The expression “Culture War” seems to be invoked incessantly these days to explain the root of every dispute in spheres as far apart as the Christian religion and Washington politics.
Today’s “Culture War,” in fact, has precious little to do with culture. Far from it. Rather, the underlying causes of the conflicts are profound divisions in people’s understanding of the basic nature of human beings.
On one hand, there are the folk who believe that human nature has improved over the years, and that, ultimately, human society is perfectible—albeit in the far distant future.
People on the other side take a rather more baleful view of humankind. They believe that human nature is fundamentally flawed—tainted by a predisposition to sin—and that social progress can only be achieved by painstakingly striving to emulate God.
Those whose faith lies in human perfectibility dismiss folks who believe the contrary as unimaginative and hidebound. And it is clear their contempt for tradition and their bracing belief in “human progress” resonates with many Americans these days.
The history of the past century, however, makes it difficult to share their confidence. Never before has man striven so hard in the search for social perfection, yet, sadly, the end result of this effort has been immeasurable human misery.
But actually, the “Culture War” goes back far further than the 20th Century. Indeed, it is exactly what Jesus is talking about when he warns against false messiahs and prophets in the Gospel read on the 25th Sunday After Trinity (St. Matthew 24:23-31).
Gentiles, no less than Jews, are as susceptible to the siren song of false messiahs and prophets offering visions of heaven—on earth as often as above. And the consequences have been numberless deaths.
The French Revolution, for example, promised a glorious future of liberty, equality, and fraternity. All it delivered was death and destruction on a scale hitherto unknown.
Karl Marx, an apostle of atheism and the expositor of “scientific socialism”, would probably take exception to being described as a messiah. But he was, in fact, exactly that.
His political program aimed at the creation of heaven upon earth—a decidedly religious vision even though Marx’s God is evolution rather than the God of the Bible. Millions have been sacrificed on the altar of that vision.
Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler, Vladimir Illyich Lenin, Mao Tse Tung, Francisco Franco, Juan & Evita Peron, Papa Doc, Pol Pot, Jacques Bokassa, President Mobuto, Robert Mugabe, the list of false messiahs is endless and the number of their victims is beyond calculation.
But the fact of the matter is that they could not have carried out their programs without the enthusiastic consent of large numbers of ordinary people who succumbed to their rhetoric and endorsed their messianic visions.
Psalm 146 tells us: “Put not your trust in princes, nor in any child of man; for there is no help in them.” It is not an incitement to anarchy or even an argument in favor of a cynical approach to politics.
It is simply a warning against attributing to our political leaders messianic qualities and powers—and expecting of them quick fixes to intractable problems or other things they cannot or should not deliver.
The Romans of the First Century AD were acutely aware of the dangers presented by such unrealistic expectations. Their mistrust of the human ego was prominently on display when victorious Roman generals were awarded triumphs.
They were driven through Rome in gilded chariots, with their faces painted scarlet to represent the god Mars. A slave stood behind them holding their laurel wreaths, and whispering constantly in their ears: “Remember, you are merely a man.”
It is a statement that is as applicable to those who aspire to lead the nation today as it was to the aspiring leaders
Personally, I’d like to see a rather better track record before I bet the farm on human perfectibility. Till then, my money stays on Original Sin. GPH✠
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