[Jorge]

The warnings are in the text whether you, I, or anyone else, like them or not. It's no more a matter of piety to note them than it is to see a big red "flammable" warning sign and take appropriate action. If you've got a beef, take it up with the Author, bucko, rather than whining at the one who's pointing at the warning sign.

Perhaps you should go back and review the posts you call yourself responding to because nowhere have I ever complained about, protested or challanged ANYTHING the Bible says.

What I (and others) have objected to is the selective misuse of scriptures by meanspirited self-righteous individuals for their own purposes..Specifically exploiting a horrific crime and tragedy to point their judgemental fingers and assign blame.
Of course they never mention their own personal sins.

Or, go ahead: present your non-negotiable demand: "God Bless America!", and see how far it gets you.

Whoever said this? What are you talking about?

[Blue_Ridge_Mtn_Geek]

What I (and others) have objected to is the selective misuse of scriptures by meanspirited self-righteous individuals for their own purposes..Specifically exploiting a horrific crime and tragedy to point their judgemental fingers and assign blame. Of course they never mention their own personal sins.


On that point, you and the others are on target. Indeed, Falwell has properly apologized (contrary to the author of the original article, who has missed the mark on this point) for raising the issue of national judgement without presenting a sufficiently broad scope for the causes, and by implicitly limiting the causes to his favorite political enemies by listing only them in his initial comments. As several responses (not necessarily in this thread) have said, "judgement begins at the house of God", and Falwell has acknowledged this reproof.

What you said in your response to the texts posted, however, was: "So much scripture and so little understanding.
Perhaps if some criminals slaughter your family and friends you can then piously parrot your verses about it being God's judgement for the nation's sins.
(phewwww!)"

Now, this certainly bears a strong resemblance to the push-back I've gotten from others who have reacted to the warnings of these passages with anger and contempt in their voices, as though it is treasonous to even hint that "the good 'ol USA" could have anything to repent after "those wicked creatures blowing up all of those poor innocent people". As though, by pointing to the possiblity that God's judgement was part of the picture, I was somehow making excuses for the wicked ones who perpetrated this catastrophe, and justifying their motives and actions. The typical instrument of God's judgements, particularly the judgements on Israel, were the wicked nations and empires who came in to stomp on the Israelites whenever His restraint on them was removed - - - righteous neighbors being in short supply for such use. Likewise, raising the possiblity that the behavior and attitude of the people and institutions of the USA (BEGINNING with the churches)has left our nation vulnerable to divine punishment does not imply that the instruments of that judgement wear halos and come against us with pure motives.

Or, go ahead: present your non-negotiable demand: "God Bless America!", and see how far it gets you.

Whoever said this? What are you talking about?


The individuals who reject the very possibility that their nation may be under God's judgement, because of the collective sins of their neighbors and who complain about the references to that possibility in His Word, are implicitly demanding God's positive sanctions (the blessings) and rejecting the possibility that the behavior and attitude of many of their fellow citizens (including, perhaps, even themselves) has earned their nation the negative sanctions (the curses) promised for unrestrained disobedience. So, when they sing "God Bless America", they are not humbly petitioning God, or even thanking Him, but rather sending up their "non-negotiable demands". Psalm 2 is just for them!