What is the culturally dominant worldview and what is its agenda for society, policy, law, the state, etc?
Schaeffer's line of despair analysis, as modified and extended may help us:
And so, we end up with a worldviews "cap" that shields us from reality, calling forth genuinely prophetic, visionary intellectual and cultural leadership to break through the worldview roof and shield from reality:
Is the present course of our civilisation in reality a march of folly . . . ?
Certainly, the apostle Paul counselled in no uncertain terms:
2 Cor 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh [as mortal men], we are not carrying on our [spiritual] warfare according to the flesh and using the weapons of man. 4 The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ . . . [AMP]
And, Jesus, in his world famous Sermon on the Mount, observed:
Matt 6:22 “The eye is the lamp of the body; so if your eye is clear [spiritually perceptive], your whole body will be full of light [benefiting from God’s precepts]. 23 But if your eye is bad [spiritually blind], your whole body will be full of darkness [devoid of God’s precepts]. So if the [very] light inside you [your inner self, your heart, your conscience] is darkness, how great and terrible is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord]. [AMP]
Also, he warned -- in one of his hardest sayings:
John 8:31 So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word [continually obeying My teachings and living in accordance with them, then] you are truly My disciples. 32 And you will know the truth [regarding salvation], and the truth will set you free [from the penalty of sin].” . . . .
43 Why do you misunderstand what I am saying? It is because [your spiritual ears are deaf and] you are unable to hear [the truth of] My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and it is your will to practice the desires [which are characteristic] of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks what it natural to him, for he is a liar and the father of lies and half-truths.
45 But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me [and continue in your unbelief]. [AMP]
Let us ponder, then, a handy modern animal myth, lemmings headed over the cliff:
that is, more analytically:
. . . so that we need to bring together strongly participative community consultations under principles of sustainability in light of SWOT-alignment BAU vs ALT factors:
also, the community dynamics FAO identified:
with the 3-4-5 governance factors as a handy way to focus:
. . . where we understand our strengths and weaknesses as decision-makers, duly informed by Boyd's OODA loop:
. . . and hopefully culminating in an agreed programme of action backed by a critical mass committed to genuinely sustainable change for the good:
Yes, sound policy level reform of the community is hard to do, and needs to reckon also with the inherent instability of democracy that requires constant, committed, well informed vigilance and public spirited support to sustain it:
Yes, a sobering cluster of thoughts, but such are what we must face collectively if we are to have hope for moving our civilisation forward to safe harbour.
For sure, we cannot afford the price of a march of manipulated folly where the majority imposes imprudence because it underestimates hazards and over estimates how much control we have and/or how clever we are, as Ac 27 so succinctly warns. END
