Creation's Cache #8

     In 1782, in Switzerland, Anna Goldi was executed for committing the offense of "Witchcraft". She was the last of thousands to be killed across North America and Europe for various forms of the crime; the deaths spanning over 200 years. Estimates vary on the total number, but the number of trials that led to official executions was as high as 12,000. 
     The Witchcraft Act of 1735 de-criminalized the act of witchcraft, instead punishing those who claimed to be witches. Helen Duncan in 1944 was jailed under the Act, although her followers claim that she was arrested due to the Military's fear that she would reveal the top-secret D-Day plans. 
     In 1951 the Act was repealed. 




     Why am I telling you all this? Hmmmmmm. 
     I wonder how you feel about the Witchcraft Act of 1542 which first made witchcraft illegal in England? Perhaps you see it as a testimony of how far our nation has advanced in the 500 years since? Perhaps you see the 16th Century populace as foolish or naive? Perhaps you judge the witchcraft-frenzy of the Middle Ages as cruel and inhumane? I don't know. But this I can say for sure: if the average 21st Century person still believed that witches exist- people who summon evil spirits and forces up in order to torture or mutilate others; who use wicked powers in order to cripple nations and to reek havoc upon innocent neighbours; who commit perverted and twisted acts and rituals- then they would demand that Governments took action against these 'witches' and locked them up in a high-security detention facility! Maybe you do not believe in traditional 'witchcraft', but you still must regard the very idea as being utterly heinous. 
     I can hear you cry: "What does this all have to do with Creation's Cache?!" Well, let me explain...


     We have seen that the Creator has formed life. This "life" is not a simplistic survival-based one, but involves emotions, desires, passions and thoughts. What more can we see by exploring life? 
     C.S. Lewis begins his book, Mere Christianity, with some very interesting observations he makes of the world around him. Everyone experiences quarreling, Lewis says. And listening to this quarreling can teach us an invaluable lesson. What do quarreling people say? "That's mine!" "I was here first!" "Its my turn!" "Thats not fair!" and so on. Even in the act of arguing people still appeal to a mutual sense of justice, honour and fairness, perhaps only on a subconscious level but still present nevertheless.  
    Lets follow another train of thought for a moment: 

Big Bang makes universe. Life forms begin. Blob turns into newt. Strongest newts survive while weakest die. Newts evolve into apes. Stronger and more intelligent apes evolve into rudimentary men. Early man kills off weaker men that do not learn to use tools and weapons. Early man evolves into Man as we know him. 

Where in this course of events did man gain any concept of "fairness" or "sharing" or "taking turns"!! Surely the homo-erectus who lent his flint to another would never get it back and would eventually die of frostbite? Silly example, but you see my point: survival-of-the-fittest leaves no room for a sense of morality. 
     The 'morality' that C.S. Lewis observed in quarreling is prevalent throughout all cultures, ages and peoples. Perhaps you can appreciate my witchcraft example now- although we do not believe in witchcraft, generally speaking, we abhor what it would entail if it did actually start to happen.* The morality of the 1500s was not dissimilar to ours at all. Selfishness, dishonesty and greed has always been frowned upon, and always will be. C.S. Lewis expains that when differing cultures are stripped away, the laws and morals of the Egyptians, Babylonians, Hindus, Chinese, Greeks and Romans are all very similar to each other, and to ours.
    But where, if man simply evolved from blobs of jelly, did this 'morality' come from? Where, in the long process of survival-of-the-fittest, did we stop looking out for ourselves and start looking out for others? At what point did apes start to give to charitable causes? When did men start feeling this strange sensation called "guilt". When did we decide that certain actions- although they make us richer, stronger and more powerful- are not acceptable? Was it in the 20th Century? Or did "honour" and "justice" exist before that? Was it the founding fathers of America who began the trend? Was it in the 1500s? Or did Chivalry exist before that? Was it during the Saxons era? Is that when morality began? No, Greek literature is full of stories of bravery and hope and honour. What about the Egyptians? The Mesopotamians?
    Why weren't these "moral" people wiped out by the self-preservationists? Why weren't they killed when they acted in kindness? Why weren't their homes and possessions stolen from their charitable arms?

     Hmmmmmmmmm. I wonder.

    Maybe, just maybe, the creator of this world -of the entire universe- instilled a sense of morality, a sign post showing what is right and what is wrong, into the hearts and minds of the pinnacle of his creation: us.

     In the book of Romans, which is found in the New Testament of the Bible, the writer is talking about people called Gentiles. Gentiles were people that were not hereditary Jews (so probably including both me and you). The Gentiles had not been given the 10 Commandments, however:

...They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them...

    So, even though they had never heard the 10 Commandments, or any other God-given laws, they still had a law written on their very hearts! How could the writer see this? Through their consciences which "accused" them!  
    Ever felt the pang of your conscience? I have. My own guilt and conscience are not things that I have imagined or whipped up. Why would I, naturally speaking, want a force inside of me that stops me doing what I want to do? Why would anyone? No, but a creator put them in me when I was made. God put barriers in each of us, check-points to warn us when we stray from right and into wrong.
    In his book, The Holy War, John Bunyan (author of the world's #2 Bestseller (after the Bible)) uses the allegory of a city to picture a man. In his city are many colourful people and places. One such person is Mr Conscience. Mr Conscience is a loud sort of fellow, he makes everyone else feel bad and unhappy with his cries of doom and gloom. However he is locked away in his home and passersbys mock him for his bad-news-mongering. Perhaps we can feel a similar way about our consciences- lock them away and laugh at them. But remember: our conscience is a God-given gift, we must heed it and ensure that it has not been blunted through us ignoring its warnings.

    What does this 'Law of Human Nature' tell us about God then? He is the source of all goodness, he gave us our knowledge of right and wrong. He has created us as beings that are more than simply flesh and blood, but as beings who are deeper- spiritual beings. Not only this, but he has clearly shown us his will and his law. The Psalmist, in Psalm 97, looked around him at the world and the sky, and had this to say about God:

The Heavens proclaim His righteousness...

And again, in Psalm 50,

The Heavens declare His righteousness...

Creation doesn't whisper of God's goodness; it doesn't give us a small nudge and cautiously say, "God is quite good, you know." No! It proclaims, it declares! God exists, therefore good exists!
    The Creator and sustainer of the whole Universe is not fickle, he is not unconcerned about what he has made. God did not create us then just leave us to get on with life with no regard to him. Instead he set in our very hearts a law that teaches us of his goodness and love. Pause for a moment and consider the 'morality' we have been looking at. At its very crux is love for others! What a loving God we must have! He has given us a glimpse of His goodness and righteousness. He created us with something more than the animals had- with a sense of what is right and what is wrong!

I will keep your law continually,

forever and ever,

  and I shall walk in a wide place,

for I have sought your precepts.

  I will also speak of your testimonies before kings

and shall not be put to shame,

  for I find my delight in your commandments,

which I love.

  I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,

and I will meditate on your statutes.

  

*Incidentally, if you do totally disagree with me- if you think that the people of the middle ages were cruel and murderous to kill anyone they suspected of witchcraft- then you yourself are judging them by a higher standard. You are comparing our 21st Century morality with theirs and deciding which one is "better" according to an even greater standard. Where did that higher standard come from I wonder?