Clarifying Arguments - Vol 4 No 5

Before Class

Before class, about twelve students had gathered in the classroom for conversation. They were complaining.

"How can society tell me that I can vote at eighteen but not at seventeen? That's just wrong. It doesn’t make sense."

"Why does society have the right to determine an age?"

Another joined in, "Yeah man, we can buy beer at eighteen but we can't buy liquor until were twenty-one. That's f*** up!"

The whole group was involved in the conversation with vigor and one thing was clear-"society" and this ambiguous "they," were capricious authorities out to oppress.

Mike chimed in, "But isn't the civil government a good thing? I mean, don't we need laws to hold us accountable?"

A young man retorted, "But they're random. We don't need laws to tell us when we are old enough to drink or drive or have sex or anything. We don't have to be told what to do. We don't suddenly become responsible adults at eighteen or twenty- one. It's a form of racism and control."

Defining Your Terms

Someone changed the subject to the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, the seventeen-year- old on trial for murder in Kenosha, Wisconsin for his actions during the riots of 2020.

Mike lamented, "He is only seventeen, and he's on trial for his life."

Ben blurted out, "So what if he is only seventeen? He did an adult thing. He just

picked up a gun and murdered people." Others were bringing their affirmations of support.

Mike interjected, "Can we define 'murder' here? I mean, was Kyle Rittenhouse defending himself or did he plan ahead of time that he was going to go around killing people? Because there is a difference."

"He was carrying around a f******* AR! Those are only for killing

!Mike was calm but persistent, "But 'murder' means premeditation. By definition he

has to have thought it out beforehand and planned to kill them."

One man confidently asserted, "What's a seventeen year old doing walking around

in the open with an AR if he's not intending to use it?"

"He says for self defense." Mike answered. "He says he didn't intend to use it, but

had it to protect himself if it was needed. And it was needed."

The man retorted, "He wasn't even old enough to have a permit for a gun like

that."

Old Enough

Mike thought, Old enough, huh? He circled around in the conversation.

Mike lobbed the bomb.

"So answer this for me. You disapprove of society telling you at what age you can drink, but then you turn around approve of society telling everyone at what age they can carry a gun. You disapprove of society regulating the age of voting, but then insist that society protect the murder of babies? How is that?"

They went crazy. Let's just say there was a lot of emoting going on in that classroom. People were shouting back and forth.

"You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Shut up you white a**!"

Most vehemently, "Abortion is NOT killing babies, you a** h***!"

Mike just sat there and let it happen.

When things quieted down, he said, "Abortion is taking the life of a child that would otherwise live, without individual due process and with premeditation."

William quickly retorted confidently with a wry smile, "They HAD due process. Roe v. Wade."

Undeterred, Mike persisted, "No, they do not have due process. Roe v. Wade is a general opinion, not a law. Courts do not make laws. Due process safeguards the rights of the individual "

Terri blurted out, "Definitions, definitions! You hide behind these definitions to defend your white privilege!"

Mike said calmly, "Definitions make people accountable, and accountability can be offensive."

One girl scolded, “Don’t be mean to Terri!”

Mike was surprised. "Of course I won't be mean to Terri! Are you telling me I am being mean by pointing out that defining our terms makes people accountable?"

"She has a right to say things just like you do."

"So I have a right to say it?" Mike replied.

"Yeah, but you need to drop the Christian stuff."

Mike stood firm, "So I have a right to say it as long as I don’t say what I believe? It

sounds like what the philosopher Francis Schaefer said, 'The liberals are only liberal as long as you agree with them.' So as long as I agree with you, I'm ok, but when I ask a question or ask you to define your terms or explain what you mean, I am to shut up."

Hiding Behind "White Privilege"

One girl who has been particularly verbal in her disdain for Mike's Christianity attacked. "You protect your white privilege by telling us that we need to be 'defining our terms.' You hide behind your whiteness and misogyny and racism by forcing other people to define their terms. We don’t ask you to define your terms. We just accept that we understand what you are saying."

Mike calmly replied, "But I don't think you understand what I am saying, and how can you if, at points, we don't define our terms?"

Audible groans could be heard among the group, and the professor entered at that point beginning the class.

Parting Thoughts

This semester there is definitely a lot of pushback on the biblical worldview principles that Mike is faithful to espouse. It may be the increasing hyperbole and rhetoric with which these students are bombarded daily through school professors, publications, bulletin boards, lectures, podcasts, etc. Everywhere they turn they are told the rhetoric that they are oppressed, victimized, struggling with racism and having to deal with people who want to take away the students' rights and privileges for their own ends. There is no question that the majority of students are absorbing this message in large part and frankly, it's very, very sad. The only hope for them is for God to use Mike and those like him, to faithfully put forth the truth that is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Even if they are oppressed or victimized, Jesus was too and has written in His Word, the freeing response to have in such circumstances:

"But the LORD reigns forever, executing judgment from his throne.

He will judge the world with justice and rule the nations with fairness.

The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.

Those who know your name trust in you...O LORD." Psalm 9:7-10a

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