Worldview Boot Camp: Evangelical young people need training in the truth about truth

I'm a work in progress, but here's what I know about truth so far:

Truth can be defined as that which corresponds to its object or that which describes an actual state of affairs.

Contrary to what is being taught in many schools, truth is not relative but absolute. If something is true, it's true for all people, at all times, in all places. All truth claims are absolute, narrow, and exclusive. All truths exclude their opposites-- even religious truths.

For example, humanist truth claims are just as "narrow" as Christian truth claims. For if humanism is true, then anything opposed to humanism is false. Likewise, if Christianity is true, then anything opposed to Christianity is false.

Other truths about truth:

*Truth is discovered, not invented. It exists independent of anyone's knowledge of it. That is, gravity existed prior to Newton.

*Truth is transcultural. If something is true, it is true for all people, in all places, at all times.

*Truth is unchanging even though our beliefs about truth change. When man began to believe that the earth was round instead of flat, the truth about the earth didn't change, only our belief about the earth changed.

*Beliefs cannot change a fact no matter how sincerely they are held.

*Truth is not affected by the attitude of the one professing it. An arrogant person does not make the truth he professes false (and visa versa for the humble person).

So, contrary beliefs are possible, but contrary truths are not possible. We can believe everything is true, but we cannot make everything true.

If what Reeve advocated actually were our governing philosophy, he would not have been there to testify. Who would spend millions to keep him alive when that money could help thousands?

While I didn't agree with Reeve on his views about stem-cell research, let's be honest here. If millions were spent to keep him alive, it would have been HIS OWN MONEY. It wasn't like he was a charity case. Nobody was spending money to keep Reeve alive, except himself. Colson's "analysis" is false.

I agree with most of what you say, but I do have a few things you may want to contemplate:

Cedar: "I promise you that if every child is reared knowing (not just memorizing) the Scriptures and is filled with the Holy Spirit, these children will automatically be blessed with discernment."

What if your child is not filled with the Holy Spirit? Many children of christian families are not saved until well into adulthood (I was not). Regarding discernment, even the Bible says that discernment is one of the spiritual gifts hence not everyone has it equally.

Cedar: "Teach them the Bible early and continue daily with it! This is extremely important! Only the Word of God is strong enough to overcome and put down the false secular teachings that are so rampant in the world today."

I don't contest that we must teach our children the Bible regularly, but even Satan knows the Bible (much better than you or I) and Satan is far from obedient to the Word of God. As parents we must be faithful with/to what God has given us and pray earnestly that He will reveal Himself to our beloved children.

As Christians, we are charged with the education of our children and this does not mean merely the "religous" aspects of their teaching. If we abdicate that role to government or private schools, we are not obeying God's will. Certainly we can provide outside "agents" to help us in this task, but it is our personal reponsibility to ensure our child's God-centered education.

We must eradicate the idea of christian and secular education. All things must be taught in relation to an almighty God and Creator - all is for His purpose and His glory.

Regarding the Holy Spirit, most children I've seen whose parents were teaching them (from a very early age) about the infilling of the Holy Spirit wanted to be filled and prayed for the Holy Spirit. I believe God grants that request to their sincere hearts.

If it is stressed to children the importance of surrendering the life fully to the Lord and being filled with His Spirit, the children will DESIRE for this surrendered life and will pray for it.

As for discernment, I think you misunderstood my use of the word. Yes, it is one of the gifts of the Spirit, and not everyone has that particular special gift.

But my use of the word "discernment" meant more of the general abillity to distinquish between right and wrong--such as being able to recognize that the world's attitude of accepting homosexuality is definitely wrong. No matter how much the world tries to declare it to be "right," the Christian knows that God has already declared homosexuality to be wrong. This He says in both the Old and New Testaments.

That's just one example, but you understand maybe better what I meant when speaking of children/young people having discernment.

And I'm sorry I don't see the connection in your post about Satan knowing the Bible and why that should affect our teaching children daily about the Bible. Yes, Satan does know the Bible, but with the wrong spirit. Every time he quotes Scripture (such as when tempting Jesus in the wilderness), he spoke through the wrong spirit and misused its meaning. Jesus recognized this and spoke the truth of the Word of God back to the devil, and by doing so revealed the corrupted way Satan tried to use God's Word.

To me this shows even more clearly how much we need to know God's Word--so that we are able to rebuke any false "teachings" and worldly misinterpretations.

And I agree totally with you on home-schooling (isn't that what you were referring to when you talked about being charged with education of our children?). Home-schooling is the very best solution for Christian parents.

Only at home can all things be taught in relation to Almighty God, as you rightfully said they should be. Maybe one day that possibility will exist again in public and private schools--but I really don't see that happening. Which is why home-schooling is so needed and the best solution.

Thanks for your comments.

I am currently developing a student seminar call "Survive & Thrive." The goal is to equip students to "survive and thrive" in a secular classroom. Using Romans 1:20 as the theme, we will use an active stage, patterned after the popular TV show CSI. We will gather and analyse evidence for the "Originator" - and then build a biblical worldview. More on my web site.

Rationale - our children are being thrown to the wolves, and very few are doing anything to change that.

If anyone is interested, contact me through my web site (info in my Freeper profile.

I absolutely agree. Too many programs, too much emphasis on making learning "fun", and too much world finds it's way into the Sunday school's precious 45 - 50 minutes. I've always thought a good mentoring program involving the senior leaders in a church and the youth leaders would be the best way to go - with a very hand's on approach until the youth leader/teacher had proven himself. Many times, the applicant is screened once and then let go to organize the fun & games at will.

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