Charles Colson is always worth listening to. And many millions do, with his Breakpoint radio series. The essays here come from this program, and comprise some of the best of Colson’s Christian commentary on the issues of the day. Like the companion volume, Lies That Go Unchallenged in Popular Culture, these essays can be read in a few short hours, but they reflect a lifetime of learning, wisdom and moral clarity by one of our finest contemporary commentators.
Nearly ninety short but punchy commentaries are divided into five main sections: judicial activism; life and family; religious freedom; government intrusion; and transfer of responsibility. Each of these five areas of concern reflect a war of worldviews: the secular humanist worldview versus the Judeo-Christian worldview. Says Colson, the stakes are high: unless we challenge the worldviews that are tearing down our families and societies, devaluing human life, and whittling away our freedoms, we may well lose it all.
The last section on responsibility transfer refers to the modern tendency to blame anyone and everyone for our failures and shortcomings. Personal responsibility has been renounced, replaced by a victim mentality that has spread like a disease.
Colson notes that our litigation-mad society arises from this mindset. We have come to believe that people are basically good and any wrongs we commit are due to society or others. This idea of human perfectibility of course is at odds with the biblical notion of the fallenness of man. Taking ownership for our own bad choices is the first step in redressing this cult of victimization.
Equally of concern is the slow but steady undermining of religious freedom, especially the assault on Christianity. It is not just a case of government-promoted neutrality, but a bias against Christianity and a bias toward secularism. And as Colson clearly documents, this war on religion is having many negative results.
Add to this the activist nature of our judiciary, the never-ending attacks on marriage, family and human life, and the rise of Big Brother government, and we have a very shaky future for the US and the West. But believers are reminded by Colson not to leave these threats go unchallenged.
The first step in turning things around is to understand the nature of the attack and prepare an adequate defense. Clear thinking and moral discernment is required, and this book provides the necessary ammunition to begin the counterstrike. Once again, Colson performs a valuable service in equipping believers for this important task.
