Posted on 10/23/2001 4:26:00 PM PDT by Incorrigible
Edited on 05/07/2004 7:41:14 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
Maybe we can all agree that 1)America is the greatest country now or ever before; 2)We should continue to be vigilant against evil, from within and without; 3)We all should attempt to live more generous and (dare I say it?) Christian lives; 4)movies and TV should try harder to reflect positive values that uplift the human spirit; 5)the terrorists' "Highway to Hell" is about to be wiped from the face of the Earth; and 6)WE WILL NEVER FORGET.
See post by 2sheep #104
Saw it, and have seen similar before. I'll have to look further next week. I'll be back online then. The computer is getting boxed for a move. See ya...
While FDR helped create the UN and many evil socialist Americans along with him, on the other hand, our brave men and women fought and died in WWII including relatives of mine and subsequent wars to attempt to liberate people. What I am saying is that I don't agree with some of the braggadocio from Americans regarding other cultures and countries. Rwanda is not full of stupid violent barbarians and Americans better than them.
Fidel Castro owes a lot of his success to Communist Americans and naive apathetic Americans. Citizens of this nation are hardly ever outraged by human rights violations like they used to be. If you tell an American who travels to Cuba that what he's seeing is a facade, he'll most likely insinuate that you are crazy. In other words, most of the nation has become ignorant.
Alexander Solzhenitzen said it best; I'm paraphrasing: Regarding the west: we can't separate evil people over there and good people over here, because evil crosses every line because evil is in all hearts. He received an award and spoke of national and individual repentance.
Regarding Rwanda and Kosovo and the other nation you mentioned, there but for the grace of God go we. We owe our country and its superior system to God and those who followed His values. If we had been born in Rwanda or Angola, we would see Americans like National Council of Churches, Jesse Jackson, CNN, United Nations, American corporations, etc., who are enabling and empowering and receiving a lot of money from the dictators. As conservative patriots, let's look at the bad along with the good so that we can help change the injustices.
I can't do much about Jesse Jackson and his liberal friends propping up the butchers of Liberia, Rwanda, etc., but as a Christian I can pray and pray repentance. My viewpoint as a Christian is that repentance is critical for a nation. This is the first war we go into without a national call for repentance. I did a short ten minute search on the internet yesterday. In 1976 the national day of prayer was labelled National Day of Repentance and Prayer. Dr. D. James Kennedy spoke of repentant prayer (and fasting). West Germany, now part of unified Germany, has a National Day of Repentance. But now, have a Christian say that the church should repent, we are called anti-American, sanctimonious, Talibanistic, etc. Well, before September 11th, we were called sanctimonious and crazy.
If from all of the above, you are understanding me to say that America is evil or deserves to be attacked by terrorists, then you must be standing on your head while you are reading this.
No place in the Bible do I see any mention of a great Nation such as the US in the last days. Revelations speak of 1/3 of the world will perish in plagues and other desiasters during the tribulation.
I see no way that the few of us can save our Nation and that means, although we will pray for our Nation, the wicked will prevail. As Christians it will be everyone for themselves to concentrate on our walk with God and OUR own salvation. There is nothing else we can do for anyone else.
I'll probably get flamed for that quote because he said "destroy all of us", but he's right. If we keep our ignorant heads in the sand, ecumenicalism and Christian persecution is going to come to our shores, it is already here in the form of militant Islam and communists.
I wish I was as optimistic as you about the embracing of conservative values in the U.S. You should have participated as I did recently in a petition against homosexual adoption and in support of the Boy Scouts. We were excoriated more and lied about more by conservative Christians who wanted to keep the peace with politicians, or were afraid to speak out, etc., than by any homosexual activists. When some of us were persecuted by the government and homosexual activists, I'm talking intimidation tactics, stalkers stalking us, and breaking into people's houses when little kids are there, almost all the politicians take their sides, even the "conservative" ones, and our organizations get lied about in the press and get called Nazis. I expect that and don't mind it, it's worth it to try to stem the tide against homosexual adoption, but it would be nice to at least have support from the majority of conservative churches, pastors, Christian radio stations, etc., instead of just a minority remnant. I hear the same story played out from other Christians across the country who are taking a stand against abortion, homosexuality being taught to our children, etc.
Abortions, homosexuality, pornography etc. Since we are a Nation of the People for the People, a republic of democrative nature, then we the people are responsible for the actions of our government. It is us that stood by and allowed God to be removed from our Schools, politicians who listened to a mere minority in passing laws that allow abortions, tolerance of homosexuality and pornography and every other sins committed by our leaders in the name of our Nation. And yes, this nation has accomplished much in the way of helping others in times of need and other acts of goodness, but the evilness of murdering millions of innocent unborn lives, tip the scales to being a nation of evil and ungodliness.
Don't be silly.
I only responded to one thing you posted, and none of my comments were directed at you personally.
Yes but the list of sins pointed out by the author... abortions, pornography, violence, sexual immorality etc....she is talking about the sins individuals are committing in this nation.
Now the author (and those who agree with her) also commit their share of sins, but you better believe that they don't include their own sins among those they publically list as to blame for 6000 Americans being slaughtered.
Why not?
Because like the Pharisees they condemn sins of others while denying their own.
The key issue I see is this;
While God may remove his protection from individuals and nations as a form of judgement for their sins....I don't profess to know which tragedies are the result of judgement, or for which specific sins they are for.
And those who claim they do are simply opportunists exploiting this incredible crime for their own self-righteous purposes.
Perhaps they will only understand when someone commits a crime against them, and others respond by telling them it is really God judging them for their sins.
Ouch!..the judgements are REALLY flying now!
By the way "Let the blind lead the blind" was a reference to the Pharisees whom Jesus criticized for twisting the law for their own purposes and self-righteous judgement of others.
I don't agree with that, and in fact I am the one objecting to those using Sept 11 to pass judgement on America.
So, if you are going to quote Jesus, at least apply his words accurately.
Thanks!
I merely attempted to point out that America has come closer--BY FAR--to the Biblical admonitions of a just society, than ANY OTHER culture in recorded History!
WE are NOT the "Bad Guys" in our current conflict!
Doc
Doc
I think most people who get upset (I don't know if you are upset, but clearly lots of people on these threads get upset) over mention of repentance and judgment are confused, thinking God has to be vengeful and malicious because he judges us. He is not vengeful.
Also see Why Does God Seem So Angry in the Old Testament and Loving in the New?
Regards to all.
Your reasoning makes no sense. What does bravery have to do with godliness?
By last count there were 159 million Christian Americans. If it were possible to motivate those people to register and vote out the people passing the godless laws, looks to me like we'd be doing pretty good.
"If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:10-13.
No one's perfect. But it doesn't take that much cerebrum to know right from wrong. Ask a six-year-old. Play nice; don't hit; respect your elders; stand up for yourself; don't get too dirty; brush you teeth; eat your vegetables; share your toys; say your prayers.
We over-intellectualize everything, and think we're better for it. But the ability to reason is not what sets us apart from wildlife. Our ability to make choices that glorify God over what debases Him and ourselves is what counts. That said, pornography, abortion, drunkeness, drug-addiction, lying, cheating, stealing, killing, are all, probably, poor choices. Running into a collapsing inferno to save your fellow man, knowing you may have kissed your wife and children for the last time, is just about as close to godliness as humanly possible.
Therefore, I think bravery has everything to do with godliness.
And because it was taken so seriously and reverentially, "American Beauty" was the worst movie I ever saw...and I've seen plenty.
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