| | Today is Memorial Day which provided a nice little break before the much longer break we get at the end of the school year. As such, I did what do on most days I have off from work ... as little as possible. That said, I did manage to find myself wondering into Books a Million (there is not a Barnes & Noble in Goldsboro) to look around for a bit where I found a copy of Rob Bell's newest book Sex God. Having read his first book, Velvet Elvis, a few months ago and really enjoying and could hardly wait to see what his new book with the provocative title was all about. Admittedly, I still have more left to read in the book that what I have had time to read thus far, but judging from what I have read thus far I will not be disappointed. Contrary to what one might be led to believe, I do try to read a pretty wide variety of books, some with opposing viewpoints to my own. I believe this is a good practice as it helps stretch one's prospective and forces a person to think about his/her viewpoints. Okay, I guess that is enough initially rambling for now, so now to pickup where I left off the other day.
What I tried to illumine in the previous entry is the absence of absolute truths in the post-modern system. People who are familiar with post-modernity know that the rejection of absolute truths and standards is one of the hallmarks of the way of thinking. Rather than there being standards, each person is allowed to (and encouraged) to form their own opinions and sit there own standards from their own view point. For one to realize the danger in this it would be viewed by carrying it to its fullest extent, so I believe an illustration is in order. It is like going from the modern English alphabet which has a set order (a,b,c,d ...) to allowing each individual person to rearrange to arrange the alphabet in an order to suite their fancy then expecting others to recognize it as orthodox. Perhaps orthodox is not such a good word to use in a discussion on post-modernity, but it will suffice for now.
There is no right and wrong. No written codes. No moral standards. No one really cares or judges others, except for one time. This time is the fatal end to which all of post-modernity ends and thus one of reason why many predict that history will repeat itself and we will move beyond the post-modern/post-propositional age in which we now live. Post-moderns expect to be treated by others in a manner which a moral standard is understood lest they fall victim to their own system. The idea that parents and teachers should be treated respectfully as authorities is their lives is something foreign to the young post-modern mind. Instead they view the world such that they treat others in whatever way feels good and seems right to them. There is no standard of respect in place for them. In fact, I would venture to say that any type of authority for all is something beyond the post-modern prospective.
While one could write volumes on the topic of post-modernity, I will end by pointing out a few good things I do like about the system of thought. I do like the emphasis on relationships, though I believe relativism and relativity should be kept separate and not lumped into one large category. I do believe those of us who reject post-modernity can do a bitter job of living relationally, as our post-modern friends do, while holding onto our standards. Speaking to those who claim to be Christians here: in the end we should be marked for our love for one another. Our unity should be found in Christ alone and his glory will not be shared with another. We should lift one another up and encourage one another so that we can learn to do life better. That is not living for yourself, but for God foremost and then for others.
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| | Posted 5/28/2007 10:37 PM - 6 Views - 0 eProps - 0 comments
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