What is the Post Truth Culture?
Post-Modernism rejected the idea of objective truth altogether. That argument is self defeating as we all know. If someone tells you there is no such thing as truth you simply ask them do you believe that statement is true? Suddenly their argument falls apart. If there is no truth, what they have stated is untrue.
Post-Modernism took its toll on our nation in many areas: revisionist history taught in our schools, politically correct language, loss of respect for authority figures, the redefining of marriage, redefining sexual identity. The Post Modernist movement also had an impact on church attendance across America. If there is no truth what value is there in a church service? According to Post Modernist leaders the Bible is just one more ancient book that holds no relivancy to modern times.
2020 has ushered in a new cultural revolution. Building upon Post Modernism is the Post Truth Culture. The Post Truth Culture does not deny truth they subordinate it. Truth has become the SLAVE of “FEELINGS”. Post Truth boldly declares that our feelings and preferences overide truth. Post Truthers would say “yes, there is such a thing as objective truth but if it conflicts with my preferences, I don’t care.”
“Truth is subordinate to my feelings Truth has become the SLAVE of “FEELINGS””
Preferences and feelings triump over truth and facts. In order to emphatically declare the new way of thinking the post truthers have embraced some of the post modern tools and have sharpened their blades. Political correctness is more adently defined, revisionist have outlined a new American historical template that has no resemblence to what most of us were taught in school. America is viewed as a failed experiment and the capitol of white supremecy and racism. White supremecy and racisim have been redefined as any perceived advantage in the white race. Below is one Post Truthers version of white supremecy values…
Critical race theory is the religion of post truthers. Identify those most victimized by society and liberate them from the bonds of it. This angry new movement is NOT open to counter-arguments they are the leaders of cancel culture. They are the inventors of new thought forms that match their preferences/feelings and they are bent on making them the new standards by which everyone is measured. This is a conform or you will be confronted movement. Respect means complete conformity. There is no live and let live, there is only believe this way or else.
With respect to politics, social identity, sexual identity, law and order, and religion the Post Truthers view truth as subordinate to their preferences and feelings. In their mind the world is flawed and needs redefining at every level. The best barometer for the new order of this world is based in a belief that their preferences and feelings are the true north. From a Christian world view the flaw in this philosophy is the very person organizing it.
““The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9)
”
The belief that man is basically “good” and therefore given the right circumstances, education, resources, encouragement and power, will do what is in the best interest of all of humanity is deeply flawed. We have no historical record of it. Rather, the depravity of mankind is our historical record. Historical revisionist have attempted to lay the blame of mans depravity (genocide, governmental corruption, abortion, pedophilia, rape, greed, substance abuse, child abuse, infidelity, sexual deviance, embezzling, fraud) at the feet of a handful of misguided and or mentally ill individuals. Additionally they excuse those who are exercising the rights to their own body and life. They also blame religion and in particular Christianity as they point toward the crusades between 1096 - 1271 AD.
An honest appraisal of the history of mankind reveals the truth…Evil is systemic in mankind. Christian Author and blogger, Jayson Bradley wrote: “Systemic evil denotes diabolical structures that perpetuate misery, corruption, and wrongdoing. It’s a machine that functions without any real control or oversight by any individual.” Early on in 20th century the church fundamentalist arose in an attempt to establish and support the basic tenants of the faith. The term “fundamentalist” denoted a person focused on specific Christian fundamentals: biblical infallibility, the deity of Christ, the Virgin Birth, miracles, Jesus’ bodily resurrection, and the substitutionary view of the Atonement.
Concerns arose from the appearence of a social gospel that seemed in the eyes of the fundamentalist to be a workaround salvation for those who may not desire a life of sacrifice, self-discipline, deferred gratification. Theological ethicist H. Richard Niebuhr reflected on the religious philosophy of this time as “A God without wrath [bringing] men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.” The problem of mankind was the instigator of the fall of mankind.
““In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (II Cor. 4:4)”
"How is Satan god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4)?" The phrase “god of this world” (or “god of this age”) indicates that Satan is the major influence on the ideals, opinions, goals, hopes and views of the majority of people. His influence also encompasses the world’s philosophies, education, and commerce. The thoughts, ideas, speculations and false religions of the world are under his control and have sprung from his lies and deceptions. Systemically evil. Our best good deeds, fall woefully short in the presence of a Holy God.
How can we as the Christian church effectively push back against post-truth culture? One way is for us to clearly define what a world of post-truth would look like. We will lose three things instantly: 1. Our sense of reason grounded in truth and facts. 2. Our sense of accountability to one another and God. 3. We lose our sense of human value since there will be those who are oppressors and those who are victims. We can and we must demonstrate how a life in Christ is a life of peace, hope, love, joy, kindness, and compassion. It is also a life of sacrifice, self-discipline, deferred gratification, and obedience to God’s Word.