The Age To Come

Every age must have its gods, and this age worships at the altar of Tolerance, Diversity and Inclusion. Seemingly benign gods, at least at first. As long as you keep your sentiments and thought process shallow enough, what’s not to like?

• The god Tolerance – extending a benevolent gaze upon all who think correctly.
•  The god Diversity – who will allow worship at its altar as long as you wear the uniform.
•  The god Inclusion – who warmly welcomes those of whom the other gods approve.

Just make sure you are not beyond the pale of social acceptability, or you will discover the flip side of these wonderful, warm sentiments!

I find it remarkable that so many apparently cannot see that these gods represent the precise opposite of what is presented: the intolerance, uniformity and exclusion of a creeping totalitarianism.

These seems to be the pale, insipid caricatures of ‘gods’ for a society that has rejected its God – has rejected faith, hope and love, in favour of…what? Why do many accept such poor substitutes – like eating thin gruel when a sumptuous four course meal is laid out before you?

The true Trinity, the only God that ever matters – existing beyond eternity, wrapped in Love inexpressible – Father, Son and Holy Spirit  – still calls people, to bring them home, where there is warmth, food, fellowship, light and peace.

But no, we will not. And we know so little about the Truth, that when a man reads from the Bible on a train, people run – because they do not even recognise the words of our Father enough to be able to distinguish it from the Quran.

The fields really are white for the harvest. When you look at the ‘competition’ – well there is really none.  Just that thin gruel, with people staying at the table only because if they leave, they know they will be mocked, hated and bullied.

If Christ be for us, who can be against us?  Is this really the best the devil can do?  We have such an opportunity – to reach a starving people again with the Gospel – Good News for all of us.  That Jesus –  when we were far off, sinners and rebels, came to seek and save us, to forgive and reconcile us.  That’s a meal worth eating, and a meal worth inviting other people to share.

Blessings on your day today,

Peter

Truth is the first casualty of war, they say, and it’s not just physical war.

Just the other day, in my country, a voice was raised up in the public space – maybe the very kind of voice I mentioned in my last post – that had the temerity to be unequivocal in speaking standard Christian moral orthodoxy in matters such as marriage and abortion.

The result was predictable – ‘archaic’, ‘utterly abhorrent’, ‘belongs in the 18th century’ were some of the tamer comments.  However, the one thing that links all the responses is that none of them stray to any discussion as to the correctness, or incorrectness, of the moral views.  It is just assumed, a priori, that the views are wrong because they are old, because they are not culturally approved, and because to give them any credence is to open oneself to bullying.

There is a reason for this – the spirit of this age does not do well on the battleground of Truth vs. Lie.  That’s God’s territory.  Any argument that strays into serious discussion of the right and wrongs of a position is dangerous territory.  Better to assume the argument, cast scorn on the one who is articulating dissident thoughts, and appeal to the ‘everybody thinks’ mentality.

And, if that’s not convincing enough, maybe we can apply a little corporate pressure:

“We have 580 companies involved with the [Australian Marriage Equality] ad campaign. If you’re unhappy with a company that’s involved with the campaign you won’t be able to bank and you won’t be able to fly anywhere.”

True quote from a CEO, though I don’t plan on linking to it.  The message is clear – if you value getting along in the world, if you aspire to leadership, maybe even if you would like to keep a job and some semblance of normal life, don’t say the wrong things.  If you have heterodox thoughts, keep them to yourself.  For now.  Later, we will be back to ensure you bend the knee by saying the right things too.

It says something to the inherent weakness of the current cultural zeitgeist, that it can only maintain its position by an increasingly intolerant clampdown on any opposition.  Eventually, like all lies, it will collapse under its the weight of its own contradictions.  Everything that can be shaken, will be.  But not until it has done immense damage to real peoples lives.

I pray for more courageous voices to be raised up – to say what currently cannot be said, to face down the bullies and the vicious intolerance of the ‘tolerant’, to raise a standard for the Lord’s armies.  Because, as I said previously, those who are with us are far, far greater than those opposed.  The mouths of the liars will eventually be silenced, and the truth – indeed the Way, the Truth and the Life – will have the victory.