In the name the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, One God. Amen.
On March 1 st , in the middle of a Jordan Peterson podcast, Jordan Peterson, who is a very famous non-Christian psychologist but who speaks a lot about Christianity, became very emotional when the subject of Christ came up. He started tearing up when he seemed to be coming to a realization that the objective and narrative worlds come together in Christ. Let's see a brief footage.
Peterson:
''And in some sense, Christ is the union of those two things. The problem is is I probably believe that, but I don't... I don't... I'm amazed at my own belief and I don't understand it. Because I've seen... sometimes the objective world and the narrative world touch. You know, that's union synchronicity. And I've seen that many times in my own life. And so, in some sense, I believe it's undeniable, you know.
''We have a narrative sense of the world. For me, that's been the world of morality. That's the world that tells us how to act. It's real. Like, we treat it like it's real. It's not the objective world, but the narrative and the objective world touch. And the ultimate example of that, in principle, is supposed to be Christ.
''But I don't know what to m... I'm... that seems to me oddly plausible, but I still don't know what to make of it. It's too... and partly 'cause it's too terrifying a reality to fully believe. I don't even know what would happen to you if you'd fully believed it.''
You can listen to the podcast if you would like to understand what he's referring to exactly, because it is not the purpose of this video. Jordan Peterson also seems to admit one principal reason that keeps him from fully giving in to Christianity. And that reason is the moral standard or moral weight associated with this perfect Christian God that all Christians should live by. Let's see another brief footage.
Peterson:
''Million people have asked me whether or not I believe in God and I've answered in various ways. No, but I'm afraid He probably exists. That's... that's one answer, um, yeah. No but I'm terrified He might exist. That... that would be the truthful answer to some degree or that I act as if God exists, which I think is... I do my best to do that.
''But then, there's a real stumbling block there, because... there's no limit to what would happen if you acted like God existed. You know what I mean? Because I believe that... that acting that out fully... I mean, maybe it's not reasonable to say to believers: you aren't sufficiently transformed for me to believe that you believe in God or that you believe the story that you're telling me. You're not...you're not a sufficient... you're not... the way you live isn't sufficient testament to the truth.''
Host:
''And I understand it when you say something like, you know, I act as if God exists or, you know, I'm afraid to say that God exists. And I think it's because you...you think or you tend to think that the moral weight, like, of that is so strong that you would... you would crumble under it, that you would just be crushed under it. And...''
Peterson:
''I believe that.''
Host:
''And I think that that's... I think that I understand that.''
If you read his first book, 12 Rules for Life, or listen to his lectures, you can tell that he is a man of deep integrity, a man that lives by what he teaches. He walks the walk. I believe that is somewhat of a virtue, if I may say that, and I certainly applaud him for that. But that also has an unbearable weight when one is trying to live up to a perfect morality.
But if I could send Jordan Peterson a message, it would be this: You don't have to be perfect. God doesn't want us to be perfect as a prerequisite to joining Him. We are perfected in Him, not apart from Him.
The vital missing element in Jordan Peterson's equation is the very work of God in one's life. He is the one that leads us into that path of virtue. And it is not a path of perfection in the sense that we commit no sin. It's a path of human recreation. It is a healing of the human condition. And that is precisely why we have the mysteries within the Church and we have the saints who lived that kind of life in Christ. St. John Chrysostom says the following:
''Enter into the Church and wash away your sins. For here is a hospital and not a court of law. Do not be ashamed again to enter the Church...'' (St. John Chrysostom)
One of the desert fathers said:
''Spread abroad the name of Jesus in humility and with a meek heart; show Him your feebleness and He will become your strength.'' (Sayings of the Desert Fathers)
He said this echoing St. Paul when Christ told him:
'' 9 (...) My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness...'' (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Remember: Christ chose Matthew, the tax collector, the one who was disloyal to his Jewish brethren, and made him an apostle. He chose the adulterous Samaritan woman and made her St. Photini. He chose Zacchaeus, another tax collector, and told him out of all people: today, I must, I must stay at your house. Zacchaeus became the first bishop of Caesarea, according to the Apostolic Constitutions.
My message to Jordan Peterson, if he permits me is this: You don't have to lift the weight on your own. You're not meant to. Come home to your God and He will show you. He awaits.
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Remember: Know your faith, live your faith, and teach your faith.