We just need a little John Wayne

As a pigtail-sporting child, I was mesmerized by John Wayne.  I remember watching him in a few movies and feeling admiration and intimidation at observing his no-nonsense approach.  It seemed to me like John always knew what was what.  The truth of a situation and subsequent course of action were crystal clear to him.  Forget about popular opinion!  He discerned what it would take to get rid of the bad guy and that was that!  Go get 'em, John!

The idea of absolute truth is controversial.  Mention the fact that you believe in such a thing and some people will ex-communicate you, at least in their minds.  It is not popular to have standards, especially any standards that might make others feel badly.  We wouldn't want to hurt any one's feelings!

The problem with being so overly worried about other's feelings is that there is no way to draw the line once that becomes your standard of truth-deciphering.  I mean, really!  Please don't discipline your child and tell her that touching a hot stove is dangerous because that would seriously cramp her style!

This tolerance mentality is dangerous in and of itself for obvious reasons.  Worse yet is the militant tolerance that demands that everyone else be tolerant.  It is counter intuitive and self-defeating to champion such a dictate, and it demonizes those who dare to admit that they believe in absolute truths.  Circular reasoning begins now.

Absolute truth can only really be believed if one believes in a Higher Power.  For the Christian, believing in Christ means that our views of right and wrong are based on the revelation of Scripture.   In society today, that is perhaps the most dangerous philosophy to embrace, at least to the relativistic, tolerant-preaching crowd.  How dare Christians have standards!!!

I wonder what John Wayne would think if we decided to redo his movies with a tolerance message featuring a noodly waffler of a man riding around and deferring to all but those ridiculous standards-braying cowboys.  One glance at his face and I'm guessing he wouldn't like it.  Not one bit.