Dark Musings
"For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools...They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator"...(Rom 1:21-22, 25)
What's "true" is best defined as "fidelity to the original." So it follows, that to the extent we remain intellectually honest and faithful to the Origin of truth (John 14:6), we can avoid the folly of...dark musings.
I'm at the stage in life where truth is a settled issue. It's theistic and principle-based, as derived from Scripture, and largely apparent through deduction or the objective results of application. And maybe it's because I spend too much time with people of like mind, that I don't often feel inclined to defend what others should grasp as self-evident truth. But times have changed and our indifference, at a minimum, will lead to the nation's obscurity-- if not its demise.
For example, last month at a Christmas party with friends and family, I was challenged to defend a foreign policy comment I made when my niece used the counterclaim, "America is the terrorist nation!" Apparently, last November's election results didn't sit well with a few at the table, and unfortunately politics drifted into polite conversation. But when "truth" was assailed, and no one else (party to the conversation) spoke-up, I found myself...well, on the defensive. Oh, and by the way, if you haven't already noticed, her assessment of our nation is becoming quite pervasive today.
While I expect to hear irrational statements of this nature from America's enemies, how is it that some (former) allies, several in Democratic party leadership, many in the media, and most in academia also preach such vitriol? Having lived through most of the same history, how can such stark contrasts in assessment exist? And when you're caught off-guard by an outrageous statement that rears a little righteous indignation--how do you respond? This article is intended to provide resources that will help "give voice" to what we know to be true.
Let me first explain that I am neither an apologist for the Bush administration, the Republican Party, or even Western culture for that matter. As a Christian, I am simply a follower of Jesus Christ and as such, decidedly non-political. That said, I have been an active supporter of President Bush and other conservative movements--to the extent that they align with a biblical worldview. Unfortunately, ontologically speaking, my rationale is in the minority these days.
Evangelicals aside, even if President Bush hadn't received over 60 million popular votes, the steady drum beat of liberal opinion castigating the conservative majority, from the courts, the media and academia--probably makes anyone who holds traditional values feel their under siege. What to do? Without attempting to even change minds or compromise convictions, there are two "highly effective" principles we can use to help bridge the ever widening cultural divide--and they both start with how we interface publicly.
First, it's important that we adopt an "abundance" mentality. For example, since most geo-political discussions are posed as zero-sum games (where someone must lose for another to win), try instead to adopt a "win-win" posture, which looks for concurrence on the principles at play. Controlling principles will begin to emerge as you discuss a given situation's problems, implications and needs.
Next, always make a point of disarming opposing views by "seeking first to understand, and then to be understood." In many cases, an irrational assessment dissolves when you ask "why do you hold that opinion?" or "what would you have done differently?" If you'll make an honest attempt to understand an opposing view-point, at a minimum it will reduce the potential for either party becoming defensive.
Given America's rich cultural diversity, we're bound to be exposed to a wide variety of perspectives. Predominantly though, our citizen's orientation will come from "Western" culture. And while people of genuine conviction will differ in terms of how they address challenges, generally they hail from one of three distinct perspectives: 1) conservatives (who look to "preserve" traditional frameworks), 2) progressives or liberals (who seek to "perfect" the frameworks) and 3) anarchists or radicals (who "pull down" frameworks to start over).
Of these groups though, we should be most concerned about the mind-set of the radical left. Not only do we need to understand what motivates their thinking, we must also remain vigilant to counter it. While losing elections to moderate liberals may raise your taxes, losing to the radical left may well cost us the American way of life. According to research, so strong is their disdain for things traditionally American, that they actively conspire to form a Fifth Column that's willing to aid and abet the enemies of the U.S.
Tragically, with nothing positive to contribute, the only thing that unites the diversity of anarchist views is their opposition to the status quo. According to David Horowitz, a life-long civil rights activist, "In the absence of a practical alternative (to capitalism), the revolutionary project is nihilism, the will to destroy without a concept of what to do next. He goes on to state that it's an impossible "utopian vision that provides radicals with the standard judgment that condemns the actually existing world, no matter how decent it may be."
Why? The radical left apparently holds a worldview where mankind is at the center of the universe and the measure of all things. Consequently, with religious fervor they are zealous advocates for a global model of social justice (e.g. communism) that has no place for American supremacy. And because they're decidedly "postmodern" in their outlook, theirs is a life void of absolutes, meaning, and reason.
How did this irrational worldview become so pervasive, and how does it compare to the traditions of Western culture? And in light of such divergent perspectives, how can we find common ground or just get back to a higher level of civility? To provide some additional insight, I've pulled together a brief review of some relevant topics. But before conducting more research, let's keep in mind a couple of admonitions from the apostle Paul:
"Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how to answer every man" (Col. 4:5-6).
And "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor 10:5).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
The term "Western" is usually associated with the cultural tradition that traces its origins to Greek thought and Christian religion. Cornerstones in this tradition are arguably: deductive reasoning, the rule of law, and monotheism. Traditional Western Culture is also said to have been created by three main historical factors: ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, and Judeo-Christianity's spread. As such, it is also known by the term "Judeo-Christian culture."
Based on these and other ideals that some associate with the West, there are many who consider Western values to be universally superior. For example, the author Francis Fukuyama argues that Western values are destined to triumph over the entire world. Fukuyama is best known as the author of The End of History and the Last Man, in which he argues that the progression of human history, as a struggle between ideologies, is largely at an end, with the world settling on democracy after the end of the Cold War.
American government in particular, is a democratic republic where the elected representatives that hold decision power are moderated by a constitution that emphasizes protecting individual liberties and the rights of minorities in society, such as freedom of speech and assembly, freedom of religion, the right to private property and privacy, as well as equality before the law and due process under the rule of law, and many more. Such constitutional rights are guaranteed through various controlled institutions and various statutory laws.
The last formative influence on Western Culture is Christianity. Jesus was certainly the most influential person in human history. His preaching of the Golden Rule, of salvation, redemption and immortality not only affected the lives of people but also the arts, literature, philosophy, and architecture. With the preaching of Christianity came the already existing concept of monotheism. The Bible subsequently became a central piece of Western literature affecting all fields within Western culture; law, philosophy, education, and politics.
Today, with over 2 billion adherents, Christianity continues to grow by geometric proportions, adding an average of 200,000 new conversions per day (which is three times the rate of world population growth, and over twice the growth rate of Islam).
POSTMODERN PHILOSOPHY
Postmodern philosophy is an eclectic and elusive movement characterized by the criticism and analysis of Western philosophy. Charles Murray, a strong critic of postmodernism, defines the term as follows:"
By contemporary intellectual fashion, I am referring to the constellation of views that come to mind when one hears the words multicultural, gender, deconstruct, politically correct, and Dead White Males... Embedded in this mind-set is hostility to the idea that discriminating judgments are appropriate in assessing art and literature, to the idea that hierarchies of value exist, hostility to the idea that an objective truth exists. Postmodernism is the overarching label that is attached to this perspective."
Central to the debate is the role of the concept of "objectivity" and what it means. In the broadest sense, denial of objectivity is held to be the post-modern position, and a hostility towards claims advanced on the basis of objectivity its defining feature. It is this underlying hostility toward the concept of objectivity, evident in many contemporary critical theorists, that is the common point of attack for critics of postmodernism. Many critics characterize postmodernism as an ephemeral phenomenon that cannot be adequately defined simply because, as a philosophy at least, it represents nothing more substantial than a series of disparate conjectures allied only in their distrust of modernism.
THE RISE AND INFLUENCE OF POSTMODERNISM
"Wither is God," he [the madman] cried. "I shall tell you. We have killed him--you and I. All of us are his murderers. But how have we done this? How were we able to drink up the sea? Who gave us the sponge to wipe away the entire horizon?...Are we not straying through an infinite nothing? Do we not feel the breathe of an empty space? ...God is dead...This tremendous event is still on its way, still wandering--it has not yet reached the ears of man."
The strangely prophetic words of Friedrich Nietzsche, written over a hundred years ago, have now reached the "ears of man." In the words of James Sire, "The acknowledgment of the death of God is the beginning of postmodern wisdom." If this were the case however, the beginning of postmodern wisdom, would be the death of wisdom's Source.
Frontline Ministries offers the following observations... Five major philosophical ontologies or worldviews exist. Ontology answers the question, What is reality? Before the modern era the three major ontologies were idealism, naturalism, and realism. Proponents of these three ontologies believe that there is an essential reality. That is, reality can be defined as to its essence and thus objective truth exists. Idealists such as Plato, Augustine, Descartes, Kant, Hegel, and Brightman believed that the essence of reality is immaterial ideas, forms, essences, that transcend the material world which is but a copy or a transient shadow of the really real. Naturalists such as Thales, Hobbes, Newton, Marx, and Sagan believed reality is defined by the natural, sensible world. Realists such as Aristotle and Aquinas believed reality is both material (physical) and immaterial (spiritual).
The modern era witnessed the development of the next two ontologies, pragmatism and existentialism, which believe that no essential reality exists (more specifically that ontology is unnecessary and misguided, respectively) and thus no objective truth. Pragmatists such as James and Dewey believed that reality is what works in empirical (physical) experience. Existentialists such as Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, and Sartre believed that reality is chosen by the individual. That means, basically, that reality is whatever the individual wants it to be. Individuals must create their own meaning because life does not come with any meaning in itself. Premodern thought, governed largely by theism (the worldview centered on God as defining reality), addressed what is there (ontology). Modern thought, governed by Enlightenment naturalism, addressed how to know what is there (epistemology). Postmodern thought, governed by pragmatism and existentialism, addresses how language functions to construct meaning itself.
James Sire summarizes postmodernism as follows: 1) There has been a shift in "first things" from being to knowing to constructing meaning. 2) The truth about the reality is forever hidden from us. All we can do is tell narratives. 3) All narratives mask a play for power, one used as a metanarrative is oppressive. 4) Human beings determine who they are by the language they construct about themselves. 5) Ethics, like knowledge, is a linguistic construct. Social good is whatever society takes it to be. And 6) The cutting edge of culture is literary theory.
Postmodern thought has greatly influenced contemporary culture. The hallmark of postmodern thought is the death of truth. Don Matzat noted, "The only absolute truth that exists in the postmodern mentality is that there is no such thing as absolute truth, and as far as the postmodern scholar is concerned, that is absolutely true. "The self-contradiction is obvious but the postmodernist is not concerned with logic or truth. Everyone has his or her own "truth" and the height of arrogance is to say that one's "truth" is actually the truth."
Nothing frightens the postmodernists more than a "fundamentalist" claim to absolute truth which they view as nothing more than an attempt to oppress those who disagree. So with the rise of postmodernism came ideas such as political correctness, tolerance, moral relativism, multiculturalism, new age spirituality, religious syncretism, empowerment of minorities, denigration of white European males, and homosexual rights. Every area of society has been touched by postmodernism. Health care, literature, education, history, psychotherapy, law, science, and religion are all mutating under its influence.
Because of their claim to an exclusive metanarrative (worldview), conservative, Bible- believing Christians are alone in being exempt from society's tolerance. Christians are not only ignored by the popular culture, they are increasingly singled out for ridicule and outright bashing by the kinder, gentler postmodernists. The postmodernist's "tolerance" masks the reality of an underhanded power play. However, even the Christian church has not escaped the influence of postmodernism.
POSTMODERN INFLUENCES UPON CHRISTIANITY
Universalism - all will be saved regardless of belief in Christ.
Annihilationism - no literal hell; the lost cease to exist.
Mysticism - continuing extra-biblical revelation.
Revivalism - signs & wonders manipulation & the power of suggestion.
Consumerism - meeting "felt needs" for the sake of growth.
Ecumenism - uniting under the banner of unity at the expense of truth.
Syncretism - merging and combining of various religions.
Humanitarianism - social justice or charity work without evangelism.
Activism - culture change through political activism without evangelism.
Subjectivism - ethical and theological beliefs are based on personal opinions and/or experiences.
Relativism - truth and morals are different for each culture and individual.
Pluralism - celebrating diversity without conformity to biblical truth.
Pragmatism - "How to" sermons rather than expository or doctrinal.
Ultimately, this ideology is propagated by the counterfeit prince of this world and his minions--by design. All things considered, you and I are not so much at odds with family, friends or even the world system, as much as we're engaged in spiritual warfare. And I'm reminded that "but by grace, there go I."
While victory over sin and death was won at Calvary, the battle for individual hearts and minds still rages today. But in appropriating and applying what's true, God will work through us to...help set others free (John 8:32).
CHRISTIAN SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Independent of any cultural bias, if we were to start with a blank sheet and take Christianity at its word (as a credible authority), what model of social justice would we espouse? Well, as stated in the Lausanne Covenant, "We affirm that God is both the Creator and the Judge of all men. We therefore should share his concern for justice and reconciliation throughout human society and for the liberation of men and women from every kind of oppression. Because men and women are made in the image of God, every person, regardless of race, religion, color, culture, class, sex or age, has an intrinsic dignity because of which he or she should be respected and served, not exploited. Here too we express penitence both for our neglect and for having sometimes regarded evangelism and social concern as mutually exclusive.
Although reconciliation with other people is not reconciliation with God, nor is social action evangelism, nor is political liberation salvation, nevertheless we affirm that evangelism and socio-political involvement are both part of our Christian duty. For both are necessary expressions of our doctrines of God and man, our love for our neighbor and our obedience to Jesus Christ. The message of salvation implies also a message of judgment upon every form of alienation, oppression and discrimination, and we should not be afraid to denounce evil and injustice wherever they exist. When people receive Christ they are born again into his kingdom and must seek not only to exhibit but also to spread its righteousness in the midst of an unrighteous world. The salvation we claim should be transforming us in the totality of our personal and social responsibilities. In summary, faith without works is dead.
(Reference: Acts 17:26,31; Gen. 18:25; Isa. 1:17; Psa. 45:7; Gen. 1:26,27; Jas. 3:9; Lev. 19:18; Luke 6:27,35; Jas. 2:14-26; Joh. 3:3,5; Matt. 5:20; 6:33; II Cor. 3:18; Jas. 2:20)"
Some Closing Thoughts...
I believe the Lord will hold us accountable for the opportunities we've had to serve as a witness to our generation--especially to our children. And although it's reassuring to tell each other that our kids have been raised in a Christian home...that they're active in Christian youth groups...or even attending Christian schools...it's you and I who are still responsible for their spiritual nurturing and the values formation necessary for equipping the next generation of adults.
It's part of "minding your business." And by the way, mankind's welfare is our business. We're to both talk and walk the walk as individuals, as leaders of households, and within our sphere of influence. To paraphrase Goethe, if we each kept our front-porch clean, the whole world would be clean. So, let's be mindful of what we can set in motion (individually) with our lives. And because God supplies what He demands, provided we're faithful to obey--the results are left to Him.
As temples of the Holy Spirit, Christians remain humanity's last best hope to reach a world in spiritual darkness, and by His grace we will prevail. I've read the Book. I know how it ends...and it's glorious (Rev. 21). But until that day, let's stay vigilant and persevere by remembering who we are and why we're here (Luke 19:11-27).
We're called to serve as light bearers to our generation--illuminating the folly of...dark musings.
"You are the light of the world...let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matt. 5:14, 16 NIV)
Roy Tanner
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RECOMMENDED READING...
Unholy Alliance
Though strange bedfellows, America's liberals and radical Muslims stand on suspiciously similar ground in refusing to condemn Islamists terrorism, in criticizing America and the West, and in opposing efforts to export capitalism and democracy. As a former Leftist radical, Horowitz is perfectly placed to diagnose, and denounce the hypocrisy and danger of the American Left in Unholy Alliance.
Let Freedom Ring
In Let Freedom Ring, Sean Hannity offers a survey of the world -- politically, socially, and culturally. Devoting special attention to 9/11, the war on terror, and the continuing threat we face at home and abroad, he makes clear that the greatest challenge we have to overcome may not be an attack from overseas, but the slow compromising of our national character. Filled with the common sense commentary and passionate argument, Let Freedom Ring is an urgent call to arms--for, as Hannity warns, "We are engaged in a war of ideas. And civilization is at stake."
Culture shift
How do you share God's Word with people who are trapped in humanism, self-indulgence, and moral relativity? In Culture Shift: Communicating God's Truth to Our Changing World, David Henderson explains how you can make the gospel relevant to modern Americans. You'll learn why and how our culture has changed in the past few decades, and how to share the timeless message of Christ using language and ideas that your neighbors understand.
