A recent post on social media lamented the substitution of drag queens for Bibles in elementary schools. Against my better judgement I began reading some of the comments.
The post was on a forum that mostly viewed the idea of men dressing up in a grotesque mockery of absurd womanly stereotypes (whatever happened to feminism?) as an act of corruption to little children. But not everyone lamented the loss of the Bible.
One man wrote that the Bible was more dangerous to the children. He went on to mention the Catholic Church and scandals that have happened. His anger made me wonder if he, or someone he loved, had been harmed.
I started a somewhat defensive reply with statistics of abuse by family members compared to those by religious authorities: “Statistically it is more dangerous for a child to be left with a family member than a clergy member.”
There were some other uncomfortable statistics that I was tempted to post in my frustration. I decided, quickly, that none of them were relevant. Anyone, child or adult, harmed by the hands of anyone who claims to be in the Catholic Church, is a tragedy and shame. “Better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone …”
So, I left it and said a prayer for him instead. While I was thinking about him, about his resentment of the Bible and Christianity, the irony of his comments hit me. He abhorred the sexual perversions mentioned in the post but rejected the source of his abhorrence. Despite the hypocrisies that he had witnessed, Christianity is what taught him that those very issues were perversions.
Before Christianity, the pagan world had a very different sense of morality. Children, young men, and women were commonly use as sexual playthings. Slavery was an accepted norm. People lived under the rule of tyrants who could use the people as they wished. Babies were sacrificed or left to die if disabled. The poor were segregated from society. Of course there were some exceptions, some civilizations that attempted to follow natural law and to punish those who broke it, but the Israelites were called to be a light because the world was very, very dark.
Christian missionaries witnessed horrors as they brought the Gospel to pagan lands. The writings of what they experienced is shocking. They suffered incredibly to bring morality and light to pagan nations. Most of them were killed for it, but the blood of the martyrs inspired people, and made them question, “What was it that made these people die for what they believed? Who did they serve that called them to such a different way of life?”
Kings and rulers converted, and Christian law and morality became the norm.
People blame religion for the problems of our times, but it is the lack of religion that has brought us where we are. Without the Bible, without Christianity, the man I mentioned would have no grounds for his anger. Without morality, there is no judgment. Without God, nothing is sin. Without truth you can condemn nothing. You might feel uncomfortable about certain behaviours or have your own preferences, but without Christian morality – shared in part by other faiths – anything goes.
It’s said that we live in a time where anything is permissible, but nothing is forgiven. No doubt. If you dare step outside the new norms you are immediately cancelled.
I cannot think of any moral tradition that isn’t being defied. While we are disgusted at the idea of innocent children being harmed, well-supported groups are working to remove the age of sexual consent. They are protected and promoted as brave. So using children is acceptable in some cases but not others, because it is based not on truth or morality but on individual preferences and feelings.
Either Christ is King or no one is. When he is removed from his rightful throne and replaced with individualistic and temporary causes we are left with nothing, a black hole, an empty nation seeking happiness in pleasure, and, inevitably, destruction.
The reign of Christ is a reign of peace, of promise, of hope and light. He died to give you love for all eternity. Keep him firmly in the throne of your hearts, because usurpers are at the door.
