The Secular Culture on Abortion
7 June 2016[Previous Publication: http://pemptousia.com/2016/05/what-is-the-truth-about-abortion-today/]
As is obvious in just this quick study of abortion within our nation’s culture today, compared to the pure, clear and undiluted moral certainty of the Church, secular society in the Twentieth Century is a sink hole of ethical depravity that has lost all concept of moral absolutes — unless it be to embrace absolute evil. Utilitarianism, the philosophy of Atheistic Secular Humanism, preaches moral relativism and situational ethics saying in effect that there is nothing which is intrinsically good or evil, but rather that all things are dependent upon situation and circumstance. This errant nonsense has become the guiding light of all cultural reasoning and has caused the moral and ethical chaos rampant in Western society.
The Ten Commandments have become the “Ten Suggestions” even in some so-called “Christian” churches. The Golden Rule is forgotten or interpreted to mean government intervention on behalf on some “minority” group which is perceived as being persecuted. This modern schizophrenia is made evident in the spectacle of people supporting “choice” (abortion) as a “right” of children to be “wanted” and “loved.” Nowhere is this madness more evident than in the name of the world’s largest abortionist, “Planned Parenthood.”
The first deadly sin of pride no longer, for all intents and purposes, exists. Blatant egotism and extreme selfishness are exalted in the name of “rugged individualism,” “rights” and “freedom.” Gone is the concept of individual responsibility for individual action and there is a deliberate attempt within the culture — largely successful — to eradicate any knowledge or opinions which might interfere with America’s humanistic, hedonistic lifestyle.
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The mass media, both print and electronic, sole providers of every channel of information, carefully censors from the public almost all materials which could possibly cause an examination of the humanistic aims, goals and directions in which modern Western civilization is moving. Any attempt to provide such information and to teach moral absolutes — even within the family — is considered an unconstitutional invasion of the privacy of others including dependent minors. The very concept of privacy has come to mean the right to do whatever the individual pleases without interference or restraint and all efforts to inculcate different moral precepts is becoming — with increasing frequency — looked upon as a “hate crime.”
Those in power within the society are, in the vast majority, believers in and advancers of secularism, humanism, nihilism, relativism and utilitarianism with all their myriad and monstrous aims and goals. This roster of power includes the elite of commerce, science, academia, philosophy, medicine, government, the arts (including the entertainment arts: motion pictures, television, radio and popular publications) and even to a very large extent, that which is presented as “religion.” For instance, most of what today is described as “Jewish thought” is not reflective of devout Judaism, but rather of those “cultural” (secular) Jews who are either agnostics, atheists or believers in New Age syncretism. The “main-line” Protestant churches have also abandoned — in the vast majority of cases — every vestige of traditional Christian morality and many theological fundamentals as well. Yet, this extremely non-traditional, often anti-religious “religious” opinion is given greater weight by the organs of influence than such traditional bodies as the Roman Catholic Church, the various (and much larger) conservative Protestant denominations and Orthodox Judaism — not to mention, of course, the Orthodox Church.
Further, this non-traditional sentiment is often utilized to deny actual religious viewpoints — especially Christian — access to the public forum through the use of the much abused concept of the “separation of church and state.” For decades the media and other segments of judicial and social influence have been able to use this popular misconception of the constitutional propriety of religious thought in public affairs simply because it has been preached by so-called “religious” groups, most of which are the antithesis of everything actual “religion” represents. As stated previously, much of mainline Protestantism has been subverted by humanist and syncretic philosophy and now even the Roman Catholic Church is, apparently, going the same way especially in the West.
Even more frightening, however, is the public advancement and societal recognition and acceptance of the occult, including ancient pagan practices, witchcraft (wicca) and Satanism — all of which are flourishing in the modern moral void. In fact, such movements as radical feminism are bound up in a desire to return to pagan goddess worship, sorcery and witchcraft. As far as Satanism and demon worship are concerned, one need only peruse music packaging, tee-shirts and other memorabilia of heavy-metal rock music to appreciate just how prevalent the occult is among today’s youth. As we return to the days of paganism — and worse — there remain few sources of true Christian witness left in modern culture, only further emphasizing how infinitely important — and often how utterly lacking — is the witness of Orthodoxy.
But all of this is just the tip of the iceberg with regards the unconstitutional, unjust and immoral advocacy of abortion practiced by the power structure of this nation including the government, the judiciary and even law enforcement at all levels. The treatment of pro-life activists who have come under the “care” of local and state police are reminiscent of horror stories from the concentration camp and the gulag. For those who think “it can’t happen here,” think again. It not only has happened, but it continues to happen and the trend seems to imply that things will only get worse. Truly, the time is shortly upon us when those who speak out against abortion and those who serve that bloody god among others, will be considered — and treated — as “enemies of the State.”
The Church’s Witness in the World
However, martyrdom not withstanding, the Orthodox Church existing in the fullness of Christ must do what She has done for the last two thousand years; that is, to preach Christ and His Eternal Truth. Within the Church, moral relativism is non-existent. Her Eternal, Omniscient, Omnipresent and Omnipotent Founder, Guide and Savior, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.28 If we, the Faithful, are true to the Church, we need have no fear about how we should react to this or that current “moral crisis,” for Almighty God has made known to us, through His Church, His Divine Will and we will not stray as long as we know and obey that Will.
(To be continued)
