15 October 2022
Most people can grasp intellectually when I state that Western Civilization arose as the marriage between Greco-Roman Civilization and the barbaric Germanic tribes that invaded Europe as Rome was dying. They may even understand that the bulk of our culture and social mythology is Germanic, and that for America in particular, it is specifically the Anglo-Saxon branch of German tribes.
Our view of government, law and society arises almost entirely from the Anglo-Saxons who formed the core of what England became. Granted, in the last 60 years or so, things have changed radically in England and the US, but core of what we carry around with us today was formed mostly from Anglo-Saxon influences.
It's not enough to say that Western Civilization is easily the most tragic of all civilizations, in that it reflects most deeply the worst of our fallen human nature. The churchified Anglo-Saxon society was by far one of the worst perversions of Christian religion in the history of that religion. Once the Church was seduced by a concern for being accepted by the pagan rulers of Europe (their response to Roman persecution), the tendency to twist the Hebrew gospel to fit the pagan mythology of the ruling powers was fully established. The missionaries were taught to recast the gospel in terms of the culture of the people. The conversion of the Anglo-Saxons was almost entirely political in nature, and not a matter of faith.
Thus, the vast majority of American Christian religion is so loaded with compromise that we should not be surprised the twisted assumptions that have moved so very far from the Hebrew outlook of the New Testament. One of the worst effects is that believers cannot truly come to the Father and Creator, because they have such a false understanding of Him and His revelation.
Where is your starting point? If you realize that this world is not ultimate reality, but a punitive existence far different from what God intended for us, then it's not hard to get the message. But if you start from the assumption of that reality is based on what you experience coming into this world, you'll never understand what God has been saying to us all along. The root nature of Anglo-Saxon culture is that this world is all there is. Whatever "heaven" might be is cast in terms of whatever is most fun here, cleaned up a little bit. Eternity is not a lack of space-time restrictions, but becomes nothing more than endless time.
Anglo-Saxon culture assumes that you will be ruled by strangers. The best you can hope for is to assert as sacred certain fundamental assumptions about what government, law and society must be. Thus, family is subject to law, as if law were an outside force ruling over the family. All relationships are subject to the constraints of that law, and depersonalizing law and government is your only hope. The law is largely inflexible and highly punitive in shape, even vindictive and angry by nature. The pagan deities still lurking in the background of social mythology were nothing more than extra powerful humans whose morals were no better than any human.
Hebrew culture is radically different. You are ruled by your own family. Law extends from the Father trying to discipline His children. You are not called before a law of particulars, but a Father who wants you to share His love. It's personal first and foremost, and law is simply the boundary lines, outside of which you have rejected His love. His wrath is actually His sorrow. But His law always plays favorites, forming a divine privilege for those who curry His favor genuinely. Thus, He forgives endlessly, as long as He can see that you honestly love Him. Your God is highly indulgent with morals beyond your comprehension.
Do you understand why I make such a big deal out of embracing the Hebrew intellectual assumptions about reality? The whole structure and concept of what "family" means in Anglo-Saxon society is inherently pagan and dreary. It is highly limiting and leaves us feeling isolated and alone. It encourages moral perversion as long as you aren't caught.
Once more: Divine moral law is an elevating privilege, not a restriction. Your Covenant obedience blesses and lifts you up.
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