Posted on 11/29/2008 2:42:57 PM PST by BuckeyeTexan
There are monstrous changes taking place in the world, forces shaping a future whose face we do not know. Some of these forces seem evil to us, perhaps not in themselves but because their tendency is to eliminate other things we hold good. It is true that two men can lift a bigger stone than one man. A group can build automobiles quicker and better than one man, and bread from a huge factory is cheaper and more uniform. When our food and clothing and housing all are born the complication of mass production, mass method is bound to get into our thinking and to eliminate all other thinking. In our time mass or collective production has entered our economics, our politics, and even our religion, so that some nations have substituted the idea collective for the idea God. This in my time is the danger. There is great tension in the world, tension toward a breaking point, and men are unhappy and confused. At such a time it seems natural and good to me to ask myself these questions. What do I believe in? What must I fight for and what must I fight against? Our species is the only creative species, and it has only one creative instrument, the individual mind and spirit of a man. Nothing was ever created by two men. There are no good collaborations, whether in music, in art, in poetry, in mathematics, in philosophy. Once the miracle of creation has taken place, the group can build and extend it, but the group never invents anything. The preciousness lies in the lonely mind of a man. And now the force marshaled around the concept of the group have declared a war of extermination on that preciousness, the mind of man. By disparagement, by starvation, by repressions, forced direction and the stunning hammerblows of conditioning, the free, roving mind is being pursued, roped, blunted, drugged. It is a sad suicidal course our species seems to have taken. And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected. And this I must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual. This is what I am and what I am about. I can understand why a system built on a pattern must try to destroy the free mind, for that is one thing which can by inspection destroy such a system. Surely I can understand this, and I hate it and I will fight against it to preserve the one thing that separates us from the uncreative beasts. If the glory can be killed, we are lost.
That’s an awesome bit of writing.
“It is a sad suicidal course our species seems to have taken.”
No surprise here. The rejection of God is suicidal because it is the acceptance of evil. There can be nothing in between.
He was a deeply honest man.
I just do not believe everything I see and hear on the news. I do not believe every thought and fear that flies through my mind,, but I do believe in the Word of the Lord! I believe in the promises of God,,, and I believe there are enough Americans still out there to make a difference.
Are we surrounded? Do the news reports look bad? Perhaps it is worse than it has ever been,, I do not know. But,, if so,, then this generation of Americans are good enough to rise to the occasion to make a difference.
I believe there is a coming revival that will move and change drastically the political landscape of this nation. God can change hearts and minds,, His presence can change lives in a moment of time. The Gospel of Jesus Christ can do more in a day than political parties can achieve in years.
The truth is,, there have always been many dangerous times in America and in the world. President Wilson arrested 150,000 Americans under the sedition act. The civil war may seem nostalgic now,, but at the time it surely was not!
Attitude is everything. That is why the news is discouraging. It is meant to demoralize us.
I will not be discouraged. I am encouraged.
CS Lewis believed the same. His most concise indictment is contained in his small book, or essay, “The Abolition of Man”.
I applaud your spirit.
However there is no nationalism in Christianity. There cannot be. Jesus made this clear in his statement “Render unto Ceasar what is Ceasar’s and unto God what is God’s” Though we are a government of the people (supposedly) we are not of this world. We MUST not be. We are destined to be creatures of pure Spirit. We must not cling to this world and it’s ways. Nationalism is not godly. I love my nation but this has nothing to do with my Christianity.
Rogers and Hammerstein. Lerner and Loewe. The Beatles. I've got more...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.