Concentrated Confusion

Have you ever thought about why people who live in cities seem less likely to believe in God than those who live in rural areas?  I don't have any statistics at hand to back that claim, but personal experience seems to support it.

It causes me to think of the Biblical story of the Tower of Babel in which man became so enthralled with his own accomplishment that God decided it was time to take him down a notch.  Cities are filled with such towers and the beauty of the natural world is masked by manmade structures at every turn.  In the country that isn't the case.

Rural folk still have the opportunity to marvel at nature.  They are surrounded by the beauty of God's creation.  They experience first-hand the miracle of a newborn calf, or the beauty of a sunset in a dusty western sky.  It is easier to sense the presence of a Creator when you are in touch with His creation.

City dwellers are in touch with sidewalks and concrete.  Their view of the sky is limited by the height of the buildings that surround them.  They see birth as just another event within the hands of man because their only exposure is in a hospital.  Perhaps that is why abortion seems so easy for them to accept -- the baby doesn't really exist in their mind until presented whole and kicking at the disruption of his/her protected existence.

Just the simple duality of male/female becomes confused to those who have little or no contact with the natural order.  When existence consists of disguises against the dangers presented by too many in limited space fighting against the natural inclination to be noticed by ones peers, confusion should be expected.  The mind reflects the confusion of the soul -- the life/death dichotomy of abortion, the fear/desire to be noticed duality from a concentration of too many people and the inability to "see" that there is more to existence than the ephemeral works of man -- resulting in a focus of take and take some more because there is nothing except what can be grasped in ones hand.

I am thankful to be "wired" with a desire to live in a setting where I can touch the natural world on a daily basis.  It is a constant reminder that I am weak but, He is strong.

Habakkuk 2:18-20  Of what value is an idol, since a man has carved it? Or an image that teaches lies? For he who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak.  Woe to him who says to wood, 'Come to life!' Or to lifeless stone, 'Wake up!' Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it.  But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.

Questions for the Reader

As we approach Halloween, I find myself appalled yet, intrigued, by the obsession of our culture with "horror" on television, in the movies and in the decorating of yards. Horror, or extreme fear, sends an adrenaline rush through our bodies that provides a momentary "high" which some find appealing.

I suspect that adrenaline rush is part of the self-preservation mechanisms designed into our bodies. It gives us that extra surge of energy to escape an attacking lion or an enemy. In today's society however, movies, etc., which seek to give us that adrenaline surge, are built around themes of evil. Therefore, I think it an appropriate time to ask some questions.

What is evil?

Is man basically evil or basically good?

If, like many, you believe that man is basically good, from where did evil come?

Please feel free to submit answers to the questions in the comments.