A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

I have been told that maybe I should stop writing the ‘morality plays’ that have made up a big part of my weblog essays. People, they say, don’t want to hear about these things; you will lose readers. They probably are right; but I won’t (stop, that is). For there are people, whom I am proud to know, who “enjoy the words of eternal life,” or at least moral truths or insights that lead to a happy life; and I enjoy sharing these.

Yes, there are plenty of people who like to write about themselves and show innumerable pictures of themselves, which is fine, I guess, as far as it goes, and others who much prefer entertainment or feel-good ‘religion’: The Bible says, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers [or celebrities] having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth….” That time is now and I have no interest in competing with them.

Instead, I will joyfully plod on and hold up my Savior to look upon and share ideas or insights that I believe are congruent with eternal truth.

My object has been and will be to be a counterpoint to the prevailing ‘winds of doctrine [or degrading social norms]’ that blow to and fro. We have been enjoined to ‘Be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love….’

Therefore I will not promote myself, for I am an ordinary man; there are many out there who do promote themselves—they are called politicians or ‘public figures.’ But I will promote that which is “virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, [and will encourage all to] seek after these things.” Maybe that’s the ‘old-time religion’ as contrasted to the ‘feel-good religion’ that needs a few more spokesmen.