A few weeks ago (yikes--has it been that long?), I promised Brian a response to his comment on my post, "Postmodernism Will Lead to Violence." Brian argued that there's no way, yet, to determine which worldview (modernism or postmodernism) would be more destructive when mixed with our sinful tendencies. However, he believes that the record of history argues against modernism (specifically, against people holding the idea that we can know and be confident about truth).
First, I think the root of the problems that have occurred within modernism was not that people thought they were right. History has shown that the bad didn't come when people thought they were right, the bad came when people were wrong about what they thought was right (how to behave, what is good, the right way to persuade, etc.). Thinking one is right is actually neutral and can serve either good or evil. When people were right and thought they were right, great goodness was accomplished. I think, then, it's a definite harm to try to get all people not to care so much about things because one then loses a strong, persevering goodness along with everything else.
If being wrong (about ideas and right behavior) is actually the core problem (as I'm saying it is), then without an objective, universal standard to appeal to (one that is true and that can be known), the world will be even less likely to know or care about the right way to behave, and people will drift farther and farther towards their sinful tendencies, leading to a worse world. If the core problem is people being objectively wrong, then the solution is to persuade people of what constitutes true goodness so that society will uphold that standard through rewards and punishments.
If, in contrast to this (and according to postmodern Christians), the core problem is strong beliefs, passion, and commitment stemming from the confidence that one knows what is good and true, then therefore, the solution is to quench everyone's zeal--zeal for both good and bad--because we can't determine what is right; therefore, better to stop everyone's confidence just in case. This is the reasonable conclusion if, as a postmodernist, one has given up on knowing what is good. I'm not willing to give up the good (either on knowing it or on trying to reason with others to recognize it), and I don't see any reason biblically to think this is the course we should take.
So how can we judge between these two worldviews to determine which would be more destructive when mixed with our sin? Would one lead to a more just, good society than the other? As I said, it depends on what is really our core problem (having wrong ideas/values or being passionate/thinking one is right) and what is the true solution for improving societal behavior (a corrective standard that can be known or a reducing of one's confidence in knowing).
I can only give you this as a way to determine between the two: First, read the Old Testament. It is centered around God giving the Law--the standard of goodness--which He says specifically is not beyond their comprehension (Deut 30:11-14). From that point on, the rest of the Old Testament is about the negative results that occur when the Israelites forget the standard (the truth revealed by God) and the positive results when they remember it. Meanwhile, the prophets' purpose is to continually call people back to the standard and to measure the nation's behavior against it. It does seem that God encourages confidence in a standard.
Then read the New Testament. Paul seems intent on our increasing our knowledge. He reasons with us in order to increase our confidence (1 Cor 15:1-19) and challenges us to persevere in the knowledge we have "become convinced of" (2 Tim
God thought these things were extremely important. But where are the passages exhorting us not to believe too strongly we are right lest we cause harm? Or those claiming (or even demonstrating) that we should not attempt rational persuasion of those who disagree? If this were the correction we really needed, and these views would truly bring about a greater good than believing we know truth and the standard for goodness, wouldn't God have focused on these things instead of urging us to increase our confidence and strength in His truth?
