The linked article is one of the best snapshots of the Western World’s failure to face the threat of fundamentalist Islam in the Near East that I have read in quite a while. While the author limits his premise to the situation with Iran and makes little comment on the sources of the moral paralysis he describes, I believe that his point can be applied to the wider problem and that its source is easily identifiable.
The source of the moral paralysis suffered by the West is, frankly, secular humanism. Of course, as soon as I level that claim, many people tune out; however, if you stick with me on this, I will explain my rationale and, I believe, convince you that I am correct.
Simply put, the problem the West has is that secular humanism has created a moral ambiguity that makes it impossible for many individuals, most population groups, and Western governments in general to make clear decisions when faced with clear threats. This impossibility in making decisions stems from the fact that secular humanism disbars the use of any clear moral guide for making decisions. Because faith, religion, and their associated moral and ethical foundations are taboo to secular humanism, there is no longer an absolute guide by which decisions can be made.
As a result, even instinctual reactions toward self-defense and self-preservation are undermined by the notion that maybe we are wrong. Because there is no clear definition of what is right and wrong, that lack of definition creates the possibility that those who oppose us, even those who are trying to kill us, might be right. In the end, we fail to act out of the incapacity to make a decision, and we suffer the inevitable consequences of that inability.
The reasons that secular humanism creates moral ambiguity are numerous-and outside the scope of this post-but the simple evidence of its effect is obvious. Over the course of the past century, as Western faith and religion has died under the hand of secular humanism, Western ability to make and execute decisions has declined. Now that we live in an age where faith and religion have practically been banned from the public discourse on issues ranging from science to healthcare, the ability of faith and religion to provide a moral compass in that discourse has ceased to exist.
Now, when the West is faced with a clear crisis in the form of a direct attack by fundamentalist Islam on the fundamentals of Western Civilization that has helped fuel 2500 years of virtually unchecked advancement, it no longer possesses the tools that it needs to act clearly and decisively against that threat. That inability to respond places the West in danger of being shaken to its very foundations with consequences far more dire than perhaps it has ever faced.
There are no easy solutions to the problem that moral paralysis caused by the moral ambiguity of secular humanism has caused; however finding a way to reverse the damage that has been done is paramount to protecting our way of life and our society. The first step must be acknowledging what the problem is, and one can pray that such an acknowledgment leads to a solution before it is too late.
