The Problem of Worldly Expectations and the Honor-Shame-Warrior Ethos

Six Pence Song - October 15 2024 AD

I can judge no man because I, like all men, am wholly depraved and desperately wicked.

However, every man is made in the image of God, and in God all are to be loved, honored, and respected because of that, no matter how marred by sin. This is an attribute of every man: the Imago Dei.

Because of that, all men can expect from others love, honor, and respect, but none can be angry or feel dishonored if not given those, for the Imago Dei is wholly a gift from God, and man is allowed to exist and prosper despite his sin nature by God's grace and mercy alone, and that sin nature gives no man room for hubris.

In the Sermon on the Mount, there are many commandments given by Christ Himself that are seemingly unachievable and wholly counterintuitive, even subversive, from a worldly standpoint:

Matthew 5:39–41 (KJV 1900)

39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

Matthew 5:43–44 (KJV 1900)

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Similarly, the Apostle Paul writes a commandment in his letter to the church in Philippi that is seemingly wholly unapproachable:

Philippians 2:3 (KJV 1900)

3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

No context makes the above commandments hyperbole or just notions to set attitude or give general guidance or gist: they are direct and absolute commandments to be implemented by all.

With man, they are truly, like so many of God's commandments, such a high bar they seem unachievable. Only through God can man hope to sometimes achieve them, and true glorification in Heaven is the only means, along with all the other impossibles throughout the Bible, to make them so without exception.

Love all men, and bristle not at the barbs, for all deserve hellfire in perdition but for the grace of God and sacrificial love of Christ: that is called perspective.

Following from the above, we can see that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is antithetical to the honor-shame-warrior ethos, which origins are found in all cultures going back to ancient times. that is still so problematic worldwide today.

The most notable examples today are nations and subgroups within nations with still extant warlike tribal and clan roots, those that have fundamentalist Islamic leadership and concomitant propaganda machines (like Iran and and its terrorist proxies, ISIS, and the Taliban in Afghanistan), and nationalistic pride fomenting leadership in communist imperialist countries like Russia, China, and North Korea.

There are also still parts of modern western democratic countries that maintain a strong honor-shame-warrior ethos in niches, often to good effect for success in winning, like in the military, many team sports such as gridiron football, hockey, and rugby, and especially individual fighting sports.

To the extent such influence the broader public to adhere to these ancient honor-shame-warrior influences, they can have a deleterious effect: retired warriors and players and their fans should maintain proper perspective.

Subsets of the larger western modern cultures that hearken back to more traditional cultural heritages brought from the old world are more problematic. Some examples are the ancient warlike clan and tribal roots mentioned above still held to by many (including remnants of ancient warlike tribes in America), remnants of pagan far eastern warrior cults like Samurai and pugilistic monks, ancient southeast Asian pagan religions and cultures, machismo, the old world origins of street gang codes, and the mafia.

The better way of the Gospel is peace with all men, the abundant life, and joy on earth as much as possible now through the work of Christ in our hearts, and eternal bliss in heaven without strife or sin to be achieved for all who but believe at the Second coming of Christ. That is grace. That is hope. That is love.