The secular media says that the critical problem affecting the youth of today is poor or very low self-esteem. A bad self-image is being cited as the cause of teen suicide, drug abuse, even crime and violence. Educators and community leaders are trying to find ways to help children bolster their self-esteem.
So, one might ask how does this happen? Where does this plague of low self-esteem come from? Ironically, it comes straight from the secular, humanistic system that society has been indoctrinating our young people with, primarily in schools. Humanism is fostered by the teaching of evolutionary science, materialism and moral relativism in our popular media and public school system. Secular Humanism is an attempt to function as a civilized society with the exclusion of God and His moral principles.
Humanists have been very successful in propagating their beliefs. Their primary approach is to target our youth through institutions of learning. John J. Dunphy, in his essay, The Humanist (1983), illustrates their frightening strategic focus, "The battle for humankind's future must be waged and won in the public school classroom by teachers who correctly perceive their role as the proselytizers of a new faith: A religion of humanity -- utilizing a classroom instead of a pulpit to carry humanist values into wherever they teach. The classroom must and will become an arena of conflict between the old and the new -- the rotting corpse of Christianity, together with its adjacent evils and misery, and the new faith of humanism."
Where can the young people of this generation get a healthy and accurate view of self-esteem? From the very Christian principles society is rejecting, and trying so desperately to keep out of classrooms and all public life.
Let’s review the core of secular humanism and Christianity’s foundations and see if one is more encouraging of self-esteem, and then you can decide for yourself why America’s youth are feeling like they, their lives and values have so little meaning and purpose.
The Secular Basis for Self-Esteem
At the core of secular humanism... You are the descendant of a tiny cell of primordial protoplasm that washed up on an ocean beach ten billion years ago. You are the blind and arbitrary product of time, chance and natural forces. Your closest living relatives swing from trees and eat crackers at the zoo.
You are a mere grab-bag of atomic particles, a conglomeration of genetic substance. You exist on a tiny planet in a minute solar system in an obscure galaxy in a remote and empty corner of a vast, cold, and meaningless universe. You are flying through lifeless space with no purpose, no direction, no control, and no destiny but final destruction.
You are a purely biological entity, different only in degree but not in kind from a microbe, virus or amoeba. You have no essence beyond your body, and at death you will cease to exist entirely. What little life you do have is confined to a fragile body aimlessly moving through a world plagued by war, famine and disease. The only question is whether the world will manage to blow itself up before your brief and pointless life ends on its own.
In short, you came from nothing, you are going nowhere, and you will end your brief cosmic journey beneath six feet of dirt, where all that is you will become food for bacteria and rot with worms.
It sounds very harsh and bleak, but this is a summary of the cornerstone of secular humanism. Humanism holds that the universe exists for no purpose. We humans are the result of a blind and random process that does not foster any kind of meaning or purpose to life. God has been removed from the purpose of life, as the Creator of life. When that becomes the basis for all human values, a world without God, we lose any transcendent purpose for the universe in which we live.
Without God, we lose any basis that gives meaning to our individual lives. If the humanistic views were true, why would anyone feel good about yourselves? The mantra of humanism... Eat, drink and be merry... for tomorrow we all die. Rather bleak, don’t you think?
The Christian Basis for Self-Esteem
You are a special creation of a loving, good and all powerful God. You are the climax of his creation, the magnum opus of the greatest artist in the universe... God. You are created in His image, with capacities to think, feel, and worship that set you above all other life forms. You differ from the animals not simply in degree, but in kind.
Not only is humankind unique, but you as an individual are personally and eminently unique among all humanity... in other words there is no one else just like you. God perfectly masterminded the exact combination of DNA and chromosomes that constitute your genetic code, making you different from all other human beings who have ever lived or ever will live.
Yes, we are sinners, and in and of ourselves, we do not deserve God’s love and grace. But despite humanities rebellion, God the Creator loved us so much and He so intensely desires our worship and companionship and affection that he gave the life of his only Son that we might look forward to eternity with Him (John 3:16). If you are willing to accept the free gift of salvation, you can become a child of God, the King of the universe. Think about that! You, me, God loves us and wants us to be part of His family forever. How cool is that? It’s reason to think positive and be hopeful for sure.
As a Christian, you are clothed with the righteousness of Christ. He has given you special gifts and abilities to serve him in a particular and unique way.
Your heavenly Father is sovereign, and will allow nothing to cross your path that is not God-filtered, so long as you allow Him to act as your life-filter. He cares for you so much that He is totally available to you at all times, and listens to every word you say. He knows what you need and when you need it, even when you don’t understand what’s going on in your life. He cares deeply about your hurts, and has a perfect plan for your life. He has given you the inspired Word of God as a road-map for living. He gives you the truth that sets you free, a life that is abundant and eternal, and a spiritual family that loves and needs you.
Man’s destiny has always been to live forever in a magnificent kingdom, to reign with Christ over the universe. You will forever enjoy the wonders of his presence and the marvels of his creations. You will spend eternity in intimate and joyful fellowship with your beloved Lord and His precious spiritual family.
Now, how does that make you feel about yourself? And how does it make you feel to know that the Creator God of the universe values humanity above all other creation?
There is nothing in our secular world, none of its ideals or philosophies that can compare with what God has given to the human family. So, it stands to reason that your self-worth, how you view your present and future... your self-esteem will be very healthy and very high if you platform your life on God’s truth... His promises and His guidance and leading in your life.
Let Him into your life and watch what happens to your self-esteem.
