95 sats \ 2 replies \ @kepford 25 Jul \ on: George Orwell is Being Cancelled – The Daily Sceptic BooksAndArticles
In the context of Christianity, which also is being deconstructed I really like what this man said.
~ Chap 4, Death to Deconstruction by Josh Porter
It sums up better than anything I've seen the trend of former Christians "deconstructing" their faith. I put quotes around it because I think it is good and healthy to question authority but to do so with the humility and realization of how dependent we are on those we are subjecting to our judgement. Most don't even seem to understand where the framework they are using came from. We would not even have the frame to use as a guide to judge, without the men we are judging.
There is in general a lack of respect for just how much we owe to those that went before us. Its not as if we built this society and can stand in judgement of all those that have went before. The trends of our time are no different from those that went before. It is not brave to stand with the crowd. When I look around at those that seem to believe they are brave I wonder which side they would have been on in Nazi Germany.
Eventually those that are deconstructing and then condemning Orwell will be condemned by future generations. But as I write this I know it is not true. They won't even be worth deconstructing because they won't be worth remembering.
Those we deconstruct are imperfect. They are flawed as all men are. But their work was so significant that it has stood the test of time despite these flaws. They built on what existed before them. We do the same. We are all standing on the shoulders of giants. Giants that were not perfect, but their work is a part of our history and us. When we just close our eyes and shut our ears we make the choice to cripple our minds. We allow our own arrogance to limit our potential.
One thing I have noticed with deconstruction is that it often falls along the lines of what the person really wants to do. IE, what they are deconstructing is inconvenient for their life. It seems that it can be post hoc reason to tack on to actions that break their previously held beliefs. I just don't believe in God anymore... therefore I can leave my family and do what I want. But I'm justified in doing that because this whole God thing can't be real.
The other thing I've noticed is that deconstruction makes the deconstructor or feel powerful. They cut these giants of the past down to size. They weren't so great. Look at these flaws! Instead of looking at them and realizing that despite their failures and flaws look what they created. Instead of realizing, I have many flaws. Many I'm probably blind to. How will I be judged? Would I want people to throw out all I have contributed because of these flaws?
Of course most people don't really contribute much(including me). But it is so short sighted to handle people from the past in this way.
reply
I recommend this book if you are a Christian and see friends losing their faith because of this application of deconstruction.
I didn't have the term at the time but I went through a very deep questioning phase for many of the same reasons many people do. Seeing the flaws in people and transferring that to God. A better phrase that I like to describe this journey is spiritual formation. Basically testing and learning for yourself instead of just accepting the beliefs of others or the church. Working things out as it says in Philippians 2:12.
reply