Author	: Bill Kochman
Publish	: May 7, 2026
Update	: May 7, 2026
Parts	: 02

Synopsis:



Recently, I engaged in a rather short exchange with one of my Facebook friends who had posted what is apparently a popular meme which has been circulating on Facebook -- and elsewhere I assume -- which claims that U.S. Representative from New York, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, supposedly made the following statement:

----- Begin Quote -----

"Republicans are trying to rig elections by only allowing U.S. citizens to vote."

----- End Quote -----

Now, for any level-headed individual with the least amount of common sense, it should be rather obvious how totally idiotic the previous statement is. But that is precisely the point of these politically-charged, high-voltage memes, and they are indeed plenty. In other words, the goal of such preposterous memes is simply to intentionally make Ocasio-Cortez look like an utter fool, and a completely ignorant, uneducated idiot. I would dare say that the aforementioned meme has most likely achieved its objective, regardless of the actual accuracy and veracity of the meme itself. And therein lies the problem, as I will explain to you momentarily.

Of course, as some of my readers will know, the Conservatives have been having a heyday with Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, ever since she went from being a little-known bartender in Union Square in the New York City borough of Manhattan, to representing New York's 14th congressional district in 2019. In fact, as you may know, this is NOT the first meme where Ocasio-Cortez has been portrayed as not having it all together insofar as her personal mental faculties are concerned. There have been other memes which have been just as sharp, harsh and cutting.

While I am certainly not defending the woman -- I don't even like what Alexandria represents and supports in some cases -- nevertheless, it should still be pointed out that despite her public gaffes -- let's be honest; most politicians commit the same error on occasion -- she is NOT the complete imbecile as she has been portrayed by the Far Right. Furthermore, neither was Ocasio-Cortez completely lacking insofar as experience in governmental matters is concerned, before her 2019 electoral victory in New York City. Just a small amount of research will reveal, among other info, the following things concerning her:

• She came in second in the microbiology category of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in 2007 with a research project on the effect of antioxidants on the lifespan of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

• She was an intern for U.S. senator Ted Kennedy, in his section on foreign affairs and immigration issues during her college years.

• She graduated cum laude from Boston University in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in international relations and economics.

• She worked as an organizer for Bernie Sanders's presidential campaign during the 2016 primary.

• She is the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.

So as you can, Ocasio-Cortez is not a complete dimwit as a lot of her detractors like to insist in their plethora of mean-spirited Facebook memes. Of course, there are certain other aspects concerning Ms. Ocasio-Cortez which a lot of Conservative-minded people -- myself included -- find both objectionable and unacceptable, beginning with her strong support of Socialist policies. But that is a discussion for another time.

In the name of transparency, let me say that Ocasio-Cortez has a higher level of secular education than I do. Back in the very early 1970s, I graduated from high school with a B average, and I never attended any college or university, much less any religious seminary. I am totally self-taught insofar as my personal religious beliefs are concerned. I study and research things a lot, and I have acquired a fair share of knowledge in a variety of subjects and fields, but I still dwarf most of today's mental giants. I am NOT in their league by any means.

As I said, I do not share the aforementioned points regarding Ocasio-Cortez because I in some way feel motivated to defend woman. To the contrary, I simply believe that it is important to speak the truth regarding a person, whether we like them or not. There's no need for any of us to resort to slander, libel and character assassination just so we can make a particular point. Having said that, let us continue to the more important issue at hand here.

My friends, aside from the fact that I am currently nearing seventy-three years of age, and the fact that I view myself as being a sober-minded, mature Christian who possesses a certain level of spiritual discernment, I have also been a participant on the social networks for over fifteen years now. Furthermore, I've been online since the days of BBSing thirty-six years ago. As such, if there is one thing I have learned over the years, it is that it is not wise to take anything online at face value. Why not? Because as many of my readers will already know, this present, evil, corrupt world is full of lies and deception no matter where you look. Who can deny it but an utter fool?

That most certainly includes on the social networks, perhaps even more so. After all, the Internet -- and particularly the social networks -- is a constant, never-ending rumor mill of lies, deceptions, exaggerations, distortions, embellishments and everything in between. As I mention in a number of other Bill's Bible Basics articles such as "Speak the Pure Language of Truth", speaking the truth in everything I say and write is extremely important to me. Truthfulness and accuracy are both paramount to me.

As I explain in articles such as "My Evolving Theology", that is why you'll find both a "Publish" and "Update" date on all of my Bill's Bible Basics articles. In other words, if I have written and published something, and then later learn that I was off the mark a little in what I have stated, or if some new information becomes available which enhances or clarifies what I have written previously, I will not hesitate to update that article so that it is as accurate as possible. The truth is more important to me than my personal pride, or the vain desire to always want to be right. That is just not my modus operandi.

The bottom line is that none of us can really afford to be so dogmatic, and so firmly entrenched in our personal views and doctrinal understanding, that we absolutely refuse to change our position, even when we've clearly been proven to be wrong or off the mark to some degree. Sadly, as some of my readers will already know, that is precisely what organized religion does, and has done for literally centuries. Right or wrong, they are so frozen in their position, that they will stand by and defend their pet doctrines, despite any evidence that may contradict their long-held positions. This is also a subject which I discuss in articles such as "Tradition or Truth? Old Wine or New Wine?", and also in "Are You Just a Baby Huey?".

While truth and accuracy are important to me, I am convinced that they are equally and extremely important to God as well. There are so many Bible verses which emphasize this point, as you can see by the following sample verses. We are constantly informed how God's words are PURE and TRUE and that God NEVER LIES. He stands by His word, and He fulfills it every single time without fail. He is in fact the Spirit of Truth. At the same time, my friends, we are also instructed and admonished to do the same with each other as well. We are to plainly and honestly speak the truth to each other, as we see here:

"The words of the LORD are PURE WORDS: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times."


"I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and FOR THY TRUTH: for thou hast magnified thy word ABOVE ALL THY NAME."


"GOD IS NOT A MAN, THAT HE SHOULD LIE; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?"


"God forbid: yea, LET GOD BE TRUE, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged."


"In hope of eternal life, which God, THAT CANNOT LIE, promised before the world began;"


"Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son."


"He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son."


"If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."


"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH."


"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, THE TRUTH, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me . . . And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the SPIRIT OF TRUTH; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."


"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; AND YE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE."


"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the SPIRIT OF TRUTH, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:"


"Howbeit when he, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come."


"We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the SPIRIT OF TRUTH, and the spirit of error."


"This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because THE SPIRIT IS TRUTH."


"For the word of the LORD ‭is‭ right; and all his works ‭are DONE‭ IN TRUTH.‭"


"For then will I turn to the people A PURE LANGUAGE, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent."


"Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I SPEAK THE TRUTH IN CHRIST, AND LIE NOT;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity."


"Wherefore PUTTING AWAY LYING, SPEAK EVERY MAN TRUTH WITH HIS NEIGHBOUR: for we are members one of another."


"Finally, brethren, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE TRUE, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."


"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH."


"A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight."


In contrast to the previous group of Bible verses, consider what God's Word has to say regarding those people who lie, slander their neighbors, bear false witness, intentionally deceive others, and worse. What a sharp contrast indeed! The Lord is clearly NOT pleased with such wicked and deceptive people:

"The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, SPEAKING LIES. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;"


"Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, HIM WILL I CUT OFF: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer."


"Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee."


"A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth. He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers; Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord. Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy."


"These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, A LYING TONGUE, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A FALSE WITNESS THAT SPEAKETH LIES, and he that soweth discord among brethren."


"The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and THE FROWARD MOUTH, DO I HATE."


"He that hideth hatred WITH LYING LIPS, and HE THAT UTTERETH A SLANDER, is a fool."


"They that are of A FROWARD HEART are ABOMINATION TO THE LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight."


"He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath A PERVERSE TONGUE falleth into mischief."


"Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou DECEITFUL TONGUE."


"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour."


"Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour."


"A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow."


He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."


"Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother."


"Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother."


"Owe no man any thing, but to love one another; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."


So from whence come all of these lies and deceptions? Again, the Bible is very clear when it informs us that they are the vile fruit of our own wicked, unregenerate hearts. Consider the following group of verses which reveal the wickedness which was found in the hearts of the rebellious Israelites during the Old Testament period. I have also included a verse from the Book of Genesis for some added emphasis:

"And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."


"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"


"But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward."


"Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders. And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity."


"And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:"


"And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart."


However, what we all need to understand is that if we choose to act in this deceptive fashion, if we purposely lie to and slander our neighbors, the Bible makes it rather clear that in the end, we will meet a very awful and fiery fate, as is revealed in the following group of Bible verses:

"But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."


"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."


It's precisely for this reason that the Scriptures repeatedly admonish us to speak very slowly, and to guard our tongues, both before God, and before our fellow man as well. Consider the following group of verses as well which emphasize this particular point:

"Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?"


"Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few."


"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer."


"In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise."


"A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards."


"He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him."


"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath . . . If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this mans religion is vain."


"If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain."


"He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls."


"Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison."


"For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:"


Please go to part two for the conclusion of this article.

⇒ Go To The Next Part . . .

---

---

Please avail yourself of other areas of the Bill's Bible Basics website. There are many treasures for you to discover.