Jan
30
Written by:
Caloundra CityHarvest
30/01/2012 5:52 PM
In recent weeks it is almost inevitable that there is a drive by shooting in Sydney, that there are horrific road deaths, that some young person somewhere commits suicide, that the police discover another huge stash of drugs or a drug laboratory and the police presence has to be increased to keep law and order. And this is Australia, the best place to live in the entire world!
That is only part of the story. In my lifetime I have seen such a huge change here that would grieve the very heart of our grandparents. Yet, this is supposed to be a society that is improving in acceptance, equality, freedoms and growing rich. All around us are signs that we are living through the most morally bankrupt period in our history. What is happening?
In a recent lecture I attended given by an Indian philosopher and theologian, Vishal. Mangalwadi, I was surprised to hear him say that we in the west are jettisoning the most fundamental values that have given western civilisation its real heart and soul. He quotes George Orwell from his “notes along the way’ as saying,” For two hundred years we have sawed and sawed away at the branch we are sitting on. And in the end, much more suddenly than anyone had ever dreamed, our efforts were rewarded, and down we came. But unfortunately there had been a little mistake: the thing at the bottom was not a bed of roses after all; it was a cesspool full of barbed wire. It appears that amputation of the soul isn’t just a simple surgical job, like having your appendix out. The wound has a tendency to go septic.”
You see we in the west, with our Judeo/Christian heritage, have forgotten that those values are what has given us our real soul. There is not another religion or philosophy in human history that does that! We have the most comprehensive understanding there is, and we are replacing it with scientific rationality, eastern philosophy and religion and a mad hunger for fame and fortune.
Have we gone mad? The foundations of our society are all found in our understanding that God created us for good, that He has laid down very specific values in the Ten Commandments, which we are now ignoring to our peril.
We were created to love God and to love one another. That is what Jesus said in summing up the Ten Commandments. Let’s get back to the fundamentals. Yes I know our modern society hates the word fundamental, but isn’t that what all of life is about? If we want to be successful financially we must operate according to the fundamentals. If we want a successful relationship, we must adhere to the fundamentals of honour, respect and love. Look what selfishness and greed have done to the world’s financial systems.
I think it is true, as George Orwell said; we have sawed off the things that have made us strong to our detriment. After all why destroy the foundations and bring the whole house down.
The Bible says, “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom,” and “It is righteousness that exalts a nation.” Proverbs 1:7; 13:34.
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