The science of devolution

I spent a lot of time in the Gospels this week. Which is unusual only because in my own study time, I'm in Ezekiel.

But, I worked with the advertising staff on a project which required Gospel narratives and in preparing the Holy Week round-up story, there I was again, traversing the route from the triumphal entry to the empty tomb, four times over.

What an astounding last week that was. The crowd sang praises one day, then curses filled the air. The children, upon whose heads the Lord had laid blessings, no doubt danced around the worshippers, but hopefully were shuttered inside when the crowds turned ugly, when the chants went from honor to horror with little warning.

Jesus knew -- of course he knew -- that his time was short, for in the perusal of the four Gospels I discovered some of the deepest truths about him, his kingdom, his purpose and our Father than can be found in all the rest of Scripture.

The parables, the prayers, the preparation of his disciples for what was soon to come, were all condensed into that final week.

Sometimes, I feel the same sense of urgency. When I look at the continuing disintegration of societal mores and the seemingly total lack of restraint demonstrated in the recent violence in our nation, I wonder how much longer can mankind last? How much more is God willing to allow?

A lot has been said in recent decades about the evolution of mankind, whether from the apes or from the Neanderthal man, who, according to popular comic strips through the years, simply clubbed his dinner, and his mate, to satiate natural desires.

From the look of things, not only do they have the science wrong, they may have it backwards.

In looking at the Great Pyramids, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Sphinx, the Taj Mahal or any of the other architectural wonders of the world, one can only wonder at the intellect behind such engineering wonders.

Many of the world religions also have stood the test of time, with the insights offered by their holy men still finding adherents today. Of course, Christianity is among those great religions, and Jesus is still changing the world, one heart at a time. But I can't help but wonder at the deep intellect that formulated so many gods in the absence of their knowledge of the one true God.

Some 233 years or more ago, this continent birthed some of the most brilliant statesmen, men of integrity, men who spoke of freedoms granted to all by the Creator who then stood in the battle lines to defend each man's right to those freedoms.

But where are we now? Civilization seems to have taken a serious U-turn. Oh, we still have great minds, aided no doubt by microchips, and there are some who could attain to statemenship, if only we could get them to pay their income tax. But, by and large, we seem to be losing ground, both intellectually and at baser levels. In the absence of absolutes, in this day and age of "anything goes" and "if it feels good, do it," we discover to our utter dismay that for some, anything goes means "everyone goes." Case in point, the father who, distraught at his wife's departure, decided to take all five of the couple's children to the grave with him. Or the worker in New York, who upon losing his job, decided to take former co-workers to the grave with him. Another domestic dispute overflowed into a nursing home setting where only the heroic actions of the town cop stopped more bloodshed. The shooter in this case seemed completely unconcerned about who he took with him, killing the aged and infirm, but only after instilling great fear and terror.

Devolution. It has even happened to the church. Once the bastion of marriage, family values and a sanctuary for the world-weary among us, in America it is now nearly indistinguishable from society at-large. Divorce, adultery, co-habitation and premarital sex are as rampant inside the doors as out. Believers do not want to offend anyone, so that which was once evil is now, if not good, is at least tolerable.

Don't speak of sin or death or hell, for heaven's sake, people might not want to come back. Numbers matter more. Why then, do you suppose, that for the first time in our nation's history, Christianity is no longer the "default" faith?

For 33 years, Jesus walked among us. He suffered the same indignities of infancy and childhood that every child endures, all while carrying deep inside of himself the knowledge of that final week. For three years, he surrounded himself with close friends, contemporaries who saw in him and through him the awesome power of God, to heal, to provide, to rescue.

Then came that final week. Time was up. Read through the narratives again. See again the urgency in Jesus' actions. Understand again the why of the cross and the urgency of our response, or lack of response, to it.

"I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2 (NIV)