Political and Social Versus Spiritual

We sometimes think of the long-term consequences of something as a substitute for thinking of the eternal consequences.  I look at political and social trends and have dire thoughts about where things are headed, and the deterioration of character that occurs when people give up religion, but still feel the need to be self-righteous.  I grow angry.

But from an eternal perspective, I have pity instead. People no longer have religion, but they always have a metaphysic, however they deny or hide.  So of course they are self-righteous, and it is not an evil, but clinging to the last remnants of goodness that they know.  They are eating the husks because they must eat something.  They are sheep without a shepherd.