FEAR TODAY

[...]sentiments such as the one expressed in Proverbs (1:7), "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge," make little sense to a culture that regards fear only as a negative emotion. Even today, secular fear appeals about health, the environment, and diet assume a quasi-moral tone. [...]warnings about climate change quickly metamorphose into calls for "going green," "ethical living," "veganism," or "carbon rationing," which stand as alternatives to "green sin." A "God-fearing man" was someone who possessed moral rectitude. Since modern times, however, the moral authority of religion has been challenged by the guidance of science and other forms of secular thought. [...]critics of teachers' authority in the classroom invite them to serve instead as "mentors," "facilitators," or "role models" to children.