Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Tolerance?

I recently came across an insightful poem by Alexander Pope that made me think of our world today and its gradual acceptance of all sorts of sins under the guise of tolerance:

Sin is of such a dreadful mien
That to be hated is but to be seen
But oft seen becomes a familiar face
At first tolerated and then embraced

These lines pack a solid punch as they point out how quickly sin can worm its way into our lives when we refuse to take a stand against it as soon as it reveals its ugly face. A clear case in point is abortion which has been embraced to the degree that it is legal in many parts of the world.  Legalized abortion has led to a culture of death in our country (and others) because evil snowballs once it's accepted and gathers up speed. It's a short jump from destroying life in the womb to destroying life outside of it.

Most of us have been raised in this culture of death where abortion, partial-birth abortion, and even euthanasia are accepted or even embraced as part of an "enlightened humanity" which equates "choice" with freedom and an individual's personal rights. These very things that are accepted as an individual's personal "rights" would have been considered their personal "wrongs" until the second half of the last century. They called those personal "wrongs" sin back then.

It's frightening how quickly sin snowballs and picks up speed in its downward roll when it doesn't meet enough resistance to stop it in its tracks.

10 comments:

  1. This is a great and intelligent post.

    When God gave us choice, He gave us the freedom to sin or not to sin. It's almost as if He "allowed" us to sin, albeit it is wrong and evil. The alternative was for Him to create a race of robots pre-programmed to do His will. But that would hardly be love - would it?

    So, in His love for us, He allowed us the freedom to choose. For reasons best known to Him alone He is now allowing sin to run wild throughout the world. You are right in saying that since the 1950s attitudes have changed and what was considered wrong then is tolerated and accepted now. Perhaps, (and that's my guesswork), ... perhaps God is testing some of us to stand our ground and know right from wrong.

    God bless.

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  2. It is very difficult to get people to see the connection to killing outside the womb to abortion. Mother Teresa saw it and was always quite vocal about it- we should be too. A country that allows its unborn to be killed will stop at nothing.
    Thanks for the truthful and insightful post, Mary.
    God bless!

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  3. Your last paragraph Mary says it all. Sin does gain speed and we do loose control if we are not careful. Thank you for sharing such a powerful post. Blessings.

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  4. Amen Mary. I think this way too and find it frightening how something loses it's horror in familiarity.

    In the heartbreaking case of abortion, after coming here I remember puzzling and agonizing over what I could possibly say in defense of life when this topic would undoubtedly come up...and suddenly, it was like I was just struck by the simplicity of what I believe and the absolute absurdity of "being in the wrong" or "oldfashioned" for saying that every child should have the right to life.

    So very sad. So many things that would have been shameful and appalling before are now more than tolerated, they are promoted.

    Praying for our world...

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  5. Thank you all for your comments. It was only a matter of time before abortion escalated to out and out infanticide. By now, we have all heard horror stories about a number of babies who have survived abortion only to be killed after their entrance into this world. The link I put in my post is only one example of this atrocity.

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  6. Oh... you are so very right. The world has turned up side down. What is right and good is derided by most people today... and this about abortion is absolutely true...sin snowballs. So happy to have found you! (I've come to you from Victor's site) Please come for a visit at my St. Nicholas site. I'd love to have you along!
    Blessings!
    Ann

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  7. Wonderful post Mary! Sad, but so true.

    The next 40 days for life campaign starts up on Ash Wednesday. I will be devoting extra prayer and participation during that time. Hopefully many people will too.

    God bless

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  8. Ann
    Thank you for visiting! I will pop on over to yours too!

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  9. DG,
    Thanks for letting me know about the next 40 days for life. I'll be participating too.

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