I don't regularly read Mr. Archbold, and can only comment on what's in this essay. Here's the part with the overly optimistic assertions:
“I know where the country is going. I'm not going there and neither is my family.”
In one sense, that may be true. The country is going to hell in a handbasket, and Mr. Archbold will keep his family from joining the country in those nether regions.
But in another sense, it's entirely too optimistic. As the country goes to hell, we will be in for hell on earth. Not the eternal damnation sort of hell (but I'm not sure that Mr. Archbold means that about the country, anyway), but the grinding misery that may very well come our way.
“The Church will continue to exist whatever happens to this country.”
Yup. But we live in THIS country, and whatever happens to this country will affect us all. Possibly quite negatively.
“The country's barreling downwards and when it hits bottom it's going to explode like shrapnel. My job is to protect my family from the flying pieces. And then we'll start gathering the pieces.”
This borders on wishful thinking. When our country “hits bottom,” or at any point along the way, Mr. Archbold, and any of us, may be hit by those flying pieces, and we might not survive to start gathering up those pieces.
In fact, there might not be much to gather up. He assumes that there will be something left onto which to rebuild. Maybe eventually, but quite possibly, not in his lifetime nor that of his children.
“The only good news in all this is that I think that we'll hit bottom awfully quick because we're heading there awfully fast.”
This, too, is optimistic. I'm kinda thinking that the crisis will be relatively drawn-out, like slow torture. There are all sorts of tricks to be pulled out of the anti-Christ’s sleeve, and the sleeves of his enablers in the ruling elite. I figure, after the actual fall of the economy, the media and the elites will deny it even happened for the first four or five years, even as folks are dying of starvation.
And then, once we hit bottom, as others have pointed out, there's no guarantee that we'll make any meaningful recovery.
Your points about heaven and funny saints are all very well and good - I've heard the St. Lawrence story on uncounted occasions since I was maybe 14, I'm 52 now - but they're a little irrelevant to the question of whether or not Mr. Archbold is overly optimistic.
sitetest
Well sitetest,
It took me a long time to learn to put my trust in God....but when I did, it was the LESSON of LIFE...because He has NEVER let me down. There is even more:
You said “And then we’ll start gathering the pieces.”
This borders on wishful thinking.”
I don’t agree with that...because I think God has a plan in all of this. And I am not alone. Hang in there. We are in for, as the Anchoress puts it....some “interesting times.”
Here is part of her take:
** [...] Relativism, with a dose of narcissistic self-actualization, has been redefined as a “tolerance” that will tolerate anything but intolerance, and those religious groups who insist on teaching the faith to an age rather than teaching a passing age to the faith are seen as too-intolerant-to-be-tolerated by the secular triune godhead of state, media and academia.
The challenges are only going to get worse because the society is in a habit, now, of dissolution and this election feels to me – and I emphasize feels, because this is just instinct talking – like a willful choice toward the here-and-now rather than [toward] eternity. It’s a choice fueled by feelings being given primacy over reason, a general lack of imagination, and a poor understanding of supernatural realities that – I am sorry to say – is partly due to the deplorable job the Church has done, for far too long, of teaching its members how joyful, affirming and fulfilling is the life lived in Christ, and in obedience to his Bride.
We have for too long allowed our Church to be interpreted and filtered through media outlets whose members are sometimes hostile, sometimes ignorant, sometimes both. We have permitted a sacred continuum to be perceived as out-of-touch rather than wise, and we’re paying for that – and the payments are about to increase.
But there is an opportunity, here. Last night I monitored reactions from people on social media and I saw many “people of faith” – Catholics and Evangelicals – being completely roiled by the returns and I kept thinking of Peter’s first Letter: “There is cause for rejoicing here. You may for a time have to suffer the distress of many trials; but this is so that your faith, which is more precious than the passing splendor of fire-tried gold, may by its genuineness lead to praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ appears.” (1 Peter. 1:6-7)
There is a great deal of genuine Christian feeling and desire out there, but it is immature – American Christians have for the most part lived comfortably the life of faith. I believe we’re being given a chance, now, to become mature in our faith – if we are willing to be open to the workings of the Holy Spirit.
That is a big “if”. American Christians have not gone completely untouched by the influences of secularism and the selfishness and self-regard it foments. “Thy will be done” still spins our heads because our training insists, “but what about what I want?” We don’t realize that what God wants for us is always better than anything we can want for ourselves. The Church has a lot of work to do; much to teach; voices to find. But I believe the Holy Spirit is bringing them forward. Welcome to interesting times.**
So, sitetest, I honestly believe that the roots of the American people ARE predominantly found in the Christian view...though our vines and leaves have become wilted and part of the plant diseased. The Good Vine-dresser is about to prune us...to make us productive again...in SPIRITUAL fruits.