The Paradox of Our Age (Time)

Someone shared this today during Church as part of their message. This is the second time I have heard this piece and I connect with it each time. No one knew who the author was. When I got home I was intent on finding a copy of the writing and the author. I went to search this piece out on the net so that I could share it on my blog. I found the piece and the original author.

The Paradox of Our Age

By: Dr. Bob Moorehead (1995)

“We have taller buildings but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less; we have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, yet less time; we have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, yet more problems; more medicine, but less wellness; we take more vitamins but see fewer results. We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry quickly, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too seldom, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values; we fly in faster planes to arrive there quicker, to do less and return sooner; we sign more contracts only to realize fewer profits; we talk too much, love too seldom, and lie too often. We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. We’ve conquered outer space but not inner space; we’ve done larger things, but not better things; we’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve split the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less; plan more, but accomplish less; we make faster planes, but longer lines; we learned to rush, but not to wait; we have more weapons, but less peace; higher incomes, but lower morals; more parties, but less fun; more food, but less appeasement; more acquaintances, but fewer friends; more effort, but less success. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication; drive smaller cars that have bigger problems; build larger factories that produce less. We’ve become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; tall men, but short character; steep in profits, but shallow relationships. These are times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure and less fun; higher postage, but slower mail; more kinds of food, but less nutrition. These are days of two incomes, but more divorce; these are times of fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, cartridge living, throw-away morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to prevent, quiet or kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. Indeed, these are the times! “

 

Before you give the author of this piece too much credit you should know his own paradox. No, it wasn’t written by George Carlin and no it wasn’t written by an anonymous student that witnessed the Columbine tragedy. For a piece that I find so much truth in, I am disappointed to find that the author itself was a living paradox. A pastor. A man whose life should be centered in bringing those around him to know and love Christ was actually a man lost in the very depths of hell. The true author, Dr. Bob Moorehead, turned out to be a pastor that was a sexual molester of male members in his congregation. He quickly resigned when 17 allegations of abuse surfaced in 1997. I guess it is just one more item to chalk up to the “paradox”. Actually it is quite fitting that something written today that could hold such perception and truth would be written by someone who hides within the darkness of our times. In my own words, “This is a time when cowards stand forward as men; a time when those who stand in darkness, purport to live in truth.”