Renowned Canadian psychologist Dr. Jordan Peterson says young people, especially boys, are facing a “demoralization” in the world and he’s urging the Christian church to become more involved in reaching the next generation.
In a recent YouTube video titled “Messages to Christian Churches,” Peterson explained that when he took a “psychological approach” while talking about the Bible, the majority of his listeners turned out to be young men.
“That is not a phenomenon that can be easily accounted for, but let me try,” Dr. Peterson said. “Now in the West, because of the weight of historical guilt that is upon us, a variant of the sense of original sin in a very real sense, and because of a very real attempt by those possessed by what might be described as unhelpful ideas to weaponize that guilt, our young people face a demoralization that is perhaps unparalleled.”
“This is particularly true of young men, although anything that devastates young men will eventually do the same to young women,” he added while referring to anti-natalism and nihilism.
Peterson continued, “When they are children, boys are hectored for their toy preferences, which often include toy weapons, such as guns, and their more boisterous playing style, as boys require active rough and tumble play even more than girls, for whom it is also a necessity. When in grade school, boys are admonished, shamed and controlled in a very similar manner by those who think that play is unnecessary, particularly if it’s competitive, and who value a docile, harmless obedience above all.”
He said the indoctrination of such an “extremely damaging ideology” is accomplished with three accusations.
“Number one: human culture, particularly in the West, is best construed as an oppressive patriarchy motivated by the desire, willingness and the ability to use power to attain what are purely selfish and self-serving ends,” he explained.
“Accusation number two: human activity, particularly that undertaken in the West, is fundamentally a planet despoiling enterprise. The human race is a threat to the ecological utopia that existed before us and could hypothetically exist after in our absence.”
“Accusation number three: the prime contributor both to the tyranny that makes up the oppressive patriarchy and structures all of our social interactions past and present and the unforgivable despoiling of our beloved mother Earth is damnable male ambition, competitive and dominating, power-mad, selfish, exploitative, raping and pillaging,” he said.
The psychologist explained that people in the West are facing “an all-out assault at the deepest levels.”
He said young men who are “deeply conscientious, capable of guilt and regret,” consider that “in pain, every deep impulse that moves them out into the world for the adventure of their life, even that impulse drawing them to women, is nothing but the manifestation of the spirit that is essentially satanic in nature.”
This belief is not only wrong “theologically, morally, psychologically, practically and scientifically,” but it is also “anti-true,” he noted.
Peterson also pointed out that the Christian church is “there to remind people, especially young men, that they have a woman to find, a garden to walk in, a family to nurture, an ark to build, a land to conquer, a ladder to Heaven to build, and the utter terrible catastrophe of life, to face stalwartly in truth, devoted to love and without fear.”
He continued, “Invite the young men back, say, literally, to those young men, ‘You are welcome here. If no one else wants what you have to offer, we do. We want to call you to the highest purpose of your life. We want your time and energy and effort and your will and your goodwill. We want to work with you to make things better, to produce life more abundant for you, and for your wife and children and for your community, and your country, and the world.'”
Dr. Peterson then pointed out the problems within the Christian church.
“We are more abundant, sometimes, far too often, corrupt, and sometimes deeply so,” he said. “We’re outdated, as are all institutions with their roots in the dead but still often wise past.”
He shifted attention towards Protestant churches, saying, “You’re the worst at the moment.” Catholic and Orthodox should also invite young men, Peterson said.
“Put up a billboard saying ‘young men are welcome here.’ Tell those who have never been in a church exactly what to do, how to dress, when to show up, who to contact and, most importantly, what they can do. Ask more, not less of those you are inviting. Ask more of them than anyone ever has. Remind them who they are in the deepest sense, and help them become that.”
Peterson concluded the message by saying, “You’re churches for God’s sake. Quit fighting for social justice. Quit saving the bloody planet. Attend to some souls. That’s what you’re supposed to do. That’s your holy duty. Do it now, before it’s too late. The hour is nigh.”
Thousands of viewers commented on the video and some even said they were motivated to go back to church.
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