Darrow Miller and Friends

My Morality, My Rights, Your Problem: What Thoughts Are Shaping the West?

Thoughts eventually shape societies, for better or for worse.

We are fond of referencing Richard Weaver’s well stated axiom “ideas have consequences.” Ideas shape nations. Moral vision–or its absence–impacts the choices we make, and the choices made by our societies and governments. To see the breakthrough of the kingdom of God into our communities, we need to be thoughtful Christians who live wisely and practice virtue.

Two verses in Genesis 6 reveal the profound relationship between the intentions of our thoughts and the outcome in our societies: “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (verse 5) … ‎Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence” (verse 11).

The thoughts of our heart can produce violence or lead to peace. They can create just societies or corrupt societies. Proverbs 23:7 reminds us “For as he thinketh [inwardly calculates] in his heart, so is he…” The same can be said of a nation: as it thinks, it becomes. This profound truth should cause us to reflect on the root of the struggle of our societies. Whence the poverty, bankruptcy, lack of beauty, and social strife?

Here’s a graphic example. John Stonestreet wrote recently at BreakPoint about Colleen Francis, who self-identifies as a “transsexual” and,  with full impunity, walks around “naked in front of the other people” in a women’s locker room. He does so, not in some “progressive” European country. The locker room is at Evergreen College in Olympia, Washington.

Many of us watched with sadness and wonder the slow and dignified death of the late Pope John Paul II, Karol Józef Wojtyła. One person who wrote thoughtfully about it was Fred Hutchison, the consciously-Christian writer, lecturer, and reflective thinker.  Hutchison’s 2005 article, Existential Morality and the Right to Die, covered a range of topics related to life and death and the nature of freedom without a moral framework. For those of us who are concerned for the health and flourishing of our nations, we need to examine the ideas that lead to life and death, prospering and poverty, freedom and slavery. While a rather long piece, Hutchison’s essay will provide much food for thought and a foundation for wise action.

– Darrow Miller

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About 
Darrow is co-founder of the Disciple Nations Alliance and a featured author and teacher. For over 30 years, Darrow has been a popular conference speaker on topics that include Christianity and culture, apologetics, worldview, poverty, and the dignity of women. From 1981 to 2007 Darrow served with Food for the Hungry International (now FH association), and from 1994 as Vice President. Before joining FH, Darrow spent three years on staff at L’Abri Fellowship in Switzerland where he was discipled by Francis Schaeffer. He also served as a student pastor at Northern Arizona University and two years as a pastor of Sherman Street Fellowship in urban Denver, CO. In addition to earning his Master’s degree in Adult Education from Arizona State University, Darrow pursued graduate studies in philosophy, theology, Christian apologetics, biblical studies, and missions in the United States, Israel, and Switzerland. Darrow has authored numerous studies, articles, Bible studies and books, including Discipling Nations: The Power of Truth to Transform Culture (YWAM Publishing, 1998), Nurturing the Nations: Reclaiming the Dignity of Women for Building Healthy Cultures (InterVarsity Press, 2008), LifeWork: A Biblical Theology for What You Do Every Day (YWAM, 2009), Rethinking Social Justice: Restoring Biblical Compassion (YWAM, 2015), and more. These resources along with links to free e-books, podcasts, online training programs and more can be found at Disciple Nations Alliance (https://disciplenations.org).

1 Comment

  1. Jon

    February 19, 2013 - 7:07 pm

    I just read the Colleen Francis article. Lunacy in action.

    I haven’t gotten to the Hutchison Essay yet.

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