The Price of Unbridled Freedom

The Price of Unbridled Freedom

Isaac Newton presented his three laws of motion way back in 1686. The third law, which I learned in school, states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. This law proved painfully true a few weeks ago when I played a game of pool with my son. In spite of my novice ability, I quickly cleared all of my striped balls from the table and began working on the 8-ball.

After chalking the tip of my cue, I pulled back and then struck the cue ball. The collision sent the 8-ball back and forth across the table and into a corner pocket–but it wasn’t the corner I had called! In spite of outplaying Mike until that point, I lost the game.

In the past year, three teachers from the same high school in my region have been charged with having sex with students. Just three weeks into the fall semester, several sexual assaults have already been reported at our local university.  A recent study concluded that 1 in 4 college women experience unwanted sexual contact. All over our country, school administrators are scrambling to deal with a growing epidemic of sexual exploitation. Sadly, however, many of the root issues are being ignored.

Over the past century, opponents of Christianity have been systematically removing its influence from the public sector. Through skilled public relations, legal maneuvering, and educational enlightenment, they have done a masterful job of secularizing our culture. The widescale dysfunction of American Christianity certainly hasn’t hurt their cause.

By minimizing Christian influence in society, the shapers of our culture have managed to erase many of the traditional mores they found to be restrictive. And while they’ve “outplayed” the church in the public relations game, we are now left with a moral vacuum. Somehow, however, the experts are failing to see the connection between the minimalization of biblical values and our growing crisis of sexual abuse.

Western culture is becoming increasingly sexualized. I’m not just referring to a bikini-clad model selling used cars; practically every area of society is now overtly sexual. It’s nearly impossible to access the Internet, watch a movie, enjoy a TV show, or even drive along a highway without being bombarded with sexual images. Worse still, the sexualization of America is now hitting our elementary schools as young children are pulled into a world for which they are not emotionally prepared. All in the name of freedom.

Newton’s third law seems to apply here as well: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The sex drive is intensely powerful, and so it should be no surprise that men and women of all ages are crumbling under the weight of sexual dysfunction. We’re getting what we wanted, but it’s not turning out the way we expected.

Are there restrictive elements to the Christian faith? Absolutely, but it’s more an issue of necessary boundaries than anything else. At the same time, the Gospel is profoundly powerful in its ability to free us from the prison of unbridled passions. Before we crusade for our unbridled freedoms, perhaps we should take the time to understand what liberty is really all about.

photo credit: We want freedom via photopin (license)