One of the most well known stories of the New Testament finds Jesus being asked to choose between keeping the old law given by Moses to stone adulterers or create some new rule of his own to deal with the problem. If he chose Moses law the religious folk would have been delighted. Christ was here to show the world the power of grace and mercy so his well known answer shook the very foundations of religion forever. He essentially said, OK stone her (woman caught in adultery) into eternity, but let the first stone be hurdled by a sinless person.
No one threw a single stone and in a slow but orderly fashion the crowd began to disperse. Orderly; yes, one of the most un-noticed aspects of the retreat was the order in which the crowd dispersed. The oldest in the crowd left first and the youngest were the last to go. (Jn 8:9)
It takes no great mind to understand that the elders had long since abandoned the notion of an idealistic world where anyone including the religious had no sin to their credit. Mercy prevailed and with it the lesson that it isn’t the perfection of mankind, religious or not that God is asking us to see. Looking for this hyper idealistically driven fantasy is a sure path to disappointment. Secular humanism dare not tell their students this fact and their charges will always pick the shiny coin as expected.
American youth think Christianity is too judgmental according to the results of the Barna poll. But both the Barna report and just about any other report are now noting that the criticism is based largely on the Christian biblically derived stand against the acceptance of the gay life and transgenders.
That stand could also be complimentary if properly understood. The immutability of God’s will is a well defined and recurrent theme of the Bible. If tampered with it would surely put those doing the tampering into the other group youth disdain namely, the hypocrites. In the simplest sense of the matter, you can’t have it both ways! Most believers are not the slightest bit ashamed of standing firm in what God says about today’s emerging morality. God’s displeasure, personal self respect and history itself would witness against any believer who is swayed by the loose morality of the day.
Changing our morality to fit the politically correct version of the day would cause our worship of God to be a mere vanity. In a national climate already inundated with ersatz, narcissism, vanity, pop culture nonsense and media fired tripe, who would willingly pull their feet off the only unmovable object left in the world, Jesus the Rock of our Salvation? He said “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (Mk 7:7)
As for “too involved in politics” Christianity would be remiss in every way if it looked the other way while evil men and women just floated to the top of civil power without resistance. Ancient prophets who lost their lives for speaking against evil rulers, martyrs who were torn limb from limb for admitting that the Roman emperor was not their sovereign king and believers who are martyred and incarcerated in today’s Muslim and Hindu nations would be grievously dishonored by believers who left affairs of state completely in the hands of the wispy trended few.
Far more disturbing than the opinion of the youth who can only see the shiny new penny is the report that up to 87 percent of those polled said they could see no major difference between Christianity and any other major religion.
Secular humanisms call to political correctness, tolerance and diversity has made great strides among the youth of this generation. These accomplishments only lend full credence to the idea that if you voice something long enough it begins to take on an air of truth.
The differences are so overwhelmingly apparent as to leave any attempt at comparison in a hopeless state of absurdity. No religion, Islam, Buddhism, or Hindu has a Savior that died for the sins of the world. None that returned from the dead and none that promises a Savior who will also return as reigning judge and King. This is the part of Christianity that makes the world squirm. A final judgment implies a final and totally authoritative judge. This is unacceptable to both unbelievers and the irreligious.
These facts are referred to as the gospel or the “good news.” It is also the “bad news” for those who choose to accept the morality of the day. No wonder it is so hated denied and refused. In the end, the gospel will make it all the way to the end whether it is believed or not. It is the priceless well worn coin that only the discerning, the wise and the called will choose.
Poll says American Youth Waning on Christianity – Secularism Edges Forward
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