Thought-police were an integral part of the machinery that Adolph Hitler used to first persuade Germans to accept his diabolical ideas and then to keep those same people in line. If a person did not fully subscribe to the prevailing ideology of that day - in other words, if they did not totally agree with what Hitler said - they were subject to arrest, imprisonment, or even death.
Can't happen here in America, right? Well, if I am a student attending Harvard University, it is happening. There was an article published last week by Bob Unruh on the World Net Daily website that was frightening. You can find the article at: www.wnd.com/2016/05/harvard-imposes-pc-blacklist-on-off-campus-groups. The article begins: "Harvard University. Girls in fraternities and guys in sororities. And 'gays' and lesbians in both. As well as transgenders. Together. One might conclude that is Harvard's ultimate objective after the ultra-progressive university on Friday announced the imposition of a politically correct blacklist of 'single-sex' off-campus organizations.
"A letter signed by Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust was posted online Friday by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education endorsing a strategy proposed by university official Rakesh Khurana. He proposes that any student who belongs to an 'unrecognized single-gender social organization' will 'not be eligible to hold leadership positions in recognized student organizations or athletic teams.' Khurana contends it's critical that Harvard students be in a community with multiple 'genders, gender identity and sexual orientation.' Violators also would be deprived of any 'dean's endorsement letters for those fellowships that require such endorsements.' The blacklist of students will prevent them from 'Rhodes and Marshall scholarships and [have them] banned from leadership of on-campus organizations or athletic teams,' the organization said. It pointedly noted that the exclusion policy is being pursued in the name of fostering 'inclusion.'
"But the organizations are off-campus and not recognized or supported by the university, making the policy a vast control mechanism for students' lives off campus."
There you have it. If I am attending Harvard and have my sights set on a Rhodes Scholarship, then I had better be extremely careful what I do when off-campus or the people I associate with off-campus. Big-brother is watching me carefully. I certainly can't be a part of an off-campus organization that speaks against transgenderism or same-sex anything. I certainly can't be a part of an off-campus organization that takes the Word of God seriously and proclaims the truths of Scripture. When I agree to attend Harvard University, it is almost like I am making a pact that the University will control every part of my life, including what I think about many of the issues of today's world. In other words the rule at Harvard is: you think the way we want you to think; you associate with people we want you to associate with; you do what we tell you to do. Pretty scary, don't you think?
Sadly, if Harvard is beginning this policy, it will not be long until it will become standard operating procedure for most colleges and universities. Why is this happening? Why is there this urgency to control what a person thinks? Why is there this urgency to tell people what is right and wrong? I am not a philosopher or a psychologist, but let me give a shot at an answer. I believe the answer is as simple as this: we have abandoned God and His Word. You say, "That is too simplistic!" Let's see if I can make a logical case. A belief in God is an innate part of who we are as human beings. The Bible says that we were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). And, I believe that part being in that image of God is our desire to pursue and to know truth because God is Truth (John 14:6).
Now, when I decide that God does not exist then I also decide that absolute truth does not exist either for absolute truth has its foundation in God. In the absence of God all truth becomes relative. I get to decide what is truth for me. You get to decide what is truth for you. I accept your truth; you accept my truth. Even if your truth clashes with my truth, I cannot deny your truth, nor you mine. Sounds like it will create some mass-confusion, which it does. So, how can we avoid this mass-confusion? Well, someone or something has to decide what is truth for the moment. Most often it is the government that says, "This is truth!" We saw the United States Supreme Court do this nearly a year ago when it stated that same-sex marriage was now truth. Harvard University is doing this with its students by proclaiming, "This is our truth! Follow it or suffer the consequences!" I don't want a scene of mass-confusion, so I surrender my "truth" to someone else's "truth." And, slowly, as I am under the authority of that person's "truth," I find that soon that "truth" becomes my "truth."
So, what is a Christian supposed to do. First of all, we are not to abandon our faith and the hope we have in Jesus Christ, no matter what the consequences might be. Second, we are to practice careful thinking. I am reminded of Paul's words of admonition to his Philippian readers: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things" (Philippians 4:8). And let me share one more passage, also from the pen of Paul: "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5). We are to think as Christ would think. We are to respond as Christ would respond. We are not to be shoved into the mold of this world. We are to be fashioned like unto Jesus Christ.
I will not be posting a blog for the next couple of weeks. I will be leading a tour group to Israel that leaves next Tuesday and spending 12 days in Israel. I know our group will appreciate your prayers for us as we are travel in the footsteps of Jesus. I am confident I will have a lot to share upon our return. Keep on praying for the peace of Jerusalem.
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