Reading this article could bore you out of your skull – or maybe not. In the #ProChoice world we are living in, you are obviously free to choose to click away and read other things, or to read this one to the end, and make up your own mind if what I have to say would add some value to your life.
And if this was a complete waste of your time, I invite you to vent your #FreedomOfExpression in the comment box below. If it is not obvious by now, I’m about to expand on a social justice topic, or rather, a theory thereof.
What are Critical Theories?
All Critical Theories look at a certain topic or theme through the lens of society and culture. Inevitably, the largest problems facing society get so distorted that the collective consciousness focuses heavily on these so-called social or political justice issues. It seems that almost everything becomes a social justice cause.
As Karl Marx defined it in his letter to Arnold Rugage written in 1843 Critical Theory is
“the self-clarification (critical philosophy) of the struggles and wishes of the age”
And while this philosophy seems terribly philosophical current practical examples, of the different Critical Theories, are:
- A current social manifestation of Critical Race Theory is – #BlackLivesMatter
- A current social manifestation of Critical Gender Theory is – #LGBT
- A current social manifestation of Critical Pleasure Theory is #ProChoice
Yes, all these hot debates. While all of these deserve an in-depth look on their own, I want to focus on:
Critical Blame Theory
We have all met that person who has the mentality that somebody owes me. They attribute all problems to somebody else. It’s the government’s fault…, it’s my parent’s fault… Everything that is going wrong in my life is anybody else’s fault, just not mine. Their entire worldview is set to blame someone for everything. It’s the someone should do it for me, so-called victim mentality.
According to Henry Reyenga and Steve Elzinga in their mini-course called Critical Grace Theory, this blame mindset stems from the following problem:
“If there is no God and no morality based on something higher than ourselves, then all there is left is …
… ME”
I often wonder when will men stop blaming women for all their problems. It seems like something which has been going on since the fall.
It’s much easier blaming someone else. We can see this clearly in Genisis Chapter 3. Eve points the finger at the snake. Adam points the finger at Eve, and then ultimately at God.
Why God, why?
Someone has got to take the blame.
But equally horrible, when we can’t put the blame on anybody else but ourselves. You end up in a never-ending mental spiral:
If I’d only …
If I’d only not …
I should have known better…
Why did I have to …
I knew it was wrong at the time, but still, I chose to …
Blame. Fault. Guilt. Sin.
Laying on the cold hard floor, wet with your own tears in remorse.
We live in a culture which will always point a finger. Blame is so intrinsically set in our DNA, we just can’t help otherwise. We scream for justice at the most minor injustice. Sorry I’m not so sorry. Most times, people just don’t care that their behaviour has hurt or upset someone else.
At its core, this is the problem which Grace resolves. By His Grace, that is God’s Gift to us, which when you look at God’s righteousness none of us deserves, but still our loving God, died for our sin. He took all the blame and nailed it to the cross.
Whisper, whisper in my ear …
Every single, if I’d only
Every single, if I’d only not
Every single, I should have known better
Every single, Why did I have to …
Every single I knew it was wrong but still I chose to …
Every single why, God why which never belonged to God. And
Every sorry, I’m not so sorry, something someone has done to you for which he just can’t seem to care.
Whisper, whisper in my ears …
As I’m lying in my tears.
Every single: Blame. Fault. Guilt.
Drenched in the blood of Christ who paid the price, the penalty.
Jesus took the blame. Justice was served upon the cross.
Whisper, whisper in my ears …
Write on a piece of paper that which causes you these tears.
Cross it out, because at the cross, Jesus paid the price for it.
Every single, every single, no longer belongs to you.
Now I can take hold of Jesus’ promise that he will always be with me. There is nothing in all creation which will separate me from the love of Jesus, which was so graciously was shed for me upon the cross. (Romans 8)
***
“He made the one who did not know sin to be sin on our behalf, in order that we could become the righteousness of God in him.”
2Corinthians 5:21 (LEB)
***
“Indeed, nearly everything is purified with blood according to the law, and apart from the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
Hebrews 9:22 (LEB)
***
Become kind toward one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as also God in Christ has forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32 (LEB)
***
Now, with God’s gift of grace, I can face my own failures and take responsibility. Because of His Grace, I can let go of the blame I have towards others and offer myself the freeing gift of their forgiveness.
Whisper, whisper in my ear …
You are my child. I will always be here.
Shining Seeds 