The Newton cradle shows that the external pressures do not perturb the center, and slowly, their momentum and influence fade away. But the political pressures and realities of today, show the opposite, bringing turmoil, excesses, deterioration and destruction to the fundamental pillars of society, they supposedly try to serve, improve and protect.
Mathematical logic which is at the core of the pulsating universe, it seems it does not apply to societal maladies, because of man´s provoked chaos and anarchy, in the first place, and wrong premises, absolutes, perceptions, approaches and solutions, in the end. But the consequences are mathematically and inevitably logical, even if man does not like it so, and pretends to change, conveniently bypass, or dismiss the natural outcomes.
In the absence of individual righteousness, balance, integrity, transparency and steadfastness, society, as a whole, putting aside the individuals, takes over as the sole absolute, in absence of the other individual or collective absolutes.
But society, as such, is usually overcome by elite groups, giving authoritative arbitrary absolutes of their own, or by a man overcoming such elites, through similar ways and means.
Authoritarianism becomes the Only Other Humanistic Social Option. But authoritarianism can only flourish through manipulation, coercion, pressure and deception. In there resides the menacing, and overwhelming, threat that pervades societies, as it is seen nowadays.
Francis A. Schaeffer, in his book “How should we, then, live”, states it very clearly, documented, and concise, when he asserts: Leftist or Rightest authoritarianism are only two roads to the same end. Manipulation and deception as intermediate objectives, and control of the masses in the end! This is the logical consequence of the loss of Christian consensus that permeates the social fabric of today.
He validly points out that in such an absence, no reason for young or old, committed to apathy, remains to prevent the giving in, if promised personal peace and affluence, through the mirage of power exercised by the masses they are part of.
Mathematical logic which is at the core of the pulsating universe, it seems it does not apply to societal maladies, because of man´s provoked chaos and anarchy, in the first place, and wrong premises, absolutes, perceptions, approaches and solutions, in the end. But the consequences are mathematically and inevitably logical, even if man does not like it so, and pretends to change, conveniently bypass, or dismiss the natural outcomes.
In the absence of individual righteousness, balance, integrity, transparency and steadfastness, society, as a whole, putting aside the individuals, takes over as the sole absolute, in absence of the other individual or collective absolutes.
But society, as such, is usually overcome by elite groups, giving authoritative arbitrary absolutes of their own, or by a man overcoming such elites, through similar ways and means.
Authoritarianism becomes the Only Other Humanistic Social Option. But authoritarianism can only flourish through manipulation, coercion, pressure and deception. In there resides the menacing, and overwhelming, threat that pervades societies, as it is seen nowadays.
Francis A. Schaeffer, in his book “How should we, then, live”, states it very clearly, documented, and concise, when he asserts: Leftist or Rightest authoritarianism are only two roads to the same end. Manipulation and deception as intermediate objectives, and control of the masses in the end! This is the logical consequence of the loss of Christian consensus that permeates the social fabric of today.
He validly points out that in such an absence, no reason for young or old, committed to apathy, remains to prevent the giving in, if promised personal peace and affluence, through the mirage of power exercised by the masses they are part of.
Schaeffer points out some awful truths, hard to swallow and apprehending their rightful consequences, which are the manipulation and ultimately the destruction of the most fundamental pillars of society.
What are we talking about? What fundamental pillars? Which ones are manipulated? Which ones are crushed down and destroyed?
The manipulated and crushed down are the middle class and the lower classes or run of the mill people that constitute the foundation of the whole societal structure!
The manipulated one only, because it remains, without regards to the leftist or rightist manipulators who seek it or posses it? The financial power or CAPITAL, with capital letters, that uniforms the coloring of the ones who control it, through speculation, preservation, or both extremes compromising.
There are some overwhelming pressures, which, progressively, tend to prepare modern people to accept a manipulative, authoritarian government, being that of an elite group, or a charismatic but malefic man.
1. Economic breakdown. The spiral of inflation, leading to economic recession, and the fear of economic breakdown, swamping the individual and collective concern for freedom!.
2. The random violence and political terrorism, based on the premise that fear can be so great, that any compromise is worth security, if promises, even if not really delivers, such security!.
3. The threat of lower living standards altering basic attitudes, making authoritarianism more likely to be accepted because of such descending spiral of prosperity and a country´s place of power.
Mankind repeats itself, unendingly, through ages. Authoritarianism is nothing new and modern. It only adapts itself and its maneuvering to the circumstances. We just need to peruse through the pages of history.
Nowadays as in the days of Caesar Augustus, the first emperor of Rome, and we could go backwards in time, authoritarianism is most easily accepted if it is brought in, while seeming to keep the outward forms of constitutionality.
Does this ring a bell or a mosquito buzzing in our ears and conscience?
We should ask ourselves: What is that, that can give us a hope for the future? Schaeffer challenges us when he asks us: “how should we, then, live”. And I repeat: What is that, that can give us a hope for the future?
As Schaeffer points out, before we end up choosing our personal or collective alternatives and deciding which one to follow, we must place on the table of thoughts a reminder about presuppositions.
1. People act out their thoughts, whether they know it or not.
2. All depends on the world view one accepts and lives upon.
I must clarify that I have not been a Christian all my life and have had different world views before. But now, at the peak of my life thoughts, and having become a desiring to follow the right paths Christian, for the rest of my life, I accept and declare, as Schaeffer does, that there are only two Alternatives to Chaos, individual o collective one.
Either Authoritarianism or society´s affirming once again the original source of freedom, God, the Creator, and His revelation through Christ!.
It is either this or an imposed and an asphyxiatingly imposed order this will be. Man can live under the heaviest, as this one, yoke, and survive through the direst abuse and circumstances, but, my God, what kind of life would that be?
