Death Dregs

Ancient Greece, on the edge of collapse, was a pleasure-driven society. The people’s primary objective was their own happiness. In a society that had revoked the gods and organized religion, happiness was whatever satisfied unbridled lust and desire. Men fornicated with countless women and as many men—and boys. Women offered their wares to unnumbered men. When contraceptives failed to hinder, the inconvenience was aborted or exposed to the elements. Society shrank to perilously small numbers.1

Living for self, they drained dry the dregs of death.

The Cost of Happiness

America is a pleasure-driven society. Our primary objective is our own happiness. We’ve forsaken all gods but the god of self. The god that tells us to “love who we are,” “embrace yourself,” “make time for yourself.” Our motto has become, “If it makes you happy, do it.” Or in the words of Sheryl Crow, “If it makes you happy / it can’t be that bad.”

Turns out, what makes us happy is satisfying our unbridled lusts and desires. Americans, on average, have about seven sexual partners in their life. With easy access to contraceptives and societal acceptance of abortion, the average number of children per mother is only 2.4 (when only fifty years ago it was 4+). Compare that with the staggering 879,000 babies who were aborted in 2018 alone, with rarely a more noble reason given than ones societal or economic. And more than babies are sacrificed on this bloody altar.

“According to USA Today, adults purchase children for sex at least 2.5 million times a year in the United States.” And on the other end of the spectrum, we have started encouraging assisted suicide among the elderly. This, not to mention the proliferation of underage drinking, use of illegal drugs, and pornography, exemplifies the attitude “if it feels good/it can’t be that bad.”

But our passionate pursuit of personal fulfillment does nothing but destroy.

Sexually transmitted diseases wrack our bodies, more than two thousand unborn babies are killed each day, children exploited for sex usually live only seven years, drugs debilitate us, and pornography dehumanizes both the viewer and the viewed. We are a society that, in the name of personal happiness, promotes death.

But God is a God of the living, not the dead. God calls us, his children, who were once dead to new life (Luke 20:38). As living people, we are to protect and promote not death, but life.

How?

Know. Pray. Build.

First, we must know what is happening. We must open our eyes to the culture of death surrounding us; open our ears to the groaning of the innocent; smell the stench of burnt sacrifices.

Then, accepting our own frail limitations, we must pray. Like Daniel, we must earnestly confess our own sins and the sins of our nation (Dan. 9:20). Asking God to show mercy, destroy those things which cause death, and give us wisdom to build.

One of the most effective ways to counter a culture of death is by building one of life.2 We can begin by cherishing life in our own homes. We can protect and value the lives of our children and spouse, parents and siblings. Treat them with honor and dignity as living, breathing images of God. Teach your children to do the same, not only in your home but also in their schools, with their relatives, on the playground.

Live a life that celebrates life. A life that is willing to sacrifice personal happiness and convenience to defend those who cannot defend themselves, whether that means housing an aging parent, putting in extra hours to help your mentally challenged student learn to read, or doing the dishes so your spouse can rest after a long day. Whatever the cost, we must promote and defend life, as did Jesus, who laid down his own life to give it.

“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers” (1 John 3:16, English Standard Version).

1 Will Durant, The Story of Civilization, vol. 2, The Life of Greece (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1939).

2 Toby Sumpter, associate pastor, Christ Church, Moscow, ID, sermon series on culture building. Nov/Dec

Mrs. Elisabeth Bloechl a member of Orthodox Presbyterian Church Hammond, is a house cleaner and aspiring writer in Griffith, IN.