“The basic problems of the Christians in this country in the last eighty years of so, in regard to government, is that they have seen things in bits and pieces instead of totals. They have very gradually become disturbed over permissiveness, pornography, the public schools, the breakdown of the family, and finally abortion. But they have not seen this as a totality—each thing being a part, a symptom, of a much larger problem. They have failed to see that all of this has come about due to a shift in world view—that is, through a fundamental change in the overall way people think and view the world and life as a whole.”
– Francis Schaeffer
And… discuss. I have to go to Canada. Really, I do. That was not a continuation of the government issue. I’m going to Canada. Read your responses when I return.
Todd
Besides my opinion that Francis Schaeffer is one of the greatest minds of this generation, I can’t say that I disagree with anything he is saying. 🙂 Obviously there are those Christians that are very aware of the shift of worldview, and just as obviously Christians as a whole are sadly oblivious of it.
True, the things in our culture are a direct result of us forgetting who we are as a church and what our role in this world is supposed to be. Too often, too many of us get caught up in what the world offers, and we forget those things that are most important. We can stand back and shout at the world and its darkness, and we forget that it’s our job to allow Christ to shine through our lives and illuminate our world.
I think it’s easy for christians to let little things slide and the next thing we know is there is a huge mess. I think there are alot of bad things the goverment is getting involved with and alot of americans are unaware that are going on. I think people aren’t aware of that alot of the richest people (bankers) own the goverment and are making it corrupt. The goverment right now is lying about everything under the sun and are only caring about themselves. Alot of people aren’t thinking or investigating the laws that have been passed that have taken alot of the constitution out and giving the goverment reign to do whatever it feels like. The congress isn’t even allowed to have a week to look over bills that go through. They get the bills like 3 am in the morning on the day they vote for the bill. Anything the goverment says right now is pretty much the opposite of what they say. I think people need to go online and look up each of the new laws or bills and investigate for yourself what is really going on. I think the really sad thing is that most americans aren’t aware of how really corrupt the goverment is. Investigate what is in the flu shot. Look up the 1970s swine flu pandemic. The swine flu is not something new. It happens to be man made. See for yourself if the news is really true. But this is what I have found to be true.
Perhaps Christians address the symptoms because it is much easier to try to control behavior and establish rules than it is to deal with the deep issues of the heart wherein lies the source of our brokenness. We’ve neglected the first and second greatest commandments to love God and others (Mark 12:28-31) and have focused on religious activity and pharisaical attitudes of superiority. Therefore in the sporadic moments when we are awakened from our apathy we jump on the bandwagon of a particular symptom that offends our religious sensitivity and either expect the government to fix it through regulations and funded programs or else we begin harsh protests and condemnation of people who offend. Instead of sharing the gospel of grace and the message of the cross as a place where broken people can come for healing, forgiveness and transformation, we have used the “conversion by concussion method, with one sledgehammer blow of the Bible after another . . .” (The Ragamuffin Gospel). So the dilemma now is how to align our worldview with that of Jesus . . . beginning with the repentance of God’s people for our own sin of self-sufficiency, apathy, and lack of love and respect for those around us.
I think that looking at the negative is the lowest form of criticism and thought. Maybe he should not start his thought with “the basic problem of Christians in this country…” anyone can finish that sentence!
🙂
Hi Todd! I LOVE your new song Joy Unspeakable…but I can’t find it on iTunes! Help!!
Reminds me of the Casting Crowns’ song “Slow Fade”. This hasn’t happened overnight, but has been a slow, gradual foreclosure. So slowly that you don’t even recognize it. Then you wake up one day and are disturbed to see that all these unseemingly-related fractured parts have come together as one disturbing picture. So we must stand firm on the little things, day after day, moment by moment.