SPECIAL TO BNc by John Henson — When Lance Armstrong said that, at the time he was taking performance-enhancing drugs, he didn’t believe he was doing anything wrong, the statement screamed of the subjectivism so prevalent in our society today.
According to The New York Times, Armstrong publicly admitted he had taken performance-enhancing drugs and that he had done so throughout his cycling career. He told Oprah Winfrey that all of his seven Tour de France victories were fueled by doping and that he had covered up a positive drug test during the 1999 Tour with a backdated prescription for banned cortisone.
Armstrong knew the rules, but he violated them anyway. Armstrong was doing what he considered to be right for him. As far as he was concerned, there was no right or wrong. There was only what Armstrong had to do to win.
People know what the Bible says, what God has commanded, yet they disobey the rules anyway. Why? Because of the influence of people like Armstrong who teach that disobeying the rules doesn’t matter.
The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “As a well continually pours out fresh water so it continually pours out wicked deeds. Sounds of violence and destruction echo throughout it. All I see are sick and wounded people” (Jeremiah 6:7 NET).[pullquote]All Judah could see was what it thought it wanted. Their ears had closed to the truth because their minds had become enslaved to their own appetites.[/pullquote]
The Israelite tribe of Judah continued to pour out wickedness because it didn’t care what God had commanded. All Judah could see was what it thought it wanted. Their ears had closed to the truth because their minds had become enslaved to their own appetites (Jeremiah 6:10).
Jeremiah continued, “Are they ashamed because they have done such shameful things? No, they are not at all ashamed. They do not even know how to blush!” (Jeremiah 6:15 NET).
Was there any true contrition in any of the statements Armstrong made? Any sorrow or tears? If not, why not? It was because he wasn’t truly sorry. He was only doing what he thought he had to do, even if it meant breaking the rules, lying, making false accusations, and destroying people’s lives.
Do not be deceived: Armstrong’s statements matter because of the influence that kind of subjectivity has. [pullquote]Armstrong’s statements matter because of the influence that kind of subjectivity has.[/pullquote] This defining of right and wrong as only what matters at the time is a product of subjectivism.
We’d best care about it. Remember that Judah didn’t, and they were carried into captivity.
John first published this article on his blog and adapted it specially for BNc at our request.
2013-01-19 at 7:27 pm
Very good analogy. You hit the nail right on the head.
2013-01-20 at 1:37 am
“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything!” Mark Twain
2013-01-23 at 8:11 am
excellent article. The subjectivity of ancient Judah seems to pale in comparison to what we have going on in North America today. We as individuals have very little influence on the big picture of that social malady, although we may be able to affect a smaller group. What is most troubling (to me at least) is the contagious effect it has on those of us who should know better.