News story after news story says the same thing: Americans believe that our nation is in moral decline. The last study I saw showed the 80% of Americans stated that America is worse off morally now than we were ten years ago.
It's interesting because it's not just one group of people saying that. It's not just conservatives who bemoan the direction of society. It's also liberals saying this. It's a rare thing these days for both liberals and conservatives to agree on something, but one thing is for certain- both say that America is in moral decline.
The problem, however, comes in the next question- what is "moral decline?"
That question would have been easy to answer fifty years ago. There was a common culture and a common understanding of what was right and wrong. It was generally assumed that a person should be honest- that lying, stealing, and cheating were immoral. It was generally assumed that adultery was immoral. It was generally assumed that sex outside of marriage was immoral (even though it happened quite often) and it was generally assumed that physical violence, except for self-defense, was immoral.
**NOTE**(I'm not talking about a return to the "good old days." Those days really didn't exist, other than in our minds. Immorality was around back then too. The difference between that day and today, however, is that at least back then when it happened, people agreed that it was wrong. That doesn't happen as much today.)
It was also generally understood that these morals came from God. These were not inventions of humanity. They were laid down in God's laws (think Ten Commandments) and were generally agreed upon by the majority of society.
That has changed radically.
Since the 1960s, moral relativism has taken root in America. When I was in school in the 80s and 90s, the prevailing thought was that "what is right for you isn't necessarily right for me, and what is wrong for you isn't necessarily wrong for me." How did this occur?
Easy. America moved its understanding of morality away from the absolutes of God.
With the foundation of God's law removed from the mind of society, morals became things that were philosophically appealing to the individual, not things mandated by a higher power with authority over our lives. Morality became personal, not universal. All of a sudden, if an individual found adultery philosophically appealing, regardless of what anything or anybody else said, it suddenly became okay. If violence was philosophically appealing to an individual, it suddenly became moral to commit acts of violence. After all, who are we to tell them they are wrong?
For example, the Antifa movement chants, "Any time, any place, punch a Nazi in the face." Well, is violence immoral? For Antifa, it isn't. It is perfectly moral for them, they believe, to commit acts of violence against "Nazis," which they define as anyone who thinks differently than them. They believe they are taking the moral high ground in acting violently towards them. They have created their own morality, and believe themselves to be on the side of good. Honestly, who are we to tell them they are wrong . . . . . if we hold to moral relativism and say that what is right for you is not necessarily right for me?
So, in essence, we have no morals. We are left only with things that each individual places value on as "right" and "wrong."
How, then, do 80% of people in America say that we are in moral decline? What morals are declining, and honestly, why do we care?
Think about it- if right and wrong is determined by the individual, how can America be in moral decline? Answer- it can't be. Moral relativism states that right and wrong is up to each individual person, and therefore, no one can be immoral. The term "moral decline" implies that there is an objective standard from which we are moving downward. However, if all the people in a society are simply living out what they believe to be right, there can be no "moral decline."
America can only be in moral decline if morals are actually universal, dictated to us by an authority outside of ourselves, and non-negotiable. 80% of Americans, therefore, believe that there IS an objective moral standard out there, and we are moving downwards from it.
I agree with that assessment.
Churches used to be the conveyor of morals to a community. Fathers and mothers would communicate truths of the Bible to their children- "Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not lie, Do not covet, Honor Father and Mother, Don't use the Lord's Name carelessly, Remember the Sabbath Day, Do not worship idols . . . . and the number one moral- YOU SHALL HAVE NO GODS BEFORE ME."
As our society has de-emphasized the role of church in a community, and with it the role of Christian morality, our society has suffered. Drug use is epidemic in America right now as people seek escape from life or just find a way to feel good. Divorce is rampant, tearing homes apart and growing entire generations of children raised in broken homes. According to the National Association of Shoplifting Prevention, there are 27 million shoplifters in America, or one out of every eleven people in this nation. Identity theft is the fastest-growing crime in America, ruining its victims for years and stealing away financial security.
Why do we care?
Because our entire way of life depends on it.
John Adams, one of the founders of this nation, upon his vote to ratify the Constitution of the United States, issued this warning- "This Constitution is meant only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the the governance of any other."
John Adams knew that a free society would HAVE to be a moral society. A society where people had personal privacy, the freedom to move around, assemble, speak, practice religion, question the government, etc would have to be self-governed. A society that was characterized by immorality would necessitate a police state- a state resembling a prison where all behavior was monitored, no freedoms were granted, and the government kept a watchful eye on all activity.
This is why we care about America's moral decline.
I am as shocked and as saddened as you are about hearing about the terrorist bombing in Manchester, England. As of the writing of this blog, there is intelligence showing another terrorist attack is imminent. As disturbing as the bombing was, what truly bothered me were the pictures coming from England showing the English army soldiers patrolling the streets.
Armed patrols of military units decked out in tactical gear, usually only seen in war zones in Afghanistan and Iraq, are now on the streets of Manchester, England. They are walking through streets of a nation not at war, not under occupation, not being threatened by a foreign army. However, they might as well be. That looks more like a police state than a free society.
The only response the government has to morality is to step up policing and take away freedom. It's the only tool it has to counteract it.
We have immoral people committing acts of violence in school. The response is to have metal detectors and police officers in school.
We have immoral people stealing from shopping malls. The response is to have security officers, cameras, and increased surveillance.
We have immoral people threatening terrorist acts against us. The response is more government surveillance of email, social media, text messages, etc.
See, an immoral society, a society which cannot police itself, a society where violence and theft and lying and cheating are rampant, is begging for a police state. When the people cannot police themselves, the government will. As America slips further and further into moral decline, we will see more surveillance, more police, more National Guard, more laws, more rules, and more incarceration. We will lose the very freedoms we cherish due to the increasing immorality of our society.
This is why we care.
This is why parents must step up and teach their children the Biblical morals that were at one time woven into the fabric of our society.
This is why we must take seriously the Biblical mandate to discipline our children.
This is why we must stop believing this false philosophy of moral relativism that says morals are subjective and up to the individual- after all, could the Manchester bomber really be considered immoral or wrong? He was simply doing what he believed to be right. Who are we to judge, right?
This is why we must take seriously our commitment to our local churches. They need to become once again the moral voice in our communities, teaching right from wrong and training parents to teach their children right from wrong.
Our very way of life- our very society- hinges on the level to which we hold to morality. Right now it is in danger. It is up to us to turn it around.
It's interesting because it's not just one group of people saying that. It's not just conservatives who bemoan the direction of society. It's also liberals saying this. It's a rare thing these days for both liberals and conservatives to agree on something, but one thing is for certain- both say that America is in moral decline.
The problem, however, comes in the next question- what is "moral decline?"
That question would have been easy to answer fifty years ago. There was a common culture and a common understanding of what was right and wrong. It was generally assumed that a person should be honest- that lying, stealing, and cheating were immoral. It was generally assumed that adultery was immoral. It was generally assumed that sex outside of marriage was immoral (even though it happened quite often) and it was generally assumed that physical violence, except for self-defense, was immoral.
**NOTE**(I'm not talking about a return to the "good old days." Those days really didn't exist, other than in our minds. Immorality was around back then too. The difference between that day and today, however, is that at least back then when it happened, people agreed that it was wrong. That doesn't happen as much today.)
It was also generally understood that these morals came from God. These were not inventions of humanity. They were laid down in God's laws (think Ten Commandments) and were generally agreed upon by the majority of society.
That has changed radically.
Since the 1960s, moral relativism has taken root in America. When I was in school in the 80s and 90s, the prevailing thought was that "what is right for you isn't necessarily right for me, and what is wrong for you isn't necessarily wrong for me." How did this occur?
Easy. America moved its understanding of morality away from the absolutes of God.
With the foundation of God's law removed from the mind of society, morals became things that were philosophically appealing to the individual, not things mandated by a higher power with authority over our lives. Morality became personal, not universal. All of a sudden, if an individual found adultery philosophically appealing, regardless of what anything or anybody else said, it suddenly became okay. If violence was philosophically appealing to an individual, it suddenly became moral to commit acts of violence. After all, who are we to tell them they are wrong?
For example, the Antifa movement chants, "Any time, any place, punch a Nazi in the face." Well, is violence immoral? For Antifa, it isn't. It is perfectly moral for them, they believe, to commit acts of violence against "Nazis," which they define as anyone who thinks differently than them. They believe they are taking the moral high ground in acting violently towards them. They have created their own morality, and believe themselves to be on the side of good. Honestly, who are we to tell them they are wrong . . . . . if we hold to moral relativism and say that what is right for you is not necessarily right for me?
So, in essence, we have no morals. We are left only with things that each individual places value on as "right" and "wrong."
How, then, do 80% of people in America say that we are in moral decline? What morals are declining, and honestly, why do we care?
Think about it- if right and wrong is determined by the individual, how can America be in moral decline? Answer- it can't be. Moral relativism states that right and wrong is up to each individual person, and therefore, no one can be immoral. The term "moral decline" implies that there is an objective standard from which we are moving downward. However, if all the people in a society are simply living out what they believe to be right, there can be no "moral decline."
America can only be in moral decline if morals are actually universal, dictated to us by an authority outside of ourselves, and non-negotiable. 80% of Americans, therefore, believe that there IS an objective moral standard out there, and we are moving downwards from it.
I agree with that assessment.
Churches used to be the conveyor of morals to a community. Fathers and mothers would communicate truths of the Bible to their children- "Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not lie, Do not covet, Honor Father and Mother, Don't use the Lord's Name carelessly, Remember the Sabbath Day, Do not worship idols . . . . and the number one moral- YOU SHALL HAVE NO GODS BEFORE ME."
As our society has de-emphasized the role of church in a community, and with it the role of Christian morality, our society has suffered. Drug use is epidemic in America right now as people seek escape from life or just find a way to feel good. Divorce is rampant, tearing homes apart and growing entire generations of children raised in broken homes. According to the National Association of Shoplifting Prevention, there are 27 million shoplifters in America, or one out of every eleven people in this nation. Identity theft is the fastest-growing crime in America, ruining its victims for years and stealing away financial security.
Why do we care?
Because our entire way of life depends on it.
John Adams, one of the founders of this nation, upon his vote to ratify the Constitution of the United States, issued this warning- "This Constitution is meant only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the the governance of any other."
John Adams knew that a free society would HAVE to be a moral society. A society where people had personal privacy, the freedom to move around, assemble, speak, practice religion, question the government, etc would have to be self-governed. A society that was characterized by immorality would necessitate a police state- a state resembling a prison where all behavior was monitored, no freedoms were granted, and the government kept a watchful eye on all activity.
This is why we care about America's moral decline.
I am as shocked and as saddened as you are about hearing about the terrorist bombing in Manchester, England. As of the writing of this blog, there is intelligence showing another terrorist attack is imminent. As disturbing as the bombing was, what truly bothered me were the pictures coming from England showing the English army soldiers patrolling the streets.
Armed patrols of military units decked out in tactical gear, usually only seen in war zones in Afghanistan and Iraq, are now on the streets of Manchester, England. They are walking through streets of a nation not at war, not under occupation, not being threatened by a foreign army. However, they might as well be. That looks more like a police state than a free society.
The only response the government has to morality is to step up policing and take away freedom. It's the only tool it has to counteract it.
We have immoral people committing acts of violence in school. The response is to have metal detectors and police officers in school.
We have immoral people stealing from shopping malls. The response is to have security officers, cameras, and increased surveillance.
We have immoral people threatening terrorist acts against us. The response is more government surveillance of email, social media, text messages, etc.
See, an immoral society, a society which cannot police itself, a society where violence and theft and lying and cheating are rampant, is begging for a police state. When the people cannot police themselves, the government will. As America slips further and further into moral decline, we will see more surveillance, more police, more National Guard, more laws, more rules, and more incarceration. We will lose the very freedoms we cherish due to the increasing immorality of our society.
This is why we care.
This is why parents must step up and teach their children the Biblical morals that were at one time woven into the fabric of our society.
This is why we must take seriously the Biblical mandate to discipline our children.
This is why we must stop believing this false philosophy of moral relativism that says morals are subjective and up to the individual- after all, could the Manchester bomber really be considered immoral or wrong? He was simply doing what he believed to be right. Who are we to judge, right?
This is why we must take seriously our commitment to our local churches. They need to become once again the moral voice in our communities, teaching right from wrong and training parents to teach their children right from wrong.
Our very way of life- our very society- hinges on the level to which we hold to morality. Right now it is in danger. It is up to us to turn it around.
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