Postmodernism 7

A final point should be made. You may have noticed that postmodernism is anti-order, anti-boundaries, anti-logic, anti-reality, anti-oppression, anti-government, anti-science, and anti-religion: so it is against many things, but for very little. This is a philosophy that fosters paranoia and schizophrenia, while darkening, rather than illuminating the mind and spirit. It is a negative, hopeless philosophy – after all, we are merely products of our environment; helpless, exploited subjects. Unaware that we are being exploited, we are doomed to a meaningless life and a meaningless death. Yow, suicide, anyone?

In summary, postmodernism is a dangerous deception. Despite its lack of a valid foundation, it is being taught in colleges and public school systems throughout the country and the world. The importance of a firm foundation is described by Jesus in Luke 6:48: “He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep, and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock.” Alternatively, he describes the consequences of a lack of foundation in Luke 6:49: “But he who hears, and doesn’t do, is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great." (WEB).

Postmodernism is particularly dangerous because most people are unfamiliar with either the term or the philosophy, which lets it quietly invade like a cancer. Its fuzzy definition and lack of substance actually contribute to its spread – what defense is there against elusiveness? For these reasons, it’s a good idea to become familiar with the two lists of postmodern buzzwords presented earlier.

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Familiarity with these words accomplishes several objectives, the first being identification – postmodern philosophy is identified when these buzzwords are being used. Once identified, a combat strategy to present truth can be developed. The second objective accomplished is preparedness – it‘s difficult to counter words that are unfamiliar or have a different than usual meaning. The third is development of skills necessary to engage in a conversation by either defining the buzzwords or stipulating that others define them. In discussion, it’s essential to keep defining and translating the buzzwords into “normal” language, especially when others are present who may not be familiar with them. When others understand that “metanarrative” is “worldview“, and “hegemony” is “dominance“, and so on, truth can then slice through the tangled tendrils of jargon. If we fail to confront postmodern fallacies, we concede that our children and youth will be taught, at best, nonsense, and at worst, despair.

To reiterate, without truth, we can’t know reality. Outside of reality, goodness, order, justice, and mercy can’t exist. The prophets of long ago knew this:

“So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance;

truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter.

Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey”

(Isaiah 59:14, 15, NIV).

Pauline Donnelly, May 1, 2007

REFERENCES

1. Clapp, R. (1996). A Peculiar People: The Church as Culture in a Post-Christian Society. InterVarsity Press®.

2. CNN.com. (2004, March 2). “Young America’s News Source: Jon Stewart”. Retrieved May 9, 2007 from www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/TV/03/02/apontv.stewarts.stature.ap

3. Homepage, Joseph Campbell Foundation© . Retrieved 5/28/07 from www.jcf.org/bliss.php

4. Jameson, F. (1988). “Postmodernism and Consumer Society“. The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism.

5. Klages, M. (Last revised December 12, 2001). “Postmodernism“. Retrieved February, 2007 from www.colorado.edu/English/ENGL2012Klages/pomo.html. Introduction to the concept by Mary Klages of the University of Colorado. All materials on this site are written by, and remain the property of, Dr. Mary Klages, Associate Professor of English, University of Colorado, Boulder. You are welcome to quote from this lecture, or link this to your own site, with proper attribution and citation.

6. Lyotard, J. (1984). The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge. (ISBN 0-8166-1173-4)

7. McDowell, J. (1999). The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict. Thomas Nelson Publishers.

8. McLaren, B. (2004, February). Letter from Chuck Colson. Retrieved 5/5/07 from http://www.anewkindofchristian.com/archives/000160.html

9. Mohler, A. (1997, Spring). Ministry is Stranger than it Used to Be: The Challenge of Postmodernism. Quoted in Josh McDowell’s The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict.

10. Sokal, A. and Bricmont, J. (1998). Fashionable Nonsense: Postmodern Intellectuals’ Abuse of Science. (ISBN 0-312-20407-8)

11. Turner, T. (1995, December 1). City as Landscape: A Post Post-modern View of Design and Planning. Taylor and Francis, 1st Edition.

12. Veith Jr., G. (1994). Postmodern Times: A Christian Guide to Contemporary Thought and Culture. (ISBN 0-89107-768-5. Quoted in Josh McDowell’s The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict. Thomas Nelson Publishers.

13. Videotaped Testimony of William Jefferson Clinton, President of the United States,
Before the Grand Jury Empaneled for Independent C
ounsel Kenneth Starr. (August 17, 1998; released September 21, 1998). Jurist: The Law Professors’ Network. Retrieved May 27, 2007 from
http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/transcr.htm

14. Wikipedia. “Postmodernism”. Retrieved March 2007 from www.wikipedia.org

15. Wokler, R. (2000, March). “Isaiah Berlin’s Enlightenment and Counter-Enlightenment”. PDF retrieved May 9, 2007 from www.ceu.hu/jewishstudies/pdf/02_wokler.pdf – ii

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