Posted on 09/04/2007 4:47:52 AM PDT by BigAlPro
We are now living in what some scholars call the "post-Christian West."
By this they mean that Christianity no longer influences culture in Europe or in North America in a way that it once did. Of course there are many inherited influences still evident in the law, but for the past 50 years Europe, then the United States, has jettisoned Christian influences in arts and entertainment, politic, and education.
It is becoming, some scholars say, an "ABC moment" -- "Anything But Christian."
While well over 90 percent of Americans still say they believe in God, and many still identify as "Christian," the values of biblical orthodoxy no longer form the foundations of American culture.
The once vaunted Judeo-Christian consensus is cracking. You can see this in public debates about human sexuality, marriage and the family, the right to life, bio-medical ethics and the place of religion in public life.
While presidential candidates on both sides of the partisan divide look for ways to demonstrate their religious knowledge and fidelity, for most of them, truly Christian values and practice do not characterize their lives -- or at least many of their policy perspectives. Christianity has been invited out of the public university, where the ABC Moment is embraced and encouraged.
For those of us who identify ourselves as Christian people, life is becoming more challenging. Our values are no longer reinforced in grade school or at the office.
But this ABC Moment can be our moment. It's a time when living Christian values makes us different. Our lives are potentially a greater testimony than ever. In a time when the church is passe, our friends and associates need to see Christianity-in-us more than ever.
God grant that you and I possess the doctrinal understanding and faithfulness to rise to the occasion.-- Rex M. Rogers is a syndicated newspaper columnist and president of Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids.
The hand of God is still working in this world.
Christianty has faced the challenge of reason before, and that has been good for Christianty and for humanity. Now, however, the challenge comes from irrationality. Some Christians engage in that, too.
Let’s see how they like muslim influences instead of Christian. My guess is that they will be sorrrrreeeee. But by that time, we all will be. Hope it’s not too late.
We need to turn from a society of crudeness, anti-intellectualism and decadence to one of the Judeo-Christian values that made us strong in the first place. The Islamists are true zealots and we are becoming progressively more and more effete. We will never prevail against them if the present trend continues.
>I, for one, do not place this blame on the media or liberals or anybody other than the church.<
The mainline churches answer to the National Council of Churches, a leftist organization, which has ruined the Episcopal church I loved but left over twenty years ago, is the one entity to blame.
Fortunately, the drain from the mainline churches has spilled into a burgeoning Evangelical empire. So the NCC has failed, and Christ Jesus has won.
We are experiencing spiritual warfare as never before in America, on every front. Are we putting the full armour of God on our children every day? Are we rejecting pornography, and near pornographic television and movies? Are we holding our governing bodies to all high principles such as truth, honesty, and justice? Have we misplaced our priorities? Are we taking control of what our public schools teach the future of America, our children?
Many pastors stay away from worldly things, therefore do not teach their congregations to be good stewards of God’s country. And America is still God’s country.
When you get right down to it, it is God’s world, and he must be in grievious pain at what is happening in this beautiful world He created.
And don’t think for a minute that what has happened to the media and the liberals isn’t visable proof of Satan’s own handiwork!
I completely agree with you. Everywhere I look, I see churches that are turning into politically correct, modern touchy-feely behemoths, that don't preach the gospel anymore for fear of hurting someone's feelings. No denomination has escaped it. I used to go to church, I don't anymore.
Fortunately, the drain from the mainline churches has spilled into a burgeoning Evangelical empire. So the NCC has failed, and Christ Jesus has won.
people are moving away from the world churches and serving God with thier heart and soul....
Amen!
The ABC mentality and doctrines by our would be Masters on Earth comes from an acknowledgment of the power and truth of Christianity..
I am in fact comforted because it simply fulfills scripture.
W
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places”
Ephesians 6:12
A christian that doesn’t go to church is like a soldier that doesn’t drill.
Doesn’t mean you aren’t a christian but it does limit your effectiveness.
There are still plenty of good churches. I would recommend one of the smaller ones.
I looked around & tried different churches. I found a small one I liked really well. I became active & taught Sunday School, VBS, etc. Then, half of the church staged a revolt & got the preacher kicked out because "he was too conservative" (ie. he lectured their children about running up & down the aisles during his sermon). That did it for me.
When the Communists began their persecution of Christians in the 1920's, the average church fell from 300 to 15. That's a 95% falling away. It won't be any different here. There are a lot of 'cultural' Christians who like Christian influences, but don't know what they beleive.
Without the influence of God, everything we are becomes merely words on paper, The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, everything. Some have turned to those as a replacements wanting to deny the very spring from which our rights were drawn.
The sad thing is that despite how great our country is, it is just another nation, another worldly power without God. The almighty has seen many of those come and go, yet he still reigns. If we turn from him, we too will follow many other “great nations” into the ash heap of history.
The great thing is, at this time and in this country we do have a choice that many others through out history did not.
“While well over 90 percent of Americans still say they believe in God, and many still identify as “Christian,” the values of biblical orthodoxy no longer form the foundations of American culture”
And what, dear friends, has been the result of this travesty??
Unfortunately the mainline denominations have subscribed to the “new” culture. What a shame!!
remember that Christianity is always one generation from extinction. The Church was formed on Pentecost to keep the faith and spread the Gospel.
“...If those who claim to be Christ followers simply heed Romans 12 it would not be. I, for one, do not place this blame on the media or liberals or anybody other than the church. The church - Christians - who live lives no different than the world are to blame.”
Yep. Thanks for that post Ob. Romans 12 — secular people are too worldly/smart/proud/arrogant/in the dark for that, and many Christians just don’t get it.
The Kingdom of Light will prevail.
The Lord continually attempts to get us to turn to Him and stop worrying about what appears before our eyes. If we turn from our sin and become righteous, and if those righteous will pray and seek His Face, He will heal our land.
James 5:16
... The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].
Gen. 18:20 - 33
And the Lord said, Because the shriek [of the sins] of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is exceedingly grievous, I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether [as vilely and wickedly] as is the cry of it which has come to Me; and if not, I will know...
...Will You destroy the righteous (those upright and in right standing with God) together with the wicked? ...Suppose there are in the city fifty righteous; will You destroy the place and not spare it for [the sake of] the fifty righteous in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing -- to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as do the wicked! Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth execute judgment and do righteously? And the Lord said, If I find in the city of Sodom fifty righteous (upright and in right standing with God), I will spare the whole place for their sake.
...Suppose ten [righteous people] shall be found there. And [the Lord] said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake. And the Lord went His way when He had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
2 Chronicles 7:13 - 14
If I shut up heaven so no rain falls, or if I command locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
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