To stand in the Biblical sense of the word means to hold fast to what we believe in the face of opposition. We must be resolute. This also means that due to our convictions there will be things that we must not do and things that we must do. These things will no doubt put us at odds with the world.

When Freud arrived in America to give five lectures at Clark University he is said to have quipped, “We are bringing them the plague.”  He knew of what he was speaking.  He wrote to a colleague referring to his invitation to Clark University saying, “By the way, we could soon be ‘up [expletive] creek’ the minute they come upon the sexual underpinnings of our psychology.”[1]  Writing to another of his colleagues he said that when the sexual implications of our psychology are understood “they will drop us.”  Today Freud would revel in the sexually laden culture of America.

However, since Freud has been so influential here in America I am interested in something else that he said.  In his book, Future of an Illusion Freud writes, “[religion] is comparable to a childhood neurosis.”[2]  What is more, he was optimistic that religion could be overcome by humanity like children overcome other childhood neuroses.  Interestingly, C. S. Lewis expected that someday the state would find it necessary to treat such a disorder.[3] He speculated that the treatment would have to be compulsory and yet not be viewed as a punishment but humanitarian.[4]

Could we imagine such a thing in America?  Some might think it’s ridiculous to even suggest.  But how many of us would have thought that California would want to abandon the idea of equality under the law?  And yet, that is exactly what California is seeking to do.[5] Who would have thought that city leaders would advocate defunding their own police when so many of their constituents want more police presence?  And yet, it’s happening.

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