Evaluating 2005: The Often Overlooked Moral Dimension

In late December newspapers are always full of reviews of the year's major happenings. Some observers thought that the bad news of 2005 could have been even worse. A few even took consolation in catastrophic events of the past like the Black Death of the 14th century when a third of Europe's population perished.

However, following the disastrous Asian tsunami, what did happen later in 2005 was far from comforting. Katrina and Rita reminded Americans of the fragility of our planet and the devastation such storms could wreak in our own homeland.

But more important than natural disasters and even the cruel damage done by terrorist groups is a crucial factor that the world's media almost always overlooks—namely the seismic shift that has taken place in our moral standards. The ground shifted considerably in 2005, especially late in the year.

The civil same-sex "marriage" of world famous singer Elton John to David Furnish greatly furthered the acceptance of the gay movement in a previously unprecedented manner. Even British Prime Minister Tony Blair publicly offered his congratulations on television.

Probably even more lasting in its effects is a new epic Western film from Hollywood featuring two gay cowboys. Brokeback Mountain has been widely acclaimed by critics as well as being a big hit at the box office. In this regard those who still adhere to traditional biblical standards have been fighting a rearguard action for over 40 years, steadily losing ground. But these two very recent factors are expected to greatly enhance public acceptance of homosexuality.

On a broader level the recent book Decadence, edited by British writer Digby Anderson, states: "Britain, Europe and the United States are decadent in a special sense of the word. They have traded in an old morality that served them well throughout their civilisation for a new experimental quasi-morality" (quoted in the Financial Times).

Noted British columnist Melanie Phillips articulated the baleful effects of this so-called new morality in The Jewish Chronicle. She wrote: "The onslaught of traditional family life by those who promote lifestyle choice and said that anyone who disapproved of unfettered promiscuity...was a fascist, was mounted by people who wanted to overturn that [Judaeo/Christian] heritage and replace it with secular human rights—in other words, to make up our own moral rules." Even God must not challenge our rights, says this liberal line of thought.

King Solomon twice put the whole matter in proper perspective. He wrote: "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25). Jettisoning biblical morality will bring massive suffering on our peoples. We don't seem to grasp what we are giving up. In her feature article Melanie Phillips paid tribute to the basic law of God. "The Mosaic code gave the world the concept of morality, the sense of obligation to others which makes a civilised society."

The greatest enemy to humankind is a way of life that rejects biblical standards and makes up its own rules. This used to be called "situation ethics." At the end of the day Americans will recover from 9/11, Katrina and Rita. But if they and all of the other nations that were formerly sensitive to biblical principles keep trampling on the laws of God in ever greater intensity—sooner or later not only the United States but the whole Western world will pass the point of no return and really begin to self-destruct just like the Roman Empire did.

If you would like to understand the massive moral and cultural shift currently taking place in these nations and what it means for the future, please request, read online or download our free booklets Are We Living in the Time of the End?, Marriage and the Family and The Ten Commandments.