repentance is change

The quote for today in my google homepage is one of my favorites from Upton Sinclair: "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on not understanding it." This clever insight could be the refrain of our generation.

I am always amazed by the stories people will tell themselves in an effort to avoid any necessity for changing their lifestyle. It should be expected of the world, I guess, but isn't the heart of the Christian message repentance--continual, repeated repentance? In other words, change. You can't be a Christian and stay attached to the status quo.

In the article I linked to above, Alan Caruba claims that oil isn't running out, that fossil fuels aren't linked to global warming, and that big oil is helpful to world peace and prosperity. Anyone who objectively looks at the facts will have no problem refuting his claims. But plenty of people will have a very hard time even looking at, much less accepting, any facts that suggest that they should change. Human nature is hardwired to resist change; perhaps that is part of the reason why it is such an integral and essential part of the Christian faith. Often, the very thing we hate and fear the most is the very thing we most need.