I believe that the problems plaguing America are the results of seperating God from this country. So many philosophical, moral, and political bombs are destroying this country already because people do not use the Bible as a foundation for their lives. If everyone could do this, this country would be better. Not counting abortion, America has the highest murder rate in the world. Maybe due to the fact of lack of fear since the death penalty was taken out. Crime has increased. The morals are in shambles. Divorce rates are higher than ever. More than ever, we need God's help in our lives to keep us strong during this time. Society is getting worse in the fact of mocking Christians. It might turn into persecution someday. May God help us in these following years. What do you guys think?
Hi
Slavery & Jim Crow laws, Native American suppression, exploitation of women and children in the workplace~the historic "Christian America" was great if you were a white land owner family, others not so much. Problems were sewn into the fabric of the nation at its inception-trusting that humans were basically "good" and that the most important things in the world were life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The scriptures I read do not say these things are the most important things in the world-rather it is loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind and loving your neighbor as yourself. A Christian may look at the "life, liberty and pursuit of happiness" through a different lens, but most of American is not Christian, and I'll say it generally never was. It was certainly more "religious" in the past, but as history has shown that religion tended to be self serving with notable exceptions. Government can certainly be helpful, and Christian influence can be a great asset to any nation's government yet many have an underlying idea that if we had a Christian president and an all Christian congress making all Christian laws somehow we'd have the Kingdom of God right here on our little corner of earth...Therein is the seed of destruction with the "American" way. [Overall it's been somewhat preferable to all the other systems out there, yet Nadiine raises a point as to the interesting American differences to the Euros regarding violence, something I've not put much thought to but interesting nonetheless.] It becomes about me and mine and everything else is way back in second place and by God the government better defend to the death my way of life. Perhaps that is why we see statistics showing "Christians" having the similar issues at similar rates to unbelievers with divorce, drug/alcohol abuse, etc.
What has to be the bottom line is that it is the Church~the collection of believers, the Body of Christ~that is our true "nationality". Allegiance to any "nation" other than that is simply another chain to drag around, and the Cross is enough to carry. The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Man are and will always be in conflict in this world on some level~yet when Jesus walked the earth He showed us the way of love. While some look at the current "battle", the "Culture War", as a some kind of combat to engage in the public square to return America to its "roots", it becomes then a battle against flesh and blood, often having to resort to a "Lesser of Two Evils" philosophy in the war.
After reading the New Testament I would recommend this title for some insight into the current state of affairs with Church and society:
Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. He gives some interesting insight that, unlike some that are about hating America (or whatever country they are from) it is about loving and serving others more than self, and not "love" in some new age everyone-hugfest, but in Christlike sacrificial way~~and seeing beyond national borders, that the Church, our nationality, is global (yah, "global" sounds so
New World Order but universal is even worse
) and caring for our brothers and sisters all around the world has to take precedence over nationalism issues.
It is sad to see things "falling apart". Having the bible as the foundation of our lives is important, but as we can see even here at CF people read it in so many different ways. Even within a tiny "Conservative" forum we can see differences that seem insurmountable (start a discussion on baptism or election
). There are a myriad of cults out there that have the bible as their "foundation". Sad to say that often when say "just follow the bible" it is more like "If everyone just understood the bible like I do", because most everyone thinks they are right and others are wrong. Having the bible as the foundation is not enough~consider this passage:
1Ti 3:14 1Ti 3:15 NKJV
These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly;
but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
Going beyond the discussion of what constitutes
The Church suffice it to say that it is the Body of Christ (and not just American or White or European Christians, but all who call upon the Lord to be saved in all lands all over the world), and within that Body we'll find "the pillar and ground of the truth".
guess I got a bit chatty
