The Truth?

"I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me." --John 14:6

            How frequently do we subjectively determine whether what we do is right or wrong?  Let me put that a different way: how frequently do we use our surroundings and the thoughts of our peers to determine our morals?

            Before I really start let me give you a few definitions so that you know what I am talking about.  Sorry about all of the big words, if you don’t understand what I mean by something feel free to comment with your question.  

           (1) Objectivity.  Objectivity is the practice of ignoring your own biases, preconceptions and the norms of society and looking at an issue from an objective standpoint.  It’s like reading a (good) novel written in the third person: you see everything in perspective, what is really real.  Absolutes withdrawn from circumstances determine truth.

           (2) Subjectivity.  Subjectivity is the opposite of Objectivity: your biases, preconceptions and the norms of society are what are important.  It is like reading a (poor) novel written in first person: you have an incomplete, limited and flawed view of the world.  Nothing is really real.  There are no Absolutes.  Circumstances determine truth.  When I am talking specifically about morals I will usually use Relativism as well.

           (3) Worldview.  A worldview is how one views the world.  How one looks at a situation, what a person’s thought process are.  Everyone has a worldview.

            Post-Modernism (the opposite of Modernism which states that everything can be reasoned out logically) is the prevalent world-view of our culture.  Post-Modernists believe that all truth is dependent on the individual.  These are the people who say things like: “It was true for me at the moment,” and “I thought it would be okay.”  In theory, this would give way to a tolerance of any and all belief systems; and it seems like it does.  Every horrible, disgusting, and gross sin that can be imagined has been and frequently is being embraced by our culture.  Homosexuality, atheism, the murder of infants, and adultery are all socially accepted norms through this thought system.

            “Well,” you might ask, “what’s wrong with that?  We can live how we want so why can’t they?”

            For several reasons – one: they are sinning.  While we cannot judge the heart, we are commanded in scripture (1 Corinthians 5:9-12) to confront sin without wavering.  Two – our culture is being rapidly destroyed as birth and marriage rates plummet, and as abortion and divorce rates skyrocket to new heights.  Third – They won’t let us.  If we are being good Christians, obeying God’s Word we will be in conflict with these people constantly.  “Now go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 18:19, emphasis added)  Disciples are followers of Christ.  You can’t have a follower of Christ who does not believe that He is the only way into heaven.  That he is the way, the truth and the life.  Once we start putting God’s objective (Biblical) morals on the stage, their shifty subjective (human) morals slide away like sand.  And that makes them angry.

            The Bible is the only sound source of objective truth.  No other book has been ever known to have so many indicators of truth.  One of the more obvious ones is the fact that it was written by over 40 people over several centuries through 36 distinct books.  And there are no contradictions.  I’ve read trilogies written by one author that contradict themselves.  This is only one of the hundreds of proofs that show that the Bible is infallibly true.

            Subjectivity raises more than philosophical and religious issues, but it also causes enormous problems when it begins to be applied in the realms of law and morality (which I have touched on a little already).  Let’s deal with some hypothetical situations.  Let’s say that I (as a Subjective Moralist – or Moral Relativist, whichever you prefer) say that it is wrong for someone to steal from me.  You (also a Moral Relativist), decide that you want my money and take it.  I object saying that stealing is wrong.  You disagree.  Who is right?  We both are.  From a Moral Relativist’s standpoint there is no right and wrong.  There is no absolute standard of Justice.  Moral Relativism leads to anarchy.  But if you ask them about Columbine High School, Hitler or any other major catastrophe, you will get and Objective answer; that was wrong.  You can’t be subjective and place rules on people.  You cannot be subjective and have a stable society.  It doesn’t work.

            So what’s the point?  What is the real meaning behind big words like Objectivity, Subjectivity, and Moral Relativism, and why does it matter?  The public school systems are teaching Moral Relativism as part of their curricula.  Our culture is being destroyed from the inside out by subjectivity.  And the funny thing is (funny strange, not funny Ha Ha) that people can’t figure out why!  We have to take a stand for truth.  We have to steadfastly, and absolutely proclaim Christ.  Because the only way to share truth to a culture that has rejected it is to speak, loud and proud, about what is really real.

     Leaping Lizard

Information from Bill Jack; specifically his ‘Simple Tools for Brain Surgery’ talk, and Voddie Baucham Jr; specifically his ‘Ever Loving Truth’ series.