But there clearly is a war going on, and in the West, it is escalating. Although there are still many points of view, two positions are separating themselves out-becoming further and further apart. People seem to be choosing sides more fervently than before. Conservative religious people who once had little interest in politics and government are now alarmed and waking up to realize that they have some power to change things. They are taking on additional civic responsibility: writing, speaking out, financially supporting candidates, and especially voting in greater numbers. Such political phenomena as the grassroots Tea Party suggest that this newfound power is not going away. Both religious and political conservatives will no longer easily allow people who believe it is OK to revise traditional morality to lead the way.

The religious-political conservatives are now seeing the results of their decades of passivity; they are realizing the truth in the famous quotes by Edmund Burke, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing," and Albert Einstein, "The world is too dangerous to live in– not because of people who do evil, but because of people who sit and let it happen." So they are rising up to fight, not with the sword but with their pen, computer, vote, and bank account. Look out. There really is a "moral majority" in this country.

Some of this war is at its most intense within the shrinking mainline churches: Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Methodist. The trigger issue lately is about the role of sexuality. Do we go with the politically-correct, Hollywood-promoting view that "anything goes" or do we side with the Bible's clear and consistent expression of God law that tells us that all sexual behavior outside of monogamous male-female marriage is immoral? Conservative Christians follow the Scriptures in believing that pre- and extra-marital sex is sin (that is, it is ultimately self-destructive) and that it will lead to cultural catastrophe if allowed to continue unchecked. The recent conflicts and splits occurring in The Episcopal Church is focused on this issue. However, the war in the churches is really about underlying moral and spiritual issues that center around authority; that is, the authority of Scripture vs. the authority of modern worldly "politically correct" thinking, and the authority of the traditional interpretations vs. new revisionist interpretations.

The Real War

It has been rightly stated that the real values division in our society is now very simple: it's those who believe that there are absolute moral truths that are universal and unchanging versus those that like their morality writ personal and relative. The moral relativists say, "What is right for you may not be right for me." This postmodern relativistic philosophy has become popular (and therefore politically correct) in western civilization, since the 1960's. It can sound so reasonable. But let's follow the relativistic idea to its logical conclusions.

To this way of thinking, there are no absolutes. Listen to what it preaches: "My morality is for me, and not necessarily for anyone else. And your morality definitely has nothing to do with me." People who believe this philosophy insist on setting themselves up as the "god" of their own lives and refuse to accept (or submit to) a real God or Higher Power who has absolute moral authority.

Of course, logically speaking, the very statement that categorically asserts that there are no absolutes is itself an absolute statement and therefore is self-contradictory. In terms of practical consequences-in our culture and in our families-the abolishing of absolutes means ignoring right and wrong. You can do whatever you decide is right for you and others "should" allow you do it. This philosophy of life sets up tolerance as its highest value but then actually promotes intolerance toward all those who believe differently, that is, intolerance for those who believe in the absolute authority of the God of the Bible. You can see that the battle lines have been drawn.

A Christian familiar with the Scriptures might explain the problem this way: human nature is rebellious; this "fallen" nature of ours wants to be captain of its own ship and ruler of its own life. History has confirmed that this nature often wants to control others' lives as well. This lower self (what the Apostle Paul termed "flesh") always wants everything his or her own way; therefore, it makes sense that this lower self is very attracted to the postmodern "create your own truth" way of thinking. The last thing fallen man wants to do is to submit to an absolute authority. I am quite aware that the worst in me wants to abolish Truth, and for there to be only competing truths, mine being the only one which applies to me. Relativism allows me to devalue and even deny any ultimately objective truth.

But millions of people worldwide believe in a God to whom they are accountable. Christians and Jews believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who is the Creator of the Universe. Christians believe this same God is the heavenly Father who sent to us "His only begotten son" Jesus Christ. Christians further believe that, on its own, the human heart is hopelessly selfish and rebellious toward God-and only belief in and complete submission to the Creator can truly save and repair us. This salvation has been made possible by God's sacrifice of His divine Jesus on the Cross, making our forgiveness and restoration available. Only someone perfect could pay the price required to free us. It is God's holy plan-and nothing else could possibly work.

Of course, hypocrisy is everywhere. Therefore, many people who say that they believe in God have really just redefined God in their own image, to fit their own selfish desires and to justify whatever it is they want to do. They are not willing to trust the God Whose Nature Does Not Change (see Malachi 3:6, James 1:17). They are not willing to submit to the God who refuses to adapt His moral requirements to fit in with current intellectual fashion or individual desires. I imagine that what we call "political correctness" is the height of foolishness to God.

But what about the wisdom of God? Here is some of what the Scriptures say about true wisdom: "O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unfathomable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out." (Romans 11:33, cf. 16:27) "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." (1 Corinthians 1:25) "God looks down from heaven upon us all, to see if there is anyone who is wise, if there is anyone who seeks after God." (Psalm 53:2) "Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble over them." (Hosea 14:9) So where do we find this godly wisdom? Principally from "the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 3:15) Here what else the Bible says about itself: "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1:20-21, NIV) "Forever, O Lord, Thy Word is settled in heaven." (Psalm 119:89, NAS) "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever." (Isaiah 40:8, NKJV) Jesus himself told us: "The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing His work." (John 14:10) "The words I have spoken to you, they are spirit and they are life." (John 6:63) "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house upon the rock." (Matthew 7:24) ) "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." (Matthew 24:35, NIV) Note that the Bible warns against believing the high-sounding words and ideas from other religions or secular philosophies: "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition or according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. For in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you can come to fullness only in Him who is the head of every ruler and authority." (Colossians 2:7, see also the first 3 chapters of 1st Corinthians, esp. 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; 2:4,13; and 3:11,18)

These passages and others reveal that Christianity (like Judaism before it) is exclusive in that it asserts absolute authority. That is, God is a personal God who chooses ... and He did not choose for all religions to be equal. His deeper truths have been revealed only to a few. He chose Abraham and the Hebrew people for the task of revealing His true Nature. And He chose to send an essential part of Himself (the eternally begotten Son) to become human, to be the Jewish Messiah and the Savior of humanity. While, by the grace of God, salvation is free to all and all are sinners in need of it (and thus it is totally inclusive and nondiscriminatory), God has provided only one way to receive it (repentance, faith) and from only one person. There is really only one truth and it is God's-embodied in Jesus Christ. No other knowledge of God comes so directly, and Jesus has been made "King of king and Lord of lords" to whom "every knee will bow." Jesus Himself told us that "no one comes to the Father except through Me." That excludes everyone else. Jesus is not just another great religious teacher, He is God speaking ("the Word made flesh"), and His word will always reign supreme.

This is the Truth that so offends those who would be their own gods. In reaction, they promote a philosophy of relativism and non-accountability. Of course, that will not change the Truth, for it cannot be changed: "The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of the LORD abides forever." (1 Peter 1:24-25) Indeed, we pray as Jesus taught, "THY kingdom come, THY will be done, on earth as in heaven..." His Kingdom is absolute, and will last eternally. If you believe that there is such a thing as good and evil, then you are likely to believe that it is a good thing to fight evil and to promote good. But human nature quickly allows this situation to get out of balance. Legalism, pride, and hypocrisy can cause people to hate evil but not sufficiently love good. On the other hand, naive denial and soft sentimentalism can cause people to love good but not sufficiently hate evil.

Christianity keeps it simple: love the sinner but hate the sin. That is what God does. God hates sinful behavior because it is by definition harmful-to the mind, spirit, body, society, and/or personal relationships. God wants to separate the person from the evil and He seeks to change/transform the person through His own divine redemptive power. But God has given us a dangerous, powerful gift; by creating us in His own image, He has given us free choice. This means that we can resist His healing, growth-producing power-or (and this is the good news) we can surrender to it.

The responsibility for God's people is clear. We are to seek the proper balance: being strong enough to fight evil deeds and mistaken ideas (like postmodern relativism) without giving in, but also being compassionate enough to spend our lives seeking truth and the best welfare of others.

----Dr. Atkinson is a member of Trinity Anglican Church in Douglasville, GA, where he is a teacher and lector. His training includes a PhD in clinical psychology and an MA in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He is a licensed psychologist with a practice in the Atlanta area and is a clinical supervisor with Richmont Graduate University.He is a member of Trinity Anglican Church in Douglasville, GA.