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Lies That Go Unchallenged in Popular Culture
Charles Colson tackles the deceptions of contemporary society in Lies That Go Unchallenged in Popular Culture. Using sound biblical truth and concise examples of individual situations, Colson helps us uncover and dispel the lies proclaimed in today's popular culture. Readers gain a full understanding of underlying motives, events, and repercussions of the lies our culture is feeding us.
416 pages, Paperback
First published May 9, 2005
About the author
Charles W. Colson
140 books200 followersAlmost 40 years ago, Charles W. Colson was not thinking about reaching out to prison inmates or reforming the U.S. penal system. In fact, this aide to President Richard Nixon was "incapable of humanitarian thought," according to the media of the mid-1970s. Colson was known as the White House "hatchet man," a man feared by even the most powerful politicos during his four years of service to Nixon.
When news of Colson's conversion to Christianity leaked to the press in 1973, The Boston Globe reported, "If Mr. Colson can repent of his sins, there just has to be hope for everybody." Colson would agree.
In 1974 Colson entered a plea of guilty to Watergate-related charges; although not implicated in the Watergate burglary, he voluntarily pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in the Daniel Ellsberg Case. He entered Alabama's Maxwell Prison in 1974 as a new Christian and as the first member of the Nixon administration to be incarcerated for Watergate-related charges. He served seven months of a one- to three-year sentence.
After leaving prison, Colson founded Prison Fellowship Ministries in 1976, which has since become the world's largest outreach to prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families. Today, Colson remains a member of the board of Prison Fellowship Ministries.
A sought-after speaker, Colson has written more than 30 books, which collectively have sold more than 5 million copies. His autobiographical book, Born Again, was one of the nation's best-selling books of all genres in 1976. Another bestseller, co-authored by Nancy Pearcey, How Now Shall We Live, is considered one of the most important books written on the subject of Christian worldview. His most recent book, The Faith, is a powerful appeal to the Church to re-embrace the foundational truths of Christianity.
In 1991 Colson launched BreakPoint, a unique radio commentary that provides a Christian perspective on today's news and trends. BreakPoint is currently aired weekdays to more than 1,300 outlets nationwide that reach and estimated 2 million listeners.
Today Colson is focused full time on developing other Christian leaders who can influence the culture and their communities through their faith. The capstone of this effort is The Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview, an online research and training center launched in 2009 for the promotion of Christian worldview teaching. In addition to a vast library of worldview materials, the Colson Center provides online courses and serves as a catalyst for a growing movement of Christian organizations dedicated to impacting the culture. The Colson Center website also hosts Colson's popular weekly Two-Minute Warning video commentary aimed at engaging a younger generation with a biblical perspective on cultural issues.
In 2009, Colson was a principal writer of the Manhattan Declaration, which calls on Christians to defend the sanctity of human life, traditional marriage and religious freedom. Nearly half a million people have signed the Manhattan Declaration. Collaborating with other Christian ministries, BreakPoint aims to launch other ecumenical grassroots movements around moral and ethical issues of great concern.
In recognition of his work, Colson received the prestigious Templeton Prize for progress in religion in 1993, donating the $1 million prize to Prison Fellowship. Colson's other awards have included the Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation's second-highest civilian honor (2008); the Humanitarian Award from Dominos Pizza Corporation (1991); The Others Award from The Salvation Army (1990); the Outstanding Young Man of Boston from the Boston Chamber of Commerce (1960); and several honorary doctorates from various colleges and universities (1982-2000).
When news of Colson's conversion to Christianity leaked to the press in 1973, The Boston Globe reported, "If Mr. Colson can repent of his sins, there just has to be hope for everybody." Colson would agree.
In 1974 Colson entered a plea of guilty to Watergate-related charges; although not implicated in the Watergate burglary, he voluntarily pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in the Daniel Ellsberg Case. He entered Alabama's Maxwell Prison in 1974 as a new Christian and as the first member of the Nixon administration to be incarcerated for Watergate-related charges. He served seven months of a one- to three-year sentence.
After leaving prison, Colson founded Prison Fellowship Ministries in 1976, which has since become the world's largest outreach to prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families. Today, Colson remains a member of the board of Prison Fellowship Ministries.
A sought-after speaker, Colson has written more than 30 books, which collectively have sold more than 5 million copies. His autobiographical book, Born Again, was one of the nation's best-selling books of all genres in 1976. Another bestseller, co-authored by Nancy Pearcey, How Now Shall We Live, is considered one of the most important books written on the subject of Christian worldview. His most recent book, The Faith, is a powerful appeal to the Church to re-embrace the foundational truths of Christianity.
In 1991 Colson launched BreakPoint, a unique radio commentary that provides a Christian perspective on today's news and trends. BreakPoint is currently aired weekdays to more than 1,300 outlets nationwide that reach and estimated 2 million listeners.
Today Colson is focused full time on developing other Christian leaders who can influence the culture and their communities through their faith. The capstone of this effort is The Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview, an online research and training center launched in 2009 for the promotion of Christian worldview teaching. In addition to a vast library of worldview materials, the Colson Center provides online courses and serves as a catalyst for a growing movement of Christian organizations dedicated to impacting the culture. The Colson Center website also hosts Colson's popular weekly Two-Minute Warning video commentary aimed at engaging a younger generation with a biblical perspective on cultural issues.
In 2009, Colson was a principal writer of the Manhattan Declaration, which calls on Christians to defend the sanctity of human life, traditional marriage and religious freedom. Nearly half a million people have signed the Manhattan Declaration. Collaborating with other Christian ministries, BreakPoint aims to launch other ecumenical grassroots movements around moral and ethical issues of great concern.
In recognition of his work, Colson received the prestigious Templeton Prize for progress in religion in 1993, donating the $1 million prize to Prison Fellowship. Colson's other awards have included the Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation's second-highest civilian honor (2008); the Humanitarian Award from Dominos Pizza Corporation (1991); The Others Award from The Salvation Army (1990); the Outstanding Young Man of Boston from the Boston Chamber of Commerce (1960); and several honorary doctorates from various colleges and universities (1982-2000).
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 25, 2018
In this book, which appears to be designed for group study, Chuck Colson takes aim at seven lies inherent in American popular culture. The book has the following format. There are seven parts to the book, each one addressing a different lie. Within each part are several chapters discussing different topics relevant to the lie under consideration. At the end of each chapter is a brief section entitled “Truth’s to Consider” and a group study section discussing the spiritual dimension of the topic and how to influence those within our circle of influence as well as our culture. The lies Mr. Colson targets are:
1. (Rights of the individual) We have the freedom of choice to be who we want and to do what we want.
2. (Marriage and family) Marriage can be between any two people, and it lasts only as long as both are happy.
3. (Society of toleration) We’ll live in harmony if we tolerate the beliefs of others.
4. (The arts) Art should break traditional norms and challenge outworn beliefs.
5. (Christians in culture) Christian beliefs are a private matter.
6. (The media) Entertainment is a vehicle to help us fulfill personal desires.
7. (Spirituality in culture) God accepts us as we are, and there are many ways to Him.
I don’t intend to critique Mr. Colson’s commentary. As many topics as he covers, a pamphlet or booklet would probably be required for a thorough critique. That said, I will comment on something that stood out to me. A common thread underlying several of these lies is postmodernism and its absolutist denial of absolute truth. One thing I didn’t quite understand about postmodern thought until I read this book is that it associates truth claims with power. If you make a truth claim, you are exerting power over someone else. As an engineer, I have tended to consider the STEM fields less susceptible to this postmodern nonsense. To assert that a design will fail is not an exercise of power, but of weakness, an act of submission to the laws of physics or math that will win in the end and not care what anyone thinks. In recent months, I have been hearing rumbling that the STEM barrier is beginning to crumble. We may be in for some of what Heinlein called “bad luck.” Since God designed the laws of physics and math, perhaps such “bad luck” is merely an installment of “Godspaining,” a hint of the judgment to come.
1. (Rights of the individual) We have the freedom of choice to be who we want and to do what we want.
2. (Marriage and family) Marriage can be between any two people, and it lasts only as long as both are happy.
3. (Society of toleration) We’ll live in harmony if we tolerate the beliefs of others.
4. (The arts) Art should break traditional norms and challenge outworn beliefs.
5. (Christians in culture) Christian beliefs are a private matter.
6. (The media) Entertainment is a vehicle to help us fulfill personal desires.
7. (Spirituality in culture) God accepts us as we are, and there are many ways to Him.
I don’t intend to critique Mr. Colson’s commentary. As many topics as he covers, a pamphlet or booklet would probably be required for a thorough critique. That said, I will comment on something that stood out to me. A common thread underlying several of these lies is postmodernism and its absolutist denial of absolute truth. One thing I didn’t quite understand about postmodern thought until I read this book is that it associates truth claims with power. If you make a truth claim, you are exerting power over someone else. As an engineer, I have tended to consider the STEM fields less susceptible to this postmodern nonsense. To assert that a design will fail is not an exercise of power, but of weakness, an act of submission to the laws of physics or math that will win in the end and not care what anyone thinks. In recent months, I have been hearing rumbling that the STEM barrier is beginning to crumble. We may be in for some of what Heinlein called “bad luck.” Since God designed the laws of physics and math, perhaps such “bad luck” is merely an installment of “Godspaining,” a hint of the judgment to come.
August 10, 2019
I don't usually write reviews because of time constraints, but I felt that a few caveats are necessary here. As a book that is largely apologetic in nature (apologetic as in "a formal defense", not as in "saying sorry"), it runs into a lot of problems I see in Christian apologetic writing: being unfair to the other side. Many such writings resort to straw man arguments, ad hominem attacks or hasty generalisations to push their points. I personally believe that if we want to really engage other people on such topics (christians or otherwise), and if we want to do so in a christian way, we should always paint a complete picture of the opposing side - with all its nuances (there often are multiple sub-camps and not just two giant opposing factions).
It does not help that this book is a collection of short summaries, covering breadth than depth. Some parts have not aged well (e.g., anything in relation to the war on terror), but I found that the discussion was better in the areas where an argument was being set up (e.g., a stand on family dynamics) rather than a counter argument (e.g., arguing against abortion).
It does not help that this book is a collection of short summaries, covering breadth than depth. Some parts have not aged well (e.g., anything in relation to the war on terror), but I found that the discussion was better in the areas where an argument was being set up (e.g., a stand on family dynamics) rather than a counter argument (e.g., arguing against abortion).
August 7, 2018
Finished this great book that refutes lies that popular culture instills in people's minds. Colson had the biblical worldview always central in discerning whether anything is right or wrong in God's eyes.
February 16, 2023
Great Read (some information a little dated)
Being that this book was written some 20 years ago, some information is outdated. However, Colson addresses the roots of issues we deal with today as Bible-believing Christians.
Being that this book was written some 20 years ago, some information is outdated. However, Colson addresses the roots of issues we deal with today as Bible-believing Christians.
February 21, 2024
I have a lot of respect for Chuck Colson, and 15 years ago this was a cutting edge book. Now it’s very dated. The culture has changed so rapidly since 2005 when the book came out that new readers would likely have a difficult time relating. The concepts are as valid as ever, but the cultural baseline used in comparison no longer exists.
August 4, 2008
The chapters are so short [this resource is written for group study] that at times I wish he could've gone deeper. Of course, in his other books, he did.
April 21, 2010
One of my favorites, tackling every kind of issue. Not according to opinion but according to the word of God.
July 18, 2015
Conservative look at things that happened in our lives we need to look at that my go against our Biblical worldview. B+
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews