Kraken Kronicles

This is title of an article by Paul Johnson I recently came across. It is a great article focused on the ongoing deterioration of societal values and moral decay we are experiencing in this great country of our. Here is the opening paragraph:

The world we live in is characterised by unchecked and unpunished, widening and deepening evil, manifesting itself in countless ways but in particular by what I call the Seven Deadly Sins of the 21st century. These are: violence and brutality, not just of a physical kind but expressed towards all the finer feelings of virtue, religion, temperance and gentleness, which are mocked and spat upon; grotesque lusts of the flesh, expressed in the endless cult of the body, not just for sexual reasons but for vanity, with luxury dieting, cosmetic surgery and fortunes spent on clothes locked in perpetual struggle with gluttony, pandered to by ‘celebrity chefs’, organic shops and other hypocritical engines of gobbling; lying, now raised by the media, politicians and intellectuals not only to an art but to a science; cowardice, which makes people, especially our rulers, do what they know is wrong for fear of punishment by powerful lobbies; pandering to the lowest instincts of the coarse and uneducated, for financial and political reasons; the systematic punishment of those who show courage and the love of truth; and, finally, the exaltation of blind materialism by new forms of militant atheism which are dehumanising us all.

Here is his ordered listing of The Seven Deadly Sins of the 21st Century

Violence and Brutality

Lusts of the Flesh

Gluttony

Lying

Cowardice

Punishing the honest and courageous

Materialism

Powerful stuff, but I would perhaps change this listing and the order of importance.

When thinking about the constant attacks on the values of a Family and the struggle to teach and impress upon our children the moral and spiritual foundation on which to build a life with purpose and the wisdom to make good choices.

Here is the listing from my perspective as a Father and Husband. While all of these are real issues and present a constant challenge, the order I present here is based mainly on my own experiences in working with my kids.

Materialism -- This is a problem that seems to be getting worse and worse in our culture. The need for more STUFF. I know of people who actually had TWO Christmas trees this year. The constant buying of things and filling the house with this or that. The CLUTTER. It clutters the soul and the mind. The biggest problem is the targeting of kids with the seeds of desire to get things…..must have this! Must have that! This is a constant battle with children; fighting the culture of materialism and always being ready for the next challenge (fancy toys, cell phones, computer games…..).

Violence and Brutality and I would add Lack of Respect -- How do we turn off the constant influx of violence and especially brutal, rude, and unkind behavior that our kids are exposed to EVERY DAY??? True, it is part of life. We have always had violence and brutality in our cultures. The problem is that in many areas it is now OKAY to behave this way!!!. How did this happen? It is never okay to be brutal, rude, or unkind. We must teach our kids to recognize this type of behavior, however subtle, in others and especially in themselves that they may change it and affect change in others. A real challenge, but something we MUST do if we are to raise loving, caring kids who will nurture love and respect in their own children.

Punishing the honest and courageous -- To many young people and children today, there is something absent in our lives as we struggle and grow in our personal character and professional development. Most don’t talk about this missing piece and many don’t even notice. What I am referring to here is the presence and effect of a role model or some might even say a ‘hero’ as an influential force that fosters a strong desire to grow in character and vision. In generations past, heroes were celebrated and younger folks would strive to adopt and emulate the accomplishments, characteristics, and qualities of their heroes. People like Charles Lindbergh, Helen Keller, FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King, Jr., Jane Adams, and Neil Armstrong stood as heroes and role models to their generations. Unfortunately, today’s ‘heroes’ are singled out solely on success and sensationalism rather than the qualities that set them apart from the average person. Those who stand firm on their beliefs are often punished by the media or blackballed by politicians and the general culture of materialism. I am not referring to the Al Gore’s or Rep Kucinich’s. While these men certainly stick to their message, they are also ‘darlings’ and ‘revered’ by their well-established support base. And according to what I’ve read, they don’t really practice what they preach. Lead by example! So where are our modern day heroes for young men and women? Heroes for the average person from which to learn how to live a life based on good morals and sound judgment?

Lying -- This is a no-brainer. Do you want me to trust you? Then don’t lie to me. Pretty straightforward, don’t you think? We’ve already crossed this bridge several times with the two older kids.

Lusts of the Flesh -- I was speaking an Egyptian friend the other day about cultural differences, and one stereotype other cultures have of Americans is being immoral in terms of lust and sexual fidelity. They think the women (and girls) who walk around in short-shorts and with bellys showing don’t own any clothes besides the underwear they have on in public! I will not repeat here what he said of the men (and boys) who lust after these visions of fantasy-come-to-life. My friend had to laugh, but it was sad to us both. What is to blame for this sexualizing of our every waking moment? More importantly, how do we teach our children that the lifestyle glamorizes immoral behavior?


Cowardice -- Don’t be afraid to stand your ground. Don’t be a follower, especially when you know the person you might follow is making a poor choice. This has come up with the older kids as they struggle between ‘gong along with the crowd’ and standing their ground when interacting with school peers. Unfortunately, todays media (news, entertainment, advertising) is all about keeping up with those who have, being ‘cool’ and part of the ‘in’ crowd.

Gluttony -- Not so much a problem here. We are particularly careful about the types of food (no fast food!) and the amount of ‘junk’ our kids are allowed to ingest. I drive by several fast food restaurants after work each day and I am amazed at how BUSY they are.

This qote says:

"Our real journey in life is interior: it is a matter of growth, deepening, and of an ever greater surrender to the creative action of love and grace in our hearts."

And I hope thinking this way will help give the wisdom to teach and the confidence to challenge our children so they may lead lives of grace and love.

Any comments, views, or suggestions are certainly welcome here!

Labels: Children, Family, Morals

# posted by Obernai : 4:10 PM