The Naked Liberal
Reader comment on item: The Khadrs, Canada's First Family of Terrorism, in the News
in response to reader comment: Western sense of guilt

Submitted by Nachfolga (United States), May 14, 2006 at 19:46

While the British suffer under"post-colonial guilt". America has "white guilt". Both are related and stem from the same cause: Unforgiven sin. The Middle East isn't burdened by this crushing and suffocating weight because the source of sin's guilt is hundreds of years of the common Christian heritage in the Western world. As Christianity was abandoned in the post-modern world, the vacuum was filled by political liberalism and moral relativism. Apostate Christians attempt to transfer their growing mountain of moral and spiritual liability to judgement ( or unforgiven sin) to their heritage, culture and country: that to which there is nexus of identification but having the least personal pain to themselves. A vestigial Christian conscience drives them in restive activity to somehow, by any means, remove or mollify the ever increasing pressure of spiritual pain and fear of judgement. This process of spiritual chaos, disunity, and disintegration of the inner or hidden man may be termed "soul decay". The attempt to transfer personal guilt may momentarily or temporarily provide relief but soul decay continues. The cultural Christian or lapsed Christian becomes a liberal in the post modern sense. He transfers his guilt to others of his tribe while immersing himself in social causes. In defining himself as a "good person", he attempts to spiritually save himself by his "good works" while condemning strawmen. He accuses others but will not subject himself to examination. The good works become increasing perverse because he is cut off from Jesus Christ, the Head of the body of Christians, the invisible Church, by unrepented and therefore unforgiven sin. Evil becomes good and Good becomes evil. He becomes a liar justifying lies to further his causes. His ends justify whatever means are used. He becomes morally misshapen, a monster.

The cure is at the same time simple and excruciatingly difficult. Repentence is a gift of God and must be sought through prayer and humble admission of guilt. Confession of sin and guilt (or liability to judgement for sin) must precede forgiveness in the Christian Faith and doctrine. " Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities: the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. ...and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53) In both Judaism's Yom Kippur and Christianity there is no forgiveness without admission of guilt and repentance or returning to God. But for the lapsed Christian, once sincere confession of sin and repentance is made, the soul is restored to communion with Christ, his sins and guilt having been atoned for and removed to be remembered no more forever. " If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us, but if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Surely the Britain, Europe and America of 1900 and prior generations would have agreed with this prescription. In the 8th Century, virulent Islam was stopped at the borders of Christian Europe by Charles Martel. His grandson, Charles the Great, pushed Islam back to the Middle East. A repentant and restored Christian West would unite to neutralize the Islamic threat. This is a clash of civilizations and religions. The religion of Secular Humanism does not have the moral clarity, intellectual strength, or the spiritual authority to prevail over Islamic Jihad. Only a return to genuine Christian Faith will deliver us individually and corporately from both temporal and eternal destruction.

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