The irrelevance of truth in public life in America was on full display this week. Yet again.
One of its clearest examples continues following Sen. Eric Schmitt’s smirking bungling of a failed got-you attempt during a committee hearing.
It is well known, and should remain so, how Sen. Schmitt and his staff sloppily mixed up a men’s professional basketball team and a collegiate women’s team to make a false accusation of perjury accompanied by sophomoric name-calling.
The look on the face of his colleague from Alabama told the story most clearly. This was not just a gaffe but a major, planned, even illustrated screw-up.
When faced with this clear reality, did Sen. Schmitt acknowledge his error and apologize? No, and still hasn’t days later.
The U.S. Senator from Missouri is a professing Christian, a Roman Catholic. It’s a shame that faith tradition doesn’t emphasize the confession of sins.
Sen. Schmitt is part of the power-gorged political and often religiously infused movement in America that considers the biblical fruit of the Spirit to be weaknesses rather than signs of faithfulness.
His dismissive response to reporters (when he can’t hide) about his public misbehavior is yet another smirkingly claim of merely asking questions.
Again, no. Questions seek answers unknown and allow for responses. False accusations, a lawyer and former state attorney general, should know is another matter.
Our well-segmented society has created safe spaces — media outlets, organizations, even churches — where arrogance and lying are accepted, even rewarded. Those means justify the ends of retaining power in the hands of the privileged few.
Places where the idea of truth setting one free is rejected and mocked.
As Elton John reminds us, “Sorry seems to be the hardest word.”
Parents often respond to their children’s misbehaviors toward others with forced apologies of at least, “I’m sorry.”
Yet smirking, arrogant, power-gorged adults — with Christian designations in their official biographies — can’t muster such a simple response in the face of an obvious, verified, major screw-up.
And to think many Americans, including Americanized Christians, fear their children will find bad examples of behaviors elsewhere when the most obvious ones are seen in the leaders they support.
John D. Pierce is director of the Jesus Worldview Initiative (jesusworldview.org), part of Belmont University’s Rev. Charlie Curb Center for Faith Leadership. Join us for the second annual Jesus Worldview Conference in Nashville October 12-13, 2026.