Americans are dying from despair

[angeltrue]

We are fortunate in our congregation to have a range of incomes, races and viewpoints, even both 'conservative' and 'liberal' (politically) together -- and one of the most outspoken conservatives is especially a good friend of one of the most liberal; I know this first hand as I know both really well, and often join in talk with them as they are already enjoying their conversation -- and I can testify to you from first hand talking for hours now with many face to face that on both sides there is real faith in God and Christ risen, and that on both sides there are many that truly care about other people. Also, many who don't care much about politics that care a lot about people also. (so we have every kind here)

Because of this the only true testimony I can give, from first hand working and talking in various volunteer activities for years now, is that definitely politically liberal believers do care about people in need just as much as politically conservative ones, and act on that personally by helping them personally with their own time and money and personal care, and love too. I know this first hand.

In the last couple of years, I've begun to think the division of our nation into camps of 'liberal' and 'conservative' is from the enemy, the 'prince of this world', who we can overcome only by faith and following Christ.

I can give the very encouraging testimony that in our church we are hand in hand together across the political spectrum, and this division from the enemy has not been able to come into our church much, and we have defeated it mostly, often entirely. Praise the Lord. "Love one another."

That's interesting - thanks for that viewpoint. I never looked at it that way. Although the left wants what is evil I've found - such as abortion. So I don't know how we can reconcile that because scripture says "what relationship hath the light with the darkness."

I began talking with a gay man online, an atheist, and he's the nicest person - nicer than many believers I've met. It's made me question all my beliefs - where I'm at now. Before I wouldn't have bothered with someone like that, but I see good in him. I'm reviewing everything I formerly believed.

 

[angeltrue]

Up to a point, more money actually does correlate with happiness.

Being poor is incredibly stressful.

Yes I've read that before and I can see where it would be.

 

[rambot]

Nothing like blame the other to set right the problems with ourselves.

 

[SolomonVII]

That's interesting. Unhappiness is what drives us to God. What do you believe is the drive behind the epidemic? Is it lack of God?

My guess is that the biggest factor would be the physiology of the human reward system itself. Something that is 100 times more potent than morphine is going to relieve pains that you did not even realize that you had, and the one constant in any human life is suffering and pain.

I don't have any experience whatsoever with this fentanyl, but it is very easy to imagine why people would be motivated to use such a drug. Probably the only motivation strong enough for them to refrain from using it would be a strong faith in there being a higher purpose to their lives, and that is who God is.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

Yes but its out of control now. The epidemic has claimed something like 40,000 + lives. Why? Is it because drugs are too accessible now?

We have the internet. Closing borders wont do anything.

 

[Halbhh]

That's interesting - thanks for that viewpoint. I never looked at it that way. Although the left wants what is evil I've found - such as abortion. So I don't know how we can reconcile that because scripture says "what relationship hath the light with the darkness."

I began talking with a gay man online, an atheist, and he's the nicest person - nicer than many believers I've met. It's made me question all my beliefs - where I'm at now. Before I wouldn't have bothered with someone like that, but I see good in him. I'm reviewing everything I formerly believed.

If people who don't go to a church are nicer than the people at our church, it's time to look for a church!

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

That's interesting - thanks for that viewpoint. I never looked at it that way. Although the left wants what is evil I've found - such as abortion. So I don't know how we can reconcile that because scripture says "what relationship hath the light with the darkness."

People are trying to keep abortion legal. So Christians and other people have safe abortions. Instead of doing it the hanger way. If you don't want an abortion don't have one. Problem solved. But sadly Christians preach against abortion. But still have them.

 

[FireDragon76]

Despair is not a political problem, it is a spiritual problem.

Politicians are not gods. They do not have the power to fix despair.

Despair is an imminently reasonable response to a life lived without God.

Religion in America itself is filled with despair. Pining away for a godly society, pre-1960's style doesn't seem wise.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

Yes I guess we tend to think the past was better - but I think in many ways it was. Drugs weren't widespread in my school growing up. I wasn't exposed to the nasty shows coming out of Hollywood, and the music wasn't so hateful and degrading.

When I went to school. There were drugs, and guess what I didn't do them. In my early 20's . I was encouraged to go heroin. By a family member. I didn't do it. I had several family members raising kids , and doing drugs. I didn't do them. And thankfully most of my family members are off drugs. Wonderful people. And their offspring didn't follow their steps. Except a few smoked pot. But no addictions. I have an aunt addicted to alcohol and pills. Bad influence to her kids. The whole time they were growing up And still is. One likes the alcohol. The other likes the pills. And sought treatment. Both smoke pot. But they have good jobs. Parents have choices on how to raise their kids. And not let them watch trash and be a good example. I'm not seeing the nightmare , that you see with illegal immigrants and Drugs. People have choices. It's not the border fault that people seek drugs.

 

[angeltrue]

Nothing like blame the other to set right the problems with ourselves.

Unsure what you mean - the problems are within us?

 

[angeltrue]

My guess is that the biggest factor would be the physiology of the human reward system itself. Something that is 100 times more potent than morphine is going to relieve pains that you did not even realize that you had, and the one constant in any human life is suffering and pain.

I don't have any experience whatsoever with this fentanyl, but it is very easy to imagine why people would be motivated to use such a drug. Probably the only motivation strong enough for them to refrain from using it would be a strong faith in there being a higher purpose to their lives, and that is who God is.

I notice you're from Canada - do you have an epidemic there?

 

[angeltrue]

We have the internet. Closing borders wont do anything.

Yes I read people are ordering on the dark web. It has to be shut off wherever it's coming from. At least every few months I hear of more deaths of young people.

 

[angeltrue]

If people who don't go to a church are nicer than the people at our church, it's time to look for a church!

It would seem that - I've been to at least 3 churches that were bad and that we left. I like our church now.

 

[angeltrue]

Religion in America itself is filled with despair. Pining away for a godly society, pre-1960's style doesn't seem wise.

Yes but we have a memory of how things were better and we'd like it that way for our future generations - our families.

 

[angeltrue]

When I went to school. There were drugs, and guess what I didn't do them. In my early 20's . I was encouraged to go heroin. By a family member. I didn't do it. I had several family members raising kids , and doing drugs. I didn't do them. And thankfully most of my family members are off drugs. Wonderful people. And their offspring didn't follow their steps. Except a few smoked pot. But no addictions. I have an aunt addicted to alcohol and pills. Bad influence to her kids. The whole time they were growing up And still is. One likes the alcohol. The other likes the pills. And sought treatment. Both smoke pot. But they have good jobs. Parents have choices on how to raise their kids. And not let them watch trash and be a good example. I'm not seeing the nightmare , that you see with illegal immigrants and Drugs. People have choices. It's not the border fault that people seek drugs.

Why did the one aunt get addicted in your opinion? They've caught a lot of drugs at the border. IMO the supply has to be cut off.

 

[FireDragon76]

Yes but we have a memory of how things were better and we'd like it that way for our future generations - our families.

Better for who? Heterosexual white Protestants? How is that just to have privilege at the expense of others? How does that live up to the Christian ideal of the sacred worth of every human being?

 

[Halbhh]

It would seem that - I've been to at least 3 churches that were bad and that we left. I like our church now.

My best friend, who passed away some years ago, was of a hard to pinpoint viewpoint, but one might call it agnostic, or a non-believer towards 'religion', and so a wording that is close I think to what he thought before the last year (during which he changed some due to an accident, and also could not talk) was he believed in something akin to a "universal consciousness" or else that's my wording for what he meant. I know he told me about praying for people in other countries at times, and this reminds me of my own combination of beliefs and disbelief for many years, where even telling people I was atheist and then later agnostic, yet I prayed at times (even once when 'atheist'), and so there you can see how deep and complex our hearts are, more than we guess often. (Of course this isn't the same as an ideological atheist who is preaching a set of beliefs) I can't know for sure what my friend thought at the end, since he could not communicate, but I testified to him as a very good friend can of course. All sorts of people reasonably doubt a version of Christianity they have seen (there are so many versions that don't seem real enough). But there is also the real, I found out, even to my surprise. He said "love your neighbor as yourself" and "forgive your brother/sister from your heart", and some of us can testify He is real and I've found out over time that all He said is true, so this tells me regardless of how poorly some churches do, even if His word "few" means only some in churches will make it, still we can, if we listen to his words and put them into practice (as He told us we must do in Matthew chapter 7).

 

[Halbhh]

I read alarming statistics that Americans are dying at a young age due to financial strain. I can attest to the strain; I've lived it and am watching my adult children live it.

It's unconscionable that our legislators are keeping our borders open while black tar heroin from Mexico and South America is flooding in. Approximately 50,000 young adults died last year from heroin overdose and our borders are still unsecured, as huge stashes of heroin are seized from those trying to smuggle it into the country. It's insanity.

Don't you think it's time we all email our legislators and demand the border be secured? Can you each do that? Our pastor has.

The unsecured border is also letting the country be flooded with cheap labor which keeps American salaries down when they have to compete with immigrants.

Blacks are disproportionately affected by mass immigration. We have nice young black men whose futures and dreams are being stolen by legislators who are beholden to farmers and agricultural lobbyists as well as Mark Zuckerberg. Mark Zuckerberg, a billionaire, funded Fwd.us, an activist group fighting for open borders. Zuckerberg doesn't care if your child or you can't find a job or be paid a decent wage, all he cares about is getting immigrants to work at FaceBook cheap to make him richer.

Americans are dying from financial strain yet immigrants come to the country and are taken care of. Americans are being turned away and immigrants taking away from Americans. (See link below) This is an outrage.

This country is coming apart at the seams. Americans are coming apart at the seams. We have serious problems to deal with and all leftist legislators care about are illegal immigrants, not Americans whose life expectancy is terrible, not veterans who deserve special attention, not giving a break to struggling young Americans. They have their priorities screwed up.

Please email your legislators and tell them to prioritize the young adults dying of heroin. Tell them to prioritize the young blacks and whites in inner-cities being pushed out of the labor market due to an influx of immigrants. Tell them to prioritize helping struggling Americans.

The insanity pushed by Durbin and Schumer must end. America isn't doing well.

The Social Contract - The Effects of Immigration on Welfare Programs

Middle-Aged White Americans Are Dying of Despair

Just heard (on the radio, link below) a key piece we need to help explain the only real solution. The surprising fact: we are all susceptible to addition if we are missing connection in life. And with it, we are not!

What really stops the urge to addiction

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And what is the ultimate connection?
14“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

 

[SolomonVII]

I notice you're from Canada - do you have an epidemic there?

There are deaths on the street here in Vancouver because of fentanyl. It is really not a part of my personal world, but it is in the news.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Even Christians aren't immune to the appeal of physical gratifications, and the "I want it all and I want it now" attitude. There comes a time to 'cut 'em loose' and let uncontrolled (human) nature take it's course.

My pastor once said in a sermon on the subject that, "The Devil has set up this world to waste your time, your money, and your life." Boy was he right.

Take back your lives people!