The Culture War
by Dr. Phil Stringer (Florida)
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain
deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world,
and not after Christ" (Colossians 2:8).
* * *
The term "Culture War" has become common in describing contemporary American life and politics. Robert P. Dugan, Jr. (National
Association of Evangelicals) said: "We are in the midst of raging
Kulturkampf, a cultural war to determine the ways of thinking, living,
and behaving that defines a society."
The following statements are from D. James Dobson’s book Children
at Risk:
Nothing short of a great Civil War of values rages today throughout
North America. Two sides with vastly differing and incompatible world
views are locked in bitter conflict that permeates every level of
society . . . Let me put it in another way. Children are the prize to
the winners of the second great Civil War. Those who control what
young people are taught and what they experience -- what they see,
hear, think, and believe -- will determine the future course for the
nation.
A Culture War exists when two or more different cultures compete to
be the mainstream in a society. A Culture War may be cold (when the
conflict is a strong clash of values or ideas), or hot (a civil war of
violent force for control). For the most part the American Culture War
has been cold (though more and more liberals are calling for government
harassment of Christians).
The scripture warns that those who oppose Christianity and Christian
culture will want to draw people away from their faith and values.
Colossians 2:8 says, "Beware lest any man spoil you through
philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the
rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."
This passage begins with the strongest possible word of warning --
BEWARE. This is a very strong warning with very serious consequences for
failure to take this warning seriously.
This is the very important warning: There are people who want to
"spoil" your spiritual life -- ruin your faith, values, and
doctrine. These people do not want to just be free to live in personal
rebellion against Christian truth. They want to lessen their feelings of
personal guilt by involving as many people in their non-Christian
lifestyle as possible. This is why they are waging a Culture War against
Christian values, against Christian morality, and against America’s
historic Christian culture.
THE BATTLEFIELD OF THE CULTURE WAR
It should be remembered that it is often hard to persuade adults to
change their culture. Because of this, the primary targets of the war
against Christian values are children and teenagers.
The Culture War is fought in many areas in the United States:
• The American news media often reports events and evaluates them
from a non-Christian (or even anti-Christian) perspective.
• The public school system is full of non-Christian ideas taught as
facts to American young people.
• The entertainment media often provides T.V. programs, movies, and
music that promote non-Christian values.
• In the political arena, many politicians campaign against
Christian values (and a few openly campaign for them). Many
politicians desperately try to find a way to appear to be in the
middle.
• Many government bureaucrats use local, state, and federal programs
to promote non-Christian values or to hinder historic Christian values.
The Culture War shows up in:
• national political campaigns,
• situation comedies,
• school board meetings,
• the federal tax code,
• adoption policies,
• health care and abortion proposals,
• television and radio talk shows,
• political primaries,
• news coverage,
• foreign policy, and
• endless other areas of American life.
It should be noted that in spite of all the propaganda to the
contrary, the Culture War is not something that has been declared by
Christians. Most Christians simply want to be left alone to spend time
with their families and build their churches. Historic Christian values
were already in place in America. Those opposed to such values had to
declare the Culture War. After three decades of a cold culture war
against Christian values, large numbers of Christians are finally
starting to defend their much assaulted way of life. This self-defense
has brought a vicious attack upon Christians from those who have been at
war with Christian values. In a June, 1994 column, Cal Thomas comments
on these criticisms:
Susan Estrich, who managed Michael Dukakis’ 1988 presidential
campaign, accused ‘religious extremists’ of coming out of the
closet and beating the system. That used to be called democracy before
what ought to be called the pagan left decided that only people who
think as they do are entitled to hold office.
These vicious scare tactics aside, most people have awakened to the
fact that something has gone dreadfully wrong in America. We won the
Cold War, but we have lost the Culture War. More people fear guns and
drugs in the schools and on the streets than they do someone who might
say a prayer over the public address system.
A warning to the pagan left comes form a CNN-USA Today-Gallup
survey, which reports that most American prefer a president with
strong morals to one with compatible political views.
The pagan left smears conservative Christians by conjuring up
images of snake handlers and the like because it knows it has lost the
issues. It raises the specter of imposed morality, but cannot defend
its imposed immorality, which has produced, according to the Census
Bureau, the highest divorce rate in the world, the highest teen
pregnancy rate, the most abortions, the highest percentage of children
raised in single-parent homes, the highest percentage of violent
deaths among the young, and a male homicide rate that is five times
greater than any other developed country except Mexico.
Is the pagan left, suggesting that the imposition of some of the
Christian right’s morality would be worse that this?
PHILOSOPHY
Colossians 2:8 refers to four methods that will be used to
"spoil" (wage a Culture War against) Christianity. The first
is philosophy. Although the term philosophy makes most people think of a
formal class in college, the word actually refers to the "love of
learning." While that my sound positive rather than negative, it
deserves a closer look. Learning is not automatically good. Learning the
wrong information is damaging.
The attitude of our day is that the mere amount of information
communicated can be the solution to all our problems, regardless of the
content of the information communicated. For example, in the early
1960's, Americans were shocked at a two percent teen pregnancy rate.
Americans were told that only massive sex education programs could solve
this "crisis." Despite some howls of protest, the American
people tolerated huge government programs to communicate information
about sexual relationships. This information was taught in the schools
and elsewhere. Tragically, however, much of the information communicated
came from a non-Christian, non-moral perspective. After 30 years,
billions of dollars, and hundreds of programs, the teen pregnancy rate
has risen to 22%. The mere "love of learning" has not solved
the problem, but rather, has made it worse.
Our society is filled with examples of the same approach. Parents,
concerned about the modern scourge of drugs, have tolerated hundreds of
new so-called "anti-drug" programs in the schools. However,
many of these programs teach young people, "It is up to you whether
or not you use drugs." This is the moral equivalent of a program
citing statistics about teen violence and then telling teens, "It
is up to you whether or not you participate in drive-by shootings."
While some programs, like "Just Say ‘NO’" have actually
helped, many drug programs have actually made matters worse.
The same is true with some counseling and therapy programs. When
someone gets into trouble today they are automatically referred to
counselors for therapy without knowing what they are going to be taught
in therapy.
It is interesting to watch those "modern" politicians,
educators, and entertainers who have been teaching American young people
that there are no absolute values. The same politicians, educators, and
entertainers are now decrying the epidemic of teen violence. Yet what
are those violent teens doing but living as if there were no absolute
values? Our "modern leaders" have communicated their
"philosophy" all too well.
VAIN DECEIT
This passage also gives a warning that Christian values can be
"spoiled" by "vain deceit." Vain deceit is asserting
as true that for which you can offer no evidence. You simply assert a
principle that men in rebellion against God desperately want to believe
is true. You assume that it must be true, you offer no evidence, and you
attack anyone who asks questions or requires evidence. You then act as
if your principle has been proven, and you expect everyone else to act
accordingly. Tragically, may careless Christians will accept the
"vain deceit" around them and adjust their thinking
accordingly.
The following are 20 examples of statements based upon "vain
deceit" that are common in the United States today.
Every year, billions of taxpayer dollars are spent on programs based
upon these assumptions, yet the problems they are supposed to solve only
get worse.
TRADITION OF MEN
Colossians 2:8 also warns of people having their faith
"spoiled" by the "tradition of men." Traditions of
men are principles of vain deceit that have been repeated so often, and
for so long, that they have been absorbed into a culture. The religion
of the Pharisees had been spoiled just this way. "But in vain do
they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men"
(Matthew 15:9).
Christians must be very careful to scrutinize their thinking and to
make sure that the principles by which they live are based on the
Scriptures and not on tradition. This is the basis for the process of
Christian growth called "renewing your mind" (Romans 12:1-2,
Ephesians 4:23, Colossians 3:10).
RUDIMENTS OF THE WORLD
In Colossians 2:8, we are also warned that evil men will want to
"spoil" our Christian faith after the rudiments of the world.
Rudiments is a word that refers to basics, essentials, or fundamentals.
The essence of man’s sinful nature is its selfishness. The world
refers to those systems of men based upon the selfishness of man’s
sinful nature. When anyone appeals to the inherent selfishness of men as
the basis for electing a politician, approving a policy, or promoting
wickedness, they are appealing to the rudiments of the world.
Rather than appealing to the moral self-discipline that the Word of
God and the Sprit of God can produce in the hearts of men, most modern
leaders appeal to the worst in man. As a result, our culture is fast
becoming characterized by rebellion against God and all the human
tragedy that is the result of this rebellion.
NOT AFTER CHRIST
The last phase of Colossians 2:8 gives us an infallible standard by
which to discern the attempts of men to spoil our Christian faith.
"And not after Christ" is the standard by which we recognize
the philosophy of men, the vain deceit of the human heart, and the
traditions of men. The standard of Christ-centered thinking is what
separates us from the rudiments of the world.
Christians must learn to be careful, Biblical, and Christ-centered in
their thinking. They must learn to ask, "Where did this idea come
from?" They must learn to be on guard against those that would
spoil their faith, morals, and doctrine.
Dr. Phil Stringer is Executive Vice President of
Landmark Baptist College, Haines City, Florida
