Monday, March 7, 2011

{please don't} Believe in Yourself

As I'm browsing through the newspaper, I happen upon an article entitled, "Universities educate tomorrow's...." I quickly fill in the blank, as you would, with the thoughts: Leaders, Visionaries, or Teachers. Goodness, no. I do a double take to read "abortion providers". "Universities education tomorrow's abortion providers".  Wow, I think. This is going to be good. Just as I thought, it was filled with a bunch of shallow rhetoric...family planning education, choice, women creating their own futures and opportunities, abortion care.  But the one that put the nail on the coffin was this statement:

"The new generation of female students [baby killers] "has more belief in themselves," said Lois Backus, 56, director of Medical Students For Choice. "They don't want to be told what they can't do." (Click here to see the full article and one of those leaders- she looks very inspired or something...)

hmmm...sounds like a certain fallen angel I know.  These are Satan's words; the words of a culture of death.

Believe in yourself.  Have confidence in who you are.   Are these innocent phrases to boost esteems?  I don't think so.  I was raised on this kind of garbage talk (not in reference to something my parents taught me) and I can say it is damaging.  To all you young people out there: Please don't believe in yourself. You will only end up egocentric and confused.  I think the first time I heard the words, "reliance on God" my body went into shock. culture shock.  Rely on something other than myself?  Shocking.  and life changing.  It's truly a relief to not have to constantly search inside of yourself to find all the answers.  Thank you, God for being all knowing, powerful, and omnipotent because I surely am NOT.  When I discovered Mary's fiat, it was also life changing. "Let it be done to me according to your will" is not something you hear in popular culture/school.   Do what you want. Be the person you want to be.  This was all I knew until my conversion.  I was egocentric, rebellious, and heading for the same fate as all the other fallen angels who coined these phrases.

Instead, we should be telling young people: Without God, there is nothing to believe in.  If you don't have God, you are NOTHING.  Do what God wants, not what you want.  People may tell us we are demoralizing our youth, but I can assure you from experience that these thoughts are nothing but moralizing.

Christ beside me, Christ before me
Christ behind me, Christ within me
Christ beneath me, Christ above me
Christ within me.
 
           ---St. Patrick's Breastplate

5 comments:

Heidi said...

You are so right, Sarah. I experienced a very similar conversion myself after succumbing to that pretty much constant pressure and message from "the world" to think about myself first and figure out what I deserved. That's a big part of my homeschooling desire. My mom asks me if my experiences were so terrible, and they really weren't. But it is that slow and constant grind of the world view wearing you down till you finally say...why can't I live that way too? I at least want to give my kids a strong protected foundation so that when they do get out there and face that message, they are mature enough to deal with it and also to minimize the opportunitities that the world has to influence them while I can and should protect them and their innocence.

Sarah Harkins said...

well said, Heidi!

Allison said...

THANKS for this astute analysis, Sarah.

Allison said...

http://catholicmom.com/2011/03/15/catholic-media-promotion-day/


You're on the list of hidden gems...

noreen said...

Well said Sarah, I agree we live in a twisted world where the focus is on self-esteem building and confidence-building by our own virtues and abilities rather than God's grace and love.

May God bless this new generation of female students so they will be Godly women and not egocentric.