Is Water Wet? Simplified Metaphysics

Many of the world’s agendas are targeted toward young people. And (if they're Christians) their values are being mocked in the culture around them. 

Many objections against faith, and origins, used to exist only in the realms of higher education and philosophy that someone would probably require a PHD just to understand, have now been distilled down to more simple forms that anyone can understand, yet they still contain all of the same venom of a philosophy that is designed to destroy their childlike faith.  

There was a research scientist who trained his laboratory animals about 100 years ago. His last name was Pavlov. He found out that if he trained dogs when they were young. (Because you can’t teach an old dog new tricks)

Over a period of time, given the proper stimulus, they will respond exactly the way that you’ve pre-programmed them to. I will give you an example of this at work in a moment.

Right now, I've seen students who are being exposed to metaphysical philosophies in their classrooms (up to 7 hours a day) and media (nearly 9 hours a day). 

Metaphysics a division of philosophy that is concerned with the fundamental nature of reality and being and that includes ontology, cosmology, and often epistemology.

Metaphysics … analyzes the generic traits manifested by existences of any kind.

-Ontology- is the philosophical study of the nature of being, becoming, existence, or reality ontologies of nature, mathematics, mind, culture, and religion.

-Cosmology is the study of the origin, evolution, and eventual fate of the universe.

-Epistemology is the branch of philosophy concerned with the theory of knowledge. Epistemology studies the nature of knowledge, justification, and the rationality of belief.

Back to stimulus and response. A few months, our middle school Sunday school class was finishing up a series on Truth and the Bible. And we were talking about the fact that truth is something that lines up with reality. I asked them, if they had ever been encouraged to doubt reality? Some shook their heads yes, and I received a couple of examples of teachers trying to indoctrinate them with the idea that there is no truth. The response was minimal. 

Then I put this question on the screen:

Is water wet?

Within 6 seconds I had students calling out from all over the class statements and questions of Ontology, Epistemology, and Cosmology.

A conscious question our students are grappling with is, "Why does anything even matter?" and "Why Try?" Subconsciously those questions are anchored with, "Why does anything even matter... if we don't actually exist?"

If you don't believe me, just ask them a simplified metaphysical question like "Is water wet?" See what they say. Then ask, "What other interesting questions are out there?" 

You will see quickly, that there is a specific system of thought they are being exposed to, and I believe that it is full on assault on the faith of this generation.

We’ve often heard that the truth will set you free. If the truth can set you free, how much more will a lie keep you in bondage.

There was a famous person who once said, 

“If you tell a big enough lie for a long enough period of time, the masses will begin to believe it is the truth.” –Hitler

We live in an era of distractions with ubiquitous proliferation of technology. There are so many things are calling out to us. Many families spend almost no quality time together, but it is still extremely important to spend time in conversation with your students. They still need you. You have something valuable to share with them, and it’s the truth and the reality of a risen Savior. Don’t let technology raise your children. Do the hard work of interaction and leading them through shared experiences as a family, don't just zone out with technology. Children will not be ignored. So if they are not busting down the door to connect with you, that means that something is wrong. Something else is instructing them. Invest in your relationship with them and talk with them about the reality of God's kingdom, because they only have you for a short time. 

"Raise them up in the way they should go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it." Prov. 22:6