Jody Bottum’s new essay at The Weekly Standard explores
the way religious themes are emerging in some of the most radically secularized movements of our time. He observes that “white privilege” has become
the modern equivalent of original sin. Political correctness includes the “shunning” of sinners, akin to that practice by sects such as the Amish and
Jehovah’s Witnesses. He notices that book burning has returned.
The apocalyptic nature of radical environmentalism allows its advocates to abandon the practices that are part of normal life, in favor of taking radical
measures to deal with the impeding end of the world as we know it. This is all very interesting, and no doubt, mostly correct. I feel called to add
to Bottum’s point, however. I take as my starting point, the unapologetic position that Christianity is true, and that the Church is not just another
political or social institution. Accordingly, I believe that each and every person has a desire for God, implanted into their hearts by God.
The desire for Truth, Goodness and Beauty are all manifestations of that desire. This is why the attempt to create Christianity without Christ has failed.
It is why the further attempt to eliminate all vestiges of Christianity has not worked either. Even its enemies cannot resist using Christian tools.
Almost in spite of itself, the modern world smuggles Christian concepts back into society. Even more pointedly, Bottum asserts that the modern world
uses these Christian concepts but without the coherence and systematizing of Christianity. So for example, the secular version of the public shunning
of sinners does not include any
mechanism for bringing the sinner back into the community.
This is obviously a problem to which Christian groups of any longevity have given enormous attention. I mention all this here at the Ruth Institute blog
for this reason: we work to inspire the Sexual Revolution and its Victims. We have gathered sufficient evidence to convince us that reason and evidence
support the Ancient Teachings of Christianity on marriage, family and human sexuality. These teaching are more coherent and humane than anything the
modern world offers.
We are quite prepared to say that the modern alternatives should be ditched, and the sooner the better. We have no trouble saying that people will be happier
if they embrace the Christian view of these matters, even if they do not otherwise profess the Christian faith. Mr. Bottum doesn’t quite take
the final step, one that I think we must take. It is time to say, without embarrassment, that Christianity has the ability to address social problems
more successfully than its secular competitors. Our friends and neighbors have no idea. I think we owe it to them to give them at least the opportunity
to consider what we have to offer. Share this post with your friends! Like the Ruth Institute facebook page!
