We are germinating many things in our country, so much a reflection of the minds (and hearts) of those within. Where have our hearts and minds been? Once a country fluid with the freedom of capitalism capped with a scoop of Judeo Christian morality necessary to keep her from getting too caper-ish with greed and consumerism, she now stands blank-staring like a deer in the headlights watching the onslaught of Marxism looming where God once was, and should be. The Marxists flex their muscles using the emotional grab of victim/oppressor in whatever configuration suits the day (the Me Too Movement, Black Lives Matter, and now the Palestinian/Israel conflict, which isn’t boding well for “party unity” as many liberal Jews are now flummoxed with their need to be both liberal and Jewish, and it isn’t as easy as it used to be.) What’s a country to do?
Turning back to anything once useful seems perhaps unappealing to those possessed by liberal progressivism, that deity-worshipping-like thought process that usurps traditional morays, traditional thought, traditional religion (God forbid!) and basically traditional everything for the supposed freshness of thought untainted by that of old. You’ll hear: Throw out the Constitution, toss religion, we are the new, the improved, and, oh, isn’t truth just a work in progress, after all?
From Conservatives you’ll hear: what kind of rank foolishness is this s#*+??? Religion is the work of wholeness, human wholeness, the fulfillment of what man actually strives for but in many cases does not recognize until he stumbles upon it, usually after an elongated state of depravity and/or suffering, unless he be so fortunate as to have been raised in it and to have passionately pursued it throughout his life.
(Here I pause to explain that I use the term ‘man’ to include all—the traditional usage understood by all who hold no general grievance against the species.)
Religion is useful, in its simplest form, and in the case of Judeo Christian thought, simplicity is encouraged. What it tends to produce is understandable guidelines that are reflected in our culture and Constitution, in our once great country. We believe in honesty, we strive for integrity as the summit of human accomplishment, and we value reflections of God, in all the humble human efforts we put forth. Yes we are faulty, but we have a beautiful vision that encompasses a great deal and gives us the desire to strive for betterment for ourselves and our loved ones. Enriched in faith we will seek balance, the prelude to peace.
Progressivism has as its guidelines “The end justifies the means.” Put simply, one is encouraged to do whatever it takes to accomplish the supposed great end to which progressivism strives, which is actually endless progressivism because once it achieves an end–say, getting Donald Trump off the ballot– then the next endless of ends appears and the cycle of unbridled dishonesty continues. It lies in stark contrast to Judeo Christianity which values honesty, and it uses our system, set up by Christians, to attack and destroy us. The Progressive movement definitely has movement; they are always encouraging change—of everything—constantly seeking to ‘progress’ in their high anxiety existence, seeking pride in their high intellectual pursuits and peace in ‘safe spaces’; peace their process will never provide. Hence you see the Conservatives constantly playing defense, defending the country we’ve established in order to give us a place to peacefully pursue the Great Gift our religion offers.
I suppose there are issues that could bring us together as a country, but so very many things are politicized: our media, music, movies, sports, even subject matter taught to our children bears the mark. What divides us is rampant in its visibility and common ground goes unhighlighted. And as stated earlier, we are in stark contrast to one another in ideology.
Man will continue to pursue Truth, as it is his reason for being, the ultimate common ground, the depth of fulfillment he inherently desires. He must connect with it to circumvent the influx of unwholesome ideas flooding the many byways of our day and age. It is his fulfillment and only in knowing it can he thrive. In this sea of warp speed germination of thought, we must know reality. Religion has never been more necessary in my short lifetime. It is the sublime gift, as it lends a practice of giving life to every part of existence and ensures that life rests and strives in whole context. It employs the wisdom of those who have been practicing it for thousands of years. To deny the spiritual is exactly that: denial. It is to take the beautiful faceted work of the sculptor and reduce the diamond to the plainness of rock.
Time to regard religion with the dignity it provides? The tried needs to be tried and tried again. Progressivism is not progress.