Continuing the thought process of the previous post:
It is important to remember that ....
A] Most of us are fully immersed in secular western culture.
B] When one is fully immersed in something it impacts him whether he likes it or not and whether he is aware of it or not.
C] Most of the beliefs and values of contemporary society are at odds with Jewish tradition to varying degrees.
When you put A,B and C together it emerges that we are influenced and our viewpoint is colored by beliefs and values that contradict the Torah. So we live with a cognitive dissonance where at once we are faithful Jews [which we truly attempt to be!!!] and at the same time - western secularists. I am not being patronizing or condescending, חס ושלום. I think it is a fact of life and I include myself as one who reads and hears a lot of things not in concert with Torah values and as much as I may try not to be - I am influenced.
Here is one of countless examples. Torah teaches us that this world is but a waiting room for the next world. We are living not for this world but to prepare for the next. Western culture is one hundred percent single mindedly focused on THIS world. The next world? They will think about it when they get there.
So we ask ourselves - How often are we thinking of Moshiach and Olam Haba and how much about Olam Ha-zeh? Like a million thoughts about this world to one about the next. Totally disproportionate.
So when we express or hear "opinions", it is important to be mindful of where those opinions stem from. "לאו דוקא" from the Ramchal or R' Yisroel Salanter.
