In Anlehnung an Offenbarung 6 nannte Chuck Colson, Gründer von Prison Fellowship, vier gesellschaftlich akzeptierte Mythen und ihre Auswirkungen. Er hielt die Rede anlässlich der Verleihung des Tempelton-Preises im Jahr 1993.
The first myth is the goodness of man. The first horseman rails against heaven with the presumptuous question: why do bad things happen to good people? He multiplies evil by denying its existence. … This myth deludes people into thinking that they are always victims, never villains; always deprived, never depraved. The second myth of modernity is the promise of coming utopia.
The second horseman arrives with sword and slaughter. This is the myth that human nature can be perfected by government; that a new Jerusalem can be built using the tools of politics.
The third myth is the relativity of moral values. The third horseman sows chaos and confusion. … This myth hides the dividing line between good and evil, noble and base. It has thus created a crisis in the realm of truth. When a society abandons its transcendent values, each individual's moral vision becomes purely personal and finally equal.
The fourth modern myth is radical individualism. The fourth horseman brings excess and isolation. … This myth dismisses the importance of family, church, and community; denies the value of sacrifice; and elevates individual rights and pleasures as the ultimate social value.
