Reading the "Comments" section under many online articles can be very entertaining. Most of the time it seems like commenters are just like little kids on the playground- "You're stupid!" "Yeah, well, you're stupider!" "I know I am, but what are you?" (This is especially true on political/news web sites, and even more true on sports web sites.) Sometimes, though, there can be a real exchange of ideas (if by "exchange" I mean an expression of one's thoughts without regard to what the other person is saying). In these instances, you can occasionally see the underlying philosophy that guides someone's thought.
Because I frequent web sites that express Christian viewpoints, I see a lot of dissent from what is being presented in the article. Some of this dissent is emotionally driven assaults on the viewpoint expressed, without much regard for what is actually said. (Let me say here that Christian responses to these posts, or that are posted on other web sites expressing alternative points of view, can be just as thoughtless and vitriolic.) But some set out the poster's reasons for disagreeing with what is stated, with their own resoning for their viewpoint.
One recent spate of posts I read expressed a general disagreement with an article on the motivations of people who invite others to church. Several of the respondents prided themselves on having a "rational" worldview, in which they understood the truth about the gradual evolution of the universe and humanity, and expressed confidence in the essential goodness of people in contrast to what they characterized as an angry, vengeful God. Such ideas certainly are common among many in our culture.
I believe that this kind of thinking, which is found in many modern philosophies (formal and informal), is the biggest flaw in those systems. What's more, I believe that this can be shown to be true without any reference to the Bible or God. The essential goodness of humanity is a false concept that can easily be seen to have no basis in the real world.
I'm sure by now many of you are wondering how I come to this conclusion. It's actually pretty simple. Those who believe that humanity is essentially good have their reasons for the evil (or anti-social, if they prefer) behavior of people. Some say it is due to a lack of knowledge, and that with proper education no one would behave badly. Others argue it is caused by poverty, and if we only give people enough to meet their needs they won't have any reason to do wrong. A third group might argue that it is due to oppression, and that when the existing powers are overthrown and power is given to people, they will use it responsibly. There are several other alternatives given for the existence of evil/wrong/social unacceptable behavior that fit into this same mold.
I don't have space here to counter all of those ideas, except to say that anyone who thinks about it will see that none of these solutions has worked. We've raised educational levels, provided economic assistance, seen revolutions topple dictators, and so on down the line, and the world is not appreciably better behaved. If you argue from our experience of humanity, the goodness of mankind is hard to see.
This is the flaw in most modern philosophies. However, if we flip the statement on its head and argue for the essential selfishness and corruption of humanity, we find that the empirical data support it. We aren't really good at heart; we want what we want, and often shape our beliefs to make that self-centeredness the very rock of our moral and ethical beliefs.
I have often asked this question: "Which do you have to teach a child- to be good and care about others, or to be selfish and self-centered?" If you're a parent, you know the answer. This hurts us, and insults us. We want to think we are better than this, and that our inner nobility just needs a little help to come forth.
Christianity is often thought by those who are not believers to teach that what Christians are is perfect people who look down on the badness of others. This is the exact opposite of the truth. Christians know that we are sinners, self-centered and selfish, and that we are ourselves desperately in need of something or someone to make us right. (OK, I'll confess that I've known some Christians who think they are "all that," but they're just as wrong as anyone else who thinks they're good enough.) No amount of effort, education, government assistance, political power, or anything else is going to suffice to make us right.
The good news is that we don't have to do it ourselves. Jesus took care of that for us by His sacrifice, and through Him and the power of the Holy Spirit we can be good. Our very nature has to change, and this can only happen through Christ. Christianity takes a hard and real look at what we are, and tells us something we don't want to hear. But in the end, it also proclaims to us the only way to overcome our problem.
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