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We have allowed ourselves to become submissive to those who
have the loudest bullhorn. We see injustice and illogical actions;
we see the politicians finding every conceivable tax to levy and
then "redistribute" those funds as they will. Oftentimes
we read in
the newspapers and watch on television those elected "public
servants" who leave their elected office after years of government
salary as personal millionaires with full-salary pensions for life.
We lower our heads and mutter silently, "How did that happen?" And
yet, in our heart of hearts we know the answer. We just don't want
to get involved. We don't want the spotlight to shine in our
direction because we don't want to be bullied and ridiculed for
being "disingenuous" or failing to be "politically correct." Yes, we
cater to the few because they are the most vocal.
Let's face it, the ultra-liberal position has captured many in
the media and the extreme left. Their message is pounding away at
the American people, trying to change their hearts and minds
regarding issues like separation of church and state, abortion,
marginalizing the military, or catering to all kinds of special
interest groups. One definition of liberalism that seems appropriate
is: "Liberalism is the belief of a concentration of power in the
hands of a few, who then use the power and institution of the
government to extinguish individualization and independent thought."
This is being operationalized by use of the IRS to target opponent
groups defined as "patriots," "conservative" or "tea
party." It
seems evident in the use of the Department of Justice to spy on
citizens by tracking telephone calls, locations through GPS and
private emails. But more dastardly, the powers of the government to
use "political correctness" to marginalize or suppress Christianity
in the marketplace of ideas in America.
Karl Marx, who is known as the father of socialism and communism,
held that belief in God was the opium of the people. He did
everything he could to eliminate that belief. The more government
takes over and controls the lives of individuals, the more the
masses become like the "collective."
As government grows and the liberal perspective becomes more and
more dominant, one significant change will likely be the elimination
of God in our society. Multiculturalism, instead of assimilation,
that is being taught in America's public education is at the very
least equalizing the country's own national heritage with other
national groups who refuse even to learn the language. It is
teaching a "sensitivity" that precludes "offending" anyone whose
beliefs differ from the foundational Christian ethics of the Bible.
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As one generation rises and another passes into history, the
values of the former overshadow the latter. It is very difficult to
see any differences between yesterday and today, or last week and
this week. But the differences begin to be noticed as one examines
the last decade with present times, or the last century with now. So it is
with generations: One comes with the values formed from experiences
and knowledge, while the current generation passes away. Someone has
said that we are only one generation away from extinction. Perhaps
that is true when you examine the differences in the values from one
group to another.
An oft-quoted Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at
the University of Edinburgh, is said to have described the way of
all past civilizations:
"Politics and progress: From bondage to spiritual faith; From
spiritual faith to great courage; From courage to liberty; From
liberty to abundance; From abundance to selfishness; From
selfishness to complacency; From complacency to apathy; From apathy
to dependency; From dependency back again into bondage."
Looking at the American civilization from Tyler's perspective, it
might be argued that America is on course for such a cataclysmic
change as to be swept up into bondage once again.
Twenty-first-century America: With great abundance, selfishness
through public policies such as abortion, greater influence of
larger government, higher taxes and much more leisure time,
accompanied by a movement to a worldwide market. Millennial
generation experienced major terrorist attack resulting in "War on
Terror" and further growth in government. Finally, current policy
with established economic collapse, expensive bailouts of banks and
corporations, exponential growth of government, loss of private
jobs, government takeover of health care system, circumventing
established laws from administration branch of government over
congressional branch of government, redistribution of wealth, racial
and socioeconomically defined class differences.
Using Tyler's cultural taxonomy, the way of our civilization at
the current time seems to be somewhere between dependency with
apathy and complacency ... perhaps moving toward bondage. It would be
great to think that before bondage becomes a reality, we could
consider a move directly back to spiritual faith through the gift of
spirituality that has been provided and live in that faith in God
and His leadership for Christian living.
"IF MY PEOPLE, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves,
and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then
will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal
their land." — 2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV
The winds of social change are blowing hard.
[By JIM KILLEBREW]
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