By Bob Beanblossom
26 July 2016/Revised 18 November 2020eems toIt
Americans are waiting for the results of what may be the most important elections in the last 100 years or so. The reason is foundational: a line has been drawn between traditional constitutional rule of law, and a rationalistic socialist state. Americans want a nation based upon the Constitution, or a new America based upon influence and increased governmental control of their lives. Because it is foundational, it is divisive. Most Americans seem to assume that Mr. Biden will be certified as the next President, but none seem content to accept the results and move on. Charges of extensive corruption in the election process are met with derisive attacks on those making those complaints–data and established procedures long-established by the rule of law–have little place in the conflict except where extractions without context can be utilized by media propagandists. There seems to be no movement, or even suggestion, to bring protagonists together into a working government that addresses rationally the needs of We the People and fulfill those Constitutionally mandated duties of our governing bodies. Confrontation is the rule of the day.
It seems to me that we find it much easier to follow the crowd than to take an individual stand. We are truly sheep-like. I recall the days of the hippies who were determined to bring peace and love to their world. They tried so hard to be different from the self-interest of their parents and the establishment that they formed an entire counter-culture. But, in their quest for individualism, they became indistinguishable from one another—they lost their identities in the herd. A corollary today is our shotgun mindset that seeks easy solution in broad group actions to solve specific wrongs. We complain incessantly on social media about increasing governmental interference in our lives even while demanding more regulations to fix what we only talk about. Talk–opinion–is the tool of the outraged citizen. Talk without follow up, without action, without results. We are mindless sheep allowing ourselves to be led into the chains of the new order: an impersonal governmental welfare state where each produces for the state that, after enriching the key players, doles out what it sees fit to those who produce and support it. This liberal concept is not new, and the practice in our nation has been progressing since the Great Depression, but the rate of change is becoming terminal. Generations living today will not live to see the swing back to conservatism.
As the courts “discover” and apply new rights for the most vocal micro-groups within society, age-old moral values written into the United States Constitution from Judeo-Christian teachings are being ignored and replaced. Relativistic thinking and its champions are surging to the forefront in religion, socially active businesses, and self-serving politicians. Role models are raised from the ranks of corrupt media stars, athletes, and news personalities who have little experience in the real-world populated by those who hang on their every word and follow their every lead. This relativism has dominated philosophy for over a century, making incremental inroads into traditional all aspects of our lives. Often we do not even notice the change: but some changes cannot be missed, for they trample on traditional moral values. The relativist tells us that moral absolutes–in fact, any absolutes–are unfounded and, if they were possible, are irrelevant in our post-modern humanist society led by the obvious advances made by science in all areas. Here’s a short list of changes that are re-defining American society. Former President Obama promised to “fundamentally change America,” and these are just some of the obvious changes being made by those who, like him, are not satisfied with the old constraining order of absolute moral values, rule of law, and Judeo-Christian work ethics.
- The “news” has become largely a propaganda machine of the humanist movement and is effectively using traditional print and television while co-opting social media, movies, and advertising as outlets for their message. It is a moving target characterized by a concerted effort to shut-down competing worldview. Distortion and lies are standard tools with terms like “fake news,” and “fact-checking” used to obscure truth. Selective reporting, always a problem, has become a standard tool of “informing” the populace as propaganda goals are pursued.
- Confusion is generated (a standard divide-and-conquer technique) as traditional societal moral values are directly assaulted by enlisting and using minority populations to destroy stabilizing foundational institutions such as marriage and motherhood. “Same-sex” marriage (an oxymoron) and society-funded abortion-on-demand are but two areas intended to undermine the basic building blocks of society. The propaganda machine constantly supports these efforts while effectively attacking individuals and groups who support traditional moral values as hate-mongering extremists.
- Dissention from the new-norm is attacked on multiple fronts with techniques ranging from shaming to legal challenges where the rule of law is eroded by the abuse of the legal system.
- The Constitutional system is being dismantled as the Executive Branch legislates through Executive Order and selective enforcement, the Judicial Branch legislates through “creative” legal opinion, and the Legislative Branch panders to the media with headline-grabbing accusations and pronouncements that have little foundation in fact, while failing to fulfill their Constitutional responsibilities.
- The electorate clamors for term limits (that must be imposed by those who would be eliminated) to control politicians that various sectors would like removed from office in someone else’s voting district while failing to exercise their own vote to do the same in their own districts.
For the Christian—as opposed to the ‘christian,’ the pseudo-Christian who rejects biblical principles—the pressure is great to conform to the new thinking. Of course, it is not new at all, but that’s the message: ‘Get with it, everybody’s doing it.’ The new-wave, new-age, feel-good, god-loves-everyone, and all-gods-are-one crowd is blossoming.
The Psalmist had something to say about this trend 2500-3000 years ago: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” (all from Psalm 1)
“The counsel of the ungodly” seems an apt description for today’s common wisdom. The verse is comprehensive for being so compact: we are directed to avoid the advice, the walk, and the judgements of those in opposition to God. We are to avoid the influence of the ungodly, the sinner, and the scornful. We are to discriminate and discern.
Is our response one of submission? I learned one phrase in West Africa years ago. It is, roughly, “awu, awu.” It is a form of mourning: ‘Woe is me!’ I hear it in our churches and see it in our literature: Awu, awu. But, I don’t believe that this is the course Jesus would have us follow. What then, are we to do? Glad you asked. “But his (the follower of the one true God) delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.”
That sounds boring, you might say. My answer is simply, “Try it, you’ll like it.” It is far more satisfying than you might imagine. It does take desire, willpower, and effort to rise above the world and stay in the center of His will. In fact, you can’t do it by yourself. You will have to seek His help. Prayer works wonders to bring us into line with His will for our lives.
So, what do I get for the effort? The Psalmist continues, “And he (that’s you and me) shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth fruit in his season; his leaf shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Like a healthy tree, you will gain moral strength that will stand you—and your family—through the storms of life. The last part is interesting. It isn’t a promise for riches untold, promotions on the job, or any other worldly prosperity. It is a promise of God’s favor. You might even become a moral beacon in this lost world.