I realize that Albert Mohler is a somewhat polarizing figure for some of us. I find myself alternating poles depending on what he says at any given time. I suppose I would describe myself as agreeing with him most of the time, but sometimes recoiling at what comes across to me as arrogance. A fellow pastor probably captures it best by calling Dr. Mohler, "tone-deaf." He sometimes wades into issues involving people groups he is not a part of and makes strong statements to groups when he was not invited.
Still, I often listen to Mohler's "Briefing." I've read a couple of his books and find him generally helpful. I found today's (8/13/24) briefing to be particularly so. It's based on ontology. While I'm not a philosopher, I'll stretch and say, "Ontology is the study of/the thinking about/the dealing with matters of reality. " When we go into a three-year-old's room late at night and lovingly tell them, "No, honey, there are no monsters under your bed," we are dealing with ontology. We want our child's fears or courage to be based on what really is. Likewise, when we caution our teenager that she can't post that picture on that website because there are people out there who will use it to cause her pain, our concern comes from a sound ontology. Those kinds of people really are out there. We are convinced of their reality by solid evidence.
So, though you don't use the word every day, sound-thinking, regular folks constantly deal with ontological questions. We may build imaginary palaces in our imaginations, but we can't live in them. Accepting that reality may be hard, but the imaginary floor of a pretend mansion won't support the weight of a real life. The fall is hard.
I encourage you to listen to Mohler's briefing for today because he challenges us to think about reality concerning the current election cycle. He acknowledges that there are no easy decisions, but he reminds us that there are basic realities that need to be considered. The decision that must be made is ontological.
- Are unborn children truly human?
- For that matter, is human life really worth any more than any other kind of life?
- Is female and male a real thing?
- Is there a standard of marriage that is universal, or are cohabitation and procreation just matters concerning which everybody gets to make up their own definitions?
Mohler doesn't mention Moses, but his piece reminds me of truths that come from two visits that Moses had with God on Mt. Sinai. The first is in Exodus 3, when
from the burning bush God declares Himself to be "I Am"--the ultimate reality. The second is found in Exodus 20, when the I Am God gives Moses the Ten Commandments. Are these based on reality or are they like like the rules ten-year-old boys make up for their clubhouse? If behind these laws given to Israel there are basic realities, then, like the child who is afraid in the night, or the teen who doesn't know the realities of the online world, I am foolish--even sinful--if I ignore them.
