In doing so, a couple of theological principles are relevant. The first is divine judgment. From the perspective of evolutionary theology, God's judgment is built into the very fabric of what it means to be human. One might even liken it, spiritually, to gravity. It is what it is and cannot be challenged let alone abrogated. Divine judgment dictates that actions have consequences that reflect the action itself. Thus good actions breed good consequences and evil actions are their own "reward." At the micro level, this law is very messy and involves a lot of "collateral damage" because others suffer for the wrongs we do, just as others benefit from the good we do. The second theological principle at work is idolatry, which is closely allied with divine judgment. Idolatry is the worship of anything that is not worthy of worship. In our day and age, false ideologies are one of the most common forms of idolatry. Idolatry is powerful, insidious, and ultimately destructive of the idolater, but again with "collateral damage" as others are adversely affected by the passion and failed actions of those engaged in false worship. Addictions can be considered forms of idolatry, the false worship of pleasure.
Judgement and idolatry are two key doctrines of the Christian faith. They are also important tools for the analysis of the current state of American politics and the nation. Let me save the hows, whys, and therefores for a second posting, probably tomorrow.
