Eternal Approach

“For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off: That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.”      (Isaiah 29: 30-21)

Talk about an Old Testament scenario repeating itself in modern times. This verse is an incredible condemnation of our own American culture.

It’s Deja Vu, all over again.

Forbidden Words

When have we ever seen such an incredible fixation on every word that is spoken in public. Every politician, every celebrity, every public personality, and every person who speaks a word that has been recorded in social media or on someone’s phone is up for judgment.

Every one is subject to dissection by the political-correctness police for any and every possible misuse of language or perceived thought. The tribunal is ready to sit in judgment at a moment’s notice for anything that is offensive to the cultural police.

What ever happened to “free speech”?!

Seriously. When did we lose that right?

I don’t want to waste time in some long, drawn-out conversation over the obvious dangers of speech that could incite a riot. Or speech that is obviously slanderous.

And I understand the biblical command against bearing “false witness” against another person. Which is a command that has been totally ignored today. “False witness” has become the norm.

Maybe the problem is that the culture, as a whole, is no longer reasonable.

Which brings to mind a quote by Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. who said, “Good men are always reasonable.”

Where is reason today? Where is there a sense today of allowing other people to express their opinions? Even if we hate their opinions?

The Religious Left

This all reminds me of the Pharisees and scribes in the New Testament. They were always following Jesus around looking for a way to pin something on Him. Looking for a word that they could use to condemn Him.

They would “strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel“, as Jesus said (Matthew 23:24). In other words, they would fixate on a tiny detail that Jesus said or did while missing the whole point of His message.

All because they hated him.

And it’s no different today. The modern culture is also a culture of hate.

Interestingly, Progressivism and the liberal left is also a religious culture. Although they would deny this.

It is a culture which has its own religious world view. It is not the same as that which the Pharisees held, but it has its own set of laws and traditions that must be followed and obeyed.

And it is characterized by a hatred and venom toward the word of God and toward any political and social ideas that are based upon biblical principles. And any concept of biblical authority or absolute truth.

This is evidenced by the media, the elites and the academics; who tend to be a pack of jackals looking for a way to crucify anyone that does not fit their Progressive, leftist, political and social agenda.

Looking to destroy anyone or anything that might challenge their world view.

That is why we have young people in higher education desperate to silence any ideas and talk that is offensive to them. You would think that this would not be the mentality of supposedly intelligent people who are looking to open their minds. To calmly and rationally consider all ideas.

And not just the 1,001 varieties of leftist thinking they are exposed to in colleges. Which creates the illusion of exposure to a wide-spectrum of ideas.

Sadly, the closing of the American mind is a more accurate description of what is going on. The modern university is no longer opening the minds of young people; but closing them off to biblical and rational thinking.

Teaching that which is evil and rejecting that which is good. Turning the world upside down. All in the name of social justice and whatever other good-sounding causes are in vogue.

A Time for Toughness

We need to get some toughness again. We need to stop acting like a bunch of weenies.

Even Christians need to get hold of this.

We need to understand that we are surrounded by people that disagree with the gospel. And that the basic, foundational way to allow the gospel to continue to have free rein in our culture is for us to allow the enemies of the gospel to express themselves as well.

We all need to understand that the elimination of a form of speech is a slippery slope. Because, we all will ultimately suffer for its loss.

Most Christians get this. But some don’t.

Too bad that society as a whole is using this “hate speech” idea to silence the Christian message. To shut us up.

To silence the voice of the Lord in the world.

A Precious, Fragile Gift

We all need to grow some tough skin again. So that we can stand up to this wicked world. To speak clearly and boldly. And then listen patiently while others agree or disagree with us.

Even if they hate us.

This is one of the great core values of America. The free flow of ideas and speech. It is a precious gift we have been given by God.

We need to fight for it and protect it before we lose it altogether.