My previous post on Narratives did not get my usual response. My media team thought that maybe it was too intellectual. I am a university Apologetics professor and do gravitate to such analysis. But I want to simplify.
One of the great ways that the Devil destroys is to get people to accept interpretive narratives that will lead to social breakdown and the personal destruction of those that buy into them. We have many such narratives today. Through media, they gain traction in ways beyond any other past age. It is an age of shallow interpretive narratives, not based on the evidence, and fostered by propaganda.
- That the problems of the world are due to white males. White males are more evil than other people. Believing this will set racial and cultural groups against one another. All people are equally evil and need redemption. Some white Europeans were for a time dominant in the world, but the same white Europeans who were influenced by the Bible brought us all progress on the foundational ideas and implementation of human rights. Today’s toxic masculinity narrative is a corollary. All people are sinners, potential toxic unless discipled through the Bible.
- That the primary problem in the Black community is police discrimination, shaming and brutality. Believing this will impede progress in solving the biggest problems; the breakdown of the black family, the bankruptcy of Black schools (private schools and charters are needed) and black on black crime which requires massive policing. As the police now withdraw, more blacks are killed and the Devil loves it.
- That the reason for poverty is the capitalist system and the greedy business people ripping off the poor. Yes, crony capitalism, where some large corporations are unfairly dominating the market, is a problem. But only free enterprise creates the wealth that lifts millions out of poverty. Incentives for business investment is one of the most important programs to address poverty.
- That Israel occupies Palestinian Land and is the oppressor, creating an apartheid state. Israel is a white colonial power. However, there was never a Palestinian state. The reason there is not one is that the Palestinians refused a state three times when offered in preference to keep the fight against the existence of Israel (1948, 2000, 2006).
- That Christianity is the white man’s religion that brought oppression. Not so, it is the liberating religion that delivers from bondage.
These narratives are shallow, not based on looking at all the evidence and supported by massive propaganda through media. Only immersion in the Bible which brings us a Biblical world view and the power of discerning by the Spirit can give us an orientation so we do not succumb to these false narratives. There may be some aspects of truth in them, but they are generally inspired by the realm of the demonic whose goal is always destruction. The Bible is God’s ultimate narrative about existence and human life.