If there is anything 2001: A Space Odyssey taught me, it’s that our natural objective as a species is to progress in ways we deem necessary–technologically, socially, religiously, etc.
This trait spans essentially all life on earth. I mean, imagine if it didn’t. You could forget having children, or any life at all for that matter. Without a built-in “carrot on a stick” to keep life going, its existence might just fizzle out.
Without getting too abstract here, I’m trying to illustrate that a vital part of existing is advancement. Development. Growth.
You get what I’m saying.
Ok so let’s take a step back to macro scale. This instinctive ‘natural objective’ is showcased all the time. People live for this. Landmark discoveries, world records, awards, promotions, you name it–we’re addicted.
It’s not a bad thing either. Like I said earlier, is necessary for our survival. There is something interesting about it though. A weird thing occurs when this addiction becomes the center of attention, rather than its regular background state.
Here is what seems to happen:
Common logical thoughts sorta gets shoved under the rug, and the more flashy ideologies, beliefs, conversations, etc. outgrow the more mundane ones. We see this happening all throughout history.
Examples:
The Renaissance following the Middle Ages
Enlightenment-Period thinkers reacting to the Great Awakening
The Industrial Revolution spurring the introduction to modern technology and philosophy
Post-postmodernism reacting to…well…Postmodernism
There are TONS of these (old ideologies being relinquished by new ones). You could even argue that none of the ideologies are new, but rather just a reinventing of a past creation.
I’ll get to the point.
People all throughout history, but, especially now, subscribe to sets of beliefs. Most of the time, without thinking–because the set of beliefs is just ingrained in the cultural climate they were raised in. They become this massive population of like-thinkers who don’t really even make an effort to acknowledge they are like-thinkers.
This SUCKS because this blind unity can feel good enough to cover up a healthy skepticism. And when the groups of people with these mindless and common beliefs grow large enough, the system of beliefs just gets torn to pieces because smaller sects begin to form.
The little sects of the larger group isolating themselves from other smaller sects, and, consequently–the very individuals that make them up–breaking up the unity of the entire group, and growing the unity amidst the smaller sects. Theoretically, this cycle would simply continue.
So all of this may have been really obvious, but I needed get across my train of thought so I can isolate a problem that I believe exists in this cycle ( at least when it comes to Christianity).
Here’s the issue.
If all we do as Believers is merely in an effort to trailblaze Christianity, or adapt it to modernity, or even “move forward” in our walk with the Lord, why on Earth would it be obvious to those who see Christianity as just another “progression-obsessed” and bisected belief system that our God is any different?
Christian. Christ-follower. It means that we have to follow Christ. Not just talk about Christ. Not just do our devotionals. Not just learn more about God. Not just copy and paste Bible verses into instagram. Not just spread Him on a peanut butter&Jesus sandwich for people to take a bite out of and enjoy.
Maybe they don’t know anything about Jesus, but I’m just saying there is something to be said about the way unbelievers who act like Jesus and reek of Him. There is something to be said about our progression obsession.
There is something being said about Christ.
