The Threat of Postmodernism

Academics and other astute observers seem to agree--the modern era of society has ended. A new era of thought has emerged, i.e., postmodernism. This new thought dominator says that there is no such thing as truth, meaning (even in written literature), and individual identity. These are social constructs. Human life has no special significance, no more value than animal or plant life. All social relationships, all institutions, all moral values are expressions and masks of the primal will to power. Convulsed over "political correctness" and "diversity," universities no longer operate under the modernist assumption that one, objective, rational, truth, exists.

The old system, carried to its natural extreme, i.e., the society of the USSR, has collapsed. Their system based on materialism, atheism, and social engineering did not work to the advantage of people. Traditional American ideals of free market economics and individual freedom are sweeping the globe.

However, society is segmenting into antagonistic camps. Tribalism, terrorism, ethnic cleansing, and culture wars are tearing the globe apart.

Despite all the fracturing of society we see before us, we should still remember that in every age, orthodox Christians have had a presence; and this new age will always have us around reminding the world that Christ and the Bible still exist to point the way to truth, unity of belief and causation, redemption from our sin and error, and eternal significance for the individual. We, Christians, must use these days to effectively express our understanding of Christ and His ways--He is the only way to help and life!

What's Beyond Charity?

Have you ever wondered what you can do to alleviate the poverty, out-of-wedlock pregnancies, and disenfranchisement problems in the inner cities of America? Dr. John Perkins has outlined three things that need to be done:

One: RELOCATION. Christian people need to relocate their residences into the ghetto of the inner-city (or, at least, as near the problem as they can tolerate). Only by doing that can the values of Christian society be transmitted to our deteriorating neighborhoods.

Two: REDISTRIBUTION. This does not mean redistributing money. Redistribution means redistributing skills, values, and ethics. Our inner cities need people who value faithfulness in marriage; trustworthiness in business; commitment to stable marriages and healthy, productive, children; a sense of value in life issues, i.e., avoiding abortion and euthanasia; valuing stable, heterosexual marriages; bringing helpful professional skills; and, above all, a commitment to Christ, the Savior.

Three: RECONCILLIATION. A Christian witness, well communicated by words and deeds, is absolutely required to bring real peace and productivity to the inner city.

Is all the above what Barack and Michelle Obama are talking about when they talk of “community organization?” Absolutely not! They are talking about the Saul Alinsky type of godless pragmatism which will accomplish any desired goal at the cost of ethical rightness. There is no hint of Christian charity in that kind of “community organization.”

Some of the ideas in the above post come from the thinking of John Perkins, the author of Beyond Charity. I would strongly recommend that you read that easy and informative book.

What’s Wrong With Our Government, Today?

The economic policies being proposed these days are very bad. But the principles behind them are worse. They represent a return to the idea that the American Revolution repudiated—the idea that some are equipped by nature or training to manage the lives of others without their consent. The underlying principles of our new laws, today, are based on the idea that government bureaucrats and czars are better suited to govern us than we are, ourselves. The idea of equality under the law is apparently gone from government! Our political leaders today have been taught to look on us common people as material to be shaped and perfected by experts who have the proper technical training.

Our government leaders have been conditioned to deny the existence of absolute truth. The “good” has become subjective and the only standard of behavior is what we want—“we” in the political sense, meaning the government or bureaucracy. This thinking reduces politics not to right, but to force. That is why there is a seeming bullying spirit about our government today.

Christian people believe that there is a higher rule, a higher loyalty than that of the bullying bureaurocrat. We believe that God rules by His sovereignty and His love. We are far, far, from that concept, today, however, in our government.

If you doubt what I say, you should read what Barack Obama, himself has written in his book, The Audacity of Hope: “Implicit in [the Constitution’s] structure, in the very idea of ordered liberty, was a rejection of absolute truth, the infallibility of any idea or ideology or theology or “ism,” any tyrannical consistency that might lock future generations into a single, unalterable course....” From this, we can plainly see that according to our leader in the White House, today, that the idea of “laws of Nature and of Nature’s God,” as stated in the Declaration of Independence, are reduced to “tyrannical consistency.” Well, as for me, I prefer this kind of “tyrannical consistency” in my life, the rule of God over the rule of men.

Much of this post has been excerpted from Imprimis, December 2009.