America near moral abyss

The Charlotte Observer ^ | 7/5/03 | Joyce Krawiec

[Mmmike]

America doesn't have much cultural output these days. Most of what people consider to be cultural output is really entertainment designed for passive absorption. Meanwhile, in lieu of generating cultural output many people are preoccupied with autonomous self-aggrandizement and don't have the time or inclination to do cultural things.

[Torie]

Germany has the lowest performance rate of secondary schools amoung the rich industrial nations. Shocking, isn't it?

[hemogoblin]

Americans are too comfortable, and historically speaking our lives are easy. It will take major calamity/hardship/fear to make many Americans tough, realistic and moral again.

It has never been more important to teach children our history ...

[Jhoffa_]

Our moral principles were always, in the past, a part of American culture. They were based on faith. The Golden Rule, the Ten Commandments and the Bible served as moral guides.

..A culture in which "everything goes" and the only sin left is being judgmental..

amen.

[Jhoffa_]

Americans are too comfortable, and historically speaking our lives are easy. It will take major calamity/hardship/fear to make many Americans tough, realistic and moral again.

So a broke person is going to somehow become "moral" as a result?

I don't think so.. I think it goes allot deeper than being poor or having a tough life, as the jails are of such people.

It has to do with basic morality, good parenting, respect for religion and the concept of: "Regardless if you profit personally from the endeavor, right is right simply because God said so. Thus doing what's right should be your goal."

[steve86]

This is a good country, filled with good, God loving people.

You're living in a dream world. Stop deceiving yourself. The dark side has won over America.

[Jorge]

In my travels i have found Americans to be the most moral of people on a one to one basis.Why that doesnt translate itself to the cultural output of the nation i do not know.

I can think of one reason. Hollywood.

[McGavin999]

LOL, the dark side is nowhere near taking over America and the fact that you think it is says something not so nice about you.

[Jorge]

"This is a good country, filled with good, God loving people."

You're living in a dream world. Stop deceiving yourself. The dark side has won over America.

You're cynical...clearly so jaded by what wrong with this nation that you are unable to see the good.
I agree with the above poster. With all the evil and darkness allowed to exist in this free country...it astounds me how many good and God loving people there still are in this nation.

[jimmccleod]

"America is also the nation that leads industrialized countries in murder rates, violent crime, imprisonment, abortion, sexually transmitted diseases, teen suicide, divorce, single-parent households, drug use, pornography and failing schools."

And the part of the US that suffers the most from these items is the bible belt.

[steve86]

the fact that you think it is says something not so nice about you.

Not sure what that means...I don't even go to PG movies.

The two of you should stand before God and say "This is the embodiment of your will, Lord, the United States in 2003, we know you will be pleased.".

[McGavin999]

I'm sure that God IS pleased. After all, he knows the hearts of the people. I don't know what kind of people surround you, but I feel terribly sorry for you if you can't see the decency of the majority of the people in this country.

Are there people in this country who are on the wrong track? Of course there are. Are they the majority? Not by a long shot.

[steve86]

I don't know what kind of people surround you, but I feel terribly sorry for you if you can't see the decency of the majority of the people in this country.

Can't you think of a more effective method of debate than to make silly assumptions about my surroundings? The people around me are fine and believe what I do -- that the number of moral people is certainly less than one-third, and sliding down the slippery slope. The complacency of people and the tolerance and unwillingness to protest against evil in our society (while at the same time attending church, in many cases) is the subtle kind of creeping deterioration in morals that disturbs me. [There are a very few encouraging things, such as the reported climb in numbers of women against abortion].

[Torie]

Whether "good" people are a majority or not in America, the fact is that this splendid land of ours offers more opportunity, is more just, is more open to offering opportunity to all who might seek it without discrimination, is more tolerant, is more committed to free markets, and market mechanisms, is more self confident with good reason, and is more committed to seeking some semblance of a world moral code, in an intelligent manner, than anytime in its history. The "American" century, when we will accomplish the most good for this planet, and for ourselves, internally and externally, is just beginning. That is what I believe.

[McGavin999]

Well, if you are surrounded by two thirds of the people who are NOT decent, good people, you're living in the wrong place. I've found that nine-tenths of the people are decent, kind, hard working, and God loving.

All you had to do was watch this country after 9-11 and see what the hearts were made of. I think you might well have a problem with discernment, or perhaps you have an ego problem where, if people don't think exactly like you they must be "evil".

There is plenty of evil in this world without you trying to manifest it where it doesn't exist.

[mombonn]

my guess is that the world was always "going to hell in a handbasket".

You're absolutely correct. I read "Holy Spirit Revivals" by Charles Finney a while back. What an eye opener as to what life was like in "the good old days".

We must never forget that in the early days of the Bible, God was so disgusted with the human race that he sent sent a flood to wipe out all but Noah and family.

Matthew 24: 37-39 says,

"As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark;
and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

I can't help but believe that the trump will sound most any time.

[ladyinred]

"We have become the kind of place to which civilized countries used to send missionaries."

And if another country sent missionaries here, the left would try to throw them in jail. Communists don't like God much.

[steve86]

All you had to do was watch this country after 9-11 and see what the hearts were made of.

That's right, buying Chinese-made American flags at Wal-Mart and purchasing a new fire truck for NYC proves that the majority of Americans are living the lives that Jesus directed us to live.

There is plenty of evil in this world without you trying to manifest it where it doesn't exist.

You seem to be the the very manifestion of complacency. Is there any further deterioration in the morals of this country that would cause you to question your sanguine outlook?

[McGavin999]

I believe that too Torie. I also believe that if you look for bad, you will find it. If you look for good, you will find that too. How do you spread the light when all you can see is darkness?

I think 9-11 was a wake up call for this country. It made us stop to think about what we, as a country, want to be. I like the direction we're going, and I have great hope for what we're going to accomplish.