Around 1880, psychology became identified as independent discipline from the science of philosophy. The “study of the mind” began much earlier as a branch of metaphysics with philosophers such as Immanuel Kant. The first Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders was published in 1952, about the time I was graduating from college. At that time, psychology was a very new discipline of study; the early psychologists were “weird” at best. The first manual of mental disorders listed 106 mental disorders and was only 130 pages long...the most recent edition lists 297 disorders and contains 886 pages. Some mental disorders, 60 years ago, such as homosexuality and transvestism that were considered abnormal then, are now considered normal (pedophilia is still considered a mental disorder).
Grappling in the choreography of obedience has always been a dangerous dance. Early religious instructions: behold, to obey is better than sacrifice. (1 Samuel 15:22) No matter how much we compromise, no matter what multisyllabic name we give to sin, no matter what type veneer we put on sin in order to make it acceptable, evil is still sin, and sin is still evil; wrong will never be right, and right will never be wrong.
I cannot remember his name, but he wrote one of the first textbooks on psychology. I remember very well attending one of the early, fundamental efforts to ground the study of psychology in the professions (This was at the time when educational films were still found on reels, played through movie projectors). He and several other psychologists and psychiatrists were attempting to promote the new discipline of psychology as a profession at the university. There were several educators in the room representing many different professional groups. During the course of the lecture, something went wrong with the projector, and he began to bang on the projector and slap it around. I said to the educator sitting next to me, “his actions give credibility to his profession.”
Through compromise, through disobedience, by the age-old communist excuse, “the end justifies the means” and political correctness...even at the Catholic university in Washington DC, there are co-ed dorms for students. The excuse: “young women have a civilizing effect on young men.” After all, today's college students have a “hook-up culture” replete with binge drinking...why not live together in the same dorm? As one young husband told me, as he surveyed his cadre of golfing friends, “it makes me sick to think that my wife went to bed with most of my male acquaintances.”
In most churches, repentance and redemption are little known...members just cycle in and out of fellowship. In most areas of the financial world, all wealth is on paper, one man's asset is another man's debt, if the debt cannot be paid, the lender just owns an expensive piece of paper. About 1/3 of the world's population has a cancer diagnosis. Most cancer could be prevented through exercise and calorie-restriction, but you do not hear much about cancer prevention because so much of this country's economy depends the unconquered disease of cancer.
With a great sucking sound, America's industry moved abroad. Walmart's parking lots are jam-packed by shoppers rushing to buy Chinese junk. Now, economic zones have been established, the Chinese exports will be manufactured and purchased here, such as at the 50-square mile Chinese city, being built south of Boise, Idaho. You will note that former Senator Christopher Dodd, many years publicized as the most corrupt official in Washington DC, is a lobbyist for the Chinese government.
In the study of psychology we find that habits lead to routine, that routine develops character, and that character determines destination. The results of our destination at the state house, court house, school house, church house, your house shows that we have been willing to allow Satan and his minions to take advantage of the fact that we are not interested in obedience; that the best versions of ourselves, presented to God himself, show a complete lack of morality, integrity and belief in the Creator of the universe, the merciful God of grace and glory. We do what we do because we believe what we believe. Our actions, everywhere, every day, show our unbelief. Think of it, the Creator of the universe, forgiving every sin, wanting to give us eternal life, available in every life decision, relegated and regulated through traditions, symbols, mysticism.
God has given us what we need in order to do what He wants us to do. Who do we think we are fooling? We may fool our family, members of our church, in just “giving lip-service” to God. Don't you think He knows your heart? You may fool your neighbors, your fellow citizens in your whoredom of patriotism...just to get a government job, just to get a government check, just to be more popular among the world, but will you sell your country, as in supporting the Democrat party, as a coward of the Cross, a coward of the Constitution?
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