On Fighting 'The World'

And then there is the vainglory of life—the self-conceit, the desire for praise and deference, the delight of being thought an important and significant person, of wielding power over others, of being in the lime-light; all the empty vanities of fashion and custom and title and office and uniform and status, the little snobbish impostures into which men tumble before ever they are aware of it. It matters not that our circumstances are narrow, the stage on which we play our part small and hidden. It matters not that we know in our heart of hearts that when we come before God it will all avail us nothing. The mean little ego will still have us out on our stage, prancing and strutting and posturing, even though he be the only spectator.

Why then does the Apostle call all this sort of thing —the lure of the body, the covetousness of the eye, the pride of life—the "world"? The word "world" conveys the idea of organized power, something larger than the individual in which the individual is, and by which he is continually influenced and shaped. This is important. We have not seen the real problem of the moral and spiritual emancipation of men, until we realize that the desire of the body, the desire of the eye, and the vainglory of life are a world in this sense. These distorted visions, false ambitions, wrong ideals, impostures and unrealities, have constructed a social organism in harmony with themselves which begins at once to bind and shape every new life which is born into it. That is what makes the problem of our regeneration so difficult. All the time we are being subjected to the influences, so subtle and unnoticed many of them, of a society, a world, built up on these perverted values of comfort and acquisition and vain-glorious reputation. You thrust it out of your being at one point, and it has crept in at another. Quite plainly, to get a man out of this world or system, to emancipate him from all these false values, is going to be a tremendous operation. It will need to be drastic, violent, decisive. We have only to look into our own hearts to know that.

--H.H. Farmer, The Healing Cross: Interpretation of Life (London: Nisbet and Co., 1938)

New Publication (Probably)

Recently, I have been engaged in dialogue with a staff writer/graphic designer from a Buffalo, NY-based, securalist publication entitled, THE BEAST (www.buffalobeast.com). A couple of years ago, this explicit and quite anti-Chrisitan magazine ran an article critiquing the church I currently attend (www.thechapelatcrosspoint.com). The writer did an undercover job, interviewing some of the pastors there (without them knowing it was for publication) and presenting a vitriolic review of the church, its services, and its congregation.

In response, I recently emailed this writer asking if I could provide a pro-Christian retort. I thought this fair in light of the fact that earlier he took unforeseen shots at my home church. Surprisingly, I've been told that I can submit a 400 word article to the publication in which I can include a brief case for/summary of the Christian faith.

Any Christians readers of this blog this, please pray that God grants me the appropriate words so as to reach some non-believers with this essay.