IMO the moral deterioration of America began with the
hedonism of the '60's. It involved Women's Lib, the anti-war movement, and
abortion "rights" being legalized. In short, the liberals took over the
country due to hedonism and rebellion against tradition and authority.
When I was in elementary school in the 50's the Gideon's were welcomed to give
out little New Testaments to each child--that was my only Bible. Today
they would be imprisoned. We have fallen a long way. BTW, "public
schools" began in the infancy of America, and in them the Bible was the main
textbook. It was expected that public schools would teach Christianity and
the 3 R's. It was that way until the 60's. I have an old copy of a
home economics book for "young ladies" of high school age in which the preface
notes the lack of proper Christian teaching in the schools was deplorable!
The civil rights movement was not a reaction to
religion and the church. True followers of Christ were never
were racists. Churches simply reflected the more's of those within their
walls. The southerners thought God was on their side in the separation of
the races. The Northern churches never thought such a thing. A major
pro-civil rights activist during the civil war was a Presbyterian man who owned
a newspaper in Alton, Illinois, just across the river from St. Louis. He
wrote against slavery in his editorials, and he was greatly persecuted. I
can't remember his name at the moment. But there were many such devoted
Christian activists. Most were just quietly living decent lives, as it
should be. It is a false belief to think that Christians were responsible
for racism. But there were plenty who were wrong on that account--just
like there are plenty of liberal Christians today who are wrong. Time will
tell. BTW, slavery was never considered a sin in the Bible--but that's a
whole different topic. It was one way to make a living for many throughout
human history, including Biblical times. Today we are often slaves to the
"Corporation" whoever our employee is, or to the "welfare" state. But
hatred or mistreatment of anyone for any reason, including race, is a sin.
Izzy
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2005 6:03 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Hill Cumorah
I have been some critical of the seeker friendly movement in this
country. Currently, I am into the fifth hour of a graduate
course entitled Empowering the Church for First world
Re-evangelism. The two professors who recorded this
course have spent the time laying a foundation for this "re-evangelism "
(to be explained at a later date) including a review of the societal and cultural changes that have occurred in
this country over the past 50 years and beyond. For 170 years
years, this country was "Christian" in a legal sense of the word.
Our schools reflected that influence. Our founding documents
reflected that influence. Even many of the laws of the land were
reflective of the Christian power structure of this country. I do
not know when all this began to
change. Perhaps it was with the institution of the "public"
school. &nbs p; The rejection of prohibition played more of a role than
most will give it credit. And
society's negative review of just where "religion" had gotten us in those days
played no small role, as well. The civil war was as much a
holy war as it was about states rights. the KKK was strongest in the religious South .... a circumstance that
wedded ignorance to religion by many who did not live in the
South. It was, in fact, my generation that
rejected Southern born intolerance and supported radical changes in
the culture. The death of the three voting rights workers in
Mississippi in '64 was the single event that did me in with regard to any romantic view of the southern "mentality" reg arding human rights and
considerations. And so things have changed
....... a rebellion against all that was unfair or intrusive
caused by "religion. cultural Christianity was not the only culprit,
but it was a seen as a major villain. The days when we can force people
to live the kind of lives only the Spirit can mandate are coming to an end
--- not quickly enough. The church will actually have to depend upon
its devotion to the feeding of the thousands, the actual proclamation of the
good news to those who are so in need of it, and a vital and dynamic
explaining of God's intent to those who have no frame of reference with
which to understand. What we see as an erosion of Christian values and
faith is probably a good thing. Just as many people today, in this
country, avow a faith in God while fewer are attending "church."
It is safe to say that in today's cultural, Christ would draw no
greater a crowd than Benny Hinn or Billy
Graham. His personal ministry accomplished a number of things that
set the stage for the work of ministry in those who would follow Him. And that ministry is given new
meaning in the seeker-friendly churches. It would be a sorrowful
mistake to conclude that the seek-friendly ministry is the only vital
presentation in town. Much of what is seen as "traditional" still
has value in an evangelical sense of the word, no doubt. but we need
to challenge our holy imaginations to deal with problem of sharing
the gospel in a changing world ---- a world that grows
more intolerant each day. Satan is not a God
-- He has no real and lasting powers. If some of this cultural
change is the result of his influence,& nbsp; it rises to the level aof a mere challenge. God is great
than Satan ----- heck, WE are greater than Satan
(with the power of the indwelling God,) in a
world that is being reconciled to Him.
JD
