In today’s PC culture, one of the underlying “philosophies” I’ll call it, is the idea that we are not supposed to judge anyone. I’d like to explore this notion in context of the word of god and its application in our day-to-day interactions and relationships with other members of the body of Christ as well as nonbelievers. The reason I’m giving this attention now is because I think it’s an important aspect of the platform I’m building. It’s also something I’ve thought long and hard about. I’m trying to connect with people. I’m trying to persuade people. And I’ve been told by some close friends and relatives that I’m not doing it right. I’m too blunt, too prickly, too “in your face”. Of course there’s a wealth of knowledge out there that explains the best approaches; how to connect with people without alienating them and putting them on the defensive, things like that. And I’ve struggled with it for the better part of my life. There’s something about the worldly notion of “how to win friends and influence people” that’s not consistent with the word of God.
So, I’m gonna do my best to explain my approach, as prickly as it may be to some, in the name of being upfront with my thoughts regarding the current state of our nation and all the factions among us today. My purpose here is to persuade people to a perspective or a view of the world that, in my mind, applies to our own individual lives and relationships and the current cultural state of the nation. I also believe it applies to the world too but, I would like to confine it to our own backyard, as it were, before venturing any further. What I hope to accomplish is, I don’t know… I think more than anything, I’m just trying to get it off my chest. Trying to settle it in my mind. Maybe it will register with somebody.
In the broadest sense, political correctness is simply the notion that we’re not to be “judgmental” taken to its natural conclusion, or should I say extreme. I mean, we’ve come to a point in this country where in any given moral situation, the expectation is that we “accept” behavior and conduct that used to be considered wrong or indecent. Opps. There I go, being judgmental… I used the word “wrong”. That’s where the rub is. In any given situation dealing with things of a moral nature, political correctness leaves no room for people to discern right from wrong. After all, “right” and “wrong” is a subjective thing for those who believe in the PC doctrine. To engage in such things means that something is wrong with you, not the person engaged in some type of amoral behavior. In fact, I just read an article where the author flatly states that judging is evil. So you see, taken to an extreme, people who believe in political correctness stand up this impenetrable shield that protects them from having to hear anyone who might dare say that there’s something wrong with any of their “life choices”, conduct or behavior. Bottom line, it’s a trap and if you fall into it, you’ll have hell to pay to get out of it.
Allow me to illustrate. For starters, the English language has one word for judgment and all its forms. The Greek language has as many as five words that define different types of judgment allowing for a more nuanced understanding of what it means to judge. I mention it because as I lay this out, I want everyone to understand that what I’m driving at here goes quite a bit deeper than one English word that is used to dismiss any and all types of judgment that we deal with every day. So as I continue, please understand that I’m not condemning anyone. Condemnation is a type of judgment reserved for God, not me, not us. However, discernment is something we do day in and day out. It’s the type of judgment that is required to know right from wrong.
On the national level, we collectively discern right from wrong on subjects like abortion, murder, theft, homosexuality, greed, self-absorbed people, nonbelievers, believers, sexual predators, pedophiles, feminism, etc. We each individually hold an opinion about these subjects, the heart of which is whether we think these things are right or wrong . And even though we hold our own opinions, the PC culture so prevalent in our society today has brought us to a point where essentially admonishment is never allowed.
In my mind, that’s what’s at the heart of what it means to be politically correct. It is to always talk or communicate in such away that in no way, shape, or form does anything you might say to someone come off as corrective. Pick any of the subjects above, any of them, and if you happen to express your “judgment” that it’s wrong to someone on the opposite side of the issue, rather than have some meaningful discussion as to why you think what you think, it’s very likely to simply turn into that person trying to correct you for being judgmental. “Don’t you dare try to correct me, it’s my life. Don’t you dare be so judgmental as to think you can come up in here and tell me you think something I’m doing is wrong. Oh, no you didn’t….”
Again, big picture is “Christians” on the one side and Atheists on the other. Of course there are other groups coming down on either side of these hot button issues but, confining it to “Christians” and Atheists lends itself to the point I’m trying to make without getting lost in all the in-betweens.
I draw this distinction between the judgment of condemnation and judgement of discernment because I think there’s a direct correlation between this “nonjudgmental” PC philosophy and the idea that there is a “wrong” and “right” way to persuade people to face the error of their ways. Simply put, the “wrong” way is the direct approach where you simply say to someone, “you’re wrong” in so many words. The right way is to essentially cajole or coddle someone into realizing for “themselves” that they’ve missed the mark somehow. You know, be encouraging, positive, “up lifting”… In other words, to suggest to someone, flat out, that they’re wrong about something is judgmental and therefore can be dismissed out-of-hand simply because the approach is wrong, i.e. is not PC. You’ve heard the phrase: “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar”.
Now, I’m gonna make a leap here and you gotta stay with me. Pride, contention, defensiveness, variance, judgmentalism, are all of a carnal nature. That is to say, a fleshly, non-spiritual view and approach to life. In my 10/1/2017 post, I referenced a passage that says if we are in Christ, we are new creatures.
II Corinthians 5: 17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
As new creatures, old things are passed away, right? All things become new. Take it a step further; if we are in fact in Christ and we are in fact new creatures, what’s new? One thing’s for sure, our relationship with god, his son, and each other is now of a spiritual nature, not carnal. As such, the old things that passed away are things like pride, contention, defensiveness, variance, and judgmentalism. In other words, how is it that on the one hand a person can claim to be a Christian while on the other hand still hold onto worldly philosophies like political correctness and fleshly/carnal characteristics like not wanting to be corrected unless it’s delivered correctly?
Now, I’m not suggesting that we should go around bludgeoning each other. I’m simply making the case that as new creatures in Christ, now with a spiritual nature, we should be less sensitive or should I say more humble with each other while at the same time realizing it’s almost pointless to try to persuade nonbelievers to see the error of their ways because they don’t get it. And according to god they can’t get it:
I Corinthians 2: 14
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Notice the phrase “spiritually discerned”? The word discern in this passage is from the Greek word anakrino which means to examine or judge, i.e. determine. I say all this as a warning of sorts because what you’ll find in Cows In The Pews And The Atheists Too is my attempt to speak plainly. I’ve told friends and family that there’s no right way to say the things I offer in my book. Plain talk, that’s what I consider it to be and I hope you receive it as such. I’m not trying to hurt anyone’s feelings. I’m not trying to condemn any one. I’m not trying to impose my beliefs on any one. I’m simply trying to share my thoughts and “discernments” if you will, like it or not, agree with it or not, and simply offering it for your consideration.
Now, let me leave the intellectual aspect of this discussion and turn to a practical example that I think everyone can relate to in attempt to illustrate my point. A relevant topic in the news recently deals with what appears to be widespread sexual deviancy in Hollywood. Not to name names, just gonna talk about it from a spiritual vantage point. I think most people understand that Hollywood is aligned with liberalism and the Democratic Party. Recent revelations about the sexual misconduct of one of their most prominent members has uncovered what appears to be a culture of sexual behavior that in most people’s minds is inappropriate to say the least. And as the days go by, more revelations suggests that it is a widespread problem involving young men and women looking for stardom and young child actors and actresses.
As we watch the story unfold, people on both sides of the issue are of course commenting, dissecting, judging, etc. Many on the left and many who are members of Hollywood, are trying to marginalize, normalize, and defend the behavior. Meanwhile, those on the right or conservative, and dare I say Christian side are making judgments characterizing the behavior as evil, hypocritical and overall a reflection of liberalism at large. And for the most part, I agree with their judgment. And I realize that many on the right are condemning the behavior and I think I understand why, which lends itself to the point I’m trying to make here.
Essentially, on the national stage you have various commentators on the right who align themselves in some way with God, Christianity, conservatism, however you want describe it. And from that vantage point, they engage in a worldly discourse that in my mind falls in the category of “old things” described in the 2 Corinthians 5: 17 passage above. Am I saying that that’s wrong? I don’t think it’s wrong per se but, speaking plainly, I think it misses the mark regarding our place and our role in society today. Again, speaking plainly, I think it’s safe to say that many on the left are atheists. Not all but, many; they don’t hide it. In fact, many of them flaunt it.
So, what I’m suggesting here is that rather than dealing with these nonbelievers from a worldly or carnal standpoint, we should be dealing with them in recognition of our standing in Jesus Christ as the new creatures we are. And what this means, in my mind, is that instead of referring to their behavior as evil and hypocritical, which from a purely carnal viewpoint it is, we need to call it what it really is.
Put simply, it is unbelief. It is fallen man. And rather than engaging in this ,”worldly discourse”, as I call it, going about condemning them, frankly, we should feel sad for them because they’re in a place where I once was, a place the bible tells us we all once were. It’s too easy to be appalled. It’s too easy to speak about how disgusting it all is, and just the utter perversion, and how some try to rationalize it, justify it, or outright excuse it as “normal”. A couple of passages to wind this down for now…
Romans 3:9-18
What then? are we better [than they]? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Their throat [is] an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps [is] under their lips:
Whose mouth [is] full of cursing and bitterness:
Their feet [are] swift to shed blood:
Destruction and misery [are] in their ways:
And the way of peace have they not known:
There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Ephesians 2:3
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Ephesians 4:22-25
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
How easy it is to just jump on into the fray with this righteous attitude that comes off as sanctimony like we’ve conveniently forgotten our place among the non-believers. Are we better than they? No, in no wise…..
Before I was saved, before any of us were saved, we ran with this crowd. The Romans passage above says “there is none that doeth good, no, not one”. That means we are all guilty and the only difference between us before we are saved is the depths of our sin. It is clear some people have it a lot worse than others do. You’ve heard it said, “confession is good for the soul”. When we talk about each other’s failings and get caught up in the details, it gives us an opportunity to know just how bad someone else has it. Knowing that tends to give people reason to judge others, and I mean in a condemning way, while excusing themselves. And to be clear, I’m in no way excusing their sinful behavior. The law of the land is the law of the land and these people should face justice just as anyone should, while also realizing that just like us, they will also give account unto god.
Romans 14:11-13
For it is written, [As] I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in [his] brother’s way.
As difficult as it may be in the face of the evil perpetrated by those manifesting the worst things fallen man has to offer, we should not hold ourselves high and mighty when sharing our thoughts about the sexual depravity coming out of Hollywood, and frankly, coming from any place on the political spectrum, including the Christian right. To do so causes us to leave our standing as new creatures in Christ and enter again into the conversation and the course of the world which will all pass at his coming.
