I’ve always loved Star Wars. Now to be honest, I’ve never a REAL fan, the kind of fan that can name every minor character, can tell you about the culture of every planet and star system, and that has every poster ever made plastered on his wall. But I enjoy the stories, the themes of good vs. evil, and that the saga recognizes spirituality rather than the materialism that usually comes out of Hollywood.
However, there is something concerning, and unbiblical, about the Jedi understanding of truth. Do you remember how Obi Wan taught Luke to recognize and use the Force, and to discern what was true? Obi Wan said, “Trust your feelings.” The Jedi understanding of right and wrong is based on feelings, and reminds us of what the authors of “Mama Bear Apologetics” address in Chapter 9- Moral Relativism.
Moral Relativism is the idea that our decisions cannot be objectively right or wrong, because there is no absolute truth to guide us in our decisions. It says that one person’s morality is no better than another’s, and that tolerating others’ beliefs and decisions is the one hard and fast rule we must abide by to be decent people. Therefore, abortion is a “health care choice” and not murder, adultery is not a sin if you don’t feel “in love” with your spouse, and lying on your taxes? Hey, the government has been wasting our money for years, why do they need it? As the authors state, the real purpose behind Moral Relativism is to justify sin. And it’s been around for years. One of the saddest verses in the Bible is Judges 21:25, which says, “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.” When people stray from knowledge of God’s Word, they do whatever they want, and it leads to spiritual ruin.
I won’t attempt to summarize the entire chapter, but rather I want to focus on this idea that emotions are a good guide to decision making. God created emotions, and they can certainly help us make good decisions. But making decisions simply based on how we feel is kind of like navigating through the woods with a magnet-less compass. We usually just end up more lost. Emotions can be consulted, but Truth must be the prime factor for our decisions.
As parents, we must push back on the lies the world throws at our children, and one of the biggest lies is that I should be able to do what I want based on how I feel. Because of the sin nature within us, our feelings will often lead us astray. In fact, a true mark of wisdom is the recognition that we cannot trust our own feelings or thoughts. As Solomon said in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”
Instead of trusting ourselves and our feelings, we should lean on God’s Word. He knows what is best for us, how He designed our bodies, and what the consequences will be if we disobey. We must encourage our children to trust the absolute truth of God’s Word to guide their decisions. We should acknowledge our feelings, but if they are conflict with Scripture, the wise thing is to tell our feelings to take a back seat. That’s what is known as “discipline.”
One of the best ways we can help our kids in this is to share what we have learned in this area. Using sensitivity to their age and maturity, be honest about your life decisions, what the consequences were of those decisions, and what you would have done differently if you had the chance. This may be hard for us to do as parents, but your kids will see you as authentic, and you may find it will deepen your relationship with your child. But before having these conversations, pray that God will use them to draw your child closer to God and to His truth.
This will be the last Mama Bear Apologetics email until the first of the year. I hope to continue our discussion in 2021. In the meantime, have a Merry Christmas! Enjoy time with your family, and celebrate the true meaning of the holiday- that God sent His Son to earth to redeem us!
In Christ,
Pastor Jeff