Posted on 07/05/2003 11:41:38 PM PDT by LdSentinal
I suffer from what I call the Scarlett O'Hara syndrome: "I can't think about that today; I'll think about that tomorrow." Tomorrow is now today, and I'm forced to look squarely at things that I'd rather not think about. Sort of like turning over rocks and trying not to notice what's crawling underneath.
The last time I saw a movie about Sodom and Gomorrah, I was shaken by the similarities between that long ago place and the America that I see today.
America is the greatest nation in the world. We are the most envied, the richest, the most powerful and, I believe, still the most respected of all nations.
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. As a noted moralist once remarked, "We have become the kind of place to which civilized countries used to send missionaries."
America has become a place where heroes have been replaced by celebrities, honor replaced by fame, success and achievement replaced by popularity. Instead of human respect, we have political correctness. Much of America has become the "what's-in-it-for-me state." Our culture embraces self-gratification, and moral principles have crossed all boundaries.
We parents have done a wonderful job of providing the material things for our children that our parents and grandparents were unable to provide for us. But we've fallen far short in providing the essentials that our ancestors provided: honor, integrity, commitment, truthfulness, responsibility and many other virtues that were a part of our everyday lives.
We have become morally bankrupt, and it is destroying our country. We have lost our self-respect, and it is jeopardizing our future.
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. Now the country that was founded on the principle of religious freedom finds itself battling to remove all thoughts and symbols of religion from our lives. Of all the wars America has fought, the current war on religion will prove to be, by far, the most destructive.
A culture in which "everything goes" and the only sin left is being judgmental is headed for a moral abyss. Without judgment, justice is impossible. Our legal system is based on judgment. Without it there will be no punishment for wrongdoing. But an even greater responsibility rests with us, as citizens, to set the standards of judgment in our everyday lives. When we are confronted with wrongdoing and unethical behavior in our midst, we have a responsibility to speak out and, God forbid, be judgmental.
Our form of self-government requires that people make reasonable judgments based on moral principles. If past generations had adhered to this nonjudgmental philosophy, we would still have slavery and child labor. Indeed, being judgmental is one of the few principles of a free society that establishes the boundaries of acceptable behavior.
Americans now place moral decline at the top of their lists of items in need of repair. This can be read as an indication that our moral problems are worsening. We seem to be saying, "Let's put away these childish things: concepts of God, our human soul and moral responsibility."
The course on which we are headed is a disastrous one. When we are headed in the wrong direction, going ahead is not progress. The only sensible thing to do after taking a wrong turn is to turn around and go back.
The turn we have taken is definitely a wrong one. The road signs are enormous. How did we miss them?
We cannot maintain that which we are not willing to defend, and we are losing the America that we love.
Even God said he would withhold punishment from the Sodom & Gomorrah if He could find just a few righteous men.
As the original poster tried to point out to you, there are many, MANY good and decent people...and yes, committed Christians in this country.....but you refused to acknowledge this and only spoke about how evil and dark America is.
And I didn't call you a nut. I said you were cynical.
Jorge "It's ironic that with your cynical and pessimistic outlook you presume to be so much better than everybody in this country you feel qualified to condemn as evil and dark."
There you go again with this wild defensiveness. Of course I think my behavior is better than pornographers and abortionists. Did I say I am superior to you or anything you do?
Where did I ever suggest that any of this was about me?
I never presumed you knew anything about my life, let alone that you were condemning it.
Back to reality; You made a blanket statement about evil and darkness taking over this country.
So unless you think everybody in this country is on the level of "pornographers and abortionists" I don't see where you should feel qualified to make these kinds of broad-brush condemnations of this nation.
Sure there is evil in this country. But I also believe there is more good that comes from this country than any other nation on earth.
I said this is the best country.
I'm sorry. I must have missed that post.
You won't get any argument out of me on this.
Don't bother to respond to this, I won't be answering you.
Sorry, I have to respond because it is such a bizarre post.
Your implication that I fail to believe Christ did NOT die in vain and that I "second guess" God says something not very nice about you.
Yeah, I guess it was inappropriate if I have seemed to judge their hearts. And some will repent.
Thanks for the rest of your message.
Interesting. Are you suggesting that the Bible increases the murder rate?
Of course I don't. It is a matter of degree.
Of course not. The only thing this proves is that lack of religion is not synonomous with lack of morality, nor is the presence of religion synonomous with the presence of morality.
As I think the root of the problem runs much deeper than that.
Regards.
That really says it for me. Good article!
Notice how the rose-colored glasses crowd disappeared after you said that.
Please pay attention to my words, which were that religion is a loser when it's hypocrisy in the form of legalistic tradition..... opposed to true heart-felt traditions that express one's devotion to God.
Honestly, where are America's priorities? Do you realize how many people around you believe in revenge? How about abortion? How about parents who put their children above everything, including God? How about a marital cheating rate between 60-80%? You can fill in the blanks.
Jesus said he'd rather a person be hot or cold than lukewarm. He means pick a side - don't sit on the fence professing to be something you're not. Hypocrits are losers. That's what I'm saying.
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