Eight Issues in the Culture War presented by Daniel Keeran, MSW, Victoria, Canada
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Eight Issues in the Culture War presented by Daniel Keeran, MSW Victoria, Canada Major Fronts: Government, Media, Public Schools and Universities, World-Wide Web While the author is only an observer untrained in academic principles of social analysis, he believes human societies are engaged in a struggle between biblical values and beliefs and those of an unbelieving world. This can be understood as the state of humanity since ancient times, and it is the mission of the Christian community to engage on these fields of persuasion. 1. death vs life and human value Traditional values handed down for many centuries inform us that every human being has equal worth and dignity and that human identity begins at conception. Abortion and euthanasia seem to undermine the Christian value of human life, identity, dignity and worth. 2. gay marriage and cohabitation vs God-given sexual boundaries Biblical sexual boundaries define homosexuality and sex outside of a heterosexual lifetime commitment, as sexual immorality. The internet opens another culture-war front with the proliferation of porn. Christians regard these as wrong behaviours that can also be described as psychological disorders treatable for determined clients. 3. violence vs nonviolence The teaching and example of Jesus for his followers to emulate whether they are victims or defenders, is nonviolence and love toward enemies. 4. materialism and financial gluttony (greed) vs care for the poor Whether or not one has provided care for those in any trouble, will be a major criterion of judgment on the last day. 5. skepticism vs faith While skepticism is necessary for faith, those who consistently seek to undermine faith in Christ, are in opposition to people of Christian faith in the culture war. Skepticism informs the persecution of Christians. 6. secularism vs faith In the culture war, the effort of democratic society is to exclude any idea, value, or belief that limits or restricts the right of anyone to seek any pleasure they choose deemed harmless, without the imposition of religious beliefs and values. Obscene and profane language is on the increase. 7. persecution of Christians vs freedom of religion In the culture war, Christians are often characterized by the media and Hollywood film industry as insane, foolish, or dishonest, and sometimes all three. Christians who oppose homosexual behaviour, have been imprisoned. Inclusivity, claimed by the enemy, excludes Christian values and beliefs. 8. naturalism vs faith The prophets of the culture war supporting naturalism are Charles Darwin and Friedrich Nietzsche. If the universe can be explained as only a naturally-occurring process, then God becomes irrelevant as a participant in the process. This idea is taught in publicly-funded schools as consistent with a secular democratic society in which all faiths or no faith are respected. Christian faith stands in opposition to godless naturalism, so the cultural war continues. How can Christians live in a secular democratic society and not be in tension with that society? The Christian community must recover its role to support the Christian identity and values and beliefs of members, especially the youth.
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