"WILD AND WASTED VIRTUES"

Modern society and many televangelists promote the "Health and Wealth" false Gospel. Being healthy and having sufficient material things are not intrinsic evils, but when they are promoted as supreme goods, they become false gods – idols.

In his book Orthodoxy, G.K. Chesterton wrote: The modern world is not evil; in some ways the modern world is far too good. It is full of wild and wasted virtues. When a religious scheme is shattered (as Christianity was shattered at the Reformation), it is not merely the vices that are let loose. The vices are, indeed, let loose, and they wander and do damage. But the virtues are let loose also; and the virtues wander more wildly, and the virtues do more terrible damage. The modern world is full of the old Christian virtues gone mad. The virtues have gone mad because they have been isolated from each other and are wandering alone. Thus some scientists care for truth; and their truth is pitiless. Thus some humanitarians only care for pity; and their pity (I am sorry to say) is often untruthful.

Pseudo-pity and overblown compassion today are being pushed as reasons for allowing and promoting illegal and/or immoral behavior. Recently I saw a meme on eX-twitter: "Don't kill me just because I came here illegally so my children could have a better life!" This is how the full facts can be distorted or ignored in order to stir the virtue-signalling pseudo-pity that justifies a disregard for laws meant to protect society. The same tactic is used to promote unmarried and same-sex couples "living together" (fornicating). Genuine compassion keeps in mind what not only satisfies or gratifies individuals, but also and more importantly what is best for society in the long run.

When "the virtues are let loose" they become unbalanced. We know what happens when a washing machine is unbalanced: it begins making terrible noise as it bounces around the floor, banging into other objects. It's even worse when a car engine or wheels are unbalanced, and often fatal when a jet engine is unbalanced. Thus, when we push one of the virtues to an extreme, it's no longer a virtue, it distorts into a vice.

One of my favorite verses in the Psalms is – "Mercy and truth meet together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other" (Ps.85:10). This passage aptly illustrates the harmonious balance of various virtues: mercy counterbalanced by truth, righteousness (justice) coupled with peace. Seeking peace at all costs can easily endanger the continued existence of society. In the same way, tolerance of sexual immorality in the long run leads to the extinction of a nation, as the upcoming demographic implosion indicates.

"The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple" (Ps.19:7).

You can read our whole newsletter at https://agape-restoration-society.org/ARC-News/a-n_2026-o8-29.htm, and share it!

Saturday, August 15, 2026

THE RIGHT TO BELIEVE

The motto in our newsletter's heading, "The right to believe and the right to life are inseparable: Right belief in a loving God enables us to love our neighbor!" doesn't mean that whatever we want to believe is right. That's confusing the two different meanings of the word "right." Rather, it shifts the responsibility for choosing the right beliefs from the state to the church, the family, and the individual. Freedom of religion implies responsibility!

We need to understand where the right to believe – freedom of religion – sprang from. For thousands of years, it was determined by the tribe or the king or emperor. But with the coming of the Messiah, the Christ, it shifted from being just an external commandment to worship Yahweh, the Jewish nation's God, or the gods of the Gentile nations and peoples. Christianity insisted (and still insists) on the right and duty of each family and each person to search and strive for sincere faith in the true God.

In the article "Reclaiming the Real Definition of Religious Freedom" we learn that modern political discourse often weaponizes religious freedom as a cover for partisan agendas and culture wars rather than upholding genuine constitutional rights. The article criticizes the current administration and some Christian leaders for supporting policies that prioritize religious exemptions while simultaneously undermining the rights of minorities, immigrants, and people of color.

The article notes that these political efforts often violate the constitutional separation of church and state by allowing federally funded agencies to discriminate based on religion and identity. The author calls upon Christians to reject "false framing" and instead advocate for a version of religious liberty that aligns with Christian teachings on universal human dignity. Readers are encouraged to take actionable steps, such as lobbying representatives, challenging discriminatory government policies, and working toward a return to historical Christian sexual ethics.

Freedom of conscience and the free exercise of religion means that the state must not coerce its citizens to love our neighbors – the poor, the disabled, and the elderly. But when the state takes over this role of providing financial support for those most in need of loving attention by taxing us, we no longer have the freedom to do so or not to do so: we have lost the free exercise of religion.

And in fact, when the state takes over this role, it most often insists that it must be kept separate from any particular religion or beliefs: thus, it coerces the disbelief in any religion. This is the dilemma of a secular society in which religious belief has been robbed of the right to express that belief in action! And the "loving attention" part of it turns into bureaucratic rules of entitlement: do you check all the right boxes on the form?

As the heading on our "DAILY PRAYERS" web page shows, there must be a "Why?" to our prayer life. If it's merely to perform a religious duty, it becomes an empty charade, window dressing to convince ourselves that we're on right terms with God. But we must demonstrate our love for God by loving our neighbors, and especially those most in need of loving attention – the poor, the disabled, and the elderly (often the same). That's why "Build the ARC!" comes right after the "Why?" in our "Daily Prayers" heading. Go to our "Morning Prayers" web page to see how to join our "live" Daily Prayers at 7 a.m. every day – and do the "Why!"

You can read our whole newsletter at https://agape-restoration-society.org/ARC-News/a-n_2026-08-15.htm, and share it!