The American Mind readily invokes God as a sedative, but only when visited by national disaster. Otherwise, it claims diplomatic immunity from what God suggests and morality requires.
We withhold affection, appreciation, and affiliation when our children show us parts of themselves that we can’t tolerate or don’t like, and we embrace and praise them when they do as we please. While we are busy role-modeling, reinforcing, and rewarding good behavior, and punishing, shaming, ...