In the 1960s our society altered the concepts of sexual morality. The 1970s
made living together while unmarried an acceptable lifestyle. The 1980s
altered the basic concepts of integrity and character. The "political
correctness" of the 1990s has erased the "archaic, meaningless" distinctions
between "good" and "bad," "right" and "wrong," and "moral" and "immoral."
Many people who grew up with these altered concepts accept them as verified
truths. Accountability has nothing to do with personal behavior. Personal
choices should not produce consequences. "Fun" determines "right" and
"good." Only irresponsible prejudice declares anything to be "wrong" or
"evil." If the individual is valued, there can be no judgmental responses.
Society is unimportant; the individual is all important.
The Monica view: catastrophic consequences do not result from the
irresponsible conduct of "poor," "unwise," or "wrong" behavior.
Catastrophic consequences are the result of getting caught. If a person is
not caught, no problem exists. The "wrong" is not in the behavior; the
"wrong" is in getting caught. The "real" problem is not about the person, or
his/her choices, or his/her behavior. The "real" problem is about things
"personal and private" becoming public. "It is so unjust and unfair! No
one else should know! How can people be so mean to those who just had fun?"
Many who do and do not live by religious principles are astounded to hear
such views freely embraced about personal decisions and actions that
resulted in monumental national consequences. Why are those who are and are
not religious astounded? We are seeing and hearing the end product of forty
years of altered concepts.
Do we hear and see nothing else? How often are Christian teens and adults
deeply concerned about the consequences of getting caught, but unconcerned
about the consequences of what "my life" has become? How often are
Christians embarrassed by "public knowledge" of happenings, but not
concerned about "my life"? How often is the concern focused on justifying
the occurrence instead of redirecting the life?
If we think that the tragedy of altered concepts is society's problem, we
are deceived. Once, because of evil deeds, people loved darkness instead
of the light. Those who practiced evil did not want the light to expose
their deeds. Those who loved truth came to the light to expose their deeds
(John 3:19-21). We need to be Christ's light of hope instead of blending
into the darkness of despair.
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