Postmodernism

• There are no absolutes.
• No one thinks for themselves: our culture shapes the way we view life and process our environment.
• Reality is individual: what I think is real is real for me, but may not be for you.
• Nothing can be proven for sure by science or argument.
• Whatever a person believes or says is completely right and valid for that person.

Heard these statements before? These are all beliefs that permeate our institutions and the culture that we live in. Chances are you’ve heard someone say or allude to more than one of these ideas. Maybe even in your Bible-believing church.

You might be surprised to learn that all of these statements are part of a single belief system. It is known as postmodernism and is the prevailing worldview in our culture today. It is not a religion, but rather a set of accepted beliefs.

One postmodernistic buzzword floating around is tolerance. At first glimpse, tolerance might sound like a great plan for us to all get along and love people of other beliefs. It would be, if we follow the traditional definition for tolerance: love the sinner, but not his sin. However, postmodernist tolerance demands that we ignore sin altogether: love each individual and accept his personal moral standards. That definition presupposes that each person is right in his beliefs, religion, and morals. But that is NOT what the Bible teaches.

“Jesus answered: ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”

–John 14:6

The statements at the beginning of this entry are postmodernistic, and postmodernism does not cooperate with Biblical Christianity. It is impossible to believe a postmodern doctrine and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. He does not tolerate other gods (Deut. 4:24), He is real and absolute (John 1:1), and He is the ONLY Way (John 14:6).

I Miss Jesus

This semester, I have an overwhelming amount of information coming at me. The Wall Street Journal, political blogs, RSS feeds, not to mention textbooks. Professors are snatching up every last second of my life.

I live in a world where 95% of my colleagues are not saved and view education as top priority. This means that most of my time is spent taking in secular knowledge. I thoroughly love what I’m learning, but my intellect is increasing at the expense of my walk with the Lord. So much of my brain is in college that the rest is essentially useless. Focusing on the spiritual world is difficult when everyone else is focussed on knowing the physical world. My particular major is a very pragmatic and somewhat unemotional course of study, and doesn’t exactly work hand-in-glove with a Christ-centered worldview.

Time-management is a struggle for a great number of people, but it is imperative that I learn it quickly so I can spend more time with my Savior. I miss Him.

“Not only was the teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. The Teacher set out to find the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true. The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails–given by one Shepherd. Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. Now all has been heard, here is the conclusion of the matter. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

Ecclesiastes 12:9-13