We live in a wholly "worldly" public sphere; and what the modern world shows is that worldliness does not, apparently "cannot", defend the world.
A focus on 'this world' by those who believe only in this world, is leading to the utter loss of this world.
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Throughout the decades of atheist adult life, I used to worry that belief in other-worldly religions (especially among political leaders) would lead to neglect of this world.
That 'crazy Christians' would lead us into terminal wars over imagined spiritual conflicts, would lead to mass poverty in pursuit of delusional spiritual goals, would destroy this actual planet and most of the people on it because their attention was focused on an imaginary afterlife.
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I feared that a concentration on the salvation of souls would lead to a neglect of bodies and minds.
I feared that seeking happiness in heaven would lead to the neglect of preventible misery on earth.
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However, it turns out that the worldly neglect by the worldly is far, far worse than the unworldly religious have ever attained: blinder, more perverse, more lacking in worldly wisdom.
And for this there is neither reason nor excuse.
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The reckless, futile squandering of this-life by people who supposedly believe there is "only" this-life.
The utter lack of common sense by those whose religion is common sense.
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It seems that to believe there is only this world and only this life is in practice to render "everything futile"; to encourage recklessness by the absence of any conceivable strategic good.
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What a paradox! That the irreligious for whom the world is everything yet accept and actively assist in the destruction of this world; and that the religious - who are trying to focus on the next world - are among few who perceive that this world is on the verge of destruction.
The paradox is not new - the Old Testament has examples of prophets who fortell the destruction of cities of corruption; who simultaneously "approve" this destruction as merited by sin, yet also try to "prevent" it.
The worldly cannot see this approaching collapse - it is only the "spiritual" prophets who realize the incipient reality of "physical" destruction and its "physical" terribleness.
So holy and spiritual prophets seek to terrify worldly sinners with prophecies of wordly consequences - how could it be otherwise?
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The paradox is thus apparent, not real; the prophets seek not to save the world for more worldliness; but to bring the wicked to "repentance" using the only language which the wicked understand.
And if there "is" repentance then destruction is delayed.
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Origin: http://way-of-witch.blogspot.com
