Unthinkable (New Zealand)

Unthinkable (New Zealand)

Have you ever noticed how sometimes the world your children come home from seems utterly foreign? They speak a language you don’t recognize. Their ideas challenge everything you were taught. Many parents and grandparents today face this unsettling reality as their young people return from college or school changed in ways they struggle to understand. What is shaping these new beliefs? And how can we respond in a way that honors our faith and protects the next generation? These questions are urgent, especially as we see the rise of powerful ideologies influencing our youth and society.

Tracing the Roots: Marxism and Its Enduring Influence

Much of what shapes today’s cultural shifts can be traced back to the life and ideas of Karl Marx, born in 1818 in Germany. Though he came from a Jewish family that converted to Lutheranism, Marx himself became a committed atheist during his university years. He developed a worldview that rejected God and traditional values, instead proposing a vision of society’s inevitable progress toward communism through conflict and struggle.

Marx’s Communist Manifesto, published in 1848, laid out a ten-point plan that called for radical changes such as abolishing private property, progressive income taxes, state control of credit, and centralization of communication and transportation. These ideas were not merely political but deeply personal and spiritual, rooted in a fierce hatred of God and a desire to upend the moral order. Marx’s writings reveal a man tormented by rage, fascinated by darkness, and opposed to the faith that had shaped his heritage.

This ideology did not remain theoretical. It was enacted with devastating consequences under Lenin, Stalin, and other communist leaders: mass famines, brutal repression, forced labor camps, and widespread persecution of Christians. The hatred toward faith and family was so intense that millions suffered and died. Understanding this history helps us see that Marxism is not just a political theory but a spiritual assault seeking to destroy God’s order.

Postmodernism and the Breakdown of Truth

After World War II, a new philosophical movement called postmodernism emerged, blending Marxist ideas with skepticism about objective truth. It rejected the belief in progress, science, and universal knowledge, arguing instead that truth is relative and constructed by cultural power dynamics. This worldview sees society as divided into groups of oppressors and oppressed, and it calls for dismantling traditional boundaries, including those of language, gender, and identity.

One striking result is the blurring of distinctions—especially around gender. The question “What is a woman?” has become unanswerable in these circles because defining categories is seen as oppressive. Language itself is continually redefined to destabilize social norms, making it difficult to hold firm to any shared understanding. This fosters confusion and despair, especially among young people seeking meaning in a world that says nothing truly matters.

Postmodernism also elevates group identity above individual character. Instead of judging people by their actions or hearts, it judges them by race, gender, or sexual orientation. This overturns the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who hoped for a day when people would be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. Today, some ideologies insist that racial or gender identity determines whether a person is an oppressor or oppressed, creating fresh divisions and burdens of guilt.

The Sexual Revolution: The Heart of the Battle for Identity

At the core of this cultural upheaval lies the sexual revolution, which goes deeper than politics or economics. It attacks the very foundation of what it means to be human. Where the Bible teaches that sexual relations have purpose—procreation and the bonding of husband and wife—the new ideology denies any inherent meaning or purpose. Instead, sexual identity and expression become the central defining feature of a person’s worth and existence.

This shift has had devastating effects, especially on young girls who feel immense pressure to conform to impossible beauty standards. Unable to compete with airbrushed images, some find escape in identifying as transgender, a path heavily promoted through social media influencers and popular culture. This identification often relieves them of ideological guilt imposed by critical theories but carries its own profound challenges and risks.

Sadly, many Christian voices remain silent or hesitant to confront these issues head-on, while other communities, such as Muslims in parts of Britain, have actively opposed the introduction of sexual revolution teachings in schools. This silence from Christians leaves a dangerous vacuum that allows harmful ideologies to flourish unchecked, threatening the future of our children and grandchildren.

How Should We Respond? Flight, Fight, or Faithfulness?

Faced with these overwhelming challenges, some may choose flight—hiding their faith, avoiding confrontation, or withdrawing from the public sphere. Yet Jesus teaches us that a lamp is not meant to be hidden under a bushel but placed on a stand to give light. Hiding our beliefs out of fear only dims the witness of Christ in the world.

Others might opt for fight—actively resisting and opposing these ideologies through political or social means. While standing firm is important, a combative approach risks fostering hatred rather than love, potentially undermining the gospel’s message of grace and reconciliation.

Some Christians choose accommodation, compromising the clear teachings of Scripture to fit in with societal norms. This path endangers the purity and power of the church’s witness, making the gospel subservient to cultural trends and eroding the foundation of faith.

The true biblical response is faithfulness—a willingness to take up the cross, deny self, and follow Jesus regardless of cost. This means loving our enemies, enduring persecution, and standing firm in the truth of God’s Word. History shows us that Christianity advances not by force but through the faithful suffering and love of its followers. As one witness of persecuted Christians noted, it is the church’s capacity to suffer without retaliation that truly advances the cause of Christ.

Guarding Our Families and Preparing for the Times Ahead

These ideologies are already affecting every corner of the Western world, including our schools, colleges, media, and governments. They will not stop at anyone’s doorstep. As Seventh-day Adventists and followers of Christ, we must be vigilant. We need to ground ourselves deeply in Scripture, understand the times, and prepare biblical responses to protect our children and grandchildren.

This requires intentional teaching about God’s moral standards and open conversations with our young people. Guarding what they watch and listen to, choosing carefully where they study, and equipping them to recognize falsehoods are vital steps. We are called not just to preserve our families for this life but to secure their place in the heavenly kingdom.

We may also face a time when the church must move underground to remain faithful to the gospel, as it has in many parts of the world. While we enjoy legal freedom today, we must be ready to adapt and endure whatever trials come, trusting God’s guidance and sustaining grace.

A Hopeful Invitation

Though the challenges seem unthinkable, there is hope. Jesus calls us to be the light in dark times, to shine brightly with truth and love. We can stand firm because our faith is rooted in the eternal Word of God, not shifting cultural winds. The battle may be fierce, but the victory belongs to Christ.

Now is the time to choose faithfulness over fear, truth over compromise, and love over hatred. Let us commit to loving our children and grandchildren enough to fight for their souls, to teaching them the ways of God, and to standing as faithful disciples in a world that desperately needs the gospel.

If you find yourself overwhelmed by these realities, remember that you are not alone. God’s Spirit is with you, strengthening and guiding. Seek His wisdom daily, encourage one another, and hold fast to the hope of heaven where every tear will be wiped away.

May we all be faithful lights in these unthinkable times, ready to meet Jesus when He returns. Until then, let us love well, stand firm, and keep our eyes fixed on the eternal prize.