Postmodernism

Our culture has bought into postmodern thought, which states (simply put) that there is no absolute truth. In postmodernism, our perceptions are reality. Such beliefs as situational ethics and relative truth come out of postmodern thought. We have so agreed with postmodernism, we feel ashamed to suggest there is absolute truth, and we are roundly condemned with some pejorative descriptor if we dare to state a truth as an absolute.

What are the consequences of accepting postmodernism? First, postmodern thought precludes faith. Some might suggest I can have faith in what I perceive, or in what I choose to believe, but I would respond that if it is relative, it is by definition not stable. Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as being sure and certain - in other words, absolute. My perception can change tomorrow. My perception can be altered by circumstances. As Scrooge so eloquently states in response to the question of why he doesn't trust his own senses, "because so many things effect them. You might be a blot of mustard, or a bit of underdone potato." If I rely on my perceptions to tell me where to center my faith, and my perceptions are unstable, my faith becomes groundless and, therefore, not faith at all.

Second, if we accept postmodernism, we are ultimately selfish. ("I me my mine" is our focus - after all, my perception is all there is.) The obvious consequence of selfishness is we can not have relationships. Of course, selfishness has become accepted in our culture as well (no wonder since we have blindly agreed to postmodern thought) and we sometimes forget the horrible consequences of being selfish, but without going into story after story or example after example, no faith means no trust, and no trust means no relationships, all of which are built on trust. Suffice it to say virtually all the pain in the world is due to our fundamental selfishness. Would you agree? Selfishness, again by definition, means there is no love. Without love, we are nothing.

Finally, postmodernism leads to chaos and irresponsibility. Do you see evidence of these responses in our culture? Chaos comes when there are no grounding principles, no absolutes, on which we agree and live by. When the line is a moving one, we can come to a place where anything can be justified, if it meets "my needs" or it is what "I want." We feel no remorse, just defensiveness and a sense of entitlement. Why shouldn't I have what I want? After all, I perceive it that way. Do you see our irresponsibility emerging here? But if everyone is operating on this same nebulous premise, my justified choices are going to naturally run afoul of your justified choices, because what YOU want doesn't always agree with what I want - and chaos ensues. It isn't MY responsibility, it is YOUR fault. From that chaos springs anger, rage and bitterness. We stand against each other instead of for each other, adversaries instead of allies. Relationships become meaningless and crumble. And in our culture, we are there, now.

No love, no relationships, no meaning, no certainty, no faith - that is what we are left with, if we live without truth...without Jesus - for He IS the truth. Even though this culture condemns the certainty of absolute truth, you need not apologize for your belief in Jesus and your assurance in that belief. Instead, feel sorrow for the lost sheep who have no ground on which to stand and no Shepherd to love and lead them.