I will be safe even though I persist in going my own way. (Deuteronomy 29:19)
There’s an interesting phrase that has gained popularity in the last few years: “MY TRUTH.” It goes like this: “I’m going to speak MY TRUTH. “MY TRUTH is all that matters.” “Speaking MY TRUTH is an act of courage.” This idea of speaking one's truth is a major tenet of the critical theories philosophies. It is also called Counter-storytelling. We are told that counter-storytelling is used to magnify the stories, experiences, narratives, and truths of underprivileged communities. Ok, so far, that sounds like a harmless idea. Let’s dive deeper.
According to critical theories, almost every part of our inherited and learned wisdom and experience is corrupt at its core and designed to maintain the status of a privileged majority at the expense of the oppressed minorities. Even our “stories” -- the way history is taught, the way traditions are passed down, the way we interpret the world around us--contribute to this oppression. Critical theories (CT) activists claim that counter-storytelling can be used to deconstruct and dismantle these power dynamics that surround everyday societal structures and institutions - thus resulting in “happily ever after” for all.
Now, I am certainly not against the telling of stories. Each of us has a story, and each of our stories is valid and worth hearing. The problem comes when our own story-- our truth-- is elevated above God’s truth.
It is imperative that we understand that all critical theories are downstream of the anti-God philosophy of Marxism. While Marx focused on destroying economic structures and institutions that he viewed as unfair, antiquated, and corrupt, CT activists focus on changing societal structures and institutions that they think are unfair, antiquated and corrupt. One of their targets is Judeo-Christian beliefs, and thus, the Judeo-Christian God.
CT activists see the Judeo-Christian God as sexist, racist, and homophobic-- not to mention just a spoiler of their fun. They believe that God is oppressive and thus must be deconstructed, dismantled, and destroyed. If they can just get rid of this troublesome God, then there are no commandments; there are no “thou shalt nots.” There are no rules and, therefore, no condemnation. Better yet, if we make ourselves out to be god, then we get to set the rules for “righteous” living. In short, we can call what is good evil and what is evil good. We can write our own stories. Man in his creativity has written every vile story in his imagination-- man is an excellent counter-storyteller.
There is only one problem with this type of counter-story-telling: God is still God, and we are not God. Oh, we can go about pretending like we are God. That delusion can theoretically last until our final chapter-- our final breath-- but then, we realize that His Story, His truth, is the only one that really exists. Ours is but a fairytale -- “a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
What does the Torah tell us about those who insist on going their own way and telling their own counter-stories?
This will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry land (meaning-- the entire earth) The Lord will never be willing to forgive him; his wrath and zeal will burn against that man. All the curses written in this book will fall upon him and the Lord will blot out his name from under heaven. (Deuteronomy 29: 19-20)
...And that, my friends, is the Rest of the Story.
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