A Prime Example of Feelings Over Reason
We live in a culture that prizes feelings as objective truth over the power of reason to tell us the difference between right and wrong. The mass media implicitly tells us, "if you feel really strongly about something, it must be right and no one can tell you any differently.
Unfortunately, while feelings are given to us by God to help move us and serve reason, they aren't supposed to make our decisions for us. That's completely backwards.
Case in point- check out this article about a mother who is trying to have a local high school teacher arrested for luring her daughter into a physical relationship. The teacher who is a 41-year-old married man with children, has recently left his wife and kids to live with the 18 year-old high school student.
Denying any physical intimacy together before she turned 18, the teacher said they finally decided to follow their hearts and be together.
Even more telling, the girl says, "he is my best friend. he is more than a lover."
Let's see...18 year-old student, 41 year-old married teacher with children....and they have decided to "follow their hearts."
I'm not buying it. It's not their hearts they are following, it appears to be a need-based relationship that will most likely falter when the feelings dissipate and then, what will be left? What about this man's children, one of whom goes to the same high school as the girl he now lives with? What about his wife? What about the innocence of the girl who will forever deal with the ramifications of being intimate with a man old enough to be her father? Where is this girl's dad?
It is very hard for us to discern situations to be true when we feel very strongly about them, don't get me wrong. But we must remember that truth does not rest upon how we feel about something, but rather if it is objectively true or not.
Unfortunately, while feelings are given to us by God to help move us and serve reason, they aren't supposed to make our decisions for us. That's completely backwards.
Case in point- check out this article about a mother who is trying to have a local high school teacher arrested for luring her daughter into a physical relationship. The teacher who is a 41-year-old married man with children, has recently left his wife and kids to live with the 18 year-old high school student.
Even more telling, the girl says, "he is my best friend. he is more than a lover."
Let's see...18 year-old student, 41 year-old married teacher with children....and they have decided to "follow their hearts."
I'm not buying it. It's not their hearts they are following, it appears to be a need-based relationship that will most likely falter when the feelings dissipate and then, what will be left? What about this man's children, one of whom goes to the same high school as the girl he now lives with? What about his wife? What about the innocence of the girl who will forever deal with the ramifications of being intimate with a man old enough to be her father? Where is this girl's dad?
It is very hard for us to discern situations to be true when we feel very strongly about them, don't get me wrong. But we must remember that truth does not rest upon how we feel about something, but rather if it is objectively true or not.
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