Occasionally people ask my opinion on various personal or church issues. I recently received the following question which I have reprinted below, followed by my response.

QUESTION:

Dear Mr. Russell,

I wondered if you might define what you mean by being politically correct. Several preachers, including you, and politicians have warned about the dangers of being politically correct. I have always heard PC defined as “the avoidance of rhetoric or actions that demeans or marginalizes others, especially oppressed groups.” So, essentially treating “the least of these” with respect. This seems to me to follow Jesus’ example. I know you to be a respectful man, so I am puzzled about your denunciation of PC. I am often asked by seeking friends about this conundrum as well, as they see these denunciations of PC among Christians as advocating everything from disrespect to bigotry. (I like your Christ, I do not like your politically incorrect Christians.) So how do you define politically correct? How does that jive with speaking truth in LOVE? I’d appreciate any clarification. 

MY ANSWER:

On the surface, today’s political correct philosophy seems to reinforce Jesus’ teaching. If political correctness is, “Avoiding rhetoric or actions that demean others – especially those who are oppressed,” why wouldn’t Christians wholeheartedly embrace it? After all Jesus taught us to love one another and He said, “…whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).

However, there are two major problems with the way political correctness is applied today.

First, instead of Jesus defining what is appropriate terminology and behavior, secular progressives attempt to define them for everyone else.  

Most of those advocating political correctness don’t believe in absolute truth. They contend that right and wrong are determined by the individual. The prevailing attitude is, “Whatever is truth for you is fine, just don’t try to impose your values on me.” As a result, the identification of any behavior as immoral or any teaching as false is regarded as demeaning and offensive. Anyone who dares cite a Biblical standard is challenged with, “Who are you to judge?”

Jesus clearly taught there is absolute truth.  He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). He boldly stated, “Anyone on the side of truth listens to me” (John 18:37). And, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). Since Jesus was God in the flesh, His Word should determine what is appropriate terminology and what is loving behavior.

However, much of what Jesus said would be labeled as grossly intolerant by today’s advocates of political correctness.

He said there was only one way to God (John 14:6).

He said God created us in the beginning as male and female (Matt. 19:4).

He said marriage is to be between a man and a woman (Matt 19:5).

He said, “What God has joined together, let no one separate” (Matt. 19:6).

He said, “If your brother sins against you, rebuke him” (Luke 17:3).

Jesus commanded His followers to “… go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19). A passion for evangelism is one of the primary reasons evangelical Christians are often at odds with political correct crusaders who believe one religion is just as good as another. Jesus is our only hope for eternal life and He defines for us what is appropriate, loving behavior – not the advocates of political correctness.

Second, while Jesus invites us to follow His commands, secular progressives bully people to comply with their own manufactured standards.

Jesus invited people to follow His principles voluntarily. When someone rejected Him, He respected their free will and permitted them to walk away. He told the rich young ruler to sell his possessions and share his abundance with the poor. When the rich man refused to do so, Jesus permitted him to leave. He didn’t force him to redistribute his wealth. (See Matt. 19:16-21)

Secular progressives arbitrarily establish the rules and then attempt to enforce others to abide by them. They begin with verbal punishment. Anyone who disagrees with the P.C. definition of what is appropriate is quickly labeled a racist, a bigot, a sexist, a homophobe or a hater. The average person lives in fear of those scarring accusations and bends over backward not to rile the P.C crowd.

Dr. Ben Carson said, “Political correctness is antithetical to our founding principles of freedom of speech and freedom of expression. Its most powerful tool is intimidation. If it is not vigorously opposed, its proponents win by default, because the victims adopt a ‘go along to get along’ attitude.”

If anyone is courageous enough to speak out at the risk of being verbally ostracized, P.C. advocates resort to bullying tactics: boycotting a fast food chain, refusing to do business with a state, angrily protesting a rally, interrupting and shouting down a speaker, even instigating violence.

Most disturbing is government intervention to promote the politically correct agenda as defined by the left.  This past week the U.S. Department of Justice threatened to withhold federal funding unless the state of North Carolina repeals its transgender bathroom law by Monday. “North Carolina’s Lt. Gov. Dan Forest called the Obama administration’s threat the “sickest example” of how far Barack Obama will go to transform the nation.” -ChristianPost.com

The very people who criticize Christians for “trying to impose their values on others” are using force to impose their values on others. The end result is that free-speech is being censored and people with opposing viewpoints are intimidated into silence.

I never thought I’d agree with comedian George Carlin but I do concur with this statement he made, “Political Correctness is Fascism pretending to be manners.”

Dr. Ben Carson stated, “The PC culture is destroying this nation. The fact of the matter is, we the American people are not each other’s enemies, it’s those people who are trying to divide us that are the enemies and we need to make that very clear to everybody.”

The absolute madness of Political Correctness is best evidenced on college campuses. The University of Massachusetts and Amherst students recently threw a mass temper tantrum to derail a forum that challenged the speech police. “The program was titled, “Has Political Correctness Gone Too Far?”

But the three guest speakers barely got a chance to speak. Protesters broke in to swear, name-call and scream, “Go home” and “F– you!” and “Keep your hate speech off this campus”. The student’s unruly, disruptive protest was a classic example of the critics’ point.

“There was not a 10- to 20-second period during [the event] where there wasn’t an interruption,” said senior Nicholas Pappas, one of the panel’s organizers. One of the guest speakers, Christina Sommers, managed the zinger of the night. When she was interrupted by a scream of “stop talking to us like children,” she shot back: “Then stop acting like a child.”

That’s a good example of why 82% of Americans say PC has gone too far.

The Huffington Post, a liberal online news website, recently carried an article by BJ Gallagher who conceded that PC has become counterproductive. “To those who serve in today’s PC Police, I understand that your intentions are good. But there is often a big gap between intent and impact. I would invite you to consider the impact of your censorship and finger-wagging, as well as your inclination to self-righteous, moral indignation.

You don’t realize it, but you’re effectively throwing a wet blanket over public (and private) discussions of vitally important issues. You’ve gone too far in your efforts to protect everyone’s feelings. You’re essentially imposing a gag order on the whole of American society, and in so doing, you’re hindering our progress in getting to know one another and to understand others’ different perspectives, viewpoints, feelings, and life experiences.”

The Bible says it more succinctly, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17).

– Bob

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