Posted on 06/20/2007 8:58:09 PM PDT by Mr. Silverback
I was dismayed a while back when I learned that a Barna survey found that “less than one out of every ten churched teenagers has a biblical worldview.” But a survey is just that, a survey. Things couldn’t be that bad, could they? Well, I recently heard a shocking story that vividly illustrates just how far relativism has infected the Church—to the point where Christian kids balk at the idea that Christianity would claim to be, of all things, true.
Four years ago, the BreakPoint staff and I launched Centurions, an intensive, year-long education program designed to equip 100 people each year to defend a biblical worldview and teach it to others.
One of our Centurions participants takes that call very seriously as she works with students at a local middle school. She sponsors a Christian club at the school, voluntary of course, and in accord with all the state laws. The students lead the club, and she mentors those leaders.
The club has been studying the ReWired curriculum, which BreakPoint created with Ron Luce’s Teen Mania. The DVD explores the four basic worldview questions: Where do I come from? Why is the world in such a mess? Is there a way to fix it? Is there a purpose for my life?
Everything was going fine until the group reached lesson 10. Lesson 10 leads the kids through a series of choices to learn to recognize the difference between matters of truth and matters of taste. One of the choices, “believing Islam, Buddhism or Christianity,” flashed on the screen.
Our Centurion—I’ll call her Joanne, told me what happened next: “The students went nuts. All but one of the eight leaders completely balked at the concept of distinguishing Christianity as true and other religions as false.”
The next day when they met again, Joanne told the students leaders that they would not have to teach lesson 10 to other students if they didn’t believe it.
Joanne learned that several of the seventh graders had talked to their parents or pastors over night. But the result of those conversations was shocking. One girl had written a paper that night on “why we shouldn't hurt others feelings by claiming our way is right.” One young lady had met with her pastor, who told her no one can be sure of truth. “It is all perspective,” he said. The students agreed that they should not offend others by saying Christianity is true. Only one was prepared to teach it.
While Joanne respected the authority of the parents and pastors, she encouraged the students to continue to consider the concept of truth, reminding them that Christianity--like Islam and many other religions--makes an exclusive claim to truth. She also reminded them that the words “I am the way, the truth and the life . . . no man comes to the Father except by me,” were Jesus' words, not hers.
What I find really shocking here is what this story tells us about the state of discipleship, not just of our kids, but of parents and pastors. This story is a wake-up call. We must learn what we believe, why we believe it and then instill it into our children, giving them a biblical view of all of life. We can’t stand idly by while relativism undermines the faith of our kids and robs them of the one sure hope they have—and desperately need. Friends, if this story gets to you like it gets to me, it’s time we got busy.
There are links to further information at the source document.
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For me, caring about others means being judgmental and helping people get on to the right path, and telling them when they are on the wrong path.
As long as the kids themselves think Christianity is true what’s the problem? The Catholic Church used to teach that it was the ONE TRUE CHURCH. Well that offended a lot of people so it was changed to the Catholic Church teaches the FULLNESS OF TRUTH. That is, other religions have some truth but we have the most there is to be had. So the kids can just say Christianity contains the “fullness of truth.” If the kids are uncomfortable with that, then why the heck are they even Christians at all?
“One young lady had met with her pastor, who told her no one can be sure of truth”
If someone stabs another person, and that person dies, it is murder. That is the TRUTH.
Speaking of truth, meatball is the only acceptable pizza topping. Pepperoni, mushroom, sausage, and the like, are sins. This is such an obvious truth that no further explanation is required, because we meatball-topping-pizza-eaters have a monopoly on all truth. Anyone who believes otherwise is a relativist headed down the wrong path, and has no business being out in public trying to sell us normal folk on their evil toppings. We must teach...no, instill...no, wait, ram this down the throats of our children or we will all perish!
“All but one of the eight leaders completely balked at the concept of distinguishing Christianity as true and other religions as false.” “
Some “leaders”
“One young lady had met with her pastor, who told her no one can be sure of truth”
Pontius Pilate would have agreed. (”What is truth?”)
You have it completely backwards! All toppings are good in the eyes of God, except anchovies. The anchovy eaters must be wiped from the face of the earth.
The quotation from John in the article. Jesus made it pretty clear what his opinion on this particular subject was. And the great commission. We are to tell all men about Him. We can either say:
* "He is the way, the truth and the light. Noone comes to the father but thru Him."
* "He is a way, He knew the truth, and he's one of the ways you can find the light."
One is biblical. The other isn't. If you are evangelizing to folks, eventually you have to be prepared to answer that question. No sense being scared of it. If you have a question about that, you really aren't a Christian.
For evidence for why Christianity alone says what happens thousands of years before it happens, please see http://www.direct.ca/trinity/y3nf.html. This is the signature of God.
Other “religions” don’t do this. Not Islam, not Bhuddism, not Hinduism, not Zoroastrianism, not B’haism. Whatever their spelling, they are the words of men and not God.
“The anchovy eaters must be wiped from the face of the earth”
I agree. I don’t like “salt pizza” !!
Are you saying that Christianity is a tool for predicting the future?
The anchovy eaters are a slippery slope. Fish pizza is unnatural. Where will it stop? Lox pizza? Sushi pizza? Blackened Sea Bass (with a hint of basil) pizza?
LOL!
We are actually discussing this topic in my Bible study right now.
We just started the topic, and I need to read up on it.
What does it mean to not be under the law?
Less than 10% of Americans who call themselves Christian possesses a Biblical worldview.
Which means:
More than 90% of Americans who call themselves Christian do not possess a Biblical worldview.
2/3 of Born Again Christians assert that there are no absolute moral truths.
What does that mean? Sin really doesn’t exist.
Ergo – Redemption was not really necessary
Ergo – Christ died for nothing
Begs the question – Why the need to be Born Again?
4 out of 10 say they are “absolutely committed to the faith”.
44% of churched youths agree with this statement: “Humans are capable of grasping the meaning of truth”.
85% of churched youth agree with this statement: “What is right for a person in a certain situation may not be right for another person in the same situation”.
(Relativism and situational ethics)
62% of churched youth agree that: “Nothing can be known for certain except that which is experienced in your life”.
Why I believe the Bible and have a Biblical worldview:
“I choose to believe the Bible because it’s a reliable collection of historical documents written by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses that report supernatural events that took place in fulfillment of specific prophecies and claim that their origins are divine rather than human in origin.” Dr. Voddie Baucham
With the tagline you’ve got, I take it you are kidding. Its all right to be exclusive when it comes to America, patriotism (freedom no exceptions), but not when it comes to religious matters?
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