Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawless.
- 1 John 3:4 (ESV)
This week we Americans have witnessed living examples of what the Prince of Darkness can do on earth to disrupt life with evil. Violent protestors, throwing rocks, setting fires, smashing private and public property and causing harm to others were again witnessed in full display at the University of California, Berkeley. Sadly, it was not unique, just part of an ongoing display of hate which is showing itself throughout our society, coast to coast. And it is particularly disturbing watching it became rampant on university campuses, attacking free speech in the very places where free speech is a primary means of learning about and debating ideas. But rather than take the matter head on and insure that openness and freedom of thought flourish, our university leaders more and more cower behind their cushy and ivy covered walls and cave to the expediency of letting violence and fear win over truth and honesty. So why is this so prevalent today?
Well, from the Christian and Jewish perspective, the answer is very clear. These very United States were founded under God and His Law. From the teachings of the ancient prophets and the receipt of the Ten Commandments by Moses from God, to the presentation of the living Law as brought to us by Jesus Christ, America recognized the principal role played by God in our establishment of a government under godly principles for operating our unique societal living experiment.
The ultimate Law originates with God. The Creator of all things is timeless; He's always been in existence and knows all things. And since all Creation is in His image, so are our leaders, endowed by God to lead the nation appropriately. It's when our leaders become enamored with their own power, thinking themselves to be self-powered and not needing the guidance and wisdom of God that problems begin. For when that happens, things change from the Rule of Law, law originated for purposes endowed by God to the Rule of Man, with law by and subject to the whims of mere mortal sinners. This is contrary to the expectations of God and it leads to societal decline and disorder. And this means chaos, disruption, corruption and ultimately anarchy which if unchecked obliterates the social compact. And situations like what happened at Berkeley, if not swiftly and effectively ended, create just that situation where society, or in this specific case, a noted university will cease to exist in a way that is beneficial to society.
And it's important to state that even if you aren't a Christian or Jew, but are a good and decent moral person, that the Ten Commandments offers hope for all of us. Even if you leave out the acknowledgement of God, the basic societal rules contained therein and in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount give a great basis for living in peace and harmony in a very troubled word.
But for the majority of us who claim kinship with the Judeo-Christian ethic, by taking our problems to God, asking for His divine intervention in finding the answer that meets His expectations, we can solve any problem we face and maintain a civil society. When we refuse to face the truth and instead follow man-made concepts such as politically correct nonsense, we falter and head for disaster.
We've seen the tragic results that behavior such as that in Berkeley has caused; the destruction of private property, injuries to innocent people and destruction of the livelihood of many who operate services to cater to the needs of the university community. That's criminal behavior and it must be dealt with. And it takes people of good moral character, Christians, Jews, other religions and non-religious as well to band together to end such outrage by refusing to accept unacceptable behavior. Isn't it way past time for our elected, community, educational and yes, even our spiritual leaders to do just that in a united fight against evil wherever it's found? Silence is complicity, and if they and we remain silent, we deserve what we get and get it we will.
- 1 John 3:4 (ESV)
This week we Americans have witnessed living examples of what the Prince of Darkness can do on earth to disrupt life with evil. Violent protestors, throwing rocks, setting fires, smashing private and public property and causing harm to others were again witnessed in full display at the University of California, Berkeley. Sadly, it was not unique, just part of an ongoing display of hate which is showing itself throughout our society, coast to coast. And it is particularly disturbing watching it became rampant on university campuses, attacking free speech in the very places where free speech is a primary means of learning about and debating ideas. But rather than take the matter head on and insure that openness and freedom of thought flourish, our university leaders more and more cower behind their cushy and ivy covered walls and cave to the expediency of letting violence and fear win over truth and honesty. So why is this so prevalent today?
Well, from the Christian and Jewish perspective, the answer is very clear. These very United States were founded under God and His Law. From the teachings of the ancient prophets and the receipt of the Ten Commandments by Moses from God, to the presentation of the living Law as brought to us by Jesus Christ, America recognized the principal role played by God in our establishment of a government under godly principles for operating our unique societal living experiment.
The ultimate Law originates with God. The Creator of all things is timeless; He's always been in existence and knows all things. And since all Creation is in His image, so are our leaders, endowed by God to lead the nation appropriately. It's when our leaders become enamored with their own power, thinking themselves to be self-powered and not needing the guidance and wisdom of God that problems begin. For when that happens, things change from the Rule of Law, law originated for purposes endowed by God to the Rule of Man, with law by and subject to the whims of mere mortal sinners. This is contrary to the expectations of God and it leads to societal decline and disorder. And this means chaos, disruption, corruption and ultimately anarchy which if unchecked obliterates the social compact. And situations like what happened at Berkeley, if not swiftly and effectively ended, create just that situation where society, or in this specific case, a noted university will cease to exist in a way that is beneficial to society.
And it's important to state that even if you aren't a Christian or Jew, but are a good and decent moral person, that the Ten Commandments offers hope for all of us. Even if you leave out the acknowledgement of God, the basic societal rules contained therein and in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount give a great basis for living in peace and harmony in a very troubled word.
But for the majority of us who claim kinship with the Judeo-Christian ethic, by taking our problems to God, asking for His divine intervention in finding the answer that meets His expectations, we can solve any problem we face and maintain a civil society. When we refuse to face the truth and instead follow man-made concepts such as politically correct nonsense, we falter and head for disaster.
We've seen the tragic results that behavior such as that in Berkeley has caused; the destruction of private property, injuries to innocent people and destruction of the livelihood of many who operate services to cater to the needs of the university community. That's criminal behavior and it must be dealt with. And it takes people of good moral character, Christians, Jews, other religions and non-religious as well to band together to end such outrage by refusing to accept unacceptable behavior. Isn't it way past time for our elected, community, educational and yes, even our spiritual leaders to do just that in a united fight against evil wherever it's found? Silence is complicity, and if they and we remain silent, we deserve what we get and get it we will.
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