| Today, in the American society, we are facing one of the greatest challenges that any nation has ever faced! A large part of this generation of youths are growing-up without the influence of true Judeo-Christian beliefs being taught or preached as their basic foundation. We have allowed, and in some cases, forced our young people to except the false ideologies of a corrupt mind rather than teaching them that the Word of God is the absolute truth. "How can this be?" you might ask. "With 80 to 90 percent of Americans saying that they are Christians and believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, how can children not be raised in a Christian environment?" There is, I'm afraid, only one answer for this question; those who profess a belief in God with their lips are far from Him in their hearts. They have thrown away the commandments of God for the theories of sinful man, casting away the only Truth for all the philosophies that scratch their itching ears. The Church has, for far too long, compromised our faith for concupiscence sake, and prostituted the beauty of righteousness for prosperity. It is a dark and terrible day in the history of a nation that professes a belief in the only true God, when every twenty seconds an innocent unborn child dies by means of legalized murder. To other people around the world America has, for quite some time, been the byword for freedom. Millions long to see the shores of a nation that support and protect the individual rights of her people. In hundreds of small towns around the globe, citizens of oppressive governments gather in basements, back rooms, attics, and other secret places to whisper plans of attaining freedom. In their deepest thoughts and imaginations they become Americans, desiring only to be free. They gaze across the turbulent waters of a corrupt government and through waves of desperation, looking to America for strength to sustain their own hopes and dreams of emancipation. We, as Americans, often fail to realize the magnificent gift of freedom. From the time we are born, freedom is there. From choosing our clothes to selecting a career, individual freedom is a constant in our lives. It is seldom questioned, and rarely defeated. Like many free cultures before, our nation grew out of necessity, rather than convenience. Like the tribes of Israel, our American forefathers sought to break the chains of religious bondage that had held them hostage for so long. The struggle was great and the price of victory was tremendous. Lives were lost, fortunes were sacrificed, and faith was tested. But freedom, under the law, was obtained. In any civilized society the greatest test of freedom is prosperity. For some unknown reason, the human spirit thrives in difficult situations but allows leniency in times of plenty. These simple truths still hold fast in today's modern society. As your eyes gaze upon these words, America is facing the greatest test of all: we have become a prosperous nation. As a people, Americans have forgotten the reality of being in bondage. We have enjoyed the fruits of our forefathers' labors for so long, that we have disregarded why freedom is worth fighting for. Ronald Reagan said in a speech given in 1964: "If nothing in life is worth dying for, when did this begin---just in the face of this enemy? Or . . . Should the patriots at Concord Bridge have thrown down their guns and refuse to fire the shot heard ‘round the world? The martyrs of history were not fools . . ." Indeed they were not. The founders of this country believed that freedom was worth dying for and many gave their lives for this conviction. Over the years, many Americans have dismissed just how much the pursuit of freedom has given the world. It was for freedom in 1456 that Johann Gutenberg printed the first Bible. It was for freedom that the translators of King James in 1611 translated the Bible into the common mans language. It was for freedom that the pilgrims sailed to the New World in 1620 and dedicated it to the Almighty God of heaven and earth. It was for freedom that Paul Reveer and his phantom horse streaked through the midnight hour on a mission. His duty was to signal all those who could be ready in "a minute's notice." His path was illuminated by the flickering flame of freedom that burned brightly in every American heart. His voice was carried by the blowing wind of change, as he shouted: "The British are coming, the British are coming!!!!" So many accomplishments have been made possible because someone, somewhere, beckoned for freedom. Have we truly forgotten the principles that our nation was founded upon, or have we simply tossed them aside and decided that we don't need them anymore? Over the past decades, America has begun sowing the seeds of disregard. Slowly, the evidence of our neglect has revealed itself in our culture. During the first years of America's existence thru the 1950's, Americans had a burning desire to keep freedom at all cost. However, somewhere along the pathways of time, that desire has been lost amid the rubble of rebellion and America's prosperity. Over the next four decades, the revolution of rebellion would show itself in many forms. The "flower-power" of the sixties, the "green-peace" of the seventies and eighties, and finally the blatant moral corruption of the nineties. America's youth are now being taught to be "citizens of the world" instead of Americans. In our Nation's government we have a perfect picture of the decline in morality. By popular vote, we have declared homosexuals in our congress and senate, and the majority of our leaders are in favor of abortion in at least some cases. We Christians have allowed these changes and conveniently fail to recognize the impact of our decisions. Shifting the blame away from ourselves, we lay this mounting burden down and simply explain that it's all part of this new era in which we live. Yet to others that live in our same time, their hopes and dreams of freedom are slowly slipping away, falling ever so steadily into the darkened abyss of what we have dubbed "a changing world." Many no longer look to America for support of their dreams, but instead they turn to their own oppressive governments. Believing that if America has fallen this far, this fast, freedom must be too temporary to fight for. So they stay, keeping some hope for a little while, but eventually losing their desire all together. Yet, thanks be to the Almighty God, our Savior Jesus Christ, there is still hope for America! One preacher, Laurence White, once said that even though "America has turned our backs on God; God, for some reason, has not turned His back on America." Writing this paper has shown me just how much I truly love this country, but, all of my affection cannot stem the tide of sin that has flooded our culture. The moral corruption and ethical decline that troubles our society only illustrates how fragile the bonds of freedom truly are. I feel helpless when I see laws passed that continue to infringe upon the religious and personal freedom that our forefathers fought and died for. The only way that this flood of defilement will stop, is from a cleansing. Not just one on the out side, but one from the heart. We have become a society that so resembles that of the hypocrites that Jesus spoke to. He declared that they washed the outside of the sepulcher yet the inside was still full of corruption and that which was abominable unto God. Jesus told these so-called-believers: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, HYPOCRITES! . . . Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity . . . Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?" (Matt. 23:27a, 28, 33) Christians must begin fighting for our God given rights. This country was not claimed by unbelievers, it was founded on the principles of God's law, and God's desires. Yet we have allowed the world to force us into a corner and we cower as scared dogs hiding from a cruel master. What are we afraid of, what are we hiding from? Aren't we the victors? Aren't we the mighty ? We are the masters and not the slaves! Arise Christians and fight! Wage the battle " . . against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore . . ." (Eph. 6:12-14). |
| America's Moral Decline by Clint Nobles |
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