Echoes in Eternity

Here is an interesting poll on Americans and the institutions in which they put their trust (or don't). Organized religion, science (especially in medicine), the press and television, and financial institutions have all taken huge hits to their image in the last 30 years. There is a decided lack of faith in today's populace, yet more people than ever believe that mankind (the originator of those institutions) is born morally good (or at least morally neutral). What an odd paradox.

One other thing to note: when a population loses faith in the usual things, they are more willing to put their faith in something else (and usually that faith isn't focused in a good direction). Ultimately, this points back to Chesterton's words: "When people stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing - they believe in anything." I think perhaps the same holds true in general of all faith; humanity is a race designed for faith and trust. We want and need to place our faith in something. So if the usual suspects fail us (or we perceive that they have failed), then we don't stop trusting and failing (or rarely so); rather, we look elsewhere for an outlet for our faith. For example, on the individual, micro level, if I fail my wife and permanently lose her trust, she won't stop trusting (though she may do so less willingly), she'll just put her trust somewhere else (God, herself, another man, etc.). Likewise, at the macro level, if humans lose faith that God is in control or that the world is designed to support ALL life, then they place their trust in extreme environmentalism and the fight against global warming. Or, as we are beginning to see hints of, if people lose faith in sovereign government and free markets, they'll place that faith in one leader or one monetary system.

2 Timothy 2:13