There Ain't NO Neutral Ground! (Quote.)

No 'neutral' assumptions? Either for or against Christian faith.

By Joseph Mattera, Op-ed Contributor Tuesday, October 22, 2024

The Bible declares, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). This profound statement reveals that true understanding and wisdom are rooted in reverence for God. For Christ’s followers, this means that Scripture must serve as the foundation for evaluating all systems of thought, including philosophy, ideologies, and worldviews. 

Scripture is not merely one perspective among many — it is the self-attesting revelation of the Triune God. As such, it is the foundation upon which Christians are called to build their entire understanding of the world. Without this divine revelation, human beings are left grasping in the dark, unable to possess true knowledge of God, themselves, or the world around them. This is because, apart from Scripture, all human understanding is fallible, built on incomplete information and finite reasoning.

It is my objective to illustrate that all human reasoning is founded on basic beliefs or presuppositions that are taken on faith. Hence, there are no “neutral” assumptions; one’s presuppositions are either for or against the Christian faith.

At first glance, this may seem like circular reasoning — basing our belief in Scripture on Scripture itself. However, this is unavoidable for any belief system. Every worldview, whether secular or religious, operates from certain presuppositions. The key difference is that the Christian worldview is rooted in the revelation of the only objective and omniscient Being in the universe, the Triune Godhead. In contrast, all other systems are based on finite human reasoning, making them fundamentally incapable of providing the certainty and coherence God’s revelation affords. Therefore, we are called to trust in His Word rather than relying on the limited scope of human reason.

When we turn to Scripture, it becomes evident that there is an inherent antithesis between Christian and non-Christian thought systems. Due to radically different starting points, the Christian and non-Christian approaches life, ethics, and knowledge in fundamentally different ways. While the non-Christian begins with human autonomy, trusting in the authority of human reason, the Christian begins with the fear of the Lord, trusting in the authority of God’s Word.

This is why Christian apologist Cornelius Van Til and others have argued that the existence of the Christian God is the necessary precondition for any coherent understanding of reality, ethics, and knowledge. Without the Triune God, there is no foundation for logic, morality, or science. Only within the Christian worldview can the universe be intelligible because God is the source and sustainer of all things. 

A Message from

The distorting effects of sin

A significant aspect of this contrast lies in the noetic effects of sin. Sin doesn’t just distort human behavior — it corrupts the very way individuals think and reason. In their rebellion against God, non-Christians suppress the truth and distort reality, making them unable to rightly understand the world. This distortion extends to every area of life, including how one perceives morality, knowledge, and ultimate reality.

It is only through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit that this blindness is lifted, enabling individuals to recognize the truth of the Christian message. The Holy Spirit overcomes the noetic effects of sin, transforming minds and hearts to embrace the revelation of God in Scripture.

The impossibility of the contrary  

In light of these truths, the ultimate proof of the inspiration and authority of Scripture is found in the impossibility of any alternative system making rational sense of the world. No other worldview can satisfactorily answer the four foundational questions of life:

1. Where did we come from?  
2. How did evil enter the world?  
3. What is the solution to the problem of sin and evil?  
4. What is the consummation of human history?

Without the revelation of God’s Word, these questions remain unresolved or are answered inconsistently. Only the Bible provides a coherent, consistent, and comprehensive answer to these questions, revealing the truth of our origin, the cause of sin, the means of redemption through Christ, and the future consummation of all things.

Therefore, when analyzing any theological, philosophical, or ideological system, the question is not whether it aligns with human wisdom but whether it conforms to the biblical worldview. As the self-attesting Word of God, Scripture is the ultimate standard against which all claims to truth must be measured. To reject this foundation is to embrace intellectual chaos, for only in Christ do we find the “wisdom and knowledge” necessary to make sense of the world (Colossians 2:3).

Dr. Joseph Mattera is renowned for addressing current events through the lens of Scripture by applying biblical truths and offering cogent defenses to today's postmodern culture. To order his bestselling books or to join the many thousands who subscribe to his acclaimed newsletter, go to www.josephmattera.org.  CP.

Labour Will No Doubt Manage To Push Most of These Over The Edge!

Record 633,000 Businesses in Britain on Brink of Collapse: Report:

A record number of businesses are “on the edge of collapse” in Britain as the left-wing Labour Party government in Westminster is reportedly set to impose the largest tax hike in modern history.

Kurt Zindulka

Kurt Zindulka, Author at Breitbart Kurt Zindulka, Author at Breitbart

Disney's Merited Failure Warms My Heart.

 Like Target, Walt Disney's film franchise felt consumers' and parents’ wrath back in 2022 when it released two prominent animation films and unwisely chose to craftily insert same-sex themes into both. One of those animations was “Lightyear” (a spinoff of the beloved and popular film series “Toy Story”), and the other was "Strange World," which also inserted into its storyline the left's climate change agenda in addition to homosexual themes.  Both films flopped and lost the studio between $100 to $200 million, each.  

Nolte: Disney's Big Gay, Green 'Strange World' Crashes at Box Office John Nolte Disney's latest animated feature, the gay, green Strange World, just tanked at the box office. Gee, what a shock.

Birdie.

 

My Heritage.

Just Spotted This - SHAME On You!

 A black rights charity that claimed gangster Chris Kaba was a victim of 'racist state violence' is being examined by a regulator and has expressed 'regret'.

The Runnymede Trust criticised the legal system after police officer Sergeant Martyn Blake was found not guilty of murder on Monday for killing Mr Kaba.

The 24-year-old was shot through the windscreen of an Audi Q8 as he tried to ram his way past police cars in Streatham, South London. DM.

This Happened Under Tory Administrations! - And Labour Have Already Made It Even Worse!

British Military Not Ready to Fight, Warns British Defence Minister Ahead of Autumn Budget.

The UK must now rebuild its defence stockpiles and its military forces are not ready to fight a war, Britain’s Defence Secretary warns. 

Oliver JJ Lane

25 Oct 2024. Breitbart.

J.John's 'Big Organisation.'

 https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=683264742075729

Well Argued.

JOSH GLANCY

Liberals have lost the argument on migration

To stave off the far right, tough decisions must be made, and made soon

Josh Glancy

Sunday December 01 2024, 12.01am GMT, The Sunday Times

‘If liberals won’t enforce borders, fascists will.” Say what you like about the American writer David Frum, whom history will remember as the man behind George W Bush’s “axis of evil” speech, but he certainly knows how to coin a pithy phrase. Frum wrote this line in an article for The Atlantic magazine in 2019, but it has stayed with me ever since.

It stayed with me because I’m a liberal. My family came to Britain as immigrants fleeing persecution. I live on about the most multicultural road in multicultural London. Migration is part of who I am. But I also think it is long past time we properly enforced our borders.

The fascist stuff is overblown, but Frum’s basically right, isn’t he? Liberals failed on migration in America, where Donald Trump is now returning to power to show them the price of their failure. And liberal-minded Tories failed in Britain too. New figures released last week revealed the scale of their blunder.

Having already revised its previous figures upwards (never an encouraging sign), the Office for National Statistics now informs us nearly a million people came to Britain in 2022-23. We added 2.2 million people between 2021 and 2023. These numbers are not sustainable.

When my own family arrived in Britain, at the very end of the 19th century, they were part of a migration wave that brought about 200,000 Jews here, mostly fleeing Russian pogroms. That wave took place over half a century — between 1870 and 1914 — yet in the past year alone about a quarter of a million Indian migrants came to Britain. A similar number arrived the previous year. And the year before that. In the same three-year period 300,000 Nigerians arrived in Britain. Nearly 300,000 Chinese people came too. And approaching 200,000 people from Pakistan. Again, not sustainable.

I really do believe immigration can work. I believe the liberal clichés that migrants can enrich a society, working hard and injecting dynamism and diversity into the body politic. But clearly immigration is not working in Britain today. One cannot reasonably expect our creaking health and welfare systems to bear this current strain. Housing and supporting asylum seekers alone is now costing our impecunious state £5.4 billion a year.

Nor can one simply dismiss as bigots those who argue that migration of this speed and scale represents a threat to the character and culture of our country. According to YouGov, 68 per cent of people think net migration has been “too high” over the past decade and just 15 per cent think it’s been “about right”. The majority of people in Britain are not bigots.

In 2019 Boris Johnson, the prime minister, told us he wanted to “restore democratic control” of immigration policy after leaving the EU and “assure the public we have control over the number of unskilled immigrants coming into the country”.

In reality, though, many of these new migrants are not highly skilled. Many have come to do underpowered master’s degrees. Many are driving for Uber or Deliveroo, drawing low wages so that middle-class brats like me can order spicy yellowtail maki at the swipe of a button.

I bear not a shred of resentment towards these new neighbours of mine. They have taken advantage of perfectly legal visa processes to come in search of an improved life. Nor do I resent those who are determined enough to cross the stormy Channel to claim asylum here, even if some of them are really just looking for jobs. This is an expression of a profound human longing for better opportunities. It is who we are and it will never cease.

But it is our job, as an advanced country, to strike the right balance between our liberal values and the burden this migration places on the state and our society.

We are failing to do this. Failing badly. And too many of us are still unwilling to admit the depth of this failure. Instead of mumbling pieties about how foreign students are propping up our university system, or how the NHS runs on immigrant labour, it is time to acknowledge that the system is fundamentally broken and needs a complete overhaul. And that until this happens, Nigel Farage will continue to play an outsize role in our politics.

Radical and painful decisions need to be made. Money must be spent on processing asylum claims. Visa rules for students and dependants must be tightened further. Offshoring deals like the one Italy has struck with Albania must be explored — even if in Italy’s case EU law is proving obstructive. Wads of cash should be given to Middle East despots to tackle migration at source. And we should be talking to our friends in Paris and Berlin about how to loosen the European convention on human rights for the age of migration.

At times this will cost money, because bribing foreign governments is expensive and sectors of our economy have become addicted to the sugar high of cheap imported labour. At times it will look like an inhumane rejection of British values, a betrayal of “who we are”. But it won’t be. It will be the opposite of that. Because if liberals don’t enforce borders, then fascists will. Or if not fascists, then people like Trump, who care little for niceties and due process.

The good news, I think, is that Keir Starmer does appear to genuinely grasp some of this. Responding to last week’s ONS figures, he gave an intriguing press conference in which he castigated the Tories for “turning Britain into a one-nation experiment in open borders”, and doing so “by design, not accident”.

Politically convenient, no doubt, but it was also a clear statement of intent. Immigration isn’t one of Labour’s vaunted “five missions”, but it is now right near the top of the prime minister’s agenda. It was notable that he also sidled up to Farage in the House of Commons last week, for a conspicuous and friendly chat.

Starmer’s top political adviser, Morgan McSweeney, seems acutely aware that bringing net migration under control is an essential task. Just last week a deal was struck with Iraq to help crack down on people-smuggling gangs. The question is, will they go far enough: can Starmer and Labour embrace the radicalism required to effect real change?

None of this is very cuddly or very pleasant. But it is necessary to protect our society’s liberal character and freedoms. In a turbulent and interconnected world, a reasonably high level of immigration to Britain is inevitable. But it does not need to be anywhere near as high as it is now. Starmer is correct that the present situation was, in large part, a choice. It is time to make a different one. ST.

Racism - Such a Loaded Word But What Does It Actually Mean In Today's Super Sick World?

Michael Deacon.

Everything is racist nowadays... 

and here’s an A-Z to prove it.

From astrophysics to zombies: a list of the many, many unlikely things that have been accused of promoting white supremacy.

A dietary staple or a secret symbol of white supremacy?

Michael DeaconColumnist

19 November 2024 7:00am GMT

On Saturday we ran a news story headlined: “Geology is Racist, Claims University Professor”. Once upon a time, such a concept would have seemed baffling. But not these days.

Only last week, after all, we learnt that dogs are racist (“Dog-Free Zones Needed to Make Outdoors Less Racist, Welsh Government Told”). Last month, it was Latin names for plants (“Latin Plant Names Could Be Racist, Warns University of Michigan”). Oh, and being nice to other people (“Black Academics Told Being ‘Nice’ Perpetuates ‘White Supremacy’”).

We now see so many headlines like these, it can be hard to keep up. But it’s important that we do. Because, given the sheer number of improbable items and activities that are now deemed racist, the risk of getting cancelled is growing greater by the day.

So, to help you avoid this unhappy fate, here’s an A-Z of them.

Astrophysics. “Astrophysics ‘Steeped in Systemic Racism and White Supremacy,’ Says Colorado College Science Professor”, Fox News website, January 2023.

Ballet. “Dance School Drops Ballet from Auditions as it is ‘White’ and ‘Elitist’”, Telegraph, July 2022.

Cutlery. “Knives and Forks? Sorry, They’re Racist, Says Chef”, Daily Mail, July 2021.

Dieting. “The Racist Roots of Fighting Obesity”, Scientific American magazine, June 2020.

Eye-rolling. “Rolling Your Eyes is Racist – Nod Your Head Instead, Civil Servants Told”, Telegraph, January 2024.

Fireworks. “National Geographic Tweet Suggests July 4 Fireworks Are Racist”, New York Post, July 2021.

Gardening. “Weeding Out Horticulture’s Race Problem”, Guardian, June 2020. (Subhead: “Even in the garden, there’s bigotry to be found.”)

Helmets. “How US Helmet Laws Are Used Against Cyclists of Colour”, Guardian, April 2021.

Insects. “Scientists Ask Americans to Help Change Racist Insect Names”, Newsweek, July 2021.

Jingle Bells. “Jingle Bells Rooted in Racism, Boston University Professor Says”, Fox News, December 2017.

Killing parakeets. “Parakeet Cull is Racist – They’re as British as Curry, Say Experts”, Evening Standard, October 2009.

Libraries. “Ivy League Librarian Says Libraries Reinforce White Supremacy”, US newspaper The Hill, May 2021.

Milk. “Cow’s Milk a Symbol of White Supremacy, Peta Claims”, CBS News website, October 2018.

Numeracy. “Focusing on the Correct Answer in Maths ‘is Racist’”, Times, May 2021.

Opera. “Opera Can No Longer Ignore Its Race Problem”, New York Times, September 2020.

Punctuality. “Expecting People to Be On Time is Part of ‘White Supremacy Culture,’ Duke Medical School Claims”, New York Post, July 2024.

Queen Elizabeth II. “Queen Elizabeth Represented Racist Violence as Much as She Did Glamour”, BuzzFeed News, September 2022, the day after the late monarch’s death.

Remembrance poppies. “How the Poppy Became a Symbol of Racism”, Independent, November 2016.

St George’s flag. “One in Eight Labour Voters Says St George’s Flag is ‘Racist and Divisive’”, Daily Express, April 2024.

Tipping. “Tipping Perpetuates Racism, Classism and Poverty – Let’s Get Rid of It”, US news website Vox, July 2014.

University exams. “Now University Exams Are Attacked for Being ‘Colonialist’”, Mail, June 2024.

Veganism. “Why So Many White Supremacists Are Into Veganism”, Vice, October 2017.

White people. “Of Course All White People Are Racist”, Guardian opinion column, July 2002.

X. “Guardian Quits X Social Media Platform, Citing Racism and Conspiracy Theories”, Reuters, November 2024.

Yoga. “Americans Who Practise Yoga ‘Contribute to White Supremacy’, Claims Michigan State University Professor”, Independent, January 2018.

Zombies. “The Racist History of Zombies,” ABC Australia website, March 2016.

Obviously that’s not all, though. There are many, many other things that have been reported as racist. Sadly, however, I’ve run out of space to mention Alice in Wonderland, Body Mass Index, the countryside, dating apps, the Enlightenment, the four-day week, gun control, house prices, interior design, jogging, King Kong, lavatories, moccasins, nuclear weapons, Of Mice and Men, photography, the computing term “quantum supremacy”, Robinson Crusoe, swimming, theme parks, The Ugly Duckling, vineyards, the “wellness” industry, X-rays, yearbooks and zoology.

Come to think of it, that’s a second A-Z. Perhaps next time I’ll do a third.

---

Way of the World is a twice-weekly satirical look at the headlines aiming to mock the absurdities of the modern world. It is published at 7am every Tuesday and Saturday

What does obedient leadership look like in the face of laws to kill babies?

 https://www.christiantoday.com/article/what.does.obedient.leadership.look.like.in.the.face.of.laws.to.kill.babies/142381.htm

Birdies.

 

Be Not Dismayed.

Hebrews 8.

 10) For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

What A Sensible Chap.

 SIR – Companies are being punished in order to meet Ed Miliband’s delusional energy targets (“Zealotry on net zero risks destroying jobs”, Leading Article, November 28). 

Zealotry on net zero risks destroying jobs Ministers need to be far more open with the public about the costs of these policies

This idiocy ignores the fact that companies only sell what people want: if the majority of the public don’t want something, they won’t buy it, especially if the cost is going up.

The Government would be better off persuading countries like China, Russia and India to cut emissions.

Alexander Simpson

Market Drayton, Shropshire. DT Letters.

Poem.

 Without You

Just a drop of sea in the sand An arm without a hand A prince without a land That's me, Lord, without you

One more fish in the sea In a forest another tree A balloon that's been set free And drifting, Lord, without you

Just a leaf blown by the gale On the seas another sail Alone in every jail I sit, Lord, without you

Like a snowman in June A guitar that's out of tune Like a drifting balloon That bursts, Lord, without you

Just a song that no one sings A bell that no one rings A bird with broken wings Forgotten, Lord, without you

Like a clock that's run down A king without a crown A sadly smiling clown That's me, Lord Jesus, without you

Ray Nimmo 1977

England Beat NZ By 8 Wickets in The First Test.

                                          Well played fellers!