Whether the world around me chooses to ignore God, I and my household will continue to talk about God, sex and politics, and fulfil our mandate and instruction from the One who intentionally and uniquely fashioned us. How about you?
I remember clearly most of the routine from my days at boarding school. Being an all-boy school the teachers made sure they started early to rid the boisterous boys of any excess energy. Our day started at 05:45 when the wake-up bell rang, giving you exactly 15 minutes to do ablutions, make your bed, get dressed and get to the PT assembly point. The PT instructor would start at 06:00 sharp and being tardy in arriving on time usually meant 20 or more push-ups. After 45 minutes we were given another 15 minutes to have a shower and get changed for breakfast, which was served at 07:00 sharp. Each mealtime was started with a prayer of thanksgiving. At 07:15 there was school assembly, which always included a Bible reading, short devotion, prayer time, the singing of the school song, and ending off with the singing of the national anthem while the flag was raised.
The reason for my rather long introduction is simply to point out that things have changed dramatically in school and our society since I was at school. My entire life was based around the Word of God, and even my friends who may not have known God at home were exposed to a biblical worldview while at school. I am not by any means trying to say that everything I experienced in my childhood was "holy" and "right", but my overall experience was cloaked in Biblical standards.
Later, when I was a teacher, and sometimes invited to speak at other meetings, the instructions were clear - I could speak on anything but had to leave out God, sex and politics. These days it seems to be the politically correct thing not to mention religion, sex or politics in polite company. The underlying philosophy that supports this view is humanism, which seems pervasive in many parts of the world today.
A street-definition of humanism would simply say, "I do what I want and feels right for me, and no one may object". This philosophical environment is breeding ground for all kinds of equality laws, same-sex marriages, euthanasia, and such like things. This environment, by its very definition, will have to exclude God and make room for an all-inclusive religion, and by doing this, the Bible will need to be minimized an ultimately excluded.
So where I experienced and lived life according to Biblical standards as a boy, this all seems to have changed. Many schools have excluded the Bible and prayer to God in favour of a more politically correct approach - they now pray to "god" which is inclusive of a host of deities. In polite company now, we cannot speak about God, sex or politics. However, the very basis of a biblical worldview is precisely that! God, the uncreated, is the Creator of everything. He is the architect and builder, the finisher and the decorator, and everything else before, during and after. The entire universe rests in the very mind and being of God, and nothing can exist outside of Him. In fact, it is His very breath inside all people that make them alive - we are alive because God breathes through us! Also take into account that we are made in the image of God.
In this incredible environment that God created for us (as humans) there are two basic laws that rule the interaction between human and environment. And these two laws were given to mankind as a gift from God - multiply and rule. If we were to exclude God, sex and politics (God, multiply, rule) out of our conversations, beliefs and worldviews, we would simply end up with... emptiness and chaos - the way it was prior to Genesis 1.
I don't know about you, but I really couldn't imagine believing in nothing, speaking about nothing, and hoping for nothing. I would rather believe in something, talk about something and hope in something. And this is where I have to come back to God, because it is God that gives definition to something. When God can define the "somethings" we encounter in life it will all make sense, since He is the great planner of all.
Political correctness or not, my conversations will include God, sex and politics. I will judge people, circumstances and decisions according to God. Yes, I know Jesus said, "Judge not", but He was speaking about an unfair judgment on people based on the way they look and dress, and without taking into account their state of heart. John tells us to "judge righteously", in other words, judge people by the same standard, as would God. God is not a respecter of persons, therefore neither should we. God does not "judge a book by its cover", neither should we. God loves all people - so should we. God hates injustice - so should we. And the list goes on.
Sex in the environment of God is a holy union designed for abundant fulfilment in a God-approved relationship. Sex was not designed for one-nightstands, abuse of other people, or as a weapon or means of manipulation. I will talk openly to my children about sex, and instruct them, before they get "lessons" or "ideas" from others that may not share our view on God.
Politics in the environment of God is about righteous rule. The Bible is full of examples of politicians, both righteous and unrighteous, and there are lessons to be learned. All politicians, whether in our country or another, will be lost without the God-environment, the God-law, and the God-rule. When God gave the instruction to mankind to subdue, rule and multiply, it was intentionally to be done "in His image" and not outside of His likeness! In other words, we need to do things like God does.
Whether the world around me chooses to ignore God, I and my household will continue to talk about God, sex and politics, and fulfil our mandate and instruction from the One who intentionally and uniquely fashioned us. How about you?
