Posted on 04/01/2023 11:32:54 AM PDT by george76
Historian Arnold Toynbee observed "an autopsy of history would show that all great nations commit suicide."
It's hard not to think about this reading the results of the latest Wall Street Journal-NORC poll, appearing under the headline "America Pulls Back From Values That Once Defined It."
Only 38% of Americans now say patriotism is "very important," compared to 70% in 1998. Thirty-nine percent say religion is "very important," compared to 62% in 1998. And 30% say having children is "very important" compared to 59% in 1998.
The results that follow from these attitudes are not surprising.
Marriage rates are way down. Birthrates are way down.
In 1990, 67% of American adults between the ages of 25-54 were married. This was down to 51% in 2021.
In 2020, there were 56 births in the U.S. for every 1,000 women ages 15-44. In 1990, there were 70.9.
And, among the births we do have, in 2021, 40% of our babies were born to unmarried mothers.
Not surprisingly, our population is hardly growing. In 2022, the U.S. population increased 0.4%, a modest increase from the 0.1% increase in 2021, the lowest annual population growth since the founding of the nation.
Looking at the same polling data results among the youngest sector of our population, the picture looks even more dismal.
Among those under 30, just 23% say patriotism is "very important" to them, 31% say religion is "very important," and 23% say having children is "very important."
What is important to Americans today?
Although 70% say marriage is either "very important" or "somewhat important," 65% say belief in God is "very important" or "somewhat important," 73% say patriotism is "very important" or "somewhat important," 91% say self-fulfillment is "very important" or "somewhat important," and 90% say money is "very important" or "somewhat important."
...
The devaluing of marriage, children and patriotism, and the focus on "self-fulfillment" and money are, of course, signs of a culture sunk into egotism and materialism, with a loss of a sense of being part of something larger than oneself.
It is not an encouraging picture for a country that hopes to have a future.
Our health care and retirement systems depend on a growing population. Stagnant population growth means more and more retirees per each individual in the workforce. It's why our Social Security system is bankrupt.
Zero population growth means an aging population and increasing health care costs. In 2019, 56% of all health care costs were in age groups 55 and above. The overall burden of health care costs will continue to increase as the percentage of the population over 55 increases.
There are also implications on national security of attitudes that devalue patriotism and national service.
We now have a volunteer military. This can't work with a population of young people who feel no sense of identity and obligation to their nation.
Again, the results are predictable. In 2022, the Army fell 15,000 short of its recruiting goal.
National defense spending is 3% of GDP, very low by historical standards.
The Wall Street Journal reports our Navy's fleet of ships will shrink to 291 by 2028 from 297 today. And the number of aircrafts in the Air Force is diminishing.
Only 21% of those surveyed say that our country "stands above all countries in the world."
But our country is only the product of its citizenry. A free nation under God becomes less free, and less great, as the Creator is traded in for materialism and egotism.
We have elections coming in 2024. President Joe Biden, assuming he runs, will run on more of what is destroying our nation. It is up to Republicans to run on principles and ideals, in hope that we can mend our rapidly sinking ship of state.
“countries that are governed by Communist dictators should be plagued with the same social, economic, and cultural evils we are now experiencing here.”
The reds use what they can to separate a group of people into as many groups as possible. Part of that here is destroying our culture, which usually binds people together.
Once that is done and the communists take over, they stop doing that. Then they get to the task of “fixing” all those problems. They fix unemployment and homelessness by killing all the unemployed and homeless. Drag queens are grooming kids, so they kill all the drag queens. And so on, in that manner.
I’m sure they have their problems, like worrying about not being killed, but they are not constantly under attack culturally like we are right now.
If it was suicide, Deep State wouldn’t have to steal elections, threaten, coerce.
This isn’t suicide.
It’s pre-meditated murder.
More accurate to say the Uniparty. There are very few real conservatives in the GOP.
The Marxist out number the Uniparty 10 to 1
I agree that it’s probable.
I’m sure they have their problems, like worrying about not being killed, but they are not constantly under attack culturally like we are right now.
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Appreciate your response because it provides a perspective that helps to clarify for me what appears to be somewhat of a paradox.
Most industry in the 20th century was centered in medium and large cities. When the USA FOOLISHLY offshored our factories we pulled the economic rug out from under hundreds of communities across the USA.
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True that! It is tragic that our politicians have for decades been absolutely oblivious to how damaging such policy decisions would inevitably become to the welfare of our country. And that ignorance continues to this very day! Dangerous and pitiful!
“Drag queens are grooming kids, so they kill all the drag queens. And so on, in that manner”.
People like Drag Queens are called ‘Useful Idiots’. Once they are no longer needed, they are eliminated. You are correct.
It's about time!!!
It's only taken 50 years of killing 63,000,000 + unborn furure American citizens to accomplish the task!
(Thanks to Billy Graham)
Something like ‘birth pangs’; isn’t it?
Genesis 18:20-21
20. Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous
21. that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know."
Genesis 19:4-7
4. Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom--both young and old--surrounded the house.
5. They called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them."
6. Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him
7. and said, "No, my friends. Don't do this wicked thing.
Leviticus niv
18:22 Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.
20:13 If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable.
They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.
Isaiah 3:9 The look on their faces testifies against them;
they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it.
Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves.
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2 Peter 2:13b Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight.
They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.
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Ezekiel 16:49-50 "`Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom:
She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.
They were haughty and did detestable things before me.
Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.
1. But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves.
2. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.
3. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
4. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment;
5. if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;
6. if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;
7. and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men
8. (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)--
9. if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.
10. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings;
11. yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord.
12. But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.
13. They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.
But there IS hope!!!
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
9. Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:
Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders
10. nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
11. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Exactly!
(I was saying just that, later, in thins thread - I think 🤔 this thread)
Yes sir!! BTW I am still in the process of firing that loser employee. I’ll let you know when it happens.
Ireland is committing suicide, too - and they are going much faster.
25% of people on the island are foreigners, a lot of them Africans. The average Irish woman of reproductive age wants 0-2 children, average a little more than one. The average immigrant woman wants five or more.
All immigrants, legal and illegal, have housing, a guaranteed income, and free school for children.
They are not going to last long.
I fear Robert Bork was wrong. We are not slouching towards Gomorrah - we are galloping....
Any time!
One sure-fire indication that something is NOT a paradox is if it has happened before.
All the ‘isms have happened before. They can all most certainly happen again.
Yes, please let me know. Good for you.
They will and are. But they will be to stupidto understand that it was their fault. Worshiping Biden and Soros has blinded them.
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