Choosing My Religion

"Both atheism and orthodox Jewish, Christian, or Muslim theism are sharp and demanding, often distressing. But many people prefer something in the muddled middle, some compromise that will avoid the demands of both traditional theism and atheism. Increasingly in the West this generic religiosity, or "spirituality", is replacing specific, revealed religion....This newly popular religion is really pantheism."

-Peter Kreeft The Philosophy of Tolkien

Twenty years ago they called it "the new age movement". And I'm sure he's right that many people eschew traditional religion in terms of this new feel-good-ism precisely because it's not demanding. You really can make it up as you go. But I think the most likely reason people opt for this kind of thing is mere popularity; we choose our religions the same way we choose a new car - we like how it looks on us, how we will be perceived in it. And Christianity is soooooo outdated.

Now, I don't plan on using this text to launch into a diatribe against "those sinners". (All that business of atheists implying that theists are weak, simple-minded victims of wish fulfillment, and theists returning fire with equally pointless and unenlightening comments is just boring.) I am merely making an observation. And I have to ask myself honestly: if I were intellectually convinced of the religion of the big-haired, garishly dressed, Bible-thumping, preachers of Jesus-UH, could I follow?

If you really are distressed about the West falling away from Christianity, do the only thing you can do about it. Become a saint. Don't tell others to become a saint. Become a saint. The fact that I'm not yet a saint is a sign that I'm not really willing to become one. Because I know that God is certainly willing to make me a saint.

Lord, help me to will it.