A variation of Secular Humanism has entered the Churches. What does it teach? How can we recognize it?
First we must look at Secular Humanism.
The Hallmark of Secular Humanism is:
"There are no Absolutes."
therefore
"All Things are Relative"
therefore
Man is exalted!
Secular Humanism questions everything that has been previously considered an Absolute. G-d, the Bible, or any religious authority in general. They must base their thinking on something, so they do create their own substitutes for "Absolutes" however.
These are what are know as "Arbitrary Absolutes". These Arbitrary Absolutes can be: "the latest poll", statistical models, their own reasoning abilities, Science, Psycholical concepts, Sociology, Mathematical Models, "variable sociological law" or "whatever opinion seems popular at the moment" they can produce that fits a situation. Because these things do and will change, theory to theory, absolute certainty flies out the window, yet through the restatement of their Hallmark of "no Absolute" and "Change is Inevitable" this fact retains a certain continuity in their thought processes.
The result of all this naturally places unregenerate man (or woman) conveniently "on the throne", as "lord (or lordess) over all" "master (or mistress) of his (her) own destiny" and a Self-Actualized arbitrary authority. He (she) is declared "Free", without constraint except for whatever arbitray absolute is chosen or is "popular" for them at that time and brings temporary solutions.
The ones that seek a philiosophical model might choose Existentialism for instance, as Jean Paul Sartre developed in his "No Exit". This can lead to despair however.
The Dutch philosopher Kierkegaard brilliantly coined a term for the "vague feeling of uncertainty" or "malaise" which always accompanies the rejection of True Divine Absolutes and will eventually bring despair. Kierkegaard called this "feeling" or mindset:
Angst
This is where modern man finds himself today.
"SECULAR" HUMANISM NOW APPEARING IN THE DOCRINES OF THE ASSEMBLIES
The religious applications of the Secular Humanistic maxim that "There are no Absolutes" has had telling effect on the Doctrines of many "churches" and Biblical interpretation as well. They have decided that the previous Doctrines held by the early Church fathers, their Rulings and writings are not necessarily any Standard to go by any more at all; their teachings from centuries ago can freely be ignored wholesale because they are "not for today". Some believe they are not bound by any Doctrine whatsoever!
One such teaching concerning Salvation is:
"God votes for me, the devil votes against me, and I get to cast the deciding vote."
We call this "The Christian Humanist Democratic Plan of Salvation".
This places the modern Christian Humanist man on his "new throne".
The idea that man has an "equal vote" and G-ds' Sovereign Will is relegated to an "equal vote" with mans' is strictly Humanistic in origin.
HOW "NO ABSOLUTES" PLACES MAN ON THE THRONE
Ever since the Garden of Eden, proud man has wanted to be "on the throne"; autonomous. Using Secular Humanism has been unregenerate mans' way to try to accomplish this in the most efficient manner possible. It always fails in the final analysis, but unregenerate man keeps trying to be "autonomous": without any bounds. This he calls "Freedom".
Now let us look at Christian Humanism.
HUMANISM ENTERS THE CHURCHES
Since ther majority of secular educational institutions teach Humanism ("there are no Absolutes") todays' students are bombarded with this philosophical idea. It took some time, but it has crept into the Assemblies; slowly but surely. In the Assemblies it is obviously not Secular Humanism; it could instead be accurately called a variation, or Christian Humanism. What does it teach?
Once again, following Secular Humanism it begins to cautiously put forward by partially applying Humanist philosophy (based on false teaching), that
"there are no Absolutes".
All is "chance" based in mathematical odds and statistics. These ones say they "have Absolutes": G-d, Jesus Christ, the Bible, but they begin to interpret these things using their own arbitrary reasonings, rejecting what have been previously considered as Absolutes in Church History as mere "doctrines of men" and substitutes instead such things as Psychology ("feelings") and Sociological studies as the Secular Humanist does. These are then either inserted subtly in reasonings or cleverly couched "Biblical terms".
By saying they "accept the Bible", they attempt to outwardly assure people they are acceptable "genuine Christians", but when it comes to interpreting the Word of G-d, they avoid Church History, and also encourage others to do the same. To acknowledge the authority of Church History would make them less autonomous. This they cannot permit.
Subtly, this then places "autonomous man" in charge again to determine what his "Absolutes" might be at any given point. He believes he is "Free" from all the past and has achieved "liberation".
They claim to have their "Absolutes" but refuse to acknowledge past accepted Biblical interpretations as any sort of Absolute.
With no genuine historical Absolutes functioning as a base, therefore we may hear such things as:
"Do not judge."
Since everything has become variable and arbitrary (by REJECTING the past) they make a leap into non-reason and say no one can Judge but Jesus or G-d alone. Not us. They also imply that Yeshua never Judged at all. All this in spite of the fact that He drove the moneychangers out of the Temple.
Next, they must get all previous Historical Biblical Interpretation out of the way, and so they say:
"We don't have any Doctrine we just believe the Bible."
This, of course is an illusion. No one comes to the Scriptures without presuppositions, but their leap into non-reason will deny the reality of this fact to still attempt autonomy.
They may also say:
"All we really need is faith plus good works, not doctrine."
To make such a preposterous statement, they must reject:
Faith Alone
and
"All Scripture is Given by Inspiration of G-d, and is profitable for Doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in Righteousness, that the Man of G-d might be mature, thouroughly furnished for all Good Works." II Timothy 3:16,17
What does it all do? It once again (following Secular Humanism as the model), rejects the previously accepted Absolutes, and places proud man back "on the throne" with his "works righteousness", rejecting all of what has gone on before as "unneccesary". He simply jettisons all of Western Civilization in one fell swoop and declares himself "king of the hill" with "no doctrine"!
FAITH ALONE IS REJECTED
In order for man to be "in control of his own fate and destiny", they devise a "gospel of faith plus works" which they believe secures their own Salvation. These teachings deny the Doctrines of the Protestant Reformation. Their teaching results in a "different gospel" well-rebuked over and over by the Apostle Paul, which "gospel of faith plus works" was also condemned by the teaching of "Faith Alone" (Sola Fide) of the 16th Century Protestant Reformation Confessions of Faith.
THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND
By exalting himself and rejecting all that has gone before, (specifically Historically Accepted Doctrines and Dogmas, "Sola Fide", Faith Alone for example) the Christian Humanist becomes "autonomous" as "the blind leading the blind". His new found "Freedom" many times appeals to his vanity so much that he will not shed it, in that he believes he does not need doctrine at all, but puffs himself in ignorance.
FOOTNOTES
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