Goths Need Truth Too
MrGoodSalt
you feel like you were being deceived? You should. Yet amazingly, this is
exactly what is happening at the "leading edge" of modern thought and
philosophy in perspectives like postmodernism. The following books overview the
madness:
1) "A Primer on Post Modernism" (1996) by Stanley J. Grenz ISBM # 0-8028-0864-6
"The postmodern worldview operates with a comunity-based understanding of
truth. It affirms that whatever we accept as truth and even the way we envision
truth are dependent on the community in which we participate. Further, and far
more radically, the postmodern worldview affirms that this relativity extends
beyond our perceptions of truth to its essence: there is no absolute truth;
rather, truth is relative to the community in which we participate." p.8
2) "Postmodern Times: A Christian Guide to Contemporary Thought and Culture" by
Gene Edward Veith, Jr. ISBN # 0-89107-768-5
"The intellect is replaced by the will. Reason is replaced by emotion. Morality
is replaced by relativism. Reality itself becomes a social construct." p28-29.
3) "The Universe Next Door: A Basic Worldview Catalog" 3rd Ed. (1997) James W.
Sire. InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, IL. ISBN: 0-8308-1899-5
Preface to the Third Edition.
1. A World of Difference.
2. A Universe Charged with the Grandeur of God: Christian Theism.
3. The Clockwork Universe: Deism.
4. The Silence of Finite Space: Naturalism.
5. Zero Point: Nihilism.
6. Beyond Nihilism: Existentialism.
7. Journey to the East: Eastern Pantheistic Monism.
8. A Separate Universe: The New Age.
9. The Vanished Horizon: Post Modernism.
10. The Examined Life.
Notes.
Index.
This is a fascinating book which claims all world views can be assessed based
on how they answer 7 basic questions:
1) What is prime reality - the really real?
2) What is the nature of external reality, that is, the world around us?
3) What is a human being?
4) What happens to a person at death?
5) Why is it possible to know anything at all?
6) How do we know what is right and wrong?
7) What is the meaning of human history?
The world views examined are:
a) Christian theism
b) Deism
c) Naturalism
d) Nihlism
e) Existentialism
f) Eastern pantheistic monism
g) New age
h) Postmodernism
A particularly interesting aspect of this book is that Sire describes these
different world views a progressive disintegrations from an original ideal.
"In short, Lyotard defined postmodernism as 'incredulity toward metanaratives.'
No longer is there a single story, a metanarrative (in our terms a worldview),
that holds Western culture together. It is not just that there have long been
many stories, each of which gives its binding power to the social group that
takes it as its own. The naturalists have their story, the panteists theirs,
the Christian theirs, ad infinitum. With postmodernism no story can have any
more credibility than any other. All stories are equally valid." p.174
4) "The Death of Truth: Responding to Multiculturalism, the Rejection of
Reason, and the New Postmodern Diversity" (1996) Dennis McCallum ISBN #
1-55661-724-0
"But the postmodernists are far from insane. They present a dangerously
convincing case for their view - a view that ultimately directly undermines all
possibility of knowing objective truth (that is, truth that is true whether one
believe it or not). ... Postmodernism, as it applies to our everyday lives, is
the death of truth as we know it." p.14
"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." JOHN 8:32
Good Christian books listed and described at:
http://www.hometown.aol.com/mrgoodsalt/index.htm
John Everett
> "The postmodern worldview operates with a comunity-based
> understanding of truth. It affirms that whatever we accept as
> truth and even the way we envision truth are dependent on the
> community in which we participate.
And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one
language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from
them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there
confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the
earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it
called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the
earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all
the earth.
-- Genesis 11:6-9
> Further, and far more radically, the postmodern worldview
> affirms that this relativity extends beyond our perceptions of
> truth to its essence: there is no absolute truth; rather, truth is
> relative to the community in which we participate." p.8
Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail;
whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it
shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when
that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done
away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I
thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in
part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith,
hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
-- I Corithians 8:13
> "In short, Lyotard defined postmodernism as 'incredulity toward
> metanaratives.' No longer is there a single story, a metanarrative
> (in our terms a worldview), that holds Western culture together. It
> is not just that there have long been many stories, each of which
> gives its binding power to the social group that takes it as its own.
> The naturalists have their story, the panteists theirs, the Christian
> theirs, ad infinitum. With postmodernism no story can have any
> more credibility than any other. All stories are equally valid." p.174
And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had
commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his
servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called the wise men
and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner
with their enchantments. For they cast down every man his rod, and they
became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.
-- Exodus 7:10-12