Today I was very struck by a short video I watched on FaceBook posted by a friend of mine. The video addressed the differences between how we think wealth should be, how we think it is and how it actually is distributed in America. I was not shocked as some of you may be. I know that the top 1 % of the wealthy hold a huge part of the pie. But for your edification I provide this clip to look at before I continue with my post.
Wealth Inequality in America
I guess what I wanted to say was that those in the "Liberal" part of the house that are atheist and who support the idea of evolution, this is the right and normal outcome. With no God there is no right and wrong outside of "The Law of the Jungle" Which is he (or she) with the most toys is the best evolutionary adapted and is deserving of that wealth. There is no real fair and right and just outside of the "Judeu-Christian" world view. Without there being One True God to rule over us and to hold us accountable, He or she who is strongest, fastest or meanest is bound to win. Outside of Christianity in a world ordered by evolution and our selfish mitochondria there is really no such thing as fairness or right and wrong.
In the eye of evolution the bully is just a well adapted person who is rightly exerting their dominance over another weaker individual. Without Judeo-Christian fairness and justice, there is no such thing as rape or abuse being wrong. There is only the strong exerting their power over the weak, which in evolution's eye is apt. The rule of Law (both The Bible and governmental) is only right and effective in a society where all the men and women recognize a higher power who punishes the criminal and blesses the law keeper; where we recognize there are absolutes in right and wrong.
Evolution doesn't teach love your neighbor, it approves of your taking advantage of your neighbor. He or she is just someone to be dominated or feared. Your neighbor is either a threat or a potential source of material to increase your own wealth. Evolution doesn't encourage an ordered society apart from the strong ruling over the weak. Evolution doesn't distinguish between popularity, intellectual power and brutality; whatever works is the rule of thumb in evolution.
Consider the problem of inner-city gang violence; it is just a symptom of a society which has put greed, acquisition of wealth and popularity as the ear marks of a successful life. And really the video linked above is just proof of the law of the jungle at work. Maybe those who hold the majority of the wealth are more stylish in the acquisition of material wealth than the inner city gang leader, but the result is the same - gaining wealth and power at someone else's expense. Evolution says this is normal, Judeu-Christian values say this is unjust.
So how do we get out of this mess? Well, first we who are Christians can begin to live as Christ did, and stop judging our success based upon wealth, comfort and fame - in other words actually living like The Golden Rule really is a true measure of our faith. Second we can work to share the Good News in every avenue of our life. If we really do believe and we really are going to let Christ reign as our Lord and Savior, then his values must become our values. He died on the cross so that every man, women and child, could have opportunity to come to the saving knowledge of God. We Christians must learn to live the kind of life based upon God's love that will demonstrate the reality of The Law of Love; therefore we must reject standards of behavior and success which are not in line with Christ's love and life.
Then we will have to police ourselves to ensure that God's love is the dominant theme at work in our lives. That love puts relationship above wealth, notoriety and personal power. We should live such lives that demonstrate the reality of God's love at work in our hearts. We cannot do this in and of ourselves, because like all those around us, there is a broken, selfish, greedy person living inside each of us. We have to choose which part of us we are going to feed. Whichever we feed, it is that part of us that will dominate our lives.
Until Christ returns there will always be those who reject him and chase after all these things that are bringing ruin on our world, but the more of us that are pursuing God and rejecting these values then the better things will be. We can't just hunker down and wait for "The Rapture" hoping to make it till He comes back. We are called to be salt and light in the world. We can and must make a difference in the world. It doesn't mean we will fix everything, but if we learn to love our neighbors as ourselves, I cannot but think that life will be much better.
Blessings,
Preacher Al
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