ONE of the recent forms of ‘cool’ idealism, I am told, is known as Post Modernism, which develops the concepts of political correctness to even stranger and more anarchistic levels.
In essence, I gather the main symptoms of someone suffering from a bad dose of post modernism are:
- Political correctness reigns absolutely and without question. Criticism of other peoples’ opinions or beliefs or promotion of ones own, used to be called ‘Freedom of Speech’, but now is in danger of becoming an arrestable offence.
- There is no absolute truth. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion on any topic, which, provided they are politically correct are all of equal worth, so there is no need to be too concerned about truth
- There is no absolute right or wrong. Provided you do what you consider to be right, then that’s fine. No one else is entitled to criticise or judge your opinion or motivation.
- Everyone should believe they are winners. No one loses or comes second in anything.
- Distrust all authority as trying to pull a fast one over us. Many TV programmes tell us that governments are doing this all the time, whilst books like the Da Vinci Code, confirm the belief that the Church has been lying to us for centuries.
- All direction should be ignored. State, educators, parents and church have no exclusive hold on truth, so why should anyone follow them?
- It’s smart to disbelieve everything. If it hasn’t been disproved yet, it’s only a matter of time!
Much of this is familiar, but taken together it’s a cynical view of the world that threatens our civilisation.
So how can we as Christians respond? With large doses of truth and common sense.
As Christians we believe in Truth – not man-made but God-given and centred on Jesus. And this truth of Jesus is not so much something to be argued about as loved, enjoyed, lived-out and shared with others. In him we have a fixed standard of right and wrong, which shows how we should live our lives to the benefit of all, rather than in placing ourselves at the centre of the Universe.
And if that’s “uncool”, then so be it!
