I am imperfect and a sinner.
Okay, everyone that knows me even in passing actually knows this poorly kept secret. The only thing I can say in my defense is that I seem to be in good company with the rest of the world. What is often apparent these days though is that not everybody realizes that they too are imperfect creatures made and sustained by a divine and perfect Creator. Not that this is a great credit to me, but I am painfully aware of the many transgressions I make on a daily basis and how often I fail to do what God wants. I am not a very good Christian far too much of the time.
Sadly, in this day and age of post-Christian modernity, it seems that those that still do believe in God and are thus trying to live their lives accordingly are seen as superstitious rubes and fools by most people in society. The biggest growing religious affiliation group today is the “nones”; that is those folks having no religious affiliation or belief. Far too many of the remaining people that still “believe” in God have redefined him so that their “god” agrees with their thoughts, beliefs and world view, rather than conforming their own beliefs to what God has taught us. This is almost a new kind of atheism. “There is a god, BUT he thinks just like ME!”
Most people have subjected God to either agreeing with them or simply denying his very existing altogether. And why not? For most of us, It is hard to live by God’s rules in this fallen world today. It is far easier for us to change what God thinks so as to align with our own thoughts, or failing that, to simply no longer acknowledge his very existence. After all, if God doesn’t exist, then I can think and do as I see fit. I am no longer constrained by an informed conscience that is guided by a divine loving creator God. I am free! I am not shackled by any authority greater than my own needs, wants, and desires. My ego is now the supreme authority over my actions in this great cosmic lie.
Bishop Robert Barron succinctly states,
“All of us sinners have, to one degree or another, bought into the lie. At the heart of the lie—and we can see it in the Genesis account—is the deification of the ego. I become the center of the universe, I with my needs and my fears and my demands.
And when the puny ‘I’ is the center of the cosmos, the tie that binds all things to one another is lost. The basic reality now becomes rivalry, competition, violence, and mistrust.”
Indeed, if everyone does precisely what their own ego and its desires dictate, of course we are going to run into conflict with our families, friendships, and society. We no longer are governed by God’s commandment to do unto others as we would have them do unto us, or if we do treat others well, it often is because we expect something in return. Nothing is ever done simply out of a loving heart with no expectation of reciprocation these days. The result of all of this self-centeredness untethered from a higher purpose (God) are broken relationships, broken families, increased rates of drug use and suicide, meaningless and empty promiscuity, abuse, and violence.
Yes, these things have always been with us as part of the fallen human condition, but for all of our societal advances, we seem to have an increase in these things rather than having mitigated them.
I have seen too many friends, acquaintances, and even family members choose to go down this path of denying the existence of God, seemingly so as to not have to justify their actions that God has clearly spoken out against. From supporting sexual conduct outside of marriage to championing the redefinition of marriage itself to accommodate homosexual marriage or plural marriage, I have witnessed the chaos and self-destruction that inevitably comes when we intentionally turn our backs on God’s plan for us. This is especially true when it comes to those championing the killing of innocent newborns and then justifying it under the more tender euphemism of “pro-choice”.
Our society has increasingly turned away from God and an abiding belief in him and his desires for us to be happy and TRULY free by cooperating with his plan for each of us. The results have been disastrous and sorely evident throughout or “enlightened” society. From comparatively lesser problems like nearly half of marriages ending in divorce, if one no longer acknowledges the commitment, let alone the sacred nature of marriage, then any reason one chooses can be a valid excuse for dumping your spouse.
Today, often times because people no longer understand or respect the sacrament of marriage, many couples just choose to live together as an unmarried couple. This “temporary” arrangement without a true sense of commitment usually fosters insecurity and a decidedly unharmonious life together often times. With few exceptions, I have not seen this work out well for more than a few years at best.
I have also witnessed a good-hearted young woman agree to be a surrogate mother for two “married” men and then suffer emotionally at giving up the baby she carried for nine months. Let alone that common sense and psychology used to tell us that children do far better in a stable home with a married mother and father, now we can put the best needs of the child aside because two men who can not procreate together as per God’s design have selfishly decided that they want to “have a child”.
Then there is the matter of abortion. God tells us that murder is wrong and a grave sin. Pope Francis recently reiterated unambiguously once again that abortion is murder, and yet this issue today is one that is highly contentious in America. Let that sink in for a moment. It is a CONTENTIOUS ISSUE that tens of millions of Americans support killing an unborn child. Over 62 million unborn babies have been killed in the United States alone since the passing of Roe v. Wade in 1973. Nothing can justify the intentional taking of an innocent life, but the problem is especially egregious when the deification of one’s ego justifies this act for matters of convenience or financial reasons.
Now this is not to say that all atheists or agnostics are bad people, anymore than it is to say that all self-professed Christians are good people. Neither is obviously the case. Personally, I have known and do know many atheists that live very moral lives and actually care about others for the sake of the others. Having once been an atheist myself, I can understand what I consider to be the false religious doctrines of atheism. Even here on my own blog, some of my favorite interlocuters have been atheists such as John Myste, Heathen Republican, and Jerry. All of these gentlemen are obviously exceptionally bright and seemingly very good people. They make the world a better place for their parts in it.
Unfortunately, far more of the quasi-Christians, agnostics, and atheists are only in this world for themselves. Nothing greater is in control of their lives and actions than what their egos tell them. Life is meaningless in all things except to get whatever one can out of it. If others can help in that goal, then great, otherwise to hell with most others. It is a sad existence. I know. I once lived it too.
Regrettably, I forget where I came across this quotation, but it seems particularly relevant to this topic regarding our human nature and history as God’s creatures.
“It is a history of creatures attempting to make their Creator into their own image and likeness. But the most the creature can do is turn away from what truly is and live in a world of his own imagination.
If insanity is measured by the degree to which what one believes corresponds to what truly is, the story of mankind’s revolt against reality is really the story of mankind’s descent into insanity.
Sanity produces the opposite. When you see things as they truly are (and live accordingly), good things result. Sanity invariably leads to human flourishing, whereas its opposite alienates us from ourselves and from all that is around us—to regression, human misery, and destruction.”
In Vatican II’s words, “when God is forgotten . . . the
creature itself grows unintelligible,” seem prophetic in retrospect.
