My high school mathematics teacher told one of her classes that my father, Elston, was the "most radical man" which she had ever met. I'm proud of that! She and I have different definitions of "radical". I'm sure that she was referring to "a person favoring drastic political, economic, or social reform". However, my pride was because the "radical dad" that I admired was the one who"had an inherent abilty to do what is right". Dad, the radical, was a man of principle! His principle was righteousness because he always did as Christ would do. Therefore, Dad stood up to what's wrong in education, social ideas, government, politics and the church. No, Dad was not a radical in a negative sense. He was a radical in standing up for what's right! He didn't seek radical change. He fought change. He fought liberal irreligiosity.
As a result of my upbringing I too am a religious conservative. As I gained knowledge and wisdom my views evolved. Rather than doing the pleasurable I sought to please God, but as most, failed him often. All my political and religious views are based on the inspired inerrant word of God as printed in the Holy Bible! My instruction manual for life is scripture.
Most of those of my era believed as I did. In high school my own ideas remained unchallenged because, in spite of the math teacher, my views as well as my Dad's, was the norm. Examples of normative thinking included viewpoints about abortion, marriage, race, freedom, patriotism, religion and even politics because in spite of there being two parties they both had similar values. Radicals were the Communists, the vulgar and Progressives who were actually socialist/communist elements who later joined the Democrat Party in 1968.
We were all similar because we were America. At that time Americans were proud to be the great "melting pot", but are now a mish-mash of diversity; a society that doesn't know what to believe! The homogeneous America of the 1950's was a result of immigration from nations which shared or believed in our freedom, our Judeao-Christian religion and our republic. Now we're populated with foreign nationals who hold our system and our religion in anathema, and want to replace liberty with the slavery to which they had become accustomed.
With that background I now recount my shock in college! Two events come to mind that transformed me. My transformation was actually the sealing of my principles in concrete. I discovered that beliefs cannot be compromised. Compromise to achieve wrong is defeat! Before I elaborate on those life-changing events, let's look at what scripture says about principle:
Job 17:9 (NIV) "Nevertheless, the righteous will hold to their ways, and those with clean hands will grow stronger."
Holding to what's right is called having Christian principles! We're not to compromise with truth. Whereas the media, politicians and society extols the "virtue" of compromise, compromise is what's wrong with us! Even worse than compromise is concensus. That's where everybody compromises to the extent that the notion is so watered down that everyone agrees. Concensus is a recipe for death. Compromise is the carrier of the death virus!
Romans 4:5b "...faith is credited as righteousness."
Since "the righteous will hold to their ways" where does righteousness come from? Faith!
Yes, being principled comes from faith! You're so sure that Jesus is real that you stick to your guns in all things. Out of respect for the Savior in which you believe, you go to bat for him in your life! Faith equals righteousness and yields principle! (Christian martyrs are the best example of principle).
At the time I entered college my faith was so strong that I already was principled! God sealed my faith in concrete and I was never to crumble; not for grades, success, friends nor money. Now I'll speak of the two events which transformed me.
My Political Science professor said on the first day of class "Man is no more than a tree or a frog." That statement was meant to undermine the entire meaning in my life; my faith. Almost all philosophers and theologians acknowledge than man is indeed different than the animals, notwithstanding the vegetation around us. This silly statement by an educated man transformed me because it made me distrust educators and what is "falsely called knowledge".
1 Timothy 6:20 "Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge,"
Because of the biased and false statement by my professor, I began to question what I was taught! Later, when doing post-graduate work, my psychology professor admitted with candor "It is not only our job to teach, but to remold!" History taught me that those societies who were "remolded" died in oblivion. "Remolding" is teacher-talk for "brainwashing". I am certainly not going to give up my insight God has given me to an educator who doesn't even believe in God, let alone one who teaches an opposing religion, one falsely presented as "science"! (Although defined as the science of mental processes and behaviors, "psychology" is the "study of the soul". It's precepts conflict in most cases with Judeo-Christian teachings.)
Transformation No. 1: I questioned what's falsely called knowledge.
Now, I read original writings. I no longer accept what teachers say that a person "said". I read and see for myself. I'm a skeptic as far as education is concerned. I've read hundreds of original works about the Civil War. I now see that my educators in the north were biased in their teaching. My teachers lied to me about the Civil War to the extent that it turns out that we never even had a "Civil War". (The victors write history, hence a built-in bias). Eleven states constitutionally seceeded from the union and formed an independent nation. The United States bullied that new nation into a "War for Southern Independence" and as a result 700,000 thousands lives were lost. Seek truth? Read history for yourself!
The second event which transformed me was when my history professor said "My favorite organization is the American Civil Liberties Union" (ACLU). I had never heard of such an organization! It appeared to be something dear to my heart! "American". I'm a patriot. "Civil Liberties". I was a strong believer in liberty! "Union." Unity is great, isn't it? I was gullible for a time, then I found out the truth. The ACLU is un-American, is against liberty and provides a wall of separation against religious liberty. My history professor and the ACLU used what's called "double-speak" to transform! However, rather than being moved toward the lie, I was moved toward truth. I now examine beyond words. I look at action. I look at the background. I no longer let pretty words sway me. "Hope" and "change" for instance are such tricky words. "Hope" is subjective and different for everybody and "change" can be for the worse!
I'm now discerning! I examine all aspects of life by the standard of God's word! If it's not for him, it's against him and if anything be against Christ, it is of the anti-Christ!
Transformation No. 2: I don't listen to demogogues, but study facts.
Proverbs 2:4 (NIV)
4 "and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding."
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding."
Contrast this to deceit, spin, false knowledge and outright lies! Those methods are of the Prince of the World. "For me an my household, I choose God!"
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