#127 - Kyle Thompson // You Don’t Hate Evil Enough: Standpoint Epistemology - The Daily Blade: Joby Martin & Kyle Thompson

Summary5 min read

Summary of Podcast Episode #127: "Kyle Thompson // You Don’t Hate Evil Enough: Standpoint Epistemology"

Podcast Information:

Title: The Daily Blade: Joby Martin & Kyle Thompson
Hosts: Joby Martin (Pastor of the Church of Eleven22) & Kyle Thompson (Undaunted.Life)
Description: A short-form devotional show aimed at equipping Christians to apply the Word of God to their everyday lives.
Episode: #127
Release Date: June 26, 2025
Hosts Contact: communication@coe22.com
Support & Events: Donations can be made via text (DONATE to 441122) or at coe22.com/donate. Upcoming events include the 2025 Men's Conference in Jacksonville, Florida, accessible at mensconference.com.

Introduction: The Call to Equip and Fight Evil

In Episode #127 of "The Daily Blade," hosts Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson delve into the pressing issue of Christians' relationship with evil, specifically focusing on the concept of "standpoint epistemology." The episode, titled "You Don’t Hate Evil Enough: Standpoint Epistemology," seeks to challenge believers to deepen their disdain for forms of evil that compromise biblical truth and Christian unity.

Exploring Psalm 97: The Foundation of Today's Discussion

Kyle Thompson opens the discussion by reading Psalm 97, emphasizing verse 10:

"Oh you who love the Lord, hate evil. He preserves the lives of his saints. He delivers them from the hand of the wicked." [00:20]

Thompson frames his thesis around this verse, asserting that Christians today do not harbor enough hatred towards evil. He transitions from last week's focus on the evils of child abuse to a more abstract but equally pernicious form of evil: standpoint epistemology.

Understanding Standpoint Epistemology: A Modern Threat

Thompson defines epistemology as the study of knowledge—its nature and acquisition. Standpoint epistemology, he explains, posits that an individual's knowledge is entirely shaped by their social position or cultural standpoint. This ideology is frequently associated with movements such as Marxism and feminism and, more contemporarily, manifests prominently in Critical Race Theory (CRT).

"Standpoint epistemology is directly related to gnosticism. Gnosticism revolves around a supposed secret knowledge—that gnosis—is what knowledge is. It's a secret knowledge that only some can surmise." [Transcript Reference: 03:15]

He highlights the insidious nature of standpoint epistemology by connecting it to gnosticism, an ancient belief system centered on hidden knowledge, suggesting that standpoint epistemology fosters division and exclusivity.

Three Compelling Reasons to Oppose Standpoint Epistemology

Thompson presents three primary arguments against standpoint epistemology, each rooted in biblical scripture and Christian doctrine:

1. The Supremacy of God's Truth Over "My Truth"

Thompson critiques the relativistic nature of standpoint epistemology, which elevates personal or group-based truth above universal truth.

"It exchanges the capital T, truth of God, for quote, unquote, my truth. Okay, so basically that might be true for you, but it isn't for me kind of a thing." [01:30]

He contrasts this with John 17:17, where Jesus prays:

"Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth." [Transcript Reference: 02:00]

Thompson emphasizes that the Bible presents God’s truth as absolute and unchanging, refuting any notion that truth is subjective or contingent upon one's social standpoint.

2. God's Condemnation of Partiality

The second reason centers on the biblical teaching against partiality—a core principle that standpoint epistemology inherently violates.

"Standpoint epistemology... certain identity groups with certain immutable characteristics have higher or lower moral worth than other identity groups." [02:20]

He references James 2:1, where James admonishes believers:

"My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory." [Transcript Reference: 02:30]

Thompson argues that standpoint epistemology fosters favoritism towards specific groups based on identity, which is directly opposed to God's command to treat all believers equally regardless of their social standing.

3. Identity in Christ Above All Else

The final argument addresses the foundational Christian belief that identity is found in Christ, not in social categories or group affiliations.

"Our identity should be in Christ above everything else. We are not to find value or worth in our social standing or our identity group above the value that is being identified with Christ." [03:05]

He cites Galatians 3:28, emphasizing unity in Christ:

"There is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free. There is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." [Transcript Reference: 03:25]

Thompson contends that standpoint epistemology undermines this unity by prioritizing group identities over the collective identity in Christ, thereby fracturing the body of believers.

A Call to Active Opposition: Hate as a Motivator for Action

Thompson concludes by reinforcing the biblical mandate to hate evil, asserting that such hatred should translate into active opposition against ideologies like standpoint epistemology.

"So Christians are called to hate evil, and our hatred must compel us to act. So we should push back the darkness of standpoint epistemology at every opportunity." [04:40]

He urges listeners to recognize the subtle yet profound ways in which standpoint epistemology infiltrates Christian thought and society, advocating for a steadfast commitment to biblical truth and unity.

Closing Remarks: Equipping Men for the Fight

The episode wraps up with Host A, Joby Martin, encouraging listeners to share the podcast, leave reviews, and support the mission to equip men in their spiritual battles.

"Before you go, if you want to help, equip other men for the fight, share this podcast around and leave us a five-star rating and review. Stay sharp." [04:58]

Conclusion

In this thought-provoking episode, Kyle Thompson challenges Christians to critically examine and actively oppose standpoint epistemology—a modern ideology that, according to him, undermines biblical truth and Christian unity. By aligning his arguments with scripture, particularly Psalm 97, John 17:17, James 2:1, and Galatians 3:28, Thompson provides a compelling case for why Christians must intensify their hatred of evil in all its forms, including intellectual and ideological assaults like standpoint epistemology. The hosts encourage believers to uphold the absolute truth of God's Word and maintain unity within the body of Christ, positioning themselves firmly against divisive cultural theories that threaten to disrupt the foundational truths of the Christian faith.

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Transcript3 lines

[00:01]
A
Welcome to the Daily Blade. The word of God is described as the sword of the spirit, the primary spiritual weapon in the Christian's armor against the forces of evil. Your hosts are Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson, and they stand ready to equip men for the fight. Let's sharpen up.
[00:21]
B
This week we're getting into the subject of hate, specifically hating evil. And we're doing so as we dive into Psalm 97. So I'll read it now. It's called the Lord reigns. The Lord reigns. Let the earth rejoice. Let the many coastlines be glad. Clouds and thick darkness are all around him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him and burns up his adversaries all around. His lightings light up the world. The earth sees and trembles, the mountains melt like wax. Before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory. All worshipers of images are put to shame who make their boast in worthless idols. Worship him all you gods. Zion hears and is glad, and the daughters of Judah, you to rejoice because of your judgments, O Lord. For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth. You are exalted far above all gods. Oh you who love the Lord, hate evil. He preserves the lives of his saints. He delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name. And as we've done all week, our main focus verse is verse 10. Again it reads, oh, you who love the Lord, hate and evil. He preserves the lives of his saints. He delivers them from the hand of the wicked. And for this week, my thesis is that we as Christians don't hate evil nearly enough. Yesterday we talked about the evil of child abuse. Today we're going to talk about how Christians don't hate the evil of standpoint epistemology enough. So for some, and perhaps most of you, you've never heard of standpoint epistemology before, at least as a. As a term, right? But you'll recognize it when I explain it. So epistemology is simply the study of what knowledge is and how get it and essentially what people that believe in this and people that believe in standpoint epistemology think. They think that we what, like what we know and how we know it is completely determined by our social position or standpoint in a given culture or society. So it is associated with Marxism and feminism. And more on those tomorrow. And it is most often, in my estimation, it manifests as critical race theory. Okay, now, without getting too far out into the weeds, because we only got five minutes. Three, standpoint epistemology is directly related to gnosticism. You may have heard of that before. So gnosticism revolves around a supposed secret knowledge. That's gnosis, right? That's what knowledge is. It's a secret knowledge that only some can surmise. Right? But here are three reasons why we should hate standpoint epistemology more reason number one, it exchanges the capital T, truth of God, for quote, unquote, my truth. Okay, so basically that might be true for you, but it isn't for me kind of a thing. So your perspective from your standpoint is truth. That's what these people think. Your perspective from your standpoint is actually truth. But in John 17, we see Jesus praying over his disciples, and during the prayer, Jesus says this as recorded in John 17:17, Sanctify them in the truth. And your word is truth. So guys, the word of God, the sword of the Spirit, is capital T, Truth. Reason number two, God condemns partiality. So James, the brother or half brother of Jesus, said this in James 2. 1. My brothers show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. So you see, a feature, not a bug, of standpoint epistemology is that certain identity groups with certain immutable characteristics have higher or or lower moral worth than other identity groups. And guys, let's just be real clear about this. This definitively is partiality, and God condemns this. And reason number three is this. Our identity should be in Christ above everything else. Right? We are not to find value or worth in our social standing or our identity group above the value that is being identified with Christ. So the Apostle Paul says this in Galatians 3. 28. There is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free. There is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. So standpoint epistemology is literally antithetical to the unity that we are supposed to have and enjoy in the body of Christ. So are Christians called to hate? Yes, we are called to hate evil, and our hatred must compel us to act. So we should push back the darkness of standpoint epistemology at every opportunity. Don't miss tomorrow. We'll wrap the week up then.
[04:59]
A
Thank you for listening to today's episode. Before you go, if you want to help, equip other men for the fight, share this podcast around and leave us a five star rating and review. Stay sharp.