The Mueller Report

Did you read it?  I’ve heard a lot about it.  I have a friend who read it.  Many smart people will tell you they read it.  Certainly, every member of Congress will tell you that they read it.  I picked up a copy, and started to look through it- but it was really dense.  There are 448 pages of notes and references.  There are too many names and words and citations.  I put it back on the shelf and determined that far more intelligent people would read it, digest it, and then tell me what I need to know.

Of course I started to watch the Mueller hearing and naturally, I got sucked into that black hole.  I watched as republicans and democrats took their natural stance.  The bias was as obvious as Robert Mueller was bland.  We wanted ‘community theater’ (where anything can happen) but what we got was Broadway- a highly rehearsed and choreographed production.  I was hoping that one or two of the actors might go off script.

As the characters began to make repeated references to the Mueller Report, it occurred to be how much it was like the Bible.  Of course I don’t mean that in the literal sense.  I don’t expect Mueller churches to be popping up, and people living their lives in accordance with the Gospel According to Mueller.  But as the politicians were quoting the report, they said, “please see the reference on Volume X, Page Y.”   Meanwhile, all of us watching the theater at home have no idea what is on Volume X, or Page Y.  We are taking their word for it.

The Bible.  Did you read it?  You have heard a lot about it.  You  have a friend who has read it.  Many religious people will tell you that they’ve read it.  Certainly, every pastor will tell you that they read it.  Many people pick it up and flip through the hundreds and hundreds of super thin pages with double columns in 8 pt font, and become instantly intimidated by the references and citations.  Because there are so many words, names and places- we say, “You know I’m going to leave it to the professionals to tell me what’s in it.”

Today’s hearing(s) are a reminder to me, that there is no substitute for reading a document yourself and drawing your own conclusions.  Today, there were two sides.  There were two different groups, coming from two different places, with two very different reads of the same document.  They were zealously defending their ground, and citing references that would only further their particular bias.

In both the Mueller Report and the Bible, there are certain truths.  We can deny them, and we can say that the authors were biased in putting together their accounts.  And at the end of the day I am quite certain that the choir has been preached to once again.  The American people will continue to observe facts through their limited lens, and the rest will be filtered.

However, the Truth is the truth.