Lamh Foistenach Abu!
Posted on 05/20/2010 11:47:36 AM PDT by ezfindit
“Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith.” Alexis de Tocqueville
In his treatise, The Christian Manifesto, published in 1981, Francis Schaeffer suggests that the gradual shift away from a Judeo-Christian (or at least a Creationist) worldview towards a materialistic view of reality has broad sociological and governmental implications for western society. His is an interesting thesis to ponder in light of a recent article in USA Today discussing religion and the Millennial Generation.
The article cites a recent survey conducted by Lifeway Christian Resources, which reveals that Millennials (defined as Americans born approximately between 1980 and 1995) are distancing themselves from traditional religious forms in favor of a personally-defined, nebulous kind of “spirituality.” These individuals are less likely to pray, they don’t read the Bible, and they don’t go to church. Among the 65% who identify themselves as Christian, “many are either mushy Christians or Christians in name only. . . . Most are just indifferent.” Theological indifference may seem like no big deal in an age where moral relativism and the cult of the individual reign, but it’s worth considering Schaeffer’s argument that – whether we realize it or not – our understanding of religion and its role in society has a direct impact on our politics.
(Excerpt) Read more at conservativedatingsite.com ...
God rest the soul of Francis Schaeffer. We are just beginning to edxperience the consequences of immorality, lack of faith in our magestic triune God, self discipline and allegience to honor and duty. And we ain’t seen nothing yet!
A Francis Schaeffer ping. Because I read all of his books, twice (you almost have to).
Lamh Foistenach Abu!
Born in peace, stability and great wealth of the USA - Millenials could possibly be the most fortunate and comfortable generation ever yet to be born onto this earth. Who needs God when life is so easy?
Nothing lasts forever though, and I sense they will need to find God sooner or later - both individually and even as a group.
That is one reason that we here the word libertarian more frequently.
If we were little more than naked apes, what would be the problem and how would it change things?
Related thread:
A Christian Manifesto (Francis A. Schaeffer)
I.e.: materialism, eroticism, (political) Utopia-ism, and, above all, narcissism (I, my, me, mine).
If one makes him or herself a god, then the feeling of omnipotence, power and self-importance follows. This is the essence of liberalism—and its arrogance, vanity, and contempt “for the uninformed and, hence, lesser . . .”
Many reject it and require empirical proof.
Agreed. The first time through, you are acqauinting yourself with philosphical lingo. The next time through you actually understand what he is saying. I enjoyed his video series that were on the scene back in the ‘80s and ‘90s. I wonder if they have been made into DVDs? It would be wonderful to listen to (watch) them again!
Yes, the first time through was almost painful (reading Schaeffer).
The second time through is almost an out of body experience.
Sort of like a really good psychotropic drug with beneficial side effects.
The best way to read Schaeffer, is to read each chapter twice. I didn’t actually plan on doing this, it just came out to be in a natural progression. Especially “The God Who Is There”, “Escape from Reason” and “He Is There and He Is Not Silent”. Which is basically a complete college degree in history, in three books. I read these when I was 15, and boy was I one precocious history student in high school and college. I had all the answers, and still do.
I bought the whole series of his books (20 or so) and my kids are constantly mailing them to each other and their cousins.
Could you imagine what a country this would be if these were required reading in our public schools?
To gain faith, one must commit to some faith. The door is open; one must decide whether to walk through it and receive the gift of gifts.
Empirical evidence is everywhere, beginning with the Earth and all its works, a “simple” flower or leaf, the Universe, our very lives brief as they are . . .
But many view the creations of God as god or gods—and surely tend to view themselves as lords and masters of creation...while being nothing more than a microsecond’s dust . . .
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