Final Thoughts And Choices Essay, Research Paper

Final Thoughts and Choices English Twelve Paper DOMINIC JORDAN BIRCHFIELDMay 8, 1997 How Should We Then Live, discusses Francise Schaffers thoughts and studies on life and how they relate to the whole big picture of God s way we should live. Schaffer, a very intellectual and God fearing man, puts into his videos of the series truths of how the government has planned to do things that have led to the downfall of this nation, and many others already. The differant views of religion were given as bases of the ways God wanted things to be origanally, but man distorted them and fell to the wrong path. Schaffer did not condem man for the ways he has strayed or disobeyed God because he realized this was not his place. Instead he was concerned for our apathy. Schaffer feels that people do not know the truths and are just ignorant to what people, media, or the government have to say. What is meant by the last statement is that man does not open themselves to find the whole truth but accept what is told to them as the truth given by whatever the orginization may be. To this, Schaffer did not agree with man and the path we have chosen to take as non-believers and even believers for that matter. Schaffer, says that society is sole absolute in absence of other absolutes. Man says that society should be led by an elite. Think about that for a moment, society led by an elite would be what the United Nations is today. Would it not? Why would anyone want an elite government so to speek? Well the fact is that money comes to an issue. Then the question asked would be, when will it end? It wouldn t, society has just asked for themselves to be placed into the principle of authority but they had just opposed themseves to freedom. What society had just done in that situation is placed themselves in a authoritarian system. Next, the society would go to the level of authoritarianism which is, the camoflouge of spirituality in which the champions of authoritarianism disguise the essential materialism of their doctrines. Is this what society wants? Schaffer was extermely concerned for mans apathy and this was one of the reasons why. Schaffer said in the video that the authoritarianism would not be a take over like Hitler but that of which a manipulative manor, meaning it will come about in a sneaky way to have us accept it because authority figures say its alright so lets do it too. Gulible is the word we can use for humanity, people don t use their heads and let choices be made for them. That is why we are

almost to authoritarianism as it is. People want us to think the way they do so they can persuade us to their beliefs, so more people are on their side of the issue. A big contributor to this is the television. News media is the worst in this case because they feed you film that is selected so they can get the points they want across to the public as they see fit. An example of this issue would be the Rodney King beating. The erie thing about the media is that they don t manipulate like most would but the media has total control of the situation. They can release any information they want and have millions of viewers absorb the information given. When will people stick to their beliefs 100%? An example of this is when people go speaking of their civil liberties but in turn go to the government figuring it is the governments responsibility to solve every problem. As a country we live in threat of an authoritarianism government. In the acceptance of this government here are some of the factors it would need. An economic breakdown which would spark a concern for liberty, random violence that will have people want security will bring this about, the threat of war, and food shortages. In the search for security man gives up quickly and accepts whatever the best plan is that would sute himself well. Throughout the Schaffer films they depicted chaos in the world and how everything has been all messed up due to man s sinful nature. Then Schaffer gives two ways out of the society mess. One way is to except the authoritarianism as it is and be manipulated because you are ignorant to yourself and to God. If you believe in the authoritarianism way then believe a 100% percent of that belief for you only create controversey to yourself when you are mixed on your own beliefs. The other option is to go to Christ and give yourself fully to him because He does not except those who are borderline, meaning wanting to be two differant ways. Christianity is the truth that gives a unity to all of knowledge and all of life, it stems from the infinite-personal God who exists and who was the Maker of the heavens and earth. As Christians we have a responsibility to influence society across its whole spectrum and that of life. As Milton put it: It is one thing to be naive and ignorant of moral opptions; it is quite another to be aware of options and choose to obey God. God didn t just create himself for the beautiful either and this quote best describes this statement. For the little deeds of little men and women, all incomplete and imperfect…,are crucial and have their place in God s great schemes. (H.R. Rookmaaker) No matter of the choices one makes or doesn t make due to human ignorance, God is there always to lift up any falling people. I would like to close with the fact that all men and women act on their thoughts, whether the person knows it or not. People need to use more of their minds and get back on to track by not being so ignorant to their beliefs as they claim they may have. The mind was made by God to use and not have someone else tamper with it. Believe fully in God and have no other things that may hold you back to another way, you need to be fully complete in your system or chaos corrupts and it starts from the inside, right in the heart.