A hackneyed, stock conversation in the anthropology dept between Postmodern and Modern that never actually occurs. Except everyday.
Pomo: You “Mo’s” have been running the show for 400 years, and we’re going to put an end to it.
Mo: What do you mean?
Pomo: It started with your European claims to know absolute truth. Then you forced yourselves on MANY native cultures. It’s called colonialism. Ever heard of it?
Mo: Wait a second. I admit, abuses took place. But most were carried out by European governments and their armies, not by Christians. There’s a difference between the true followers of Jesus and those who use religion to oppress others.
Pomo: Don’t deny your own history, Mo. If you’re saying that the political motivation to expand, to colonialize, to force-feed religion on other cultures didn’t come from the church historic, which included many sincere believers, where did it come from?
Mo: Before you impose your understanding of history on me too forcefully, Pomo, you should know that there are now more Christians in the developing world than in the west.
Pomo: So the end justifies the means? I suppose the next thing you’ll say is that God is the one who gave you this country. Damages along the way were merely “collateral.”
Mo: Unfortunately, we don’t agree among ourselves on this point right now, so we’re not prepared to give an answer.
Pomo: That’s what I thought.
Mo: Don’t get too smug with me, Pomo. You’ve made a HUGE mistake yourself: You’ve become a relativist. Ironically, relativism ultimately means, “anything goes.” And if anything goes, even colonialism would be acceptable.
Pomo: I never said anything goes. I believe we should respect and be tolerant of all human beings!
Mo: Except Christians.
Pomo: They don’t deserve respect. They’ve dominated for centuries. Now it’s time to take away their power and re-distribute it to the powerless.
Mo: That’s what’s maddening about you. You don’t bother to make a strong argument against my position—probably because you can’t. You simply run me over, all the while spouting off about “respect."
Pomo: Mo, it’s called colonialism. How does it feel?
Question: What’s Mo’s next move?
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About Me
- Rick Mattson
- I’ve worked for InterVarsity 35 years. Currently I serve as an apologetics specialist, traveling extensively to college campuses around the country. Locally, I serve the InterVarsity groups at Macalester College and St. Olaf College. I did my theological studies in the philosophy of religion at Bethel Seminary in St. Paul. I grew up in Marshall, MN, son of a music teacher. Main hobbies: golf (avid!), electric guitar, and I read a lot of theology and philosophy. I'm blessed to be married to Sharon, and we have two wonderful kids, both married, and three grandsons. rick.mattson@studentjourney.org
4 comments:
Great post Rick.
I believe Mo's next move should be to be quiet. The conversation has turned into an arguement and nobody wins then.
But, if Mo, is a strong a believer as he claims then I'd recommend he go to prayer and ask God to open up his heart.
So many times we focus on our individual sins think we're independent of one another. This is what's hurting the church. We need to take a deep look at corporate sin.
Peter, we don't hear much about corporate sin in evangelical churches. I wonder why? It's certainly Biblical (e.g., the "we" prayers of both Daniel and Nehemiah).
Invite to a BBQ and don't talk about religion at all!
Yeah, a good start!
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