"Socrates sought to guide his student into authentic knowledge. He did it via a method of discreet, guided questioning. He engaged his student in dialogue (forcing) the student to think his way to a sound conclusion. Socrates wanted to teach his student to think. The goal of thinking is truth. With this method, knowledge is supported by understanding and the student goes beneath the surface to penetrate the truth of the matter." R. C. Sproul
When a society, as a whole, adopts relativism as it's default philosophical underpinning, that society stops thinking. Since there is no such thing as truth, all is relative, after that what is left? The default setting for such a society becomes the way they feel in any given situation.
I was watching television on Saturday morning with my twelve year old daughter. She began watching the show "Amanda." I have only watched this show one time, therefore, I do not know if it is always like this, but the entire show were sets of different parodies on the idiotic way that teenagers think in our culture. I asked Rebekah if she knew what a parody was, and she said, "oh Mama, it is just supposed to be funny and stupid." I took from that that she knew what the definition of a parody was! It was one of the most refreshing shows I have watched in a long time. It was actually trying to bring thought back into the culture, or in my idealistic point of view, it was getting kids to think of the stupid ways that they think. It really floated my boat. Maybe, that is how Jonathan Swift felt when he wrote Gulliver's Travels.
One of the scenes was of a girl named Moody who was only guided by her feelings; thus the name Moody. She decided not to go to her own Birthday party because she was sad about something "vague." Her friends try to pull out of her what she is sad about, and she tells them the story of when she was a little girl. Her mother had to go visit her sick aunt in Chicago. She could not book a flight on any of the airlines, so she chose to go in a hot air balloon. What brought on all of this sadness, is that Moody's boy friend gave her a balloon for her birthday, thus that was what precipitated the low "mood." It gave her flash backs from days gone by. She spills her guts to her friends about her mother, and tells them that when her mother left in the balloon she never came back, and she is up there still. Keep in mind this is all tongue in cheek, exaggerated, and really funny. The friends listen and sympathize and then say, "ok, now lets go party." It could have been an Oprah Winfrey show about the victims in our society who have lost their mothers to hot air balloon accidents!
This has given me a great deal to ponder on. Is this an indication that this current generation is seeing through some of the ridiculous antics that have been going on in their parents generation? Does it give us hope that their are some young people out there that have gone down the road of "feeling" and found it wanting? I believe it does. "Let the little children lead them." May we as adults, not give into the subjective culture around us. Let us help to change the thinking of the young people that God has caused us to influence. May we think, and change our thinking, in order to be able to lead and guide this coming generation and our children's children's generation into changing the way in which they think.
Awaiting the Bridegroom......Lynn Cross
"Therefore, brothers, in view of God's mercy, I urge you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test what God's will is-His good, pleasing, and perfect will."
Romans 12:1-2
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