan (Matthew 23:1-36, John 8:39-47).

Religious people are quick to rationalize their own wrongdoing because they think and want to be right with God while they continue to do what God calls evil (Proverbs 17:15, Malachi 2:17).

Stephen Miller

In other big news this week, the political advisor for President Trump, Stephen Miller, has backtracked on his initial claims that Alex Pretti was a domestic terrorist and assassin. The comments he made immediately after the tragic murder of Pretti were to rationalize murdering another US citizen.

 

Image by Wikipedia Commons

Miller has now admitted that the CBP agents who shot Peretti may have broken agency protocol when they beat and brutally murdered a US citizen in Minneapolis.

If we are a Christian nation, we should never rationalize or justify what God calls wrong:

To make matters worse, HHS Kristi Noem tried to avoid responsibility by saying later this week, “Everything that I have done has been at the direction of the president and Stephen Miller.”

HHS has used extreme force on more than one occasion against American citizens and immigrants alike. The Secretary of Homeland Security deceived Americans right after the execution of Pretti by bearing false witness that he “Brandished” a weapon.

Would a Christian nation or administration murder its own people and then try to cover it up with more lies (Proverbs 28:13, Luke 13:5, Hebrews:17)? No, we are called to do the right thing, not what God calls wrong. God’s people are commanded to do what is right, not call evil good, because that is nāšā’!

 

Jewish

#Faith

#Judaism

#Trump

AlexPretti

KristiNoem

Minneapolisshooting

StephenMiller

Previous Post



January 25, 2026

What Does Ra' mean for JD Vance & Alex Pretti?

Next Post



February 1, 2026 How Does Mišpāṭ Connect the Government shutdown & Iran?

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"If a perfect God chooses to show mercy, then imperfect and unrighteous man should also. ..."

doona


How Does ‘Avval Connect FlyDubai & ..."

"It would be nice if the Evangelical Dominionists (Former Christians who converted to Trumpism) listened ..."

EarthGrowl


What Does Yᵊšûʿâ Mean For The ..."

"Dispensationalism. gets many things wrong, including the future place for Israel. The promise to Israel ..."

Glen B Smith


How Does Gôy Connect NATO & ..."

"The ammendment that supposedly gives any foreign child born here citizenship was intended for slaves ..."

Roger McKinney


How Does Yeleḏ Connect Birthright Citizenship ..."


Browse Our Archives

Select a Category #Faith Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023


Follow Us!

Follow Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter



TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I destroyed the world but saved eight people and many animals in a floating vessel. What am I?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A great storm The flood God's judgment The deluge

Related posts from Walk Humbly

Family

What Does Gêvâh Mean For Kimberley Guifoyle &...

Walk Humbly

Family

How Does Bìn Connect Fort Hood & Isaias?

Walk Humbly

Family

What Does Šāp̄āṭ Mean For Caleb Flynn &...

Walk Humbly

Family

How Does ‘Avval Connect FlyDubai & Christa Pike?

Walk Humbly

TRENDING AT PATHEOS General Christian

The First Eucharistic Controversy: Christ’s Real Presence

For Catholics, the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian...

How to Make a Decision When You Can't...

Main point: It’s much more valuable to stay close to God so...

Archdiocese Hosts Military Marriage Retreat in Germany

RASTATT, Germany — The transient military lifestyle, with its frequent deployments and...

Minted in God's Image

Nearly every morning, I make the drive to Detroit with my high-school-age...

The Real AI Story Is Adoption Without Trust

Artificial intelligence has crossed a political threshold. It is no longer a...

Walking through History

  A new article, written by Jeff Lindsay and Gale L. Pooley,...

view all General Christian blogs

What Are Your Thoughts?leave a comment

Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Copyright 2008-2026, Patheos. All rights reserved.

Subscription Support Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In

Follow Patheos Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube