Editor’s note: Last month’s Witness featured an article discussing the importance of understanding the postmodern world view as we seek to influence our culture and our neighbors for Christ. Pastor Andy McCracken was the author of that feature. To realize how predominant that world view is, one might need to probe outside the circles of Christian family and friends. Last summer Andy and a team of youth took video cameras and microphones into the city (near a university campus) and began asking some big questions. Here are some actual—and typical—responses.

How do you determine what is right and what is wrong?

Just weigh things out according to consequences.

What my parents taught…what my religion says.

Intuition…based on the situation. Past experiences…good judgment at the moment.

Morals and values of my parents (upbringing).

It’s kind of inbred. I don’t know.

I look at the law and my religious beliefs. If they both say what is right…it is right.

Do you believe that there is absolute truth…something that is true for everyone?

Yeah. I do. Maybe that’s just me.

There are always versions of the truth…always.

To each his own, you know. As long as you’re true to yourself and don’t conform to the ways of society.

It all has to do with how you perceive it, your background. What does absolute mean? As long as you’re truthful to yourself and to others. You can’t really define what is “moral.”

I don’t think so, because almost anything can be on a case-by-case basis.

No. Absolutely not! Everybody has their own. I don’t believe in anything for large groups of people, because everyone is different.

I don’t think so…it is based on what your society has taught you. In the U.S. we have a general norm of what is acceptable…but in other cultures these are totally different.

[A Russian exchange student] No…it is too individual. The longer we live, our values change. Values are specific for each age. I don’t want my opinion to dominate.

The only thing that’s true is that you’ve been given the gift of life and the choice of how you use it.

Yeah…I guess…maybe the ten commandments…more or less.

Absolutely not! People’s standards are dependent on where they grew up.

No…it always varies. But…that is not absolutely true.

What do you believe will happen to you after you die?

Because I believe in heaven, I assume I will go to heaven.

Deteriorate…that’s about it.

Hopefully I will go to heaven…It’s a mystery.

I have no idea!

I hope the race will go on.…I’m not sure there is a life after death. I used to worry about what was going to happen to me, but I came to a point where it didn’t really matter much. I just want to be as ethical a person as I can at the moment.

I think everything will end for me…and that’s all.

I try not to think about it too much.

I don’t know…hopefully go to heaven…but you don’t know until you get there.

I will cease to exist.

I don’t really know, and you can’t worry about that.

Do you believe in God and what is He like?

I just have this picture of “good.”

I can’t show you Him…it’s strictly emotional. I don’t know, it’s just what I believe.

To an extent. He’s a part of everyone…everything.

No I don’t.

Yes! What’s He like? I don’t know…never met Him.

I believe in God…but I don’t believe in church.

It depends on what day of the week it is. I guess. Sometimes I do, but sometimes things happen which make you doubt the existence of a god. He’s more like an ultimate power…not personal. No accountability. You only have to live according to your own standard.