June 29, 2004
The Dark Ages, Revisited
The Dark Ages were characterized by a terrible lacking of knowledge and learning. People were illiterate and ignorant with little opportunity to gain knowledge outside of the monasteries and churches. I believe we are currently in a second Dark Ages characterized by a lack of morality. Just as in the first, not everyone is immoral, but a lack of morality is accepted by the masses as normal. Situational morality, after all, is not morality but weakness – the inability to stick to morals when it really counts. And this type of morality is so infused with American culture that I believe future generations will look back on this as the second Dark Ages in history.
Our society is characterized by this lacking of morality. Babies are killed before being born simply because their mothers weren’t moral enough to either not have premarital sex or not to murder the inevitable consequences. Politicians feel free to condemn immorality and then vote in a way that allows this immorality to continue, as if this duplicity itself isn’t immoral. Truth has been relativized to the point where those claiming to have some portion of it are condemned by the relativist masses. Our culture’s motto may as well be Pilate’s own words. Movies, which have the ability to shape and mold culture, are moving in even worse directions – a future movie starring Nicole Kidman graphically depicts her sexual involvement with a ten-year-old boy. Morality is lacking in our culture – to the point of depravity. I have heard this referred to as a “post-Christian world” and I would agree to this point.
So what can we do about this? Is there a solution? The most powerful counter to any issue is prayer. God can do what no other can; and this includes the ability to turn a culture around. But we are called to act as well. Culture begins in the home. Are you teaching your children true morality? Not just by your words, but also by your actions. True morality means telling the truth even when it will cost you. Exposing yourself in order that you can be a greater person. Culture is also shaped by art. Movies, books, music, and art can have strong influences over a society’s culture. Can we create a respect for morality through these media? Absolutely, but it takes effort. Now is the time to pray hard and work hard towards turning America back into a moral stronghold. What do you think?
God bless,
Jay
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Jay,
I'm glad you posted this thread about the idea of a revisited Dark Ages. I am in full agreement with your assessment of the trenchant lack/loss of a sense/praxis of Christian morality.
Let me expand the image of the dark age that we have/are entering into that moves beyond the scope of morality as we normally think about it - and into offenses of Christian morality that are subtley imbedded in our culture, and so extremely dangerous.
In a simple format - "Matters of Scale".
Our "Golf Planet"
Number of photos in the January/February issue of Coastal Living that showed coastal wildlife (seabirds, crustaceans, turtles, or other fauna)- 1
Number of photos in the same issue showing golf courses - 61
Amount of water it would take, per day, to support 4.7 billion people at the UN daily minimum - 2.5 billion gallons
Amount of water used, per day, to irrigate the world’s golf courses - 2.5 billion gallons
Number of golf courses in Japan before World War II - 23
Number in operation or soon to open in 2004 - 3,030
Average amount of pesticides used per acre, per year, on golf courses - 18.0 pounds
Average amount of pesticides used, per acre, per year, in agriculture - 2.7 pounds
Amount of water used by 60,000 villagers in Thailand, on average, per day - 6,500 cubic meters
Amount of water used by one golf course in Thailand, on average, per day - 6,500 cubic meters
Current area of the wetlands of the Colorado River Delta, which now receives just 0.1 percent of the river water that once flowed through it - 150,000 acres
Area that could be covered to a depth of 2 feet with water drawn from the Colorado River by the city of Las Vegas, which uses much of that allotment to water its more than 60 golf courses - 150,000 acres
Sources: Photos: Coastal Living, January/February 2004; Water usage: Chris Reuther, Know Your Environment, Academy of Natural Sciences, 1999; National Golf Foundation; State of the World 2004; Japan: “Japan Golfcourses and Deforestation,” TED Case #282, 2003; Pesticides: “EcoMall: A Greener Golf Course, 2004;” Thailand: U.K. Sports Turf Research Institute; Colorado River: Environmental Defense; Las Vegas: Associated Press.
Posted by: Jack at June 30, 2004 08:35 AMJay, Jack,
Thank you so much! You are of course both so right! We can't just wash our hands of the guilt while we just sit here doing nothing. I myself have decided to give up my life of riches and possessions as a lawyer in order to dedicate my life to helping those less fortunate than me, and this begins at home. And I dedicate the strength to this change entirely to God.
Harry.
Posted by: NZ Harry at September 29, 2004 08:08 PMJay, Jack,
Thank you so much! You are of course both so right! We can't just wash our hands of the guilt while we just sit here doing nothing. I myself have decided to give up my life of riches and possessions as a lawyer in order to dedicate my life to helping those less fortunate than me, and this begins at home. And I dedicate the strength to this change entirely to God.
Harry.
Posted by: NZ Harry at September 29, 2004 08:09 PM
