2004 Issue 1 - Postmodernism: Its Effects on the Family - Counsel of Chalcedon

8/12/2019 2004 Issue 1 - Postmodernism: Its Effects on the Family - Counsel of Chalcedon

1/5

PostmodernismI ts Effects on theFamilyZemmie Fleck

The Christian family has been, since the beginning oftime, t he basic institution of human society. Genesis1:27 gives us the account of the creation of manand woman and immediately follows with the nextverse saying, Then God blessed them and Godsaid to them, Be fruitful and multiply, ... The firstrecorded command that man receives from God isthe institution of the family. This should indicate theimportance that God has placed on the family.

The use of the word Christian to describe thefamily is significant and should be well understood.Throughou t the Bible, God pronounces the blessingsand curses that will befall the family - but He makesa precise distinction between those who are Hisand those who are not His. First, and foremost,the individualmust be dedicated to God and Hiscommands; bu t following a close second is the entirefamilYwhich should be an example and a light to thosewho are lost.

The Christian family should be the model to which allothers will look and desire to imitate. In the Word ofGod there is no question as to what is expected of theChristian as an individual and as part of the family inwhich he has been placed.

he Crisis in the FamilySadly and conversely, unregenerate society has nowbecome the influence upon families and many factorscontinue to exert pressure on the family, causing itto disintegrate. Throughou t the past few centuriesand more profoundly within the last century, thefamily has fallen victim to a gradual digression thathas continued to chip away at its foundation. Amongthe major societal influences are: religion, education,

family values, occupational interests, and the civil andfederal governments. ... [P]ostmodern worldviewsand postmodern culture surround us. OrdinaryAmericans cannot avoid these. Postmoderni smshapes our lifestyles, the way we make a living, howwe educate our children, and how we approach ourpersonal problems and those of society.

With no absolute canons of objective truth, therational is replaced by the aesthetic. We believe inwhat we like Those unused to thinking in terms

of absolute, objective truth still have opinions andstrongly held beliefs. In fact, their beliefs mayeven be more difficult to dislodge, since they admitno external criteria by which these can be judgedand shown to be wrong. Since their beliefs are afunction of the will, they cling to them willfully.Since their beliefs will tend to have no foundationother than their preferences and personality, they willinterp ret any criticism of their beliefs as a personalattack .. Persuasion becomes impossible if everyoneexists in a self-contained world, speaking a languageincomprehensible to outsiders. 'That may be true foryou, but it isn't true for me. 'i

Redefin ing ChristianityReligion, to some degree, is still a vital factor inconsidering the familial foundation of our presentsociety. The majority of people still find religionto hold a degree of comfort for them; even if theirreligion is a misrepresentation of truth, or merely anideal. However, there is a redefining of Christianity

taking place today. Ask anyone of a number ofpeople in the nei ghborhood and you will generallyfind that the majority of them will say that theyare Christians. By their definition, they are notindicating that they abide by Biblically based laws;or that they serve God with all of their heart, soul,and mind; or even that they acknowledge God to bethe supreme, eternal God. The majority of themwould say that they are Christians because they are

morally and ethically good and because they donot subscribe to any lifestyle of unlawful conduct intheir interpretation).

This is indication that our society has succumbed tothe postmoderni st illusion and in so doing they areredefining the root meaning of Christianity, therebyplacing themselves comfortably in the categoryof good persons. Christianity has become aweak, watered-down concept, whereas it should bedefended with the utmost tenacity and conviction.True Christianity does not accept less than what Goddemands - whether it is in the home and family, thecivil government, or education. The Bible applies to

ll aspects and areas of life.

However, over the course of time, man hasintroduced many untruths into his reasoning andinterpretations of the Bible. Even now with newversions of the Bible, we see the bent towardcontemporary language and the progressive removalfrom the original language of the Bible. Textswhich were emphatically written or which used partsof speech within a certain context have had theirmeanings changed due to a more vague interpretationof the texts or a misconstruction of the scholars who

theCOUNSELo CH LCEDON27


2/5

Postmodemislll: Its Effects 11 the Family

write the newer versions. This brings about a great divisionwithin the Christian church because of the errant teachingsderived from incorrect interpretation.

The Christian faith, which ma ny have devoted their livesto and died for, lacks its propensity to prick the reader'sconscience because it is now written in words that giveway to the nuances of a lackadaisical society. The Wordof God has been reduce d to a lovely guide for moralistsand a n interesting interpretation of stories, which somechoose to believe and others relate to as fairy tales. Religiousleaders have stripped the Bible of its claims of inspirationand inerrancy and have caused many to stray in the faithbecause of their misguided theological presuppositions.Postrnodernism with its anti-foundational approach hasreduced the church to a point of a like or dislikementality. People will choose a church because of itsappeal, not from the spiritual standpoint, but from anemotional and physical fulfillment. They can choosewhether or not they wish to accept all or part of the Bible;

whether they agree with the tenets of faith; whether theywant to believe tha t a place called Hell exist. All of theseare acceptable behaviors and choices for the person in thepostmodern church. The person who desires not to acceptreality and the truths of the Bible, has the choice to denytha t it even exists.

Rethinking ducationAlong with the gradual process of governmentalinterference in the raising of children has come thedeviation of children's educational means. In the 1800s andearly 1900s, much of a child's education and developmentwere monitored through the father and mother. Children

who had the luxury of attending school, did so for shorterperiods of time during the day due the necessity ofwork in the home and on the farms. Even the society'selite would hire tutors and children were more privatelyeducated. Enter the government .. Every government,regardless of its political bent, understands that the meansto controlling its population is through the educationof its' youth, regardless of whether the stated desiredoutcome is peace, happiness, and equality, or domination,subjugation, and filial obedience. (Osberg) Taking hiscue from the likes of Marx and Hitler, John Dewey, whommany view as the father of the American progressiveeducational system, said that public schools should take

an active part in determining the social order of the futureas the teachers align themselves with the forces making forsocial control of economic forces .. This statement is inalignment with one issued by the United States Commissionof Mental Health and Children, which said the schoolas the major socializing agency in the community mustassume a direct responsibility for the attitudes and valuesof child development . Bringing us up to current day policyin Washington state, the brochure entitled Improving StlldentPeiformallce: Comprehellsive It/tegrated Proposal Issl/ed by theGovernor} CotlnselollEdllcational Reformclearly states:

28theCOUNSELo CH LCEDON

The mission of Washington's K-12 education systemis to enable people to be responsible citizens, tocontribute to their own economic well-being, and tothat of their families an d communities and to enjoyproductive lives. To these ends, schools, togetherwith parents and communities will ensure that allstudents develop the knowledge, skills and attributesessential to function effectively, and lead successfullives. (GCERFF1992)2

Public education, funded by taxpayers through the federalgovernment, has taken its limits to the extreme. Dueto other areas of tlle family which have been adverselyeffected by the postmodern culture, millions of Americanchildren are forced into the public education system atan early age (some children as young as 6 months old)i.e. HeadStart Program. This and other programs areoperated by federal and state authorities and are positivelydescribed to the unsuspecting citizen as a way to curb themalnourished and poverty-stricken child who would not

otherwise have a chance, save the one that the governmentis handing to them. In the name of the child, governmenthas found a foothold in the family structure that has led tothe destruction and compromise of thf family as God hasintended it to be. State after state have adopted laws andmeasures to aggressively pursue the children of our nation

determining it to be in the best interest of the child ifagencies invade the family through home-based visits andservices for families they believe to be at risk of abuseor neglect. The problem is: There is no legal statutorydefinition of 'at risk.' Use of the term 'at risk' amounts to ablank check for intervention in the home by the therapeuticstate, says Roy M. Hanson of the California Child and

Family Protection Association. 3

This and other issues arise from those who would opposesuch interaction between gove rnment and family; however,the Laws continually weigh in favor of the state, leavingless authority to a child's parents. Thus these children asthey mature continue to look to the government as theirsource of aid not only for thei r academic needs, but alsoto educate them in family planning (planned Parenthood),determining sexual orientation (support groups andvarious agencies across the US), economic and financialresponsibility (Welfare), etc. There has hardly been a missedopportunity for the state to transmit the fact that i t n o t

parents-should be seen as the provider. The role of theschool has been expanded accordingly through such ploysas school-based clinics, more sex education taught outsidethe home, school breakfasts, a push for longer hours andmore days in school, extra activities in school buildings, etc.National service, a state version of which is mandatory forgraduation from public high school in Maryland, falls intothis framework as well. Again, there is little new under thesun. Here was an analogous law in Nazi Germany:


3/5

Postmodemism: Its Effects 11 the FamilY

National Labor Service is a service of honor to theGerman Reich. All young people of both sexes areobliged to serve their country in the National LaborService. The function of the Service is to inculcatein the German youth a community spirit and a trueconcept of the dignity of work, and above all a properrespect for manual labor. To the National Labor

Service is allotted the task of carrying out work for thegood of the whole community."4

evalu ing TraditionUntil the mid-1900s, it was an unlikely notion to find amother working outside of the family home. Traditionally,women were left to work in the home tending to themultitude of tasks that were necessary to keep the homein working order a nd organized. The tasks involved wereneither demeaning to the intelligence of the woman norwas the work regarded as menial responsibilities. Womenwere vital to the homelife in their organization, accounting,nursing, educational and epicurean expertise, etc. The

family structure was passed from generation to generationas skills and workmanship were t aught to the young boysand girls of the family. Mothers and fathers

play mom and stay at home with the children while momfights the morning traffic, reads the Wall Street fotlma , andcompetes in the board room. The appeal of the battle andthe thrill of victory drive women to seek prestige and famein the Fort/me 5 company.

Along with the unfavorable personal effects on theworking mother (stress, fatigue, health problems) comesthe unraveling of the threads of family life. Many childrendo not experience having a mother who is available toprepare home cooked meals, or who can take the time toteach their daughters to sew; or who can play ball withtheir sons. Society has replaced these relics with the new,ever-increasing speed of the "have it NOW generation.The family evening is now described as: dinnertime is thethree-minute visit to the McDonald's drive-thru; on to takeJohnny to the Little League baseball game, or whicheversport is in season; on to take Susie to the piano lesson, orwhichever particular instrument she is learning this year;on to t he school parents association meeting; and then the

circular drive to gather the children up and take them home.Where, upon arrival, there is homework to be completed;

the bills to be prepared for mailing; the dogtrained their daughters and sons respectively,so tha t one day the children would becapable of handling the affairs of their ownhomes.

Along withthe unf vor ble

to be walked; and the favorite late nightTV show to be watched before everyonecollapses in exhaustion. This description

Society has weakened the woman's abilityto influence her children to such an extent.The pressures of living the Americandream have driven families to choose forthe mother to seek employment outside of

the home. The heavy economic burde n ofproviding for the ever-increasing demands

personal effects onthe working mothercomes the unravel

is not far from the truth for the majorityof homes. In the curren t days of theperpetual demands for entertain ment andinst ant gratification, children are learningto manipulate their parents' schedule

ing o he threads of mily life.

and persist in doing every activity that isimaginable. Parents oblige themselves

out of guilt that their children may suffer

of a gluttonous society has continued tostress to day's households. Family life has been altered as awhole; daycare and pre-school classes take the place of theearly childhood development tha t once took place in thehome. Government stepped in to encourage the workingmother by providing various programs, while other familiesopted for the "latch-key" child who came home to anempty house. The 1980s and 90s brought about an air ofcondemnation and revile for the woman who chose to bea stay-at-home mom, because she was not working he r wayup the corpora te ladder. Little did the opposition realizethat the mom who stayed at home was already a CEO ofher "corporation"

The family has received another blow due to theopportunities that the workplace holds for the woman whois ambitious, competitive, and who seeks to be on evenplaying ground with men. Women's rights movementshave sought to disintegrate the home further throughactivism and role-reversal. House husbands" have becomeincreasingly acceptable in our society. f women have theright to wor k outside of the home, so men have the right to

some mental defect if they don't "keepup with the Jones's." Parents and children

only communicate in the car on the way to whateveractivity is demanding their attention at that pa rticular time.Additionally, the concepts of the cellular phone, the laptopcomputer, the perpetually intrusive TV installed in presentday vehicles to allow for the parents solitude, and the CDplayer complete with headphones so everyone can havetheir choice of entertainment witho ut invading others' ears,have wreaked havoc on parent-child communication evenduring commute time.

econstruc ting MarriageWith the ever-increasing ease of obtaining divorces throughany American cour t system, marriage has become asdisposable as refuse. Divorce has run rampant in a societythat chooses at will to interrupt the Biblical design of thefamily. Why should a couple worry if ten years after theyhave taken their marriage vows they decide they do not wishto continue facing each other every morning? Divorce hasbecome the answer for too many couples in the postmodernculture who decide tha t they want something new. There isnothing to stop them from filing papers with a court officer,

theCOUNSELo CH LCEDON29


4/5

Postmodernism: Its Effects on the FamilY

paying exorbi tant lawyers fees arguing over who getswhat possessions and children, and shredding every pieceof stability that their children have ever known. Divorcehas fragmented family ties, bringing with it bitterness,resentment, and unhappiness to many children who areits victims. Psychiatrists' and psychologists' offices arefull of children who have been ordered by the courts t o

undergo t reatment for the depression, anger, and hostilitythat raves within them due t o the detrimental effects oflosing their parents in this legal war. Children are forcedto become adults before their time due to the continualdecisions that they are faced with as a result of parentaldivorces. They lose their innocence and their childhood,as they become locked into a life of living with one parent,while occasionally visiting the other on special days set-upby a godless cour t system. They are no longer free to bechildren but they have become an emotional tidal wave,going from one parent to the other, receiving the mentalburden that each parent chooses to release upon them.

Divorce destroys the power o f the father-mother-childrelationship. Because of the absence of both parents in ahome setting, one parent may discipline the

overwhelming barrage of attacks made against the familyin postmoder n society. Almost daily the government atfederal and local levels is finding new ways of instilling itspostmodern agenda in the heart of society, causing furtherdemise to the home.

"Christianity has been excommunicated from the culture

at large - systematically excluded from the schools,the intellectual establishment, and the media. Theestablishment of Christian schools, publishers, arts groups,broadcasters, businesses, and so on may be one of thegreat achievements of the twentieth-century church.As postmodernist pressures intensify, having counterinstitutions already in place may prove invaluable forChristians to stage an effective resistance."6

There is a story t hat the legendary Sherlock Holmes and hissidekick, Dr. Watson, went camping one night to get awayfrom it all after solving a particularly difficult case. In themiddle of the night, Holmes shook Dr. Watson awake.

"Look up at the sky Dr. Watson. Tell me, wha t do yousee?" he asked.

child using one method, while the parentliving outside of the home chooses a lessaggressive method of discipline. Enteranother area of confusion for the child.Children must have a continually structuredpath of correction. Variance of any kindin this area leads not only to confusion, butalso to hostility and frustration for both thechild and parent.

arriage wasdesigned by od

to be the

Looking up briefly, Dr. Watson groggilyanswered, I see the stars and the moon."

As Watson started to lie back down, anagitated Holmes demanded, ''And, my dearman, what does that mean?"

foundationo the home A now equally agitated Dr. Watsonreplied, I suppose it means tha t this is an

exceptionally clear night."Marriage was designed by God to bethe foundation of the home. When thefoundation is not solidly built upon faith and trust in Godand one another, the walls will not withstand the blows thatforcefully beat against them.

Society continually beats against the original structureof marriage. Contemporary definitions o f the familyhave been created by a government which hastens thedestruction of the family through social re-definition."Every successful society has been predicated upon theconventional "nuclear" family which is organized arounda man and a woman who are joined in legal wedlock.However, powerful interests seek to institutionalize"alternative" models of the family . . . [The Clevelandbased Federation for Community Planning] recognizesthe definition prepared by Family Service America:A amilY consists 0/ twopeople, Ivhether living together or

apart, related f yblood, marriage, or commitmentt care for oneanother ..By this definition, a "family" might consist ofnearly any imaginable combination of people." 5

he Christian s ResponseThe previous examples are a mere smattering of the

30 theCOUNSELofCH LCEDON

"No, no, no," exclaimed Holmesimpatiently, It means that someone has stolen our tent "7

What, then, should be the response of those who see thiscalamity and who accept the truths of the Bible to be theironly guide? Unequivocally, the Christian reaction shouldbe one of resolve; resolve to seek to live a life o f example,one of uncompromising principles and unaltered Biblicalstandard. God's Word has clearly established the role ofparent-child relationships and how He will prosper andprotect those who live within His plan (psalm 127 128).

t is imperative for the Christian man and woman who arejoined in marriage to agree that they will bring up theirchildren in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

As R.J. Rushdoony noted in his Institutes 0/ BiblicalLmv:

The family is not only the first environment of thechild, it is also his first school, where he receives hisbasic education; his first church, where he is taught hisfirst and foundational lessons concerning God and life;his first state, where he learns the elements of law andorder and obeys them; and his first vocation where the


5/5

Postmodernism: Its Effects 11 the FamilY

child is given work to do, and responsibilities in termsof it. The essential world for a small child is the family,his father and mother in particular. (192)

When Christ came to earth, He set up His kingdom whichgave Him the right to dominion. The Christian liveswith the knowledge tha t Christ has come to overthrow all

cor rupt government and rule. The kingdoms of the earthhave become the kingdom of our Lord The Christian hasconfidence that the Lord reigns triumphantly and tha t anygovernmen t and authority, set up for the glory of man, willbe brought to nothing.

With this knowledge, the Christian has the obligation thento fulfill the commands of the Lor d given in Genesis 1 to"be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth" with the seed ofrighteousness. Never should the Christian back down whenconfronted with the corrup t laws brought upon him by acrooked state. On the contrary, he should rest on the faiththat he has in Christ and the promise that "righteousness

exalts a nation "(proverbs 14:34). The tent, DetectiveHolmes, is still in place t s the duty of Christian men andwomen to see that Biblical rule exists in their homes andfamilies.

As Gene Veith puts it:

Certainly, the turmoil of the present time is characteristicof a transition from one epoch [modernism] to the next[postmodernism]. Whether Christianity will once againexert its influence on the culture, or whether Christianitywill become further marginalized in the twenty-firstcentury, Christians must pay close attention to the signs

of the times.

In doing so, they will see that Biblical faith has survivedevery assault, even persecution, and has proven relevantto every age despite attempts to silence or to change itsmessage. Conversely, each humanly devised worldviewhas proven inadequate and has been replaced by yetanother set of assumptions. As modern ism gives way topostrnodernism, and as the twentieth century gives wayto the twenty-first century (if Christ delays His coming),Christians will discover even more reasons to hold fastto the Word of God. 8

Author: Zemmie Fleck is a member and secretary ofChalcedon Presbyterian Church, Cumming, Ga.

FootnotesVeith, Gene "Postrnodern Times: A Christian Guide

To Contemporary Though and Culture"; 1994. CrosswayBooks, Wheaton, IL. p. 175,176.

2 These quotes were cited by Kimberly Osberg, in her thesis"Rethinking Educational Technology: A Post Modern View,Section III (politics and Power) found on the Internet site:http:/ /www.i mprint it.com/ kmo/Post Mod/ edtech3.html.

3 For further reading on the subject of governmentintervention throughout the United States and a look atthe legislation set forth in proceedings, please see http:/ /www.thenewamerican.com/tna/1994/vol0no16.htm.

4 Hoar, William P. Stpp/alliingMom and Dad, http:/ /www.thenewamerican.com/tna/vol0no16.htm.

5 Grigg, William Norman; n Loco Parentis, New AmericanVol.10, No. 16. August 8, 1994.

6 Veith, "Postrnodern Times: A Christian Guide toContemporary Thought and Culture. p. 210.

7 Crouse, Janice Shaw, PhD ; Marliage: Tf7i/ it Shelter the 21

Celltmy FamilY?

8 Veith; Postrnodern Times. p. 24

cileCOUNSELo CH LCEDON31

Documents

2004 Issue 1 - Postmodernism: Its Effects on the Family - Counsel of Chalcedon