“The Fruits of Postmodernism” by James Beller
posted in April 2000 on Garbage Truck
A recent biography of “Great Christians” gave us the low down on Dr. William Franklin Graham and informed the readers of his involvement with “Fundamentalism” early in his ministry. This particular book spoke of “Fundamentalism” in a weird stinky kind of way. It was worded something like this:
“Dr. Graham’s initial ministry involved ‘Fundamentalists’. ‘Fundamentalism’ was an early 20th century movement that was particularly popular in the south….”
Did you catch that? No? Did you catch “Fundamentalism WAS?” How do you like that? Several hundred thousand Americans are now a “WAS”. Wonder how we got that way?
I will tell you. Some pointed headed guy from Christianity Today magazine decided this for us. Since the institutionalization of “POSTMODERNISM”, there has been no such thing as a Protestant or a Bible-believing fundamentalist–especially an independent Bible-believing fundamental Baptist.
What is “Postmodernism”?
Postmodernism simply stated is: a system of Christianity, accepted after the demise of Bible Christianity (1875-1925) that allows for certain passages in the Bible to be denied. This is the accommodation of unbelief. The scriptures that “science, so-called” has brought into unfavorable light are not to be trusted, we can disvalue them, even throw them out. That is Postmodernism.
The Modernists (Bible rejecters) did their dirty work at the turn of the century. Fosdick, Henry Ward Beecher, and Phillips Brookes were articulate in their liberalism. And a little slimy. It was hard to put your finger on their apostasy (D.L.Moody had a hard time recognizing it). Washington Gladden, Francis Peabody and Richard Ely were busy making the gospel “social” with their writings and sermons on the “Christianization” (not salvation) of the world.
This is for you Postmodern nin-com-poops (nin.com.poops) –greek for “unintelligent ones”–do you realize your philosophy of the Bible comes from the likes of authors George Gordon, The Church of Today (1895), O.B. Frothingham, The Religion of Humanity (1873),E.C. Smyth, Progressive Orthodoxy (1886), Newman Smith, Old Faith in New Light (1897), and J.H. Allen, Our Liberal Movement in Theology (1892).
These liberals (later called modernists) were opposed by Bible believers such as A.J. Gordon, James Brookes, A.C. Dixon, L.W. Munhall, Hudson Taylor, H. M. Parsons, and A. T. Pierson. To be sure these early Fundamentalists made mistakes, but wholesale rejection of the Bible and altering the plan of salvation were not on their list of mistakes.
I would like to tell you that the Bible believers won out, that they gained control over the modernist trash producers. But alas, they did not. The end result is a “post”-modern climate in evangelicalism and (what’s left of) Protestantism. All of the major denominational seminaries and colleges are in the hands of “posties”.
So, what has been the fruit of all of this postieism:
Fruit number one: the sissy Christian. There is so much accommodation and acquiescence among posties that we ought to set up some kind of limp wrist hall of fame for them. You say, “Well, we ought not offend anyone. We ought not hate.” That is pretty hypocritical. There are several groups in America who if you hate them it is perfectly acceptable: umpires, telemarketers, the guy in front of you making a left, fat people (especially fat lawyers) and old fashioned Bible-believers. Yes its OK to hate these people, especially preachers…and aggressive soul winners.
It is truly difficult to find a Christian with some real courage. Even though our Bible tells us that those that live Godly shall suffer persecution, posties do not stand strong enough to grasp the concept. Persecution?–that’s kinda hard to explain to junior as he works out on weights in the “Family Life Center” while admirering sister Susie’s spandex
Fruit number two: the pansy professor. You know, the effeminate he/she who is hiding out as a professor of counseling at Whatever Baptist College and Sem.
Fruit number three: the cool dude preacher. He’s an organized, professional entertainer who stoops to compete with Hollywood, Robert Shuller, Jan and Paul Crouch and the Playboy channel. He loves everybody including the devil and wears a dress when he “shares” the word or emcees the latest drama presentation. No wonder our young men are not surrendering to the ministry!
Well friends,
Posties have no distinction, no distractions, no embarrassments, no stand for God–no kidding. Count me out. Just count me a “pre-modernist” in a “post-modern” world. I’m rambling but that’s what the driver of a garbage truck has to do. Come along Johnny, shovel up that pile of postmodernism and chuck it into the back of the truck, somebody needs to haul it off to Hell.
jbeller