There is no doubt that modern life does not help people’s mental health.
Societal social pressures grow every year. On the other hand, a moral crisis is
evident. Many people have found themselves in a state of spiritual vacuum:
having no faith in Christ in their hearts, they slip into the path of sin. And
a sinful life can never bring true happiness.
Of course, there are moments of psychological breakdowns among Orthodox
Christians, because no person on earth is free from sin, but the Orthodox prays
to the Lord for mercy, partakes of the soul-healing mysteries of Confession and
Communion, and the merciful Lord, pitying the penitent, heals their hearts and
gives them spiritual peace.
The following facts reveal the state of our Russian society. The level of
overall crimes from 1987 to 1996 has increased 2.2 times. The number of
marriages in 1996 has decreased by 17%, while divorces have increased by 21%.
The number of children born out of wedlock has increased by 76%. The number of
suicides from 1985 to 1995 has increased by 79%.
The spiritual health of our young generation is particularly worrisome. The
eroded spiritual reference points in society, the difficult social conditions
are a difficult burden for the tender children’s souls.
Many families can be called unsuccessful: parents often abuse alcohol, and
maternal alcoholics are no longer rare. Half of the 13-year-old boys and girls
drink alcohol. The age for beginning smokers has dropped to 10 for boys and 12
for girls. Today, no one is surprised when schoolchildren have sexual
relationships. Every 10th abortion is performed on a teenager. The
use of narcotics is growing among the youth. Venereal diseases in teenagers,
child prostitution — are, unfortunately, sad distinctions of our times.
By facts provided by the MVD RF, in Russia at the start of 1995 there were
50,000 abandoned children, 620,000 teenagers had police records. Teenage serial
killers have appeared. Judicial psychiatry never used to have such cases and,
one can conclude, what a monstrous level of aggression in society they reflect.
A child’s ordeals begin in infancy. Here is an excerpt from one young
mother’s letter: "Children have been robbed of childhood.
"Thanks" to television and mass information systems small children
already know what sex is, and what and with whom one can perform it. When they
grow older, will they be able to assess pure love? Look at what cartoons show
children. The titles speak for themselves: "Insane," "Star
fighters," and so on. Movies lack morality and are ignorant. Recently the
cartoon movie "Everyone goes to heaven" was shown. The essence of
this film: there is no need to work, one must play arduous games until they
win, and cultural leisure — is a girl from a cabaret. And look at the toys
offered to children: ninjas, aliens from outer space, killer-robots and so on.
To what end? What can these toys give children?" Unfortunately, the author
receives many similar letters, and in each — pain and sorrow on the part of the
parents concerning everything occurring around them.
There was an interesting study performed by the police and national
education departments in the city of Fullerton, in the state of California,
USA, in March 1988. Here are the results:
- The main problems in school
in 1940: students talk during class, chew gum, are noisy, run in the
halls, do not stand in line, do not dress to code, litter in class.
- The main problems in school
in 1988: the use of narcotics, the use of alcohol, pregnancy, suicide,
rape, robbery, assault.
Commentaries are superfluous. It is especially necessary to point out, that
these frightening metamorphoses occurred in less than 50 years, from the time
of strong growth of materialism in the USA. One must think that this is a
natural result for any society based on materialistic ideas. The pro-American
way of life is being imposed on the rest of the world this past decade. The
question, to what shall it lead? — begs a troublesome prognosis.
The program of our television broadcasts are filled with monstrous names,
behind which are rape and depravity. Bare bodies are exhibited in all fields of
mass communications. Members of all sects are working in our Russian schools,
directly undermining the spiritual valuables of Orthodoxy. The spirit of
amassing wealth and bowing to the dollar, sex changes, virtual reality and
euthanasia, Satanism, child pornography, instructions for suicide and terrorism
— these are the frightening realities of our life.
Children are subjected to the influences of members of the occult,
hypnotists and other dark personalities. The consequences of these actions on
their tender souls are very dangerous. Doctors know how many severe complications
people undergo after they have watched televised séances of modern
"magicians." But children are our future! What will it look like?!
Return to the first page
