What to do "when it sounds so right"?

There are so many posts on social media these days of platitudes that really make us feel good. For some reason we feel virtuous if we embrace a quote from someone that everyone would agree on and admire. Here is an example of a blog from an author of a book, The Mosaic, a call to more virtuous living through inter-connectedness:

HONOR SACREDNESS

See yourself. Notice how you are. What triggers you? See what you see,and then see what you don't see. How do you show up? How does money and power affect you? 



Powerful men sometimes try to abuse woman, 
Powerful woman sometimes try to abuse men. 

I know it. It happened to me, and I am strong. I stood up to it. Be the one who stands up for what brings honor and dignity to the world. Be the one who acts in sacredness. What is happening now is a sign for us to honor more and more the sacredness of all life. to honor each other,  to honor the truth,  to honor the sacred connection between us.


Our young people read this and go, "yeah." Business leaders read this and go, "I like that." Many Christians read this and say, "I am all for sacred, he must be a Godly man." Here's my concern, this author makes these statements from core assumptions we never even notice. AND, until we draw conclusions from something someone writes or says, we need to examine what lies beneath the statement. Too often platitudes expressed, and that can include Scripture verses, is like a cup of hot tea, or warm milk, or even a refreshing beverage. It makes us feel good, but how it makes us think, feel, and act can be quite off base from what we think we believe.

If we are not clear about our own core assumptions, then platitudes can reinforce patterns of thought that do not fit with what we think we believe. So what should you do when you read or hear such "right sounding" platitudes?

1. Look for key words - in this statement they might be, "honor", "sacred", "to the world," "see", and "truth."
2. Make sure you have a clear idea of what your core assumptions of these words are and that they fit what you believe.
3. See if you can draw from the context of statement the core assumptions of the author.
4. Accept the platitude as an encouragement or reject the author's point as subtle deception.

From other writings and discussions I have had with this author, he sees the material world as reality and man as the center of it. The notion of "honor sacredness" is what we should hold in esteem to make us justified as a "good person." He believes that we become more virtuous and more purposeful as we connect with the world around us. This connectedness allows us "to see what we previously could not see", such as opportunities to be kind, helpful, opportunistic, etc.

All of this is secular humanism that is at enmity with being a child of God. His core assumptin is that the "Mosiac" belongs to the world, BUT, the Kingdom assumption is that the "The Mosaic" belongs to God. Our connection is first with Him though His act of Grace, not though our being strong. For the author, "to honor truth" is admirable, but what is his assumption of truth? The Kingdom assumption is that truth is revealed to us by Jesus and it is impossible for humans to determine on their own, through improving their observations and seeing more of what they haven't seen. The core assumption of the author is that humans are the creator, the determinant of truth.

While we certainly become more virtuous as we honor what is sacred and connect with truth and others, it is only through God's Sovereign grace in our lives that we "move and have our being." While most people feel like minded on the surface with this platitude, there is an eternal difference in what it means based on our core assumptions of knowledge, truth and faith.

Learning to grasp the vital difference in carnal and Kingdom core assumptions is our challenge and the mission of b4Worldview ......