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Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Doin' What Comes Natur'lly

It was a song from the 1946 Broadway musical, Annie Get Your Gun. It assumed things no longer in evidence. Like "My little baby brother, who's never read a book, Knows one sex from the other, All he had to do was look." Yeah, back then. No longer.

Seems to me the title has become the theme of modern life. We have welcomed a new standard into our world: "what comes naturally." That, it seems, is what is real, what is good, what is right. So Bruce Jenner "naturally" feels like he's a girl and is counted as "brave" and "heroic" for acting out on what any other society prior to this one would have classified as insane. You know, "All he had to do was look." For our times, "born that way" means "good" and "good" in this sense means "unassailable" and everyone who acts on this "good" is a wonderful person for it and anyone who questions it is evil.

This, of course, is not sustainable. I mean, if a person claims to be "born that way" and that makes it "natural" and, therefore, good, what do we do with the people who are "born to kill"? The kleptomaniac says, "I just can't help it." We don't consider that good, even if it is "natural". If we were to operate on a "doing what comes naturally" basis for our societal morality, we would in no time be in anarchy. So how does that work? Well, they tell me, it's not merely a matter of "what comes naturally". You also have to factor in "harm". If you do what comes naturally and it does no harm, it is indeed good.

This sounds good, and a lot of people would nod and agree ... except, perhaps, God. You see, much of what passes as "doing what comes naturally" without doing "harm" is sin. And the Bible assures us that your fleshly passions "wage war against the soul." (1 Peter 2:11) Now, you might argue that it does no "harm" and you might point to whatever measurable values you might choose, but measuring the results of war with the soul isn't really possible today. And if God believes that they are at war against your soul, I think we would have to qualify that as "harm" even if we can't measure it. You know, take God's Word for it.

I'm just concerned that our modern version of "doin' what comes natur'lly" might just kill the soul. Indeed, I suspect it already has in many cases. At least, that's what Paul suggests (1 Cor 6:9-10). Could it be possible that self-control -- that choosing not to always do what comes naturally -- could be a viable, beneficial option? The Bible thinks so (Gal 5:22-23) Of course, I'm sure that won't carry much weight in a world hostile to God. I'm not surprised. But it is sad that many who call themselves Christians disagree as well.

2 comments:

Bob said...

i remember a conversation we had some years ago, where i said " why cant i just do what comes naturally? and you said "yea but what if you call natural, is sin?" kind of mess up my head on that one. it seems we spend a lot of time justifying our lawlessness. we give it lot of cool names, natural, made that way, product of society, parents fault, ect. rebellion is considered fashionable among the lost. if you can show that you oppose all that is Holy and Good , somehow you are respected. it is no wonder the world hates our Lord, and dont be amazed that the world will hate you too.. is it remotely possible that God haters will find your post offensive. perhaps you should be more sensitive to their feelings. i am an animal lover, so does that mean i can married my dog? i wouldn't really do that. besides she has a problem of lying all the time..

Stan said...

Yes, I can hear it now. "But ... I gotta be me!"

I can almost hear God saying, "Oh, no ... don't do that! That will really hurt!"