A Voice in the Wind

I am currently reading A Voice in the Wind which is the first in the Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers. I'm about halfway through, and so far have been noticing the parallels between Roman society and our modern day society. Listen to this:

Decimus sighed heavily and took her hand again. "I am afraid for them, Phoebe. What happens to a society when all restraints are removed? I see our children consumed with watching blood be spilled in the arena. I see them seeking an unending diet of sensual pleasure. Where does it all lead? How can intemperate minds be free when they're slaves to their own passions?"

...

Rome tolerated every abominable practice, embraced every foul idea in the name of freedom and the rights of the common man. Citizens no longer carried on deviant behavior in private, but pridefully displayed it in public. It was those with moral values who could no longer freely walk in a public park without having to witness a revolting display.

What had happened to the public censors who protected the majority of citizenry from moral decadence? Did freedom have to mean abolishing common decency? Did freedom mean anyone could do anything they wanted anytime they wanted, without consequences?
--Voice in the Wind, Francine Rivers, pp 214-215

These passages just really struck a chord with me. All one needs to do is take a walk, or turn on the TV and see the same things happening around us. It's very sad, but it can be fixed, one family at a time.

If morals and love of neighbor are taught and practiced in the home, our children will have better chances of being free from the slavery of their passions. And then they can pass these same things on to their children. There is an added bonus. By living these standards, we become models for everyone around us. And maybe, if we have an effect on just one person, they may have an effect on their entire family.

But it has to start in the home first. As mothers, we become a living example of our faith to our children. You can't just ask a child to pray, they have to see us praying, so they know how to. You can't just tell a child to care for others, they need to see us caring for others, so they know how to.

We don't have to settle for living in a culture that chases every whim. We can be different, and trust that God will give us the grace we need overcome our temptations and live a virtuous life.