Some years ago Fr. Richard John Neuhaus foresaw an emerging religious struggle as outgrowth of an intensifying sense of cause in both conservative and liberal wings of the American Church. His insight was prescient.
As often the case, religious, social and political values tend to intertwine here. This found considerable demonstration, for example, in the last century's turmoil of the 'sixties as violence, flaunting of social norms, political upheaval and other expressions of defiance became, to at least some degree, hallmarks of the day.
In our present and increaslingly unsettled state certain similarities to the past would seem somewhat inescapable. That the Iraq dilemma might well occasion social turbulence reminiscent of the Viet Nam era remains a distinct possibility - particularly should the situation continue unresolved and need arise for reinstating the draft. In such times of civil unrest, frustration and defiance tend oftentimes to a wider negative response, not only in terms of the political and/or military, but social conventions and traditions as well.
Whatever the ultimate course of events, there are yet distinctions in relation to the current state of declension. A rising anti-Christian bias marks the present with a quality previously unknown in this nation. Prohibitions of reference to Christmas in growing numbers of public schools (one district in Texas even forbidding the wearing of red and green to their "winter break" parties); the growing disavowal of faith related themes (including the words "Merry Christmas") by various well-known corporations (e.g., K-mart's widely publicized ban of Christmas acknowledgment, to name but one), and escalating endorsement of both moral perversion and those so engaged are but symptomatic of a growing swell designed to undercut Christianity's moral authority and influence.
Ed Vitagliano, news editor for the AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION JOURNAL is on record thusly: "There is now a hostility toward believers that is bold and unrestrained. And I think the attempt to marginalize Christians will become more insistent in 2006 and beyond." (1)
Are we awake?
Burl Ratzsch
(1) AFA Journal, P.O. Drawer 2440, Tupelo MS 38803 (Nov/Dec 2005 pg. 1)
