Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Monday October 20, 2008

I have noted on occasion the gradual disappearance of God from the national, local and even church scene. The idea that we are so smart God is longer necessary at least implies that God is the invention of man, rather than the reverse, suggests that it is time for the idea of "God" to exit the scene and leave us alone. Churches too often settle for a good feeling, rather than the revealed God of the Bible and history. I made a quick remark once, for which I was severely reprimanded by one Great Blonde, that if life is just a good feeling, why not have more red light districts and fewer churches?

The truth is life is more than fuzzy feelings.

Wiser men than me have posited on the importance of Western Culture existing only due to the driving power of God at the center.

In "Christianity and Culture," T.S. Eliot wrote:

"The term 'democracy' as I have said again and again, does not contain enough positive content to stand alone against the forces you dislike, it can easily be transformed by them. If you will not have God (and He is a jealous God), you should pay your respects to Hitler and Stalin."

The greatness of Western Culture is merely the surrounding glory of the nucleus of Christ, who is the center, the dynamo of this phenomenon of history.

The eternal enemies of Christ have again manifested themselves in the form of unbridled greed, godless socialism, and a hedonistic society that does not wish to retain God in any form of public life, nor His presence near the hearth. Our people echo the pathetic boast of Henley, shouting "We are the captain of our souls" when all the while we are drowning in our gluttony, addictions, larceny and emptiness.

Modern society around the world has said, "Keep your religion to yourself, it has no business in the public arena." Yet, all who truly know Christ are at His command to tell His story, to witness to use the biblical word. The early apostles faced torture and prison, the loss of all things for their refusal to have a modern hush hush religion.

Our American Democracy cannot face and defeat those enemies who hate our freedom, alone; Christ must be the reason for our efforts. If it is admitted that sans Christ, one form of milking the people of the fruits of their labor is as good as another, then we shall not prevail. Keep in mind the wide spread understanding of the dignity of all people, the breaking of the bands of the slaves, the lifting of women from near slavery to her pedestal, the rights of the human race all trace to the fairly recent fuller knowledge and understanding of the Bible, and the God of the Bible, followed the invention and implementation of the printing press.

A country without Christ is vain and Christianity without Christ is a terrible vacuum. In "Eliot and His Age" Russell Kirk quoted T.S. Eliot as saying:

"A people without religion will in the end find that is has nothing to live for."

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2008 Use with credit

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