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.
Most people read Mt 7 and just get as far as “Judge not, lest ye be judged”, not realizing that Christ himself goes on to teach us how to judge properly.
SITREP
Seriously? I should accept Jesus because 10 years ago “Guy Cramer” wrote a piece using incomprehensible language and math claiming to prove that the Old Testament correctly predicted the date of Israel’s independence?
What's the problem with being afraid to speak the truth?
My late husband was a Catholic. The priest visited me when he died and looked at me aghast, knowing that I am a saved Pentecostal Christian, “Do you mean you believe in the resurrection?” He asked. I couldn’t believe it. He was probably in his 30’s, and this was 12 years ago. The Seminaries don’t teach em like they used to I guess.
Relativism has no place in our church. The CFR crowd has been trying to kill the church for years now, and they are making vast inroads with some of the kids and too many adults as well. Bodes very bad for the future if this continues. It’s up to the parents to wake up and take charge.
The former Soviet Union countries are all flocking back to the Lord I hear. True peace can only come with a strong belief in the Almighty. As our country slides further into moral corruption, He will not bless it. He will remove His protection from us.
No
You are incapable of "accepting Jesus" until He calls for you.
Liberals think it’s okay to seek truth as long as you never find it.
“The former Soviet Union countries are all flocking back to the Lord I hear. True peace can only come with a strong belief in the Almighty. As our country slides further into moral corruption, He will not bless it. He will remove His protection from us.”
Well, we seem(we being our so called leaders)to be doing everything possible to incur His wrath.If “Shamnesty” passes, we are begging for retribution, as it is slavery for the “ruling class” Moral corruption is endemic to same.
What I run into is that tolerance trumps truth. That assures that all conversations are very shallow. People want credit for having any old opinion they picked up somewhere.
Today, for instance, Bush vetoed stem cell research on moral and ethical grounds. Hillary called that ideology, denying the quest for truth and asserting the subjective, instead.
“Liberals think it’s okay to seek truth as long as you never find it”
Outstanding little comment!!
B U M P
It would have been more interesting if the young lady had had the presence of mind to ask the pastor if he was sure his statement was true.
With this statement you are doing exactly what Colson is talking about....mixing taste with truth.
Truth: The Earth is Round
Taste: The Earth is beautiful.
Truth: Tangent = opposite divided by the adjacent
Taste: Math is fun.
Christian theology is either true, or its false. Liking Christianity, a matter of taste, is not the same as believing in it.
I’ve had, “Dancing With Wolves” on tonight. What happened in Washington about the Shamnesty bill?
Nothing
The President vetoed the stem cell bill insuring that:
A) Three states — CA, MA, NY — will lock themselves in a battle for bio-tech by funding the hell out of research, stem cell and otherwise.
B)Potentially giving other countries reason to fund the research.
The end result is pretty much the same. Stem cell research will continue. Whatever benefits are to be discovered will be discovered, either in the U.S. or another country.
Good. I’ll sleep better then. :)
The result is probably a lot better from their point of view. More money and independance. However, you seem to think that individual moral choices are insignificant when others don’t agree. That’s cynical.
Sleep well!
Individual moral choices are significant. They shape history.
However, science will continue to push ahead.
The point of my screen name and tagline is to sum up my entire political philosophy, which I'd like to see world-wide, and not just in America. Of course, we all believe our opinions are the exclusive truth, but the point of my post was to lampoon the extent to which some people look down upon others that do not accept their opinions 100% hook, line, and sinker. And to lampoon the tiresome matter of "relativism." Are you a Christian, or are you a relativist? Are you a Hindu, or are you a relativist? Jew, or relativist? Are you a presuppositionalist postmillenial nondenominational dominionist reformed orthodox nonsectarian born-again (fill-in-the-blank), or are you a relativist? The line separating truth and taste can be rather thin sometimes.
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