Scientific Method Encapsulates
Failure of Modern Rationalism
Years ago I was enrolled in a Master of Science (Nursing) program at a well known major university and was struck by two important teaching points forcibly driven home by the professors. One, we were not there to learn how to think; we were there to regurgitate back exactly what we were taught; no more. Science could neither prove nor disprove any nursing theory making all theories, no matter how contradictory, correct or non-falsifiable. The fact that they taught the Machiavellian theory of nursing leadership was a tip off that they would brook no dissent; and they did not. I voiced the observation that if knowledge could neither prove nor disprove any theory then nursing research was not a science but a religion; I soon had to leave the program, of course. This was my professional exposure to postmodernism as it was transmutating into today’s reflexive social justice religion.
While Modernism Rejected Scholasticism,
Rationality was based on Man’s Sinfulness
Modernists saw themselves as breaking away from ancient man’s reliance on mysticism and religious presuppositions, freeing mankind from the slavery of ignorance. While Plato and Aristotle would have been surprised at this assessment of themselves, it no doubt was true of much of ancient people’s knowledge. Sinful man could only reject the truth of God and of His creation thereby substituting their own faulty worldview in its place (Ro 1:18-25). As man moved further from Babel, from the source of truth transmitted by Noah and Shem, mankind’s knowledge become more incoherent. God called forth the Hebrew people, gave them His moral law, Ten Words (Ex 20:1-17) which filtered into those societies that came in contact with Israel, even during periods of the Diaspora. Christ came as the embodiment of God’s truth offering salvation via the new nature (2Co 5:17) which not only saved one’s soul but also gave believers a means of understanding creation based on God and His truths. However, over time the churches mutated into the Roman Catholic (RCC) and Greek Orthodox (GOC) religions which demanded adherence to works-religions based on force; i.e., their view of reality or death. The Reformation sought to throw off this tyranny and did so to some extent. However, those who became enlightened, but not saved, trusted in man’s rational thought processes which again rejected God and His truths because…that is what the ungodly mind does. While the rational mind discovered many processes and developments of the physical world that transformed Western societies via the Industrial Revolution, it also laid the seeds for Postmodernism by its rejection of the absolute truth of God and thereby opening the door for man’s truths, lies, based only on the thoughts of sinful people. As church denominations succumbed to the philosophies of the sinful people they rubber-stamped these changeable philosophies as foundational truths. Today, Evangelicalism is the last bastion of God’s Gospel to fall under the sway of these philosophies.
Postmodernism rejects Rationality
Its Reliance on Irrationality is Incoherence
While Western societies date Postmodernism to the mid 20th century, post World War II, it actually has always been in existence; i.e., there is nothing new under the sun (Ec 1:1-11). However, we will confine our discussion to the usual time period {that leads into today’s social justice movement for brevity’s sake. With Postmodern’s rejection of rationality, scientific methodology, nothing could be proved or disproved; therefore, all postulates had to be accepted as true. Thus, Postmodernism self-defines itself as a religion since all truths had to be accepted on faith. This movement from the Aristotelian Laws of Logic {Either-Or} to acceptance of contradictory forms of thinking {And-Both} cut the moorings that had stabilized Western societies, casting them adrift upon the raging seas of irrationality on par with societies that had never accepted biblical truths. Herein is one example.
Spontaneous Generation of Life Disproved
Science Accepts Evolution based on Faith
Even during the 19th century, rationality was giving way to irrational thinking under the guise of science when in fact it was scientism {Non-empirical theories proven true by empirical scientific methods: contradiction in terms}. As scientisms came to be regard as truths, incoherency in worldviews and values became apparent. Psychology, another scientism, was developed to explain and eliminate the guilt of sin in lieu of the Gospel further developing societal incoherence and nihilism.
Belief that Science could not disprove God
Not believed, justified rejection of God
The belief that science could not disprove God was never accepted since most non-Christian scientific minds believed God did not exist because science could not prove His existence; immaterial that God is spiritual and science is empirical. This was only an excuse to negate any teaching of the Bible disproving man’s increasingly incoherent knowledge. Peter wrote that the tenets of evolution were incorrect nearly two thousand years before this scientism was developed (2Pe 3:3-7). With the elimination of biblical truth and coherent Laws of Logic, man was unfettered to develop ever more incoherent philosophies and religions. Moving from secular humanism the latest religion denies any truth.
Current Critical Theories and Social Justice philosophies have declared that there can be no universal truths. All knowledge is unknowable since knowledge requires language to communication, language is based on cultural experience unknowable to those outside of such experiences and it is epistimetic exploitation to teach those experiences to those outside of one’s culture {See: Backbone of Social Justice: Critical Theory; Deconstructing the Melting Pot). Thus, cultural experiences must be taken on faith; i.e., making this movement a religion of the unknowable except to those who know the inner knowledge {not unlike the mystery religions of the ancient world}. This hidden, and thus forbidden knowledge for outsiders, rejects any and all forms of rationalization; i.e., facts, evidence, historical records and all else that may cast doubt on their religion. They then rely on force, hallmark of all false faiths, to promulgate their tenets. One either accepts their religion and submits to its tenets, and one’s own worthlessness, or one will be isolated and eventually eliminated; not unlike extreme Islam which is probably the reason the Social Justice religion uses extreme Islam to breakup Western societies. For, the true goal is not egalitarianism but the implementation of globalization in which the majority of mankind is enslaved to the few elites under the guise of outcome equality. All will be equal; equally enslaved to meet the needs of the few.
If this was simply a social gospel type of problem it would not be worth the effort to discuss. However, the Bible clearly shows that this has always been the modus operandi of Satan since his fall. His methods always result in violence and slavery based on lies (Ez 28:15-17; Mt4:8-10; Jo 8:44). Majority of Christians are either ignorant of this onslaught or apathetic, wishing to indulge themselves in the pleasures of this world for a season until overcome by this new, but old, religion. The solution is not facts or knowledge for Satan and his adherents care little for either. The solution is promulgating the Gospel which God will use to save sinners as He has always done; even as He saved you and I. We also were against God’s knowledge at one time (Ro 3:10-18). But, there is no other word or name by which people can be saved but the Gospel and if Christians do not take the Gospel forth how can others be saved (Ac 4:12; Ro 10:14-17)? This is our calling. How can the people of God ignore such a calling and still count themselves as the people of God?