Recommended Reading: Let God Be True
No, this is not an endorsement of the old Jehovah's Witness book by the same title, even though the subtitle is the same: but every man a liar (from Romans 3:4). This book contains the outlines of the 23rd Annual Standing in the Gap Lectures\—with additional materials that were not presented at the time of the lectures in January of 2023. Unlike most lectureship books, this one is spiral bound with plenty of room to write notes in the margin (347 pages).
The first chapter focuses on Jesus, Who brought truth and light into the world, although men loved darkness. The remainder of the book examines the men of darkness who made this world a worse place than it was when they arrived here. There is one final chapter that urges Christians to contend for the cause of Christ. The information in the chapters in between explain a great deal about the way this world got to be the way it is and provides what Christians need to try to answer the arguments that others may make against truth.
The first of the 21 influential individuals who is discussed is Muhammad (subtitled "Peace Through Brutality"). Of course, the Qur'an is their authority. The reader finds a brief history of Muhammad, along with some of his beliefs. Mostly, he will see a contrast between Christianity and the Muslim religion.
Most people have probably heard of The Prince, written by Niccolo Machiavelli. It is not a large book, but what it lacks in length, it makes up for in ruthlessness. Various quotes serve as an example of the type of thinking displayed throughout his writing:
"To slay fellow-citizens, to deceive friends, to be without faith, without mercy, without religion," in order to gain an empire, should not be a reason to esteem someone "less than the most notable captain" (30).
A prince…ought to hold of little account a reputation for being mean, for it is one of those vices which will enable him to govern (32).
Such beliefs are then compared with the Scriptures and the ways in which God wants kings to govern.
Next is the spiritual false teacher, John Calvin, who wrote the Institutes of the Christian religion and published the first edition of them in 1536 (36). The five basic tenets of Calvinism are defined and carefully refuted (44-51). Christians should especially be knowledgeable of the claims and the refutation of them since many people are aware of and even believe these false doctrines.
How much does the average person know about the French mathematician, scientist, and philosopher, Rene Descartes, let alone why he is important? Although he was brilliant and is called by some "the father of modern philosophy," his skepticism took him out of the realm of practicality. As the writer of the chapter says, "Whether we accept what God has revealed as true or not, does not change the truth of the matter" (69).
The name of Thomas Hobbes may be familiar to many, along with his famous work, Leviathan. Unfortunately, he did not "believe in God or that God was the Creator of all..." (75). He substituted for God materialism and motion (76). Somewhat akin to him is Jean Jacques Rousseau, who believed that "mankind would be better in a sort of 'utopian nature'" (81). He had a firm belief in "free love" (84) and encouraged self-indulgence (86).
Thomas Paine's writings significantly aided in the beginning of the Revolutionary War (his pamphlet, Common Sense), but in later years this brilliant author turned his talents against God, eventually publishing The Age of Reason, which was a prolonged attack on the Scriptures. Many details concerning his life are included.
The life of another theologian follows\—that of S\øren Kierkegard, "the father of existentialism" (109). He was brilliant, although he "lived most of his life alone" (108). He "mocked the notion that one could ever fuse romantic love with marriage" (112), which maybe explains why he remained alone. He did not believe the existence of God could be proven through reason (which is false); thus, he originated the "leap of faith" (115).
The spotlight now falls upon Karl Marx and his Manifesto of the Communist Party. Does that subject seem "old hat" and worn out? How's this for relevance? Black Lives Matter, Inc., lists themselves as a Marxist organization (131). After giving biographical highlights of Marx's life (131-33), the author goes on to provide a summary of his philosophy. One must begin with dialectic materialism (136-37), but several other principles define Marxist philosophy, including #5, the abolition of the family (140). Every Christian needs to read this material.
Just when one imagines there is no way to top the last chapter, the next one is devoted to Charles Darwin. The usual biographical notes are present, along with a refutation of some of his ideas. Then comes the section on the "Impacts of Darwinian Evolution on Society." The first one may be a surprise to some people because Darwin's theories actually promote racism!
In short, Darwin believed that individuals with lighter skin were more evolved than individuals with darker skin, and he used evolution as the justification (174).
While this idea sounds absurd to us, many people then took it seriously. This fact was acknowledged by no less than Stephen Jay Gould, who said: "Biological arguments for racism may have been common before 1859, but they increased by orders of magnitude following the acceptance of evolutionary theory" (175). One person who took it very seriously was named Adolph Hitler (175). There are also sections on sexism and morality that contain vital information. Adolph Hitler's life and rise to power are examined in a later chapter.
It may be that most brethren have never heard of Julius Wellhausen, but he helped develop the modernistic J-E-D-P Theory of inspiration. According to him (and various other "scholars"), Moses did not write the first five books of the Old Testament; a number of authors were involved\—one using the name of Jehovah, another, Elohim\—while another encapsulated the laws found in Deuteronomy, with one person commenting on the priestly aspects of the Pentateuch. There is an excellent definition and refutation of this theory, including a reference to Old Mother Hubbard (190).
The next section examines "Friedrich Nietzsche: Beyond Good and Evil." A list of 21 famous quotations of Nietzsche make interesting (and humorous) reading, although apparently he was serious when he said:
6) There are no facts only interpretations. [Is that a fact? GWS]
7) In heaven all the interesting people are missing.
14) Woman was God's second mistake (194).
His views of God and man are strange, but many follow his agnosticism and skepticism. It is interesting to see where his philosophy led him (193).
In addition to Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin is examined. His marital situation was a surprise, if his politics were not. Your congenial editor highlighted as much of this material as any chapter in the book. Marx's life and philosophy are thoroughly covered, as well as a refutation of the errors he believed and operated under. One intriguing quote will have to suffice: "Neither Lenin, nor Trotsky, nor Stalin\—until they came to power\—had ever worked for a living" (220).
Three women receive attention in this book; they all had (and continue to have) a great impact on the world today. The first is Margaret Sanger who somehow manages to be revered in society by many, but she "perfectly executed genocide of black people in this country" (222). All Christians need to read the evidence that this was her objective in founding Planned Parenthood and why she was an advocate of abortion. Incidentally, every one of these chapters is thoroughly documented.
Another woman receiving attention is Margaret Mead, who is famous for having written Coming of Age in Samoa. Her legacy, like that of Margaret Sanger, is sexual permissiveness; she helped spark "the sexual revolution," which characterized the 1960s, and is described as "the original flower child" (272). The reader should also question the validity of her research.
The third woman, Betty Friedan, is known for "The Feminine Mystique," which is ironic for someone who seems to lack any semblance of femininity (editor's observation\—not found in the book). She does have something in common with the Communists\—one of her "objectives was to destroy the nuclear family and the divine directives" (335).
Sigmund Freud, whose name is synonymous with psychotherapy (in the minds of many). He believed in many things that have come to be accepted within the last fifty years, which, of course, violate the will of God. And no wonder, Freud was a staunch atheist; he referred to himself as a "godless Jew" (254).
John Dewey has had a tremendous influence on America's educational system, but he has not improved conditions. His history in education is outlined, as well as his theory of education. The following two precepts (out of 16) are hints as to what is wrong with today's educational programs.
E. There is no god and there is no soul. Hence, there is no need for the props of traditional religion. With dogma and creed excluded, then immutable truth is dead and buried. There is no room for fixed and natural law or permanent moral absolutes (Dewey, "AZQuotes.com" 651880) (288).
F. "Schools should take an active part in directing social change, and share in the construction of a new social order" (Dewey, "The Later Works, 1925-1953" 408) (288).
John Dewey also led the way in signing the original Humanist Manifesto (1933). Humanist Manifesto II was published in 1973 and Humanist Manifesto III in 2003. According to this pattern, Humanist Manifesto IV should be this year (2023). What do Dewey and the other Humanists believe. Among other things, they believe that the universe is self-existing and not created. Thus, right off the bat, they reject the God of the Bible and credit matter with creative power. They also believe that evolution is true and that man has no soul. That only leaves human wisdom, which is based mainly on speculation. Much more is examined concerning humanism and its beliefs in this chapter.
John Maynard Keynes' theory of economics has not benefitted mankind, but its principles are set forth. The final chapter is devoted to Alfred Kinsey. When his work was "published in 1948 this volume encountered a storm of condemnation and acclaim" (312). The condemnation was just; the acclaim was hooey. Much of the information about "Sexual Behavior in the Human Male" (the book's subtitle) was skewed and invalid. Christians ought to know the truth concerning the study.
All of these chapters provide much-needed material in a compact volume. The research presented therein can save valuable time for the reader. It may be ordered from Rick Popejoy, editor, from the church in Nesbit, Mississippi. The cost is more than reasonable.