A World Turned Upside Down

Christianity has been on the decline in the United States for the past 60 years. And what has its waning brought us? Are our lives happier and more fulfilled? Are we truly all the better for it? Much of secular society will say this decline has put the U.S. on the path to success. “Just look at the GDP,” they say. Unfortunately, their haughty arrogance blinds them to the stark truth; a truth that becomes increasingly clear as time passes.

Their hollow remarks only serve to distract from the misery and emptiness that characterizes the modern man. From every angle, this void seeps through the deceptive façade of “progress.” The people of today proclaim to have an immense amount of joy and contentment in their lives, but in their hearts, they are tragically lost, alone, and depressed. These sentiments are not just speculation—the data is quite clear.

Recent years have seen almost half of adults in America reporting experiences of loneliness, a significant upturn from previous decades. Depression rates have surged to new heights, with 29% of U.S. adults reporting a depression diagnosis at some point in their lifetime, up from 19.6% in 2015. Suicide rates have also increased, with the U.S. experiencing a 33% rise from 1999 through 2019. Recent studies also indicate that approximately half of young adults feel that their lives lack true meaning. All these data points represent growing concerns which reflect a deeper issue at play here: rebellion against the one true God of the Christian faith. Take one look at the Nordic countries: with the highest rates of secularization, these nations have also found themselves using the most antidepressants.

Everywhere you look, this secular rebellion is on full display. This is especially the case on college campuses across America, which serve as a breeding ground for new militants, all gathering to wage the war against God. Unfortunately, this war has not been confined to the university battleground, or even to American society at large. It has engulfed the entirety of Western civilization. 

The revolt against God will often present itself as “progress,” but it is nothing more than a complete subversion of the Christian faith. While these revolutionaries may no longer be “enslaved” to Christianity, they remain shackled to their fleshly passions and worldly desires. In rejecting God, the modern world has doomed itself to never-ending moral regression. We are a society killing itself from within. 

The way one dresses and the concept of modesty clearly reflect this truth. In Christianity, it is understood that we have fallen from our humility. This fall of man is recounted in the book of Genesis, where, after being tempted, Adam and Eve commit the first sin of mankind. In doing so, they ruptured humanity’s relationship with God, damaging human nature in the process. This wounded nature and loss of God’s grace is imparted upon all descendants of mankind. 

Immediately after sinning, Adam and Eve covered themselves with fig leaves. You, dear reader, may ask yourself, “Why would they ever do such a thing?” The act of dressing is indeed bizarre—no other animal does this. So why do we? It is important to understand that man is not merely material, but also spiritual. We are comprised of both a body (material) and a rational soul (spiritual). This sets us apart from all other animals. Thus, when our first parents covered themselves, they did so because they had become spiritually naked. Their sin had stripped them of their innocence and the grace that God had bestowed upon them. So out of shame, and in an attempt to regain the grace and innocence they had just lost, they covered themselves as best they could. Tragically, they could only clothe their material bodies, not their spiritual souls.

In His mercy, the Lord Himself assisted them by creating garments to cover their bodies. Little did they know, that this simple act of the Lord foreshadowed the ultimate act of His grace, wherein He would clothe their souls once more with Jesus Christ.

Man clothes his body as a consequence of the Fall. Once naked in purity and innocence, he is now marked by sin and seeks to cover himself, symbolizing both his fallen state and exposed soul. Today, however, we see men and women alike choose to dress in a more revealing manner. Thus, while Christianity lauds the virtue of modesty, we instead see the societal praise of indecency. This is apparent anywhere you go, but is most especially evident on college campuses. As one of my professors has commented, “It’s as if I’ve found myself on the Las Vegas Strip.”  

We see shirts that reveal the stomach (crop tops), shirts that reveal the shoulder, shirts that reveal the chest, ripped jeans that reveal much of the leg, short skirts and pants that reveal the upper thighs, and tight clothing that accentuates the most intimate parts of the body. What Christianity attempts to protect secular society desires to deface.

One may object and ask, “Is how one dresses of any relevance here?” And indeed it is; for a person’s outward attire reflects their inner disposition. Hence, one who dresses modestly does so out of humility and reverence, while someone who dresses immodestly is often driven by pride and vanity. 

This leads us directly to our next example of humility. Christianity considers humility as one of the greatest of all virtues as it counteracts one of the greatest of all sins: pride. Alas, instead of advocating humility, we are met with a wide-scale celebration of pride. Rather than striving for perfection just as our Heavenly Father is perfect, we are instead told that we are “perfect just the way we are.” We live in an age that glorifies the self, where we create our own identities. Christianity denies the self, where we find our identity in Christ. Society at large has dedicated an entire month out of the year to celebrate pride, the pride of one’s sins no less. Christianity has an entire month dedicated to the birth of our Lord, who humbled Himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in the likeness of men. Many go about their lives seeking to be served. Christ our Lord, however, came not to be served, but to serve (Mt 20:28). 

Today, society has the attention spans of goldfish, turning our heads on a swivel toward anything that catches our eye. We demand immediate results and instant gratification in virtually every facet of our lives. The result of all of this is impatience and gluttony. Christianity, however, champions patience and restraint. While we desire everything instantaneously, Christianity seeks everything gradually. Think of how our Lord gradually revealed Himself to us over time through various covenants, prophets, and ultimately, through the incarnation of Christ. God led His people to the fullness of the truth, not at a moment’s notice, but through the slow and certain unraveling of Divine Providence. The modern world offers fads, trends, and all that is fleeting. Christianity offers purpose, meaning, and all that is eternal. The secular world entices you with short-lived fun, but Christianity provides you with everlasting joy.

Consider, too, how secular society approaches the pains and struggles of the reality we find ourselves in. While secular culture avoids hardship, Christianity embraces suffering. Christians rejoice in their weaknesses, with Christ working through them; secular society despairs in their shortcomings, tearing themselves apart. While the secular suffers in vain, the Christian suffers in Christ. 

What’s more, society is rampant with people who think they are entitled to every possible thing imaginable. It’s as if any good they come across is earned and any evil is excessive and undue. Yet the Christian knows even life itself is not merited. Society today offers only what people think they want and deserve. Christianity is here to offer what people truly need, and yet don’t deserve at all. While the Christians repent and are sorrowful for the sins they commit, their lives are all the merrier and more fulfilled. The secular-minded are unrepentant as they indulge in their sins, yet their lives remain depressing, plunging into despair.

If we are to see any healing in our society today, this war on God must end. This is not done merely by reverting to the past, but rather by trusting your future to the Lord. God is not an event of the past, but a living reality to be embraced in the here and now.