Big Losses in Little Steps

The Theory of Evolution was built originally on the notion of little steps that lead to big changes. As I understand it, that concept is not really in vogue anymore. "Punctuated Equilibrium" is more the thing ... sudden big changes separated by long time periods. In life, we tend to think of the big changes as significant. For instance, losing a job (big change) is much more significant than getting a new boss or coworker (little change). But there are many who can tell you that the little change can lead to the big change.

I tend to think that it is the little changes in society that lead to the big changes more often than not. Look, for instance, to the evolution of the role of religion in American life. A hundred years ago no one blinked an eye at the fact that religion (Christianity in particular) played a big role in American politics. If someone had tried a hundred years ago to ban religion from politics, they would have been laughed out of the political arena ... at best. But little by little over the last century there have been small changes that have brought us, ultimately, to an almost unanimous opinion that politicians' religious beliefs have no place in the public square. Little steps, not big ones. There were 80 years of the ACLU focusing largely on the topic bringing bigger and bigger cases to the courts until the tide of public opinion shifted. There were assaults from other areas as well. Madalyn Murray O'Hair got Bible reading banned from public schools in the 60's. Religion was the prime opponent of the "free love" movement, and as people warmed to the idea of having sex whenever they wanted, religion lost its sway. (Note: There are outspoken atheists who have stated that they specifically hate religion because it attempts to prevent them from having sex whenever they like. It's not a theory of mine.) Science became king and Evolution its proof, so to speak. If Evolution, then God is not an issue. Thanks. Go away, God. We don't need you anymore to explain Origins. We don't need you anymore to offer guidance in living. We don't need you anymore to direct Law. Little by little, step by step, the perception that religion was a good thing began to slip. No one actually wanted a theocracy in America, but over the last hundred years or so God has been moved out of the way entirely. He's not welcome in school. He's not welcome in government. He's not welcome in the bedroom. And we end up with a world today where 75% of Americans call themselves Christians, but only 15% of them actually go to church and only 5% of them say that their religious beliefs affect how they live. Practical atheism reigns in a country that is considered a "Christian country" by many. Perhaps "Christians" are the majority, but not practicing Christians, to be sure. And, look, whatever you want to believe is fine, as long as you don't try to affect me with it. That's America's attitude today, a far cry from the America of a hundred years ago that may not have been a "Christian nation" then, but surely held largely Judeo-Christian ethics.

So what? What's the big deal? We've moved our moral base. What does it matter? We've ushered God out the door of our state houses. "Thanks. It was nice knowing You. We'll be sure to visit You on Sunday ... well, some of us ... well, occasionally, I guess. Bye, bye." What difference does it make? It sounds like small steps and little change, but we're at a breaking point here. Consider, for instance, the words of the Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

The premise of this document and the Constitution that followed along with the Bill of Rights was that the Creator has endowed humans with "unalienable Rights." The government -- any government -- didn't get to remove them. They could only defend them. No one had the right to remove them if the Creator endowed us with them. Get your stinking hands off my rights, you dirty ape! But wait. There is a change here. We've deleted the Creator from our public square. We've removed God from government. Not allowed, thanks. Much better now. So "these truths" are not self-evident, and, frankly, your rights are not secured by God anymore. That argument is not allowed. So ... on what basis are you now going to claim that you have the right to Life or Liberty? Christians would like to say that humans are special, that they're created in God's image, that they have a unique standing among Creation. But that's not allowed. So, having neatly shoved God out of the way, on what do you base the convenient belief that humans have any special rights at all? On what do you complain about "human rights violations" since no such rights can be proven?

I have already said that I'm concerned about the "little step" of California allowing homosexuals to call their relationships "marriage". I've already said that I think that there have been too many assaults on marriage already. I've already said that I have grave concerns that the little steps that have been taken over the last 50 years have put the institution of marriage in critical condition. I think that we're taking little steps, here and there, that, over time, are creating a world for us in which we really cannot afford to live. Marriage is in trouble. Human rights are in question. Religion has been moving toward a status of "enemy of the state." Little steps here and there and pretty soon I think we'll find that we've moved to an unsustainable world that no one likes. It doesn't seem far-fetched that humans, a little step at a time, are going to be out of a job. I just wish I had a clue how to correct it. I don't. It's good, at least on my end, to know a Sovereign God.