Romans 1:28-32 “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”
Continuing, Pastor Kennedy highlights about three of the most crucial, critical terms being used that have been perverted, transformed, and changed into something altogether other than what they really are. These three words are used to deceive the American people and to forward the attack against God, Christ, and Christianity in this country. I hope you will remember them.
The first one is relativity. That is a familiar word to us all. Allan Bloom of the University of Chicago wrote a blockbuster book a decade and a half ago entitled The Closing of the American Mind. In the first sentence of the very first part of that book, he says: “There is one thing a professor can be absolutely certain of: almost every student entering the university believes, or says he believes, that truth is relative.” If this belief is put to the test, one can count on the student’s reaction: [If someone should suggest that this is not actually true] they [the students] will be uncomprehending. They cannot believe that anyone believes that all truth is not relative. They certainly know there are no absolutes. This, says Professor Bloom, is the one thing that twelve years in public schools have intentionally taught well over tens of millions of American students.
Should you ask one of these freshmen in college how he knows that, he will probably tell you, “Hey man, where have you been? Haven’t you ever heard of Einstein’s theory of relativity? He proved that everything is relative. How stupid can you be?” Well, now, did he or didn’t he? When Einstein discovered that the theory of relativity had been spread out from the science of physics and was being used in the realm of morals and ethics and everything else, he was appalled! This is what Einstein said: “Relativity is for physics, not ethics.” Albert Einstein did not believe that everything was relative, but that term has been crushed and smeared until it covers every aspect of human life. The students believe the big lie that everything is relative, there are no absolutes, and there is no moral truth that is absolutely true. The idea that there is no truth of any kind that is absolutely true has led to all kinds of other evils as well. This moves us to the second point I would like to discuss with you to show you where that supposition has gone.
The second critical term is the word tolerance. Now all of us know that tolerance means to put up with or bear with people who hold views or beliefs or values or lifestyles that you don’t agree with. If you are a Christian, or for that matter even a gentleman or a lady, you will bear with them graciously and kindly. Even though you disagree with them, you will try to be tolerant and kind to them. This is what tolerance is defined as and actually means. But not any more. The word tolerance has gone through the “Department of Truth.” It has been crushed and smeared and spread out until it means something entirely different. Suppose a father and a teenage son are discussing almost any moral subject today, and the subject of tolerance comes up. This will very frequently lead into a heated argument. The reason is that they are not talking about the same thing at all. The father is talking about tolerance as it has been known for centuries. The child is talking about the “new tolerance.” What is the new tolerance? The new tolerance is the idea that we are not only to put up with and bear with others who have differing views and values and habits and lifestyles and beliefs than our own, but we are to accept those beliefs, those values, and those lifestyles as absolutely equal to and just as valid as our own. That is the new tolerance, and it is being pounded into the minds and hearts of scores of millions of students, even this very week. The new tolerance—you have to accept all of their values, all of their beliefs.
Therefore, you don’t have any religious beliefs that are any better than anyone else’s, since after all, everything is relative. Since your beliefs are not any better than theirs, and since your moral views are not superior to their moral views, no matter if they are promiscuous in their sexual lives, you cannot, indeed, impose your views upon them. You must accept not only them, but you must graciously and kindly accept their lifestyles, their beliefs, and their habits as absolutely equal to your own. If you don’t, you are called an intolerant bigot, and kids by the millions have been called that in front of their classmates in the classrooms of this country. Most of them, indeed, quake before such an assault.
Any person who gives up a belief in the moral absolutes and the absolute truth of the faith that he or she has been taught will be incapable of distinguishing right from wrong and will be powerless to resist temptation and choose the right. This is what is happening to millions of students in our schools today because of the new tolerance. Not only do you put up with the persons graciously and kindly, but you must accept all of their views, their beliefs, their values, and their lifestyles as equal as your own. If you don’t, my friend, there are serious consequences waiting for you, because they have progressed even beyond what I’ve said. Today they not only want your glad acceptance of all of their views, lifestyles, beliefs, values, and habits as equal with your own, but they want you to participate in what they do. You must approve and participate. Yes, my friends, a lot is going on in our country today that most people are not even aware of.
Let's continue Pastor Kennedy's message on discerning good and evil in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
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