Right and Wrong.

All systems of ethics that I have encountered make the assumption that human life on earth is valuable and therefore should be preserved. But actually there is no ground for this assumption in secularism which denies that we may know that there is an overarching purpose for our human lives.

But does this mean that any religion will provide the ethical teaching we need?

Islam, which bases its belief on the Koran, teaches that this life of finite length is only a test for an infinitely long life in paradise or hell. Life on earth has no value in its own right.

The Bible which teaches us that we are made in the image of God and that He, in Christ, the Eternal one, has identified Himself with our finite earthly life, does give value to this life – a value which comes from our Creator. Other religions may teach us that the Divine commands us to love our neighbour, or even our enemies, but the Bible tells us that God Himself loves His enemies and we should be like Him.

This, dependence on a Creator who loves us, was assumed in the years of science’s advance and there has been no discovery which contradicts it. Yet the view that there is no purpose to the existence of the cosmos dominates much of science today. This blind faith is having an unintended but devastating effect in Western Society.

This sorry state of affaires is partly (but not entirely) the responsibility of the Church which, as the New Testament warned[1], has not behaved well especially towards the Jews – the human subject matter of the Bible. This has been especially true of the Church when it wielded considerable power and/or influence.

Secularism and Islam have been strengthened by this misuse of power and influence by the Church. In its Catholic and High Church forms it has become addicted to ritual. In its liberal forms it has simply given in to the prevailing moods of the day informed by the media. In its conservative protestant forms it has either become legalistic or it has simply trivialised the gospel in its ‘happy clappy’ forms. Of course there are exceptions, and, in spite of its failings, the light of Christ shines on.

Yet secularism is a myth. In its crusade against Christianity it is sucking in alternative ‘spiritual’ worldviews such as militant Islam.