As we continue with Paul’s second reflection on change in society (starting from a discussion on Amazing Grace, the film about William Wilberforce and the Clapham Society), it’s appropriate to wish you a Happy St. Patrick’s Day. As few others have ever been graced to see, Patrick fathered spiritual change which ultimately turned the entire nation of Ireland on a course toward the Light. May God give us many Patricks in the next generation!

In the USA all that happens is that the political compass spins back and forth between two political parties, but each of these, when in power, just do what the other did… no basic changes! Red States, Blue States, so what…? What is the real difference? Scripture seems to put the issues deeper, pointing at something “inside” all of the States!

We’ve had 20 yrs on abortion, on marriage, etc. etc. … and we are still swimming, maybe even increasingly so, upstream and against the current.

What might turn this around? Might it actually take a nuclear bomb to really make things serious - like in 24 (the TV serial)?

I’m not for defeatism, nor subjective pessimism; but romanticism and optimism have not been very helpful either. I think a hard core realism is called for. Scripture, and the Puritans like John Owen, suggest that our single greatest weakness is giving in to self-deceptions rather than facing hard objective “truths”. None of us like to face the “truth” about almost anything.