Last May, Stephen A. Smith interviewed Neil Degrasse Tyson (astrophysicist and science commentator), in part discussing modern sensibilities on gender differences. At 59:08 in the YouTube Video, Tyson said:
“Apparently, the XX/XY chromosomes are insufficient, because when we wake up in the morning we exaggerate whatever feature we want to portray the gender of our choice, either the one you’re assigned, the one you choose to be, whatever it is!”
He went on to say the United States is the land in which we can do whatever we want, so why do you care what someone else does? He encourages people to think of gender as a spectrum—you can be a little of both, and you can be more girl one day if you feel that way, and you can be more male the next day if you so please.
On September 20, 2022, Michael Shermer interviewed Neil Degrasse Tyson on race and gender. Starting at 43:19 in the YouTube Video, Degrasse Tyson said,
“It is a little weird we split male and female that way.” Again, he was encouraging a kind of gender continuum.
Shermer, still gripping some semblance of reality, pushed back, arguing, “The differences [between the sexes] are so massive…the average woman wrestler is not going to take down you when you were in your peak.”
“You’re an old man on a porch in a rocking chair right now,” Degrasse Tyson replied dismissively.
It struck me—here is the root of much of our problem.
First, Tyson himself is not far from being that old man sitting on his porch in a rocking chair.
Second, is it bad to listen to an old man on his porch in his rocking chair?
Herein we discover the twisted tentacles of the evolutionary worldview. The belief is:
Each generation is smarter than the generations before.
Is that not the perspective Degrasse Tyson is pushing? “Michael, you sound like an old fuddy-duddy, stuck in his ways, not with the times. You’re outdated, man. We’ve moved past those views you’re spouting. That might have been true for your generation, but the new generation has a whole ‘nother set of problems that your ancient morality system can’t address.”
Breaking news: this generation is not as smart as previous ones. It’s a whole lot dumber, in fact. We have raised a crop of moral degenerates and told them they are the greatest generation. We’ve gotta affirm their self-worth. Wouldn’t want them to feel inadequate or inferior. Wouldn’t want them to think they don’t have all the answers stored up somewhere in their precious hearts. Wouldn’t want them to search outside themselves for answers to life’s most meaningful questions.
They’ve learned to affirm, “I am strong. I am beautiful. I am smart. I am enough.”
Rubbish all the way around! The secret to the meaning of your life is not found inside your heart. You are a created being, created for a purpose. The Creator determines the purpose of His creation. The cow doesn’t get to decide it wants to be a shark. Things would go badly.
Humans are generally dim-witted, untrustworthy, selfish, ungrateful, disobedient cowards.
We need to be saved from our ignorance and sin by the Creator who hands us a mirror and then tells us how to clean up.
Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? “To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense. The fear of the Lord is the hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate. I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength.” (Proverbs 8.1, 4–5, 13–14).
Make your ear attentive to wisdom and incline your heart to understanding. Call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding. If you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2.2–6)
Often, the old man on the porch in the rocking chair is much closer to the right answers than the freshly graduated college student. Probably the wisest thing the young graduate could do is shut his foolish mouth and listen.
Wisdom comes from without, not within. Grandpa has been seeking wisdom for longer than you’ve been alive. He probably knows wisdom comes from the Lord. Go to him and seek counsel. He’ll explain that boys can’t become girls and girls can’t become boys. He’ll tell you to get married to someone of the opposite sex and be totally committed. He’ll inform you it’s not worth giving your life to chasing wealth. Your integrity is more valuable than a houseful of gold.
Go sit on the porch beside the old man in the rocking chair. Pay attention to previous generations. Listen and grow wise.
Amen and amen.