8/3/2021
To anyone that has read this rambling blog before, you probably already understand this topic, but to those who have never thought about it, I hope I can provide a little insight. In popular culture (I cringe even typing that), religion is almost always portrayed as being a close-minded, dogmatic way of life, but, in light of events of the last 18 months or so, it has become abundantly clear that religion is one of our only hopes for freedom.
We all know about Nietzsche's famous dictum "God is dead," and while he was mostly referring to the death of traditional morality, he did recognize the potential problems of a godless society. While we have had the idea of a secular society shoved down our throats for decades, without a greater morality or God to look to, man will simply begin worshipping other men. You need only look at the some of the insane religious imagery of certain US presidents to understand what I am saying. We have this idea that we need to be saved from evil people (which we do), but we hope that our savior will be another man.
Many people had the idea that Obama would save us from dumb Neo-Con policies; then many people believed Trump would "drain the swamp" of power-hungry statists. Neither happened, but to this day both men are held as heroes by their most devoted supporters despite accomplishing next to nothing.
Here is the main thesis: Everyone is fundamentally religious whether or not they subscribe to traditional religion. It is something so ingrained in humanity that if one does not devote his fervor to God, then he will transfer his fervor to the man with the most extraordinary promises; if not a man, then an ideology. I find it difficult to believe that anyone could be a true atheist, because they will likely devote their fervor to something earthly which I hold to be a religious act.
Do I even need to enumerate the potential for problems with religious redirecting? By directing our fervor (which EVERYONE has) into fallible men and ideologies, we will be suckered into immoral behavior, tyranny, and hopium indefinitely. To think such power ascribed to men would never be used against us is utterly foolish.
When we see the world through the Christian lens, we clearly see a world and its leaders as inferior to God; we do not ascribe them much power, and we will hold them accountable based on morality. The early church was clearly rebellious as they taught the story of Jesus despite the risk of death from kings and other religious leaders. Those leaders recognized the threat Christianity posed to their own power over people, and wanted to stamp it out immediately.
When we look to the infallible God as our leader, then no man can truly control us. This is precisely why religion is rebellious: it helps us filter out the power-hungry psychopaths that want to the rule the world. In a world where "God is dead," there is no filter to keep these evil people out of power. (When I say power, I don't just mean governmental. Corporate executives and other unchecked power sources have power over us as well.)
It is important for us to remember that no man will save us from geopolitical issues (ouch, another cringe term), social problems, or tyranny no matter how much he promises us. Freedom never comes from within the system; true reform is impossible. Unchecked power cannot be trusted in the hands of men; it can only be trusted in God's hands. Let us remember who our real leader is, and always put Him above our would-be tyrants.