The Downfall of America

As I read and listen to the news it's clear this country is rapidly falling apart at the seams. America is failing and her downfall is coming quickly. Though many Americans - especially Conservatives - love [dare] to call themselves Christians, it's obvious there's almost NO true Christianity left in this land. [excepting the Amish & Mennonites and their ilk]. Christ's message of love, peace and forgiveness for most are nothing more than empty words.

Satan must be dancing for joy as this nation falls further into the abyss. The number of persons who say they belong to the Christian faith have fallen dramatically in the last 20 years - and why not. Christians are not busy carrying Christ's message of peace, inclusiveness and love - we are more interested in fighting to prove that each one of our special groups is the one that will guarantee a trip to heaven. [I have news for all of those who think ONLY their group is getting in...it's G-d's Paradise and He can let in anyone He chooses. Anyone who thinks differently might find themselves on the outside looking in! ] Even the line some love to quote 'If you're not a Christian you are damned because Jesus said 'nobody comes to the Father except thru Me.' Which taken IN context means Jesus has been given the right to separate the sheep from the goats - HE chooses and if He decides to let in your gentle Sikh neighbor, well, there's not a whole lot you can do about it!

The point is we are driving away the young from the faith because, as Paul said, 'you will know they are Christians by their Love'. Ain't a whole lotta loving going on in America these days. Lot of arguing, lot of bickering, name calling, lies, bigotry etc, but Love? Sorry, can't find any. It's frightening that groups such as Wicca, Native American faiths, far Eastern beliefs etc are drawing in our youth because they reject the 'hate everyone but our group' exclusionary rhetoric of so many mainstream Christian churches.

I want to scream as I watch political rallies: people shaking Bibles in the air in one hand while carrying hate signs in the other calling for everything from murder to revolution. This is America the Beautiful? Joy to the World? We even have news reporters and bloggers who deliberately make up lies to incite citizens to protest and react. These persons should keep in mind what Jesus said about the fate of those who lead astray even one child (or member of the flock).

And now, in Pennsylvania, as in Florida and other states, we are turning our frustrations, our anger and our hate on our children. We have become a people who demand vengeance - not justice. Proof? A judge wants to try an 11 year old boy as an adult for murder and send him away for life without parole.

If a person studies the Old Testament: Deuteronomy, Leviticus & Exodus there is a theme behind all the rules and regulations the Chosen people were given... the theme was justice under the new law. The law gave specific exceptions when dealing with children. The rule to spare the rod and spoil the child was amended by rabbinical decision that the father could only strike the child with a light switch no thicker than his little finger. The idea was to get the child's attention and TEACH - not instill fear. Further, there are ever constant reminders to be merciful because G-d has shown mercy again and again to His people.

When it comes to the New Testament many Christians are very good at taking one line here and one line there out of a passage in their own attempts to have Christ say what they want. These people ignore the Gospel message... especially those words of Jesus that contradict their own agenda. It's amazing how many of them forget He cautioned

"anyone can love a friend - even sinners do as much. You don't win any points
for this. Anyone can forgive someone they love - but there is no value in
this - even the worst sinners do as much. I tell you to love your enemies
and forgive them. If they strike you one the one cheek, offer them the
left. Do not repay evil with evil, but with good.

Further, I say to you that the measure you use on others is the one that will be used on you when you are judged. "

Jesus was asked what the 2 greatest Commandments were: He quoted the Shema (You shall love the Lord Your G-d with your whole heart, your mind, your soul, & your body!) and then said very firmly to those who were trying to trap Him:
' and the Second Commandment is as great as the first! You shall love your neighbor as you love your very self!"

Further He said, " you must always do unto others as you would have them do unto you".

Numerous times I've watched men and women at rallies and conventions screaming defiance, waving signs and packing high power handguns demanding their Second Amendment 'rights to bear arms'. You know that's fine for everyone except Christians. Packing a Smith & Wesson or an AK-47 and the Gospel of Jesus Christ have nothing in common. Jesus was very firm on the subject when he ordered his followers: "put up your swords! For those who live by the sword shall die by the sword!" He even went to the trouble of healing the ear of the man who had been injured trying to capture him.

No Christian is going to get into heaven carrying a gun. Jesus warned us committing an act in our hearts and minds was as if we had committed it in real life. To look at a woman (or man) with lust was to commit adultery & person would be punished by God because of that. To legally divorce & remarry was also adultery under the New Law. It doesn't take a theologist to know that if you're carrying a gun with the intention of killing another human being you have committed murder in your heart and therefore you are guilty to Jesus. How many of you pick up that gun because you trust IT to protect you more than you trust G-d, clean it, load it, practice shooting at a man-shaped target at a range all for a the sole purpose of being able to kill another human being when you get the chance?

You have committed murder in your heart and for this you will be held accountable!

I remember in Bible study class as a child how we talked about the many times the ancient Jewish people fell back into their bad habits of trusting in themselves rather than trusting G-d. Every... single... time they put their faith in themselves and their weapons they were conquered & led off to slavery. Remember this the next time you trust your gun over G-d. He is capable of protecting us from everything: natural disasters, the twin Towers attacks... every possible danger one could think of we can trust Him to protect us without our lifting a finger and yet He seems to be the last person to whom we turn.

I truly believe that many of the disasters the United States is facing are entirely the result of the fact we have lost faith in G-d. I did a little checking and found that the terrible droughts in Texas almost on the heels of the first execution after the Supreme Court allowed them to restart. Further, every time there's an execution in any state something horrible happens within 24 hours. Of course, those who love the death penalty will say 'it's just coincidence' but since the death penalty was reinstated this country has faced nothing but one major disaster after the other and they continue to grow in intensity.

I find it interesting that twice in the Bible G-d Himself spoke on the death penalty for murder: the first time of course with Cain and Abel: after questioning Cain about the murder G-d doesn't strike him dead, but instead he marks him so that none of the other people would attack Cain or harm him in any way. G-d set him free to start a new nation. [By the way, where did all those other people come from that literalists refuse to acknowledge?]

The second time, of course, is the woman caught in the act of adultery. The Pharisees think to test Jesus and Intel him that under the laws she should be executed so what does he plan to do about it? Jesus doesn't even look up at the Pharisees he simply says :let the one among you who has never committed a sin cast the first stone" he told the woman to go her way and sin no more. Tradition has it she became a fervent disciple.

Ahh, I can hear some of you saying 'What about an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth? Hmmm? Hmmm?" Those who read that passage must understand what kind of people early Israelites were. They were wild nomadic people who had never lived under any type of law at all. When someone or some group did something wrong they didn't want or worry about equal justice... the tribes went crazy. When Joshua's sister Dinah was kidnapped by the rich Prince of a village, Joshua and his friends tricked the village into joining their group and making peace [even though the prince offered to marry Diana because he loved her]. Right after the prince's village was circumcised the Israelites attacked killing every man, woman. child & chicken. G-d was trying to civilize the people. He did it in stages. Jesus culminated it by saying 'no more.' If anyone, judge, prosecutor or jury member opts for the death penalty they do so at the risk of their mortal soul.

Jesus repeatedly warned all of the disciples about the dangers of judging others. It was so important he kept pushing the issue over and over again.

"The measure you use against another person is the one that will
be used to measure you when you stand before G-d!

If one believes in Jesus, then not just Debbie Houk, but judges, prosecutors (such as Bill Mason to whom the innocence and rights of the accused are not at all important) juries, and all those who write hateful slogans, scream out on talk shows, support cruel sadistic men like him Sheriff Arpaio or the death penalty (to name a few) had best start worrying for that moment when they stand naked before their Lord and He holds up their own tiny measure and uses it on them.

Across America prosecuting attorneys and judges try to garner votes for re-election by showing how 'tough on crime' they are. Well, seems our 'tough on crime' vendetta in America isn't working. America has MORE people in prison than in any other country - 2.5 million costing us almost a half trillion dollars annually. There are more people doing life sentences in the US than in China, Iraq and every other civilized country combined.

Our jails are filled with the mentally ill - some wardens estimate 40% of all inmates suffer from mental disease but, in the 1970's in an attempt to save a few bucks we closed all our mental institutions and put these sick souls out onto the streets to fend for themselves. Society lost. It costs 5x more to keep these persons in prison than in the institutions where they got help for their illness.

We Americans spend something like $640 billion every year in violent video games, hard drugs, pornography, gambling & every form of legal and illegal wickednessyou can imagine. But when it comes to taking care of each other, to G-d and spreading the Word we first see if we can spare a few bucks from the leftovers, otherwise, sorry, can't be bothered. When it comes to the suffering of our fellow man, it's even worse. How many Christians wilfully ignored the Gospel and used every ploy to defeat health care for every American, something that EVERY other industrialized country in the world has except US. [Our healthcare is so screwed up Blue Cross will pay people to fly to other countries to get their hips replaced = and even pick up the airfare.] We have fallen from 7th in the world to last place - behind Slovenia, Hungary and Poland. THAT is a sin! Recall your Bible before you start writing me about the healthcare bill. Recall Jesus speaking this passage:

The Rich Man saw Lazarus every day. He saw the painful sores
and Lazarus' need for medical help... but ignored him completely, actually
stepping right over him. At the end of the day the Rich Man (Avg American
Citizen) went home and gleefully counted his money
(IRAs), planning on expanding his warehouses, vacations, etc and
mostly how he was going to get richer and richer. That very night the Angel
of the Lord stopped by and laughed at the Rich Man, scoffing at him
"tonight your life is demanded of you!"
Sure enough, that night the man dies & so does Lazarus.

The Rich Man goes directly to hell where he suffers terrible torment. He looks up & he sees Lazarus being comforted by Abraham himself. He begs Lazarus to please dip his finger into a couple of cool water & wet his lips "because I die of
thirst in this awful place!" Abraham however, tells the (formerly) Rich Man
that ain't going to happen. He had had his chance on earth to do good
deeds and he blew it. Abraham reminds him "you saw Lazarus every day and
you did nothing. Now Lazarus is getting his reward & you are getting your
rightful punishment."

That story applies to all Americans who believe in Christ. Every person who cannot get healthcare is Lazarus. Each of us who has healthcare, food to eat, a job, etc are the Rich Man (though some of the loudest critics seem to be the wealthiest Americans, i.e. Mr. 40o Million, Mr. Beck, Mr. Lieberman, and all the CEOs of the companies who profit off our illness) As Christians, we should be appalled that any of us fight helping our brethren or the environment or any holy cause every time a bill comes up but the truth of the matter is we worship money more than we worship God. 'You cannot serve both G-d and Mammon' - and right now Mammon is way ahead. Help, homes, food and jobs for all people? Are you out of your mind? That means I might have to pay more in taxes so let them suffer instead.

I pray constantly that someone in Pennsylvania or the higher courts will show some decency, pity and simple common sense in the case of that boy who murdered his soon to be step mother (although he is innocent until proven guilty under our Constitution). I also pray Christians will shut off their 52" TVs and dust off their Bibles. Also that they take a course in ancient cultures so they can understand the Bible) otherwise many passages don't make sense in this day and age. [Before you demand prayer in schools be sure every home is doing their part first. Ask yourself whose prayers will be said? I live near an almost totally Jewish neighborhood. Will the Christians mind if their children chant a Hebrew prayer daily?]

Dark days are ahead for America. It is a darkness of our own doing. It will continue until we stop fighting over whose teachings of all 3 great religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) is best and instead the people choose to have a national week of fasting and prayer, turning ourselves and our troubles to G-d and making peace with those we think our enemies. If you wish to do so all you need do is wear the roughest clothing you have (for sackcloth), eat nothing from sunrise to sunset (or even abstain from food for the entire 7 days, drinking only water) and place ashes upon your head as a sign of repentance (Though Christ said the outward signs of repentance were not as important as changing one's heart - he said we should look as though we were rejoicing as we fasted) Then pray fervently - you and your whole family, for G-d to be merciful, to save us from ourselves and to turn away the evil that is overcoming us. Pray for forgiveness. Recall the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector in the temple. The Pharisee thanked G-d he was not like the tax collector, while the tax collector stayed as far back as he could and begged G-d to forgive him, Christ said just the tax collector went home justified that day.

May the Lord bless you and keep you
May He make His Face to shine upon you & be gracious unto you
and may he give you peace

Amen!

PS. I recommend the National Week of Fast be the First Week of June - starting the day after Memorial Day and continuing for 7 days. But you may choose the week of your choice.