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A Cultural Death Wish?

See, I set before you life and prosperity, death and destruction. Now choose life. Joshua 30:15, 19

Never before have these words seemed so appropriate for today’s western culture. The further away we slip from the Source of life, the greater our slide towards a culture of death. Euthanasia, assisted suicide, and abortion are the obvious harbingers of a culture devolving to its death wish.

Medical ethicists are currently promoting the idea of post-birth abortion. A baby should not be considered a person until about the age of two, giving latitude beyond abortion to dispose of defective or unwanted humans early in life.

Now the greatest western nation in the hemisphere, following others, has legitimized gay marriage. This is a contradiction in terms: marriage exists for procreation. Other unions, however close, and however named, will never be a marriage. Gay relationships are intrinsically barren, a further nail in the coffin of life.

Courting death in all these ways creates nations that depend, like gay marriage, on adoption. People parented by other countries are imported to avoid a declining population. Chances are those will also eventually succumb to the siren call of a culture risking death.

The western world has gained in prosperity, stability, influence, and comfort by its historical reverence for God and recognition of Him as the source of life. This weekend may experience the hottest temperature the world has ever experienced in California’s Death Valley

As a footnote to last week’s blog, is it a coincidence that it follows the US supreme court decision to advance gay marriage? May be it is, but as we continue to challenge His counsel, we will only add to the dysfunction of the planet’s systems that maintain life on our precious earth.

Alberta Flood: Act of God?

That’s what the insurance companies will call it. Not sure they actually mean to libel God, when they simply mean “act of nature.” Yet many well meaning Christians will suggest just that: It is an act of vengeance of a just God on a sinful culture.

In their case, they do actually malign God. Although He causes his rain to fall and sun to shine of the just and the unjust, He does not deliver His judgment on both the good and evil. And acts of nature, like the Calgary flooding, are too random to be just.

Then who, if anyone, is to blame for this calamity and others like it? Perhaps in a roundabout way, we are. For instance, our sin is often dangerous to others. If I drive drunk, my sin may wound or kill others at random. They may suffer for our sin, but are not being judged for it.

Thus sin at large may target others not responsible for the sinful actions. In fact, God told Adam that as a result of his sin, the earth would act contrary to it’s original specifications. Thorns and thistles were a symbol of sin causing a destabilised planet. Sin is the greatest pollutant.

Contrary to common belief, God didn’t curse the ground; it was cursed because of Adam’s sin. Sin is the curse. Leviticus warns Israel that sin defiles the land which will “vomit you out,” 18:28. Wider reading of Scripture warns us that sin disrupts the land’s ability to support humankind.

Thus, it should be of no surprise that the retreat of the west from Christianity, rejection of the life giving laws God has provided, together with the rise of militant Islam, have coincided with extreme weather and increasing cataclysmic disasters.

The increased penetration of sin into the fabric of our planet may yet bring greater catastrophe to earth’s peoples, and the images of Revelation may not seem so far fetched. May God have mercy on us, revive His people, and bring conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment to come.

Canada Drives to Loosen Morals

Unfortunately, we’re living in a time when desire trumps common sense. In all ethical issues, those desiring to encourage problematic activities are always sure they can maintain safeguards against disreputable behaviour associated with them.

However, it seems loosening morals only increases the atrocities that the ethical boundaries are meant to keep in check. As if abortion, with the recent disclosure of the disgusting activities it has unleashed was insufficient, prostitution and “right to die” are now raising their ugly heads in Canada.

Germany legalized prostitution over ten years ago, and a recent article in Der Speigel has reckoned it a failure. “the well-meaning law is in fact little more than a subsidy program for pimps, and makes the market more attractive to human traffickers.” Apparently, human trafficking has increase under legalised prostitution.

Last year, the London School of Economics released a study covering 150 nations, but specifically comparing (among others) Sweden and Germany. Sweden, which had previously permitted self-employed prostitution, banned the sale of sex in all forms outright in 1999. This resulted in a rise of underground or “hidden prostitution” but a significant decrease in prostitution overall. See more at: http://thechristians.com/?q=node/294#sthash.BUaWnqFS.dpuf.

 

The experience of assisted suicide in Belgium has been so abused, that old people fear reporting health issues in case they are “assisted” to die rather than receiving treatment for their needs. Already in Canada, the phrase, “up the morphine, we need the bed,” reverberates through hospital corridors.

Some believe the current desire to throw off the “restraints” of Christianity will lead to liberty, but it eventually falls into licence. The reason ethical requirements arise in the first place is a reaction to the misery that unrestrained desire produces.

One difference between humans and animals I was not taught in school: animals exist by their instinct, but humanity is ennobled by disciplining its instincts. Humanity declines when it desires to live like the animals. Which way is our culture going?

Pro-Life Rising

I have been a staunch supporter of conservative governments all my long life, considering, as Margaret Thatcher said, that liberal thinking (now thinly disguised socialism), “finally runs out of other people’s money.” Initiative—despised by liberals because it undercuts government control, but jealously guarded by conservatism—provides wealth for government programs.

But for the first time in my life I am cooling on Canada’s current conservative government. Of course, any government has programs we like and dislike, but on the whole, the Harper government has steered us well through the recent world financial crisis.

However, the recent government stifling of free speech in parliament has raised a rebellion in the conservative party that I strongly support. My decision is heightened by the fact that Harper’s decision was to specifically quell discussion of abortion. This, of course, still leaves me at odds with the other parties that continue to deny the basic human right to life of the unborn.

Recent reporting on the death of Dr. Morgentaler, shows a pro-life groundswell that puts Mr. Harper on the wrong side of this debate. Joyce Arthur, executive director of the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, takes on the mainstream media for their coverage of the death of Dr. Henry Morgentaler as being too “balanced.” In her opinion it gives way to much credibility to today’s young, energetic and smart pro-life movement.

She says, “Apparently, the media thinks that [anti-choice] view has some kind of legitimacy and must be presented against the pro-choice view in the name of ‘balance’,” and, “the mainstream media continues to give space to these fanatics.” If a historically pro-choice media are rethinking their coverage of this issue, they are clearly sensing a change in attitudes towards abortion. (rabble.ca)

Both Lila Rose of Live Action in the States and Stephanie Gray of the Canadian Centre for Bio-ethical Reform are making major inroads to the disgusting conditions of the abortion industry in North America. Further, a significant and surprising factor in pro-life resurgence is the youth who have lived their entire lives with complete freedom of abortion anytime up to birth.

Dealing with the destruction of human life at any stage of development will always be an ethical issue, because at some point it puts us all at risk. Until there is a significant change of attitude in the conservative party—the only one with sufficient conscience on this issue to effect change—my support for this government will be lagging, even to staying away from the polls altogether.

Not Good Enough!

Not good enough for what? To attain superiority, or just an acceptable standard? And is it meant for discipline to encourage persistence, or simply to write me off? Then again, who’s making the judgment? A friend, or an enemy, or perhaps even myself?

Our reaction to this comment will largely depend on our upbringing. If we had parents who demanded perfection, we will probably never feel good enough. But parents providing positive response to our childish efforts would instil confidence in ourselves.

Personally, I have always been a self doubter, consistently unsure my efforts are good enough, always feeling I could have done better and rarely satisfied with what I’ve accomplished. And a couple of reviews revealing why my book is “a good book, but not a great book,” fits the bill.

My problem now is whether the comments were valid, or just another dump on my sensitive ego. They concern my ability to express emotion adequately about recent life threatening health issues. My problem: I really didn’t feel much at all—mostly concerned with options.

This is something I have decided I will need to rectify—perhaps do a little deeper digging into my conscious self. After all, for citizens of this postmodern culture, feelings trump truth and a personal sense of well-being is paramount.

Of course, the final and only meaningful judge of whether we are good enough is God Himself, and measuring ourselves against His blazing holiness we will never come close to any level of sufficient goodness. We will never be good enough.

But again, much will depend on who we listen to: Him or ourselves. If we listen to our own assessment of ourselves, we may conclude we don’t need God’s. But if we’re honest, we don’t meet our own standards, let alone His.

But if we recognize we are not good enough, “Jesus paints a different picture. He said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” (Matthew 5:3). Whatever we try to accomplish in this life, His death makes up the lack between our effort and His acceptance and use of it.

We must seek excellence in life and work, but we will always fall short. But because of His love for us, He makes it worthwhile. He paid the price on the cross for our inadequacy and failure. So now, all we do has purpose and completion in Him.