Norfords' Ramblings

Monday November 2, 2009

You know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance, James 1:3

It is of critical importance that we stand up for what we believe. If you are not sure what you believe, it is hard to defend it. In fact, as the saying goes, “If you stand for nothing, you’ll fall for anything!” Contrary to the impression they give, most with a secular mindset easily fall for the nonsensical drivel that passes for common wisdom, because they have no basis to defend against it.

Take the current reduction of human values under way in western society. If truth falls, can the value of human life be far behind? The acceptance of the postmodern belief that all truth is relative is the basis of confusion for any agreement on human dignity.

This devaluing of dignity responsible for abortion, euthanasia and other quality of life issues, and a concurrent ramping up of persecution for politically incorrect ideas—think of the human rights kangaroo courts—is a consequence of and in proportion to the discarding of Christian values.

A newly published book traces the falling value of human dignity in Canadian society and the philosophical, legal and political processes that have fostered it. The book Building on Sand: Human Dignity in Canadian Law and Society, can be reviewed at www.buildingonsand.ca.

The author, Mark Penninga has a master’s degree in Political science from Lethbridge University and is the director of the Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA) Canada. His book provides critical insight into the basis of secular thinking and its detrimental effect on human dignity in our culture.

The groupthink of our current culture tends to extract Christian values from within our belief system, by guerrilla or underground warfare. The Christian Gospel of salvation without the human values it fosters, becomes a hollow relic, meaningful to its adherents, but irrelevant to public life.

A hollowed out Gospel may not stand against false but articulate communal beliefs. The values bred by the Gospel of Jesus Christ are alone the basis for a free and secure people. Is that connection clear in our minds? If it isn’t, then our faith may not persevere against increasingly secular ideas.