Occasionally one comment leads to a whole train of thought, and in my case, as I listened to a pastor on the radio, I thought I had an epiphany, which turned out to be merely a connection between a book I'd recently finished and what the pastor was saying. Yet the whole train of thought intrigued me, and I turned off my radio and thought about that connection. Being an avid historian I had to admit that somehow America, my beloved country, was involved in something very destructive. That was the connection to the book I'd been reading.
According to the author of that book the 1960s marked the second American Declaration of Independence, our declaration of independence from God. I think he was correct. Since I lived through, and remember the 1960s, and the decisions that were made early on in that decade, I concurred. What the pastor on the radio mentioned was that the church had followed suit. That was obvious in the fact that even the unbelieving world cannot tell the difference between Christianity and the world today.
One might expect far-reaching consequences, both moral and legal, from such a declaration, especially in the church. Before 1960 most Americans and Christians believed that the law was based on a set of underlying moral principles that came ultimately from the Bible. I can honestly say that aProtestants, Catholics, and Jews differed on theological points, but when it came to moral questions they were pretty much in agreement. Concepts about the sanctity of marriage included, both by law and by social pressure, discouragement of premarital sex. Educators up to and through the university level did what they could to prevent it. That all changed in the 1960s.
The underlying moral code rarely had to be defended because it was rarely challenged. However, in the 1960s new religious assumptions that had been gradually gaining ground began to have practical effects. When God's existence is no longer a fact but instead a subjective and highly controversial belief God's authority disappears. As a result a drastic change in the nature of marriage immediately followed the change in the ruling philosophy of our culture. When we changed from being a theistic society to a materialistic society restrictions on divorce and the social stigma evaporated practically overnight.
Odd, isn't it, to think in these terms? Marriage ceased being a sacred covenant involving God and the community as well as husband and wife. It became, instead, a simple and very ordinary contract that could be ended by either party practically at will. And with the divorce revolution came the sexual revolution, as the effective burial of God and His purity and the availability of media, the rise of the television and movie industry and its immoral philosophy, contraceptives, a marked change in lyrics of popular music, and opportunity thrust our population into a new era of immorality.
Since then we've seen the feminist revolution, especially the radical wing that explicitly rejected the traditional family model that had previously been regarded as the backbone of society. Feminism demanded an unrestricted right to abortion, which the Supreme Court duly read into the Constitution and imposed on a reluctant nation. The homosexual liberation came next, and homosexual activists quickly gained "victim" status and consequent support for their cause from the media. Again the supreme Court fell compliantly in line with the cultural trend, managing to find in the Constitution a principle that laws based on "animosity" toward homosexuality are unconstitutional. Once the crucial change in the established religious philosophy was made the moral and legal reversal was seemingly unstoppable.
Are people less moral today than previously? I think it would be more accurate to say that their morality took a different direction when its foundation shifted. Those who believe that God is dead and His moral laws are no longer acceptable can be as firm in their moral convictions, and as legalistic in enforcing them as were the fundamentalists of the Puritan era. Political correctness then becomes just as coercive as traditional religion, and just as capable of stifling free thinking.
Now we have legal barriers to ensure that only the established view of "religion" (materialism) is taught in the public schools. At one time it was illegal, at least in some states, to teach evolution. Today it is unconstitutional in all states to teach or advocate creation.
It all sounds very depressing, doesn't it? Our country is reaping the fruits of its labors. Instead of worrying about students running in the halls or chewing gum in class we now have to worry about STDs, students bringing guns into the classroom, gangs killing each other and innocent bystanders, and much more!
When I went to elementary school we didn't have a lot of emotionally disturbed (ED) kids. Today we have entire classrooms set aside for them. Hours are spent in meetings with psychologists, teachers, attorneys, principals, and parents in dealing with these problems. Countless thousands of dollars are spent to accommodate ED students.
My epiphany had to do with punishment. The fruit of our labors in killing God and dumbing down America morally is the punishment of our children! More and more I see our children bearing the brunt of the brutality of such a culture. Child abuse, physical and mental disabilities from babies born to mothers on drugs, or smoking, or drinking during pregnancy abound. Children who are murdered for convenience or even fear through abortion receive the ultimate punishment of our immoral society. But under the new "religion" of our culture they are not victims. Merely a byproduct of an immoral society they are labeled and treated, but the root causes behind their situation are rarely addressed!
Yet I do not find this challenge depressing! Instead I find it a reason to put on the full armor of God. To put on love. To earnestly contend for the faith which was once for all delivered. To persevere! In the midst of the darkness that is this godless culture we are the light of the world! Followers of Jesus, lets get to work. The fields are white unto harvest!
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