I think the question of America’s future is a fascinating subject. The future in of itself should always provoke some interest, I believe, as the responsibility of life includes forethought and a state of preparedness, but when it relates to the land we live in and the people we live among, additional consideration seems to be called for. This post is just something to think about. I don’t claim to have answers, just questions.
The questions are many. Few deny that we were originally a “Christian Nation” – surely the work of David Barton has done much to support this premise – but are we still deserving of this title? If we are not a Christian nation, how could we honestly expect any blessing from G-d? The emotional tagline “G-d Bless America” rings hollow, in my mind. This is not to say there are not G-d-fearing people in our country, simply that as a nation we cannot be referred to with religious generalities. From my observation, we are certainly not “One Nation Under G-d” anymore, if we ever were.
(Just as a side note, does America have a special relationship with G-d? After all, He is the G-d of Israel…)
What will the coming years hold for the United States? I’ve heard grand, sweeping statements about being “restored to our former glory” and the “power of revival”… are these ideas the result of wishful thinking? Leaving Scripture aside for the moment, does the example of history give us any hope for a return to morality and freedom? This mentality is possibly understandable if one is actively affecting our lawmakers and policies, taking an aggressive stance in the political arena, but if not, isn’t sitting back and trusting that things will get better equivalent to burying one’s head in the sand?
The Hebrew prophets speak about end times, but their words are shadowy – they echo down to us from the past in a tangle of apparent symbology… references to land, agriculture, punishment, eternity, and places long since obsolete. Are these prophecies allegorical? Mystical? Or should we take them literally? Most importantly, do they shed any light on our future?
July 10, 2009 at 6:59 am
Wise and interesting insights STP, but it is probably not entirely correct to say we were or are a Christian nation. I think Israel was the only theocracy and they have moved away from this. America was blessed because of the christians that were active in the foundation of the nation and the open aknowledgement of God as real and benevelent to us as a nation. Surely the foundational laws of the country based on the Law Of God were a big part. As were the Puritans who settled the original colonies. Psalm 33:12 most likley applies here. Never the less it is our prayer that “God bless America”.
August 19, 2009 at 6:33 pm
I sat here reading this thinking that you’ve somehow read my thoughts and put them down in writing! These are the very same questions I often ask myself. And, unfortunately, I usually don’t have answers either.