The Rotting Fruit of a Forgotten Tree

Western civilization is dying, and few seem to grasp the reason. Its roots lie exposed, severed from the soil that once nourished it. The fruits of justice, equality, and human dignity—once abundant—now rot in plain sight, while the cultural gardeners in their ivory institutions scratch their heads wondering what went wrong and pointing fingers. They propose band-aid solutions: new ideologies, shifting paradigms, or louder slogans, oblivious to the simple and painful truth: the fruit is dying because we abandoned the tree.

This civilization was not built on abstract ideals or the whims of human progress. It was not the gift of the Greeks or the Romans, whose societies were little more than sophisticated bloodbaths. It was Christianity that transformed the brutality of antiquity into something resembling human dignity. Yet, we have forgotten this. Worse, we have erased it. Now we are adrift, feasting on the decaying remnants of a moral and spiritual inheritance we neither understand nor respect.

The Lie of Greco-Roman Foundations

Modern culture loves to lionize the Greeks and Romans, crediting them with the intellectual and structural backbone of Western civilization. But let’s be clear: these empires, for all their architectural marvels and philosophical musings, were built on the backs of slaves, the oppression of the weak, and a worldview devoid of intrinsic human worth.

Athenian democracy? Reserved for free men while all others were excluded. Roman law? Ruthless and utilitarian, built on conquest and the subjugation of entire peoples. Their gods? Petty, capricious, and indifferent to the suffering of mortals. Compassion, humility, and forgiveness were not virtues—they were weaknesses.

Contrast this with the radical upheaval introduced by Christianity. Paul’s epistles, written in the shadow of these empires, declared a revolutionary truth: there is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, for all are one in Christ Jesus. To a world stratified by class, ethnicity, and power, this was an earthquake. The Gospel is a tree whose fruit would redefine the human experience.

The Gospel as Civilization’s Bedrock

What made Western civilization truly great—its justice systems, its human rights, its concept of equality—did not come from Athens or Rome. These were the direct consequences of Christianity’s moral revolution. Paul’s teachings became the foundation for values that the modern world takes for granted:

• The Sanctity of Life: The Christian belief that human life is sacred because we are made in the image of God. This was unthinkable in the ancient world, where infanticide and gladiatorial games were routine.
• Equality Under the Law: Rooted in the idea of spiritual equality before God, this concept paved the way for legal systems that strive to treat all individuals fairly.
• Compassion as a Virtue: Where pagan cultures valued only strength and dominance, Christianity elevated mercy, humility, and love for one’s neighbor as the highest ideals.

These values are not self-evident. They did not arise spontaneously from the human condition. They are the fruit of the Gospel, grown over centuries of Christian influence. To deny this is to sever the fruit from its tree.

The Rottenness of Modern Narratives

Today, the fruit of that tree is rotting, and it’s no mystery why. Modern culture has embraced mantras that promise liberation but deliver bondage: “Do what you want,” “Chase your desires,” “Live your truth,” These slogans aren’t freedom; they’re egoistic and meaningless. They preach self-worship, individualism, and indulgence, reducing humanity’s role to little more than performance.

Social media amplifies this sickness, turning life into a hollow performance of curated identity. The pursuit of “living your best life” becomes an exhausting charade, while the soul withers beneath the weight of comparison, anxiety, and disconnection. The ugliness isn’t just spiritual—it’s physical and emotional. Bodies are neglected, abused and exploited. Minds are restless and numbed by distraction. Relationships are transactional, shallow, and fleeting.

This is what happens when you cut the fruit from the tree. Separated from reverence for God, the values that once shaped our civilization are reduced to empty shells. Justice without God becomes vengeance. Freedom without God becomes chaos. Love without God becomes self serving.

Return to the Tree

The solution is both simple and excruciatingly difficult: return to the tree. Return to the source material that gave birth to the civilization we now take for granted. This isn’t a call to nostalgia or some idealized version of the past—it’s a call to humility, to acknowledge that the answers we’re grasping for have been here all along.

The modern world scoffs at this idea, clinging to its illusion of progress and self-sufficiency. “We’re beyond all that.” But history doesn’t lie. Without the moral foundation provided by Christianity, our civilization is nothing but a corpse propped up by fading memories. The Greeks and Romans couldn’t save us before, and they won’t save us now. Only Christ can.

A Challenge to the Reader

So, here’s the challenge: stop pretending we can have the fruit without the tree. Stop buying into the lie that we can build a just, compassionate, and meaningful society without the foundation that made it possible. Wake up to the truth that the Gospel isn’t just relevant—it’s foundational to what we have inherited.

And if you believe this truth, live it. Teach it. Proclaim it. The world is starving for something real, and the tree is still here, its roots deep and its branches wide.