Our entire culture is experiencing, either individually or in various groups and in one form or another, a loss of faith.. This is manifested in ways that have started small and have grown larger in many different aspects of our culture. When faith starts to erode, the foundations in every part of our lives start to become shaky. Ultimately there is nothing stable and we become fair game for the next easy fix, the next fad, food, religion, cult or any organization that promotes with an easy appeal. The PC movement is trashing our cultural symbols, icons, slogans, conservative thinking and anything that doesn’t say equality, sameness, and the lowest common denominator. There must be no anger. We must love everyone and everything no matter what the circumstances. There must be no extreme highs or extreme lows; no white or black, just the mid-range rainbow of the spectrum. Due to this thinking and pressure, we will become merely cogs in the wheels of society. No rich or poor. The rich will fund the poor (and become middle class), and the poor will take the dole (and become middle class). This equality will cause everyone to become happy and content with their lot in life. Until the money runs out. At that point everyone is in trouble.
We prevent the above situation by education, awareness and unwillingness to swallow everything whole. In other words, by thinking about the ramifications and consequences of the many ideas presented daily to us by the media. Let’s look at some of the consequences of our creeping loss of faith. Then think about prevention and reversal.
Loss of faith in God means that you no longer have any hope, that this one life is all you have. Then there is nothing. This is why some members of our younger generation have been able to kill large numbers of people. They have no conscience because there is no cosmic penalty, no cause and effect. They just give life their best shot, then they are gone. Without a moral compass, the future effects of this are impossible to predict. But the end result with no change doesn’t look good.
Loss of faith in country is the swiftest route to socialism in its worst form. A younger generation who doesn’t care what happens will let the strongest, richest, most charismatic politician take over. All he or she must do is to make appealing promises to large groups of people which will make their already meaningless lives even easier. This is being done more and more frequently. Patriotism becomes just a father figure who provides necessities and asks nothing in return. There is no longer any “quid pro quo.” No “come to the aid of your country.”
Loss of faith in self means that one becomes literally selfless and unable to think critically or make meaningful decisions or creatively “think out of the box.” Dependency is the norm. Neither yourself or anyone around you can be permitted to “rock the boat.” Questioning authority could result in a loss of the status quo which could cause a disaster. Again, there can be no “cause and effect,” only stasis.
Loss of faith in children means a disconnect with education at all levels. The children of the younger generation no longer have parents, they have guardians. Parental discipline is almost forbidden by the parents themselves and by any figure of authority. If the parent doesn’t allow discipline, then no one can. School rules are thought of as restrictive and destructive as are the law enforcement of city, state, and nation. “No one touches my child.” Result: No cause and effect and no discipline. And very little actual learning or education.
We are experiencing the above in many ways. And these attitudes are fiercely protected by “political correctness.” a nameless, faceless entity who uses intimidation and blackmail along with the court system of judges and lawyers to silence any non-participants with the threat of ruination by loss of their livelihoods, jobs, families and even their opinions until loss of faith in “anything” is the result.
Is there a solution that we can even talk about? Are there enough people left with faith who are willing to stand up, state a position and face the consequences? Faith means that we believe that there are, that we have hope, and that we trust that the younger generation will wake up and, using the “common sense” left over in small areas and groups of people, take control of their own individual minds.
AND, we need to demand music, both instrumental and vocal that expresses the above. Positive, uplifting, inspiring, spiritual songs and pieces that help us to think of our God, our country, ourselves and our children. Our art doesn’t have to just reflect the seamy side of life. It can also help lead us to a better place in out thinking and even renew our faith. Let’s look for some new and exciting songs…!