It’s hard to stand up against a robotic crowd clothed in mechanized and politically correct armor. It takes great courage to speak out, great courage to deliver the truth to those who see you as a threat, who will slap you down, and even try to destroy you for it.
Last Year, my husband and I were in Destin over Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. We went to Mass at the Catholic church closest to where we were staying and met a very interesting priest. Nearly twenty years ago, many of his congregation left his church for other churches in the area, saying that they were tired of listening to his preaching of politics. The priest told about the exodus of those parishioners in a Sunday homily. He said he’d never preached politics, never talked about a candidate or a political party–not even once during his time as pastor. He said what he had preached was morality.
And isn’t that a large part of his job as a priest?
Now, I ask you–what do you think? Politics or morality?
Preaching against abortion. Is that politics, or morality?
Preaching against the selling of a pre-born baby’s body parts. Is that politics or morality?
Preaching against sex outside of marriage because of God’s commandment that it is wrong. Is that politics, or morality?
Preaching that marriage is created by God as a sacrament between a man and a woman. Is that politics, or morality?
Preaching that drugs harm not only the physical body, but the human soul. Is that politics, or morality?
Preaching that lying–especially under oath–is a sin. Is that politics, or morality?
You may be able to bring up other similar examples that are referred to as political, but are actually moral questions about what is good, honest and true.
Do you see an underlying–and current–problem here? Topics that have long been considered part of morality are, today, suddenly political questions where the answers are wishy-washy enough to be voted on as morally correct behavior. And worse— it is politically correct to adhere to them, even when the opposite is true.
Of course, this fuzzies up Truth. In fact, it tries to diminish it, using terms that intimidate or make a moral person seem small and petty.
What is the next step? A complete elimination of morality. An eradication of Truth?
Well, that bothers me. Does it bother you?
Today’s politically correct idea of morality reminds me of the fairy tale, The Emperor’s New Clothes. The people are propagandized with pre-planned slogans about how wonderfully dressed the emperor is–-and so they believe it. But in truth the emperor is parading around stark naked. And everyone is afraid to say so.
I think the priest from Destin was quite courageous. It’s hard to be one of the few standing against the crowd. It’s hard to be David fighting Goliath.
Translating a World on the Edge 