The Madhouse of the Early 21st Century

 

At some point, I commented recently (I’d quote it but I’ve lost track of it)over at the Watchtower that the United States were in some ways a good deal like the Roman Empire in that if you were willing to respect the Flag and Constitution (in lieu of the emperor)we are pretty much willing to leave you alone to believe (and do) whatever you want, as long as you don’t mess with your neighbors. I was going to expand that into a post, which I haven’t gotten done.

 

This showed up last night from Roger Pearse’s, which is one of the best antiquarian sites I know of, and in truth was recommended to me by Jess’s co-author Chalcedon 451. I don’t have his depth of interest but it is very interesting, and something that a layman like me would have had no contact with before the internet, so Yay.

 

There is a fair amount of linkage going on here because nobody has figured out how to shorten the content, do follow it, it’s well worth your time.

 

Via Monday Evening I discover an amusing post, Anthony Esolen’s Welcome to the Mental Ward. The author points out that, in our day, the people who have power have reached such a point that their demands make no sense, even from their own point of view.  The article is impossible to epitomise, but is well worth reading.

The author fails to make the connection, but there is one.  The common link is convenience.  These are the demands of people who feel that they have total power, and feel no need to be logical.  Whatever they want, they want, and that is an end of it.

Those who see this as the consummation of the 60′s generation, the “if it feels good, do it” generation, are very likely correct.

But how should we respond to all this?  It would be easy to read the article as a right-wing rant against the PC society.  But I think we must look beyond this.  Those of us who are Christians need to recognise that the picture is fair, and assess that picture against eternity.

We must, of course, refuse to be conditioned.  There is nothing to be said, rationally, for conforming willy-nilly to the demands of such people.  We must keep their nonsense out of our heads, despite the bombardment they make with the mass media.  It is hard, in truth.  Nor should we disengage with society, for we must talk to the fellow-souls here on earth.

We must also beware of allowing our political tendencies to shape our response.  Those on the political left have it harder here, for the rulers are of the left; they may find themselves tempted more than those on the political right.  The right may be tempted to bewail the “good old days”, not least because baiting the right is part of the policy of the masters.  But both must resist being contaminated, either by conforming or reacting.  Instead we must conform our minds to Christ, and submit to the word of Scripture.

It is easy for us to feel anger and fear at the actions of the dominant groups in our society.  Nor are these irrational responses; these groups are full of hate, fond of intimidation, and quite happy to send people to prison for doing or saying what every man and woman in the west has said or done for a thousand years. But we should remember that God is in charge.  None of these people may do anything, without Him allowing it.

 

Continue reading Christians in the madhouse of the early 21st century at Roger Pearse.

 

 

 

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