Paradigm shifts

The first human beings knew that there is one personal Creator-God.  The Bible reveals to us where and when things started to go wrong.  The first humans already wanted to replace God to see themselves at the centre of the universe.  When the relationship between God and his image-bearers was broken through the human rebellion, all other relationships (intrapersonal: psychologically, interpersonal: socially, humans vs. nature: environmentally) experienced brokenness and serious trouble.  Nevertheless, God did not abandon his creation: He promised to preserve and protect it and to restore it in the end.  It’s about the Kingship of God: the universe belongs to God, and only when He is once again the undisputed Ruler will His Kingdom be restored.

We need to take another look at the triangle that I introduced in the previous post.  I’m sure improvements could be made, but simplicity has its advantages.  There is only One God at the top, but Satan uses many tricks, therefore I gave him the whole base line.  When people and people groups refuse to put God in the centre, they must substitute something else for Him.  Essentially there is only a limited list of options for suitable idols. 

·         In the early chapters of the Bible, people get into trouble by seeking power and glory for themselves: Lamech is a prime example, apparently followed by others who used power and violence to take whatever women they wanted for their personal pleasure.  In my understanding these warriors called themselves ‘lords of the earth’ or ‘sons of God’.  Their ruthless and destructive habits resulted in the Great Flood.  Self-worship, of course, was not wiped out with the Flood: people who live –first and foremost- for their own enjoyment and success still fit this category.  Many different desires may battle for the central place in life: wealth in the bank or in possessions, health or bodily perfection, food or drink, drugs or sex, travel or entertainment, career or business, prestige and public praise, or power over people.  In all of these things, “self” is in the centre of the human life.

·         Next, we read about people groups who begin to worship sun, moon, and other created beings.  In Egypt, it seems that shamans received powers from the spirits that they worshiped.  These spirits were typically associated with particular animals or other created things.  All such gods and spirits are virtual or real servants of Satan that promise certain powers or blessings in life.  Indigenous tribes, Hindus, and New Age adherents essentially worship such spirits of the world.  Most of modern Europe seems to have fallen prey to this form of neo-paganism, where Nature is once again worshipped as god. 

·         People love power, and it is in (enforced) allegiances to tribes, countries, or empires that they are able to get great power.  Such empires and their governments or leaders usually insist on being treated like gods.  Perhaps we should label the left-hand bottom of the triangle ‘self and society’, for it includes forms of nationalism and communism.  It also includes societies that place their cultural traditions essentially above the revealed will of God.  When people are prepared to sacrifice their lives for the benefit of their country, community, or tribe, this reveals the true nature of their god.

The Bible warns us that people are not necessarily Christians when they know the right doctrine or if they call Jesus their Lord; they must demonstrate that Jesus is their Lord!  People may presume to be disciples of Christ, but only when they begin to ‘talk and walk’ like Him is there evidence that they are truly His disciples.  This also requires that they continue to grow in this direction.  If people live their daily lives as if there is no God, they are living as atheists, regardless of their claims.  If people appear to live exemplary self-sacrificing lives in order to get applause from people or from gods, this will not give them credit with God Almighty.  True Christian behavior seeks to live a life of thanksgiving in awareness of God’s amazing grace!

In China the cultural centre has shifted from family and community (under Confucius) to the emperor, and then to the Communist Party.  Today, the younger generation clearly focuses on “self”.  That is why today most families are broken and now many working young people stop sending money home to their families at home.

In Europe the cultural centre shifted from gods and nature spirits to God.  Later humanity dethroned God, putting man and his achievements in the centre.  Even though most of Europe appears to be very secular, Nature has in many ways replaced God.  Already in the late seventies I noticed how many formerly devoted (reformed) Christians started to focus most of their time and energy on nature study and preservation.  Some may applaud this as good neo-calvinism, but in effect God had already been pushed from the centre.  Good fruit is only produced when people and communities remain solidly rooted in Christ.  When Christians no longer care about reading or studying the Bible, they cannot hope to have a redeeming impact on the world.  Shamanism and spiritual healing quickly try to fill the void left in a society that has abandoned God. 

In the States we may recognize a shift, first from God to the Federation.  Recently, however, it has become quite evident that also here we find a shift from society to self.  Anybody who has followed the economic developments and the causes for the recent depression will recognize that the wealthy citizens care much more about their personal wealth and freedom than the national economy and security.  As the government tries to clamp down on selfish forces that are destructive to the federation as a whole, I wonder if there is really that much difference between China and The States.  Yet, neo-paganism also takes its toll in North America.  It is here that “The Lion King” teaches us to learn from indigenous tribes and their spirit worship to restore the harmony with our natural and spiritual environment.  It is here that NASA scientist James Lovelock proposed that we view the planet as a living organism, called “Gaya”, which will take revenge when its wellbeing is threatened.  “Gaya” will use natural disasters to fight against the cancerous growth of human population, just “as a dog shakes off its fleas.”