"One Day Mankind Will Solve All its Problems" (What's taking so long?)

"One Day
Mankind
Will Solve
All its
Problems"

(What's taking so long?)

"I had motives for not wanting the world to have meaning; consequently
assumed it had none, and was able without any difficulty to find satisfying
reasons for this assumption.... The philosopher who finds no meaning in
the world is not concerned exclusively with a problem in pure metaphysics;
he is also concerned to prove there is no valid reason why he personally
should not do as he wants to do.... For myself, as no doubt for most of my
contemporaries, the philosophy of meaninglessness was essentially an
instrument of liberation. The liberation we desired was simultaneously
liberation from a certain political and economic system and liberation
from a certain system of morality. We objected to the morality because it
interfered with our sexual freedom.." Huxley, Aldous, "Confession of a
Professed Atheist," Report: Perspective on the News, vol. 3 (June 1966), p. 19.

THE QUOTE YOU JUST READ represents a sentiment often found within the
collective heart of man. Man as a whole doesn't like to be told what he is
supposed or not supposed to do on the basis of an absolute right and wrong. The
human heart doesn't like to be told that something is wrong merely because it is.
As mentioned in the above quote, man would rather believe that his existence is
meaningless, serving no real, absolute purpose. For to assume a specific reason for
living is to conclude that a specific set of guidelines for living must also exist. Man
therefore rationalizes, justifies, and legitimatizes any and all actions, particularly
those that he personally desires the most. We find examples of such rationalizing in
what's known as situational ethics--a morality defined by outcome, not absolutes.
For example, most people rationalize that something is wrong only because of the
possible negative consequences. Lying, for example, is wrong because it may harm
someone or cause irreversible damage; cheating on one's wife is wrong because she
may find out and get hurt (or for that matter, the husband fears he might get hurt!);
stealing from the IRS can result in a fine, and so the rationale goes.
However, if the wife lined up her husband's affair, would it still be adultery and
infidelity? If there were no negative consequences, would it cease from being wrong?
Is it still wrong to lie, cheat, and steal if one could do it without getting caught? Or is
something wrong in the absolute sense, regardless of the consequences? You may be
wondering by now what all this has to do with whether or not mankind can solve its
most pressing problems. But the fact is,
Man's opposition to absolutes is the primary reason why this
world is in such a mess in the first place.

IN THE BIBLE we find a description of what it was like during a time when Israel
lacked a king: "In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which
was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). A king in those days exercised absolute
authority. Even the standards of measurement were often determined by the king's
own physical dimensions. Furthermore, if he was a godly king, adhering to Biblical
principles, his rule reflected the laws of God, which were absolutes in themselves.
In Israel's case, without a king and the absolutes that came with it, the result was
that, "EVERY MAN DID THAT WHICH WAS RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES."
Mankind, as a whole,
will never solve its major
problems without
acknowledging and then
adhering to an absolute
set of rights and wrongs.
Without such a set of
rules, everyone will do
what seems right in their
own eyes, naturally
resulting in the selfish
"free-for-all" we often see
around us.
What's worse, man has
a "natural inclination"
toward resisting
absolutes. Man simply
doesn't like to be told
how to act in absolute
terms!
As long as man continues
to deny the fact that there
are absolutes, he will

The opening quote you read was from a humanist.
Humanism is a philosophy that among other things,
"Derives the goals of life from human need and
interest rather than from theological or ideological
abstractions." Make no mistake, "theological or
ideological abstractions" is another way of saying
absolutes. Humanism, "Supports the maximization of
individual liberty" (i.e. "Don't tell me what to do!").
Most people don't call themselves a humanist, but
deep in their hearts, they share the same sentiments.
They would rather do what seems right to them
rather than submit themselves to a "rigid" set of
rules. An adult sometimes only has to look at their
parents to see that this is true. Perhaps as a kid, you
remember your parents frowning on the idea of an
unmarried couple living together. But once you got
older and "times changed" the same act they
considered a sin was now acceptable. Why? What
happened? When did it stop being a sin? If it was
wrong back then, why not now? Or did your parents
only frown upon it then because it was not socially
acceptable whereas now, twenty or thirty years later, it
is? If that's the case, then your parents never treated
that sin as an absolute.

never solve the major problems of the world. Man needs to acknowledge that some
acts are sin no matter how he may rationalize their consequences. Furthermore, man
needs to acknowledge that these absolutes--LAWS--were established by the same
one who created them--God. Man needs to admit that God is real, God's laws are
real, and his rebellious attitude against God's laws are seriously real. In a nutshell,
man needs to REPENT and acknowledge his sinful state before his God.
And it all begins with the individual . . .

Friend, as an individual, you have your own set of problems; we all do. Have you
ever wondered how on earth you're ever going to solve them? Well, the same issues
we've been studying concerning mankind applies to YOU as an individual. As long
as you insist on "doing your own thing," without regard to God's way of doing things
(i.e. His absolutes, HIS LAWS), you will always come out short, never able to get a
handle on your problems. Notice what King David in the Old Testament asked God
to do: "ORDER MY STEPS IN THY WORD: and LET NOT any iniquity [sin]
have dominion over me." Psa. 119:133
Man can't run his own life; just look around. Individually, neither you nor I, can
claim to do much better. We just don't have the wherewithal to direct our own lives
without making some mess somewhere along the way. The Bible expresses this fact:
"O LORD, I know that the way of man IS NOT IN HIMSELF: it is not in man that
walketh TO DIRECT HIS STEPS." Jer. 10:23

Those absolutes we've been talking about, God's laws as found in the Bible,
are given to us by our Creator to keep us from self- destructing.

Unfortunately, our natural tendency is to rebel against God and push Him and
His laws away. From our hearts, we say to God: "Depart from us; for WE DESIRE
NOT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THY WAYS. What is the Almighty, that we should
serve him?" Job 21:14-15
But friend, one of the most amazing things about God is that in spite of our
attitude toward Him, He still reaches out to us. He wants to give you hope and peace,
the peace that comes from being able to rise above sin and its consequences. God
is holding out His hand to you and saying: "Come now, and LET US REASON
TOGETHER, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white
as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Isa. 1:18
All you have to do is repent, change your mind about trying to run your own life
according to your idea of what's right and wrong, and submit to God. God is willing
to forgive you of your rebellion on behalf of Jesus Christ, the One who died for
your sins. God says: "Let the wicked FORSAKE HIS WAY, and the unrighteous
man his thoughts: and LET HIM RETURN UNTO THE LORD, and he will have
MERCY UPON HIM; and to our God, for HE WILL ABUNDANTLY
PARDON. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, NEITHER ARE YOUR WAYS
MY WAYS, SAITH THE LORD." Isa. 55:7-8
To learn more about what Christ did on the cross for you, please read the back [below].
And if you wish to learn more about God's way, and the Bible, we offer the
CHRISTIAN HOME BIBLE COURSE you can take by mail, in the privacy of your own
home at your own pace. Write to: C. H. B. C., 3303 23^rd Av. SW., Fargo, ND 58103.

IF you were to die today, are you 100% SURE
you would go to Heaven? The Bible says
YOU CAN BE SURE (1 John 5:13).
BUT FIRST, you must realize that what keeps you
from going to Heaven are your sins, because:
"...your iniquities [sins] have separated
between you and your God," Isaiah 59:2.
In fact, in God's eyes YOU ARE A SINNER: "For
all have sinned, and come short
of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23.
SECONDLY, you must realize that there is
NOTHING you can do to save yourself and earn
Heaven: "For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God: Not of works, lest any
man should boast." Eph. 2:8-9 Baptism, good
deeds, church membership, self-righteousness are
all examples of good works that cannot save you,
because: "Not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but
according to his mercy he [Christ] saved
us," Titus 3:5.
THE ONLY WAY you can get saved is through
Jesus Christ. He said: "I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto
the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) THAT'S
WHY: "...while we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us." (Rom. 5:8-9)
THEREFORE: You must REPENT (change your
mind); admit that you are a Hell deserving sinner
and can't save yourself. And call upon Christ, and
Him alone, to save you. "if thou shalt confess
with thy mouth the Lord Jesus [REPENT], and
shalt believe in thine heart [TRUST] that God
hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved." Romans 10:9
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