The Trap of Secularism: Men Without a King
"What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?" (Ecclesiastes 1:3)
Men today are lost. They wake up, grind through a job they don’t care about, go home, distract themselves with screens and cheap pleasures, and repeat. No higher cause. No true brotherhood. No King to serve.
And they wonder why they feel empty.
Solomon—who had everything—saw through the lie. He looked at life under the sun, where men work, suffer, enjoy brief moments of pleasure, and then die forgotten. And what did he conclude? Vanity. Worthless. Dust.
But men keep falling for the same trap. They try to be their own kings, forge their own meaning, and seek their own fulfillment. It never works. Because without a higher allegiance, a man has no compass. No fight worth dying for. No lasting purpose.
Secularism: The Religion of the Vicious
The world pushes a lie: “You don’t need God. You don’t need an objective truth. Just follow your heart, do what makes you happy, and you’ll be fine.”
But this is not freedom. It is enslavement to vice.
Secularism tells men to chase comfort. To avoid suffering. To do whatever brings pleasure. But what does that create? A generation of men who are either soft & aimless or hard and vicious.
Without a life of pursuing virtue and the grace of God available in the Sacraments, it’s easier to see why many:
Secular men avoid pain.
Secular men bend to the culture.
Secular men chase pleasure instead of discipline.
Secular men live only for themselves.
Men Without Allegiance Have Already Lost
History repeats the same story: A man who does not serve something greater than himself will serve his own destruction.
When Rome lost its discipline and sense of duty, it fell.
When Samson lived for his own desires instead of God’s mission, he was severely humbled.
When men today forsake faith for their own pursuits, they become spiritually weightless, incapable of standing when the world pushes back.
Because here’s the truth: A man who fights only for himself has no strength.
This is why Christ told us: “Seek first the kingdom of God.”
This is why Solomon warned: Life without God is meaningless.
This is why vigilant, virtuous men of every age—whether in the world or in the spiritual realm—dedicate themselves to something higher.
How to Break Free from the Secular Mindset
If you feel adrift or like you’re living for nothing, it’s time to get serious. Here’s where to start:
1. Get Off the Throne
You are not your own king. Stop acting like it. Surrender your life to Christ, the only King who doesn’t just demand sacrifice—but became the sacrifice for you. Every other pursuit will leave you empty.
2. Stop Worshipping Comfort
If your life revolves around avoiding discomfort, you are already weak. Do hard things. Fast. Train. Wake up early. Give up things you don’t need because comfort is the enemy of greatness.
3. Build Brotherhood
Weak men surround themselves with other weak men. Find warriors—men who challenge, push, and refuse to let you stay soft. Alone, you will fall. Iron sharpens iron. Seek men who sharpen you.
4. Develop Discipline
Stop being controlled by impulse. Get up and pray when you don’t feel like it. Read scripture. Train your body. Master your appetites. A man who cannot govern himself is a man who will be ruled by others.
5. Live for a Kingdom That Will Not Fall
Your money, your job, your reputation—they will all fade. But your soul, your legacy, the mark you leave on your family and the men around you—those things echo into eternity. Choose wisely.
Final Thoughts: The Virtuous Man’s Choice
A man without a King is a man already defeated.
The world wants you weak (physically & spiritually), distracted, and aimless. But you were made for more. You were created to serve, build, and fight for something that will outlast the world.
So choose. Will you live like the men who chase pleasure and end up forgotten? Or will you stand under the banner of Christ, the only King who gives men true strength?
This is the fight.
Pick your side.
