Some people are not prepared for the answer to that question, and when they hear it, they often scoff. It sounds too simplistic and naive to them...
...But I'll answer it anyway. It's also best I not use my own words for it, since it was already more adequately expressed by Solzhenitsyn last century. I can't give a better response than his. 🤷‍♂️
"More than half a century ago, while I was still a child, I recall hearing a number of older people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: “Men have forgotten God; that’s why all this has happened.”
Since then I have spent well-nigh 50 years working on the history of our Revolution; in the process I have read hundreds of books, collected hundreds of personal testimonies, and have already contributed eight volumes of my own toward the effort of clearing away the rubble left by that upheaval. But if I were asked today to formulate as concisely as possible the main cause of the ruinous Revolution that swallowed up some 60 million of our people, I could not put it more accurately than to repeat: “Men have forgotten God; that’s why all this has happened.”
The 'finish line' is when we admit we've hit rock bottom and check ourselves into rehab.
this territory is moderated
Societies do not always collapse from a lack of wealth, invasion, or natural catastrophes.
Most often, they know what is destroying them. But they are so paralyzed by their fear that the road to salvation becomes too painful to even contemplate.
So they implode gradually, then suddenly.
  • Victor Davis Hanson
reply
Yep. Not too different from someone deep in substance abuse who knows the way out but can't bring himself to take the steps.
reply
Here is Joe Rogan making a similar argument. I couldn't agree more! https://video.nostr.build/2ec170548e260cb6ffd4eb45afd2065c10816353373c3a692326b78e12a20861.mp4 (1min)
reply
God huh?
Which one? 😒
reply
0 sats \ 1 reply \ @drlh 2 Mar
reply
Oehh, I like how much this says while being as minimalistic as possible... Good one. 😉.
reply
The problem is in defining "God" and interpreting "his will". No matter how peaceful your God, someone's gonna wanna fuck you up for being different.
The concept of God leads to religion, and religion leads to control and corruption.
Humans can be shitty to each other without a concept of God, but we don't see that belief in God doing anything more than creating new forms of discrimination, which leads to war.
reply