The unseen tyranny

The unseen tyranny

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2) 

Today’s culture sets up rules and wants to dictate how we live, behave, raise our children, treat our parents and so forth. With each passing day, this tyranny—yes, a cultural tyranny—drifts further and further from the standards proposed by the Word of God. Its dictates: 

• Marriage is a dying institution, so don’t get married. If you do, you’ll be unhappy and a prisoner for the rest of your life 
• Your parents are backward and out of touch. It’s normal to hate them and everything they stand for 
• Pornography can spice up a relationship 
• Women should wear less 
• Men should get in touch with their feminine side 
• You don’t need God. You are your own god 
• Life’s short, so get away with as much as you can, as fast as you can 

These are just a few of the rules and they’re growing more absurd by the day. They’re proving fatal to families and individuals, but no one seems to notice. If they do, they’re afraid to speak up. Why should they? So they can be called bigots and labelled as the enemy? They’d rather say nothing.

But the results speak for themselves. These cultural dictates have opened the door to broken families, divorce, disillusioned teens, increased violence, the devaluation of life, fatherless children... and the list goes on. You’ve got to be blind not to see it.

On the other hand, who allows a dictator to remain in power? His people. Only when they revolt and refuse to accept the oppression of their leader, who’s only concerned about himself, will the situation change.

The world has zero moral authority to dictate how Christians should live their lives. If some want to accept its orders, let them. But we have to be different. We have to be the salt and the light of this world. If we who are the light grow dim, what hope is left for this world? And more… what hope is left for us?

The advices in the Word of God, although age-old, have produced good results up to this very day.

If we use them as our foundation, and build upon them with wisdom, we should establish our own set of rules and refuse to go along with the tyranny of the culture around us.

Revolt. Think differently. Be free.

Bishop Renato Cardoso