Our Lord and the twelve apostles were certainly not well placed in a strategic sense for an assault on civilization. In fact the progress of the Church is an example of the mulberry bush uprooting itself into the sea and then flourishing. However, the problem seems to be that our faith is less than that of the mustard seed. I wonder too whether we suffer from another disadvantage. Recently a group was discussing the principle of double effect, trying to give clear, everyday examples everyone would accept.
Faith is offered first of all to the poor and dispossessed.
Education usually removes us from among the poor in every sense. Many years ago Father Greeley showed in one survey that hedonists, persons who are sexually permissive, are less likely to believe in heaven. Therefore our duty is to pray for faith personally, for the Church, and for our general community. Such an explanation is desperately needed. Our Lord's call to conversion is not an optional extra in His eyes.