I don’t take myself too seriously and feel this is an endearing quality of much of Christendom. Growing up I was used to Christianity being the butt of every joke, scorned, slandered, mocked, and yet, when all hell broke loose in their lives, it was the church who supported them emotionally, relationally, financially and in many other ways.
Secularism is a worldview that separates religion from major realms in human existence.
In my experience, secularists try too hard – they have no real conviction themselves and so they leech on to any and every idea that promotes individual happiness. This was the lovechild and the deception of postmodernism; all truth is relative, and what is truth for you isn’t necessarily true for me and that we can all have our own truths and live happily ever after. LOL.
The truth is that the West has been surfing the wave of Christian influence for so long that it came to believe it is responsible for the freedoms. It has rejected Christianity to its peril and the fruit of its ways are already evident.
What waves you ask?
Without a shadow of a doubt, Christianity is the most powerful force on the planet for charity work. I know of churches that help people get out of debt, offer free relational counselling, provide safe spaces for young and vulnerable individuals every week, run feeding programs, shelter abused women, attempt to end poverty and human trafficking, and offer various initiatives to help educate children in developing countries.
Historically, the impact and influence is phenomenal:
- Christianity gave us hospitals as we know them today.
- Christianity gave us adoption and foster care systems.
- Christianity was the source of social services like schooling.
- Christianity gave us in the USA the freedom of rights.
- Christianity gave the world the foundation of the sciences.
- Christianity abolished slavery.
- Christianity fought for women’s rights.
- The Renaissance period was an explosion of Christian-influenced art including Leonardo Da Vincis ‘The Last Supper.’
What did secularism give us? Policies? Or how about these words that we’ve heard come out of every politician’s mouth: tolerance, equality, solidarity, condone, dialogue?
I don’t like these words – not because I don't believe in them, but because they're often only used theoretically, but absent in praxis.
When it's PRESENT in your vocabulary but ABSENT in your lifestyle or value system, your words have to work extra hard.
So the [un]creative team for the Olympics desecrates an important Christian art piece that depicts a beautiful moment of our Savior and defends it by saying it, “promotes unity.”
Secularists believe they can define and redefine whatever they want. And for me at least, their vile depiction of the Last Supper is also the last straw.
I’ve never boycotted anything before. But I am used to voices within secularism telling us to boycott Israel, for example. (Interestingly enough I never hear about them talking about ending human trafficking or promoting adoption.) I’m used to them telling us how we should be feeling about what they feel to be injustice and what is right or wrong to say and do.
So, I’m not watching ‘The Games’ or playing their games. I wish there were more Christian artists, better Christian clothing designers, authors, creatives – not to create a Christian sub-culture and not just to free ourselves from the causes and movements so many organizations adopt to fit into the secular ideals, but I wish there were more Christian initiatives because, as it has proven time and again that Christianity always liberates, always empowers, always heals and ultimately, represents the One who gave His last breath to bring forgiveness and hope.
There are 2.5 billion Christians on the planet with unprecedented influence and wealth. Secularists would do well to put some respect on the Name.
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