The Unauthorized Homily

By Bill Dunn

A commentary on the Scripture readings from the Sunday Lectionary

(Scripture readings for Sunday, August 19th: Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10; Hebrews 12:1-4; Luke 12:49-53)

CHESHIRE MURDERS HIGHLIGHT BATTLE OF WORLDVIEWS

As I write this, it’s only been a few days since my home state of Connecticut was rocked by the news of a horrific crime. Two career criminals with approximately 20 previous felony convictions each, while out on parole, broke into a home in the quiet suburban town of Cheshire, and proceeded to rape and murder a mother and her two daughters. The father of the family, a prominent area doctor, was beaten and left for dead in the basement of the house. The thugs set the home ablaze to cover their tracks. As the flames spread, the doctor was able to escape from the basement. Meanwhile the criminals were apprehended as they tried to flee.

This gruesome event is pretty much the only thing people have been talking about around here for the past few days. Right after the murders occurred, someone in my office observed, “You wait, the bleeding heart liberals will lay low for a while. But soon you’re gonna start hearing that these two losers had bad childhoods, were abused themselves, and the system failed them, so it’s really society’s fault, blah, blah, blah.”

Well, here on the fifth day after the murders, the state’s premier newspaper, The Hartford Courant, has a lead story titled, “Suspect Was ‘Depressed,’” explaining that one of the alleged killers has been sad in recent weeks because his girlfriend left him and moved out of state. (This is the lead story on the Courant’s website. I’m not sure it’s the lead in the actual printed version, as I stopped purchasing that paper years ago. You see, I can’t see spending 75-cents each day just to be told repeatedly that people who have religious faith are superstitious morons. The newspaper might be worth it, say, if I owned a fish market or a parakeet shop.)

This reminds me of a presentation I made at my church many years ago comparing the Judeo-Christian worldview with the Secular Humanistic worldview. (That mild-mannered, milquetoast of a man, Bill O’Reilly, uses the terms Traditionalists vs. Secular Progressives—or “T-warriors” vs. “SPs.”)

In my presentation, I explained the key factor that determines most often which worldview a person will hold is how he or she answers the following question: “Did God create mankind, or did mankind create God?”

If a person really believes that God is our Creator, then most likely that person also will believe that God and His Word are Truth (with a capital T), and that basic values and laws come from God and therefore are non-negotiable. On the other hand, if a person really believes that mankind created God (that is, that mankind, out of fear and ignorance, invented a concept we call “God,” but that He does not actually exist), then most likely that person also will believe there is no such thing as absolute truth, and that basic values and laws come from personal opinion and/or group consensus and therefore can be changed as situations and circumstances change.

Additionally, those who believe in God usually also believe that mankind is sinful (and in need of a Savior); that evil behavior originates from within individual human hearts; and that when a crime is committed, the individual law-breaker is personally responsible.

The Secular Humanists, however, believe that mankind is basically good; that evil behavior is the result of evil social structures such as poverty, racism, etc.; and that when a crime is committed, society is ultimately responsible.

I have changed my opinion on the death penalty in recent years for a number of reasons. I believe only God has the authority to take someone’s life (personal self-defense and military action meeting Aquinas’ “just war” criteria excepted, of course). Also, the number of death row inmates exonerated by DNA testing is quite disturbing. But most of all, I now think the death penalty is wrong because Scripture tells us that if even the most gruesome killer truly repents on his deathbed and asks for God’s forgiveness, all of Heaven will rejoice. As long as the state makes sure a killer is safely locked away for life, I’d rather that we don’t take away the opportunity for a deathbed conversion.

Even though many people in Connecticut are demanding that these two bums be fried—tomorrow!—the death penalty is really not the issue here. In this state it’s practically impossible to impose capital punishment. The only person put to death by the state in the last four decades was a heinous serial killer. He withdrew all appeals and demanded to be executed, and even then, it took years and years for the sentence to be carried out. Most likely the two Cheshire killers will die of old age in a state prison.

The real issue here is which worldview shapes our criminal justice system. Is it the Judeo-Christian worldview, which says, “Sorry that you were depressed, but YOU are responsible for your actions, so you have forfeited your right to freedom and you must be removed forever from society”? Or is it the Secular Humanistic worldview, which says, “Sorry that society has treated you so poorly, compelling you to lead a life of crime, so we have the responsibility to provide you with counseling and job training so you can get back into society as soon as possible”?

The vast majority of citizens, I firmly believe, hold the Judeo-Christian worldview. Unfortunately, the small number of people who actually shape public policy in the state—the politicians, activists, psychologists, and most of all, lawyers—hold the Secular Humanistic worldview.

The turmoil being experienced here in the little ol’ Nutmeg State is just a microcosm of the larger battle being waged throughout all of Western Civilization. The Judeo-Christian worldview has been under assault by the Secular Humanistic worldview for the better part of a century now. During most of that time, people with traditional religious faith were not even aware their value system was being attacked.

To win a battle, it is first necessary to realize that one is in a battle. Maybe we are finally beginning to comprehend this fact. Maybe the Judeo-Christian majority finally will take a stand and declare, “Enough already!” Maybe we’ll finally decide to put down the remote, get up off the reclining chair, and get involved.

If we choose not to get involved, then the small group of secularists will continue to shape our culture, and as things get worse and worse we will have no one to blame but ourselves.

©2007