Christianity for Modern Pagans, Wretchedness, Ch. 3

“Gloom, despair, and agony on me
Deep dark depression, excessive misery;
If it weren’t for bad luck,
I’d have no luck at all:
Gloom, despair and agony on me.” —Song lyrics from the TV comedy Hee-Haw.

Buddha’s First Noble Truth: “To live is to suffer; life is suffering.” The word “suffering” (dukkha) in this saying actually means “out-of joint-ness”, according to the book. It reminds me of Hamlet’s “The time is out of joint: O cursed spite,/ That ever I was born to set it right!” Can it be set right by human effort, or are we humans doomed to perpetual out-of-joint-ness?

Pascal: “We desire truth and find in ourselves nothing but uncertainty. We seek happiness and find only wretchedness and death.”

And again, Pascal: “Man is vile enough to bow down to beasts and even worship them.”

I watched a video tribute the other day when I was looking for resources for our twentieth century history class. It was a tribute to Bonnie and Clyde, thieves and murderers. We are certainly vile enough, or perverse enough, to admire the most deplorable people and events.

Pascal, once more: “The alternative to theism is not atheism but idolatry.”

My brother in law quotes someone (maybe Chesterton?) to the effect that if a man doesn’t believe in God he’ll fall for anything. Everyone worships someone or something. Man is a worshipping animal.

So, the Christian apologist or counselor must first discover (uncover) what is is that the so-called atheist actually worships. To whom or what does he ascribe worth? His relationships? Wife? Family? His own towering intellect? Nature? Pleasure? If it could be demonstrated that all of these are empty and meaningless in and of themselves, then what? Or if all of these are taken away from a man, what then?

Then, wretchedness, uncertainty, and despair.

Also in this series of posts on Peter Kreeft’s Christianity for Modern Pagans:

I’m Back. (arguing against neutrality/agnosticism)
Sinners Need Silence, and Ultimately, a Saviour