So, where did we leave off? Oh yes, that's right. We were talking about the degradation of morals in our society, the entitlement epidemic and a general disregard for personal responsibility. How did we get here? Well, as far as the moral decay goes, I believe T.V., Movies, Music, and other forms of media are primarily responsible. As I stated in my last post, sexual innuendo is everywhere we look. It has been normalized in our society to the point where you can't watch cartoons without sitting through an erectile dysfunction commercial. No, seriously.......The Cartoon Network! Why? Even condom commercials are common place in prime time T.V. on national networks. And why not? The shows they are advertising on are drawing the demographic they are targeting. And since almost anything is fair game, might as well make some more money, right? Speaking to the entitlement disease that is plaguing this generation, some answers can be found in the following video. It was put out during the "Occupy" movement and explains the generational outlook as well as anything I've ever seen. I encourage everyone to watch this and do everything in your power to reverse the pattern! It can be found at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAOrT0OcHh0
Finally, the disregard for personal responsibility. This, I believe, is also an epidemic. The outrage caused by the Hobby Lobby decision certainly gave some indication of that, but it's much more. A sense of personal responsibility is decaying at a rapid pace in every aspect of American society. It seems that very few believe in consequences for our choices. And it all really does come down to choices. Upset with the compensation package at Wal Mart? Simple. Don't work there! Don't like working for minimum wage? Apply yourself and get an education so you don't have to! If you are trying to support a family on your part time job at Bob's Burger Barn, then you're right. It's not going to happen. But the real question is why are you trying to do that in the first place? Part time, minimum wage jobs are not intended to be a sole source of income for a family of 4 to 6. So, where did you make the wrong choices that got you into that situation in the first place? Dropped out of high school, perhaps? Maybe not. Maybe you just chose not to go to college and further your education. Or maybe you did go to college for a while, but you decided it wasn't for you anymore. Maybe you got a bunch of tattoos and piercings in college and can't figure out why the bank won't hire someone with a barbell stuck in their cheek? As for the kids, maybe life wouldn't be so hard if you held off on having so many, until you get a career that can support them. Here's a hint.....It may require some personal restraint and/or some birth control that, yes, YOU are responsible to provide for yourself!
All of these things have led us to where we are now as a society. Due to the downfall of family values and morals, those of us who proudly call ourselves Christians, find ourselves in a battle. The name Christian has become a sort of Scarlet "C" that we wear on our chest, welcoming the vilest of accusatory and hateful name calling from those who would rather not take the moral high road. Having morals and values, means that sometimes you don't just get to do what you want or what feels good in the moment. You don't get to treat your body and soul like a pornographic playground. Those that would like to continue that type of lifestyle are appalled by those of us who speak or act against it. We are called women haters, misogynists, homophobes, hypocrites, extremists, etc. And for the record, believing in family values doesn't automatically make someone a homophobe or against gay rights. It just means that our values are more traditional. I believe very firmly in the concept of family values. And for that, I'm accused of hating gay people. I believe in monogamy, and for that I'm labeled old fashioned or prudish. I believe in the sanctity of marriage and the sanctity of life, and for that I've been told that I'm an idiot and a right wing Evangelical moron. I eat meat, wear a leather belt and fish for sport, so I'm an animal hater. Anyone seeing a pattern, yet? It's pretty obvious. If you disagree with anyone on any subject whatsoever, it apparently means you HATE them.
Well, I don't hate very often, but when I do, these are the things I hate. I hate having to watch erectile dysfunction commercials on every commercial break. I hate that I can no longer watch television or movies without seeing constant sexual content, nudity and innuendo. I hate that I can't have a hamburger without wondering if someone, somewhere was licking the ketchup off of a young woman's chest and thighs. Thanks, Hardee's! I hate that my children are being raised in a society where abstinence is deemed an impossibility and promiscuity is taught as the norm in our schools. I hate that a soldier entering his new barracks room for the first time, will no longer find a Bible in his night stand, and that he will be punished under the UCMJ if he dares to publicly recite or display verses from that Book. I hate that we can't use the word Christmas in our schools, or display any religious symbols of the season. I hate that the schools are teaching "Religions of the World" in Social Studies, while barely mentioning the Christian Faith. I hate that hard work and earning an honest living has taken a back seat to laziness, entitlement and free stuff. I hate that all of my expenses have gone up 30-40% over the past 5 years, while my pay has gone down by 10-20%. I hate that my insurance premiums and deductibles have doubled so that someone else can get for free, what I sweat and bleed for every day. I hate that being a white, middle class, heterosexual, carnivorous, monogamous, Christian male with family values and a sense of moral and personal responsibility, puts me at the disadvantage and labels me as the "hater". Maybe I am a hater. But I hate the sin, not the sinner. I hate the viewpoints, not the people who form them. I hate the state of the world and society, not the people in it. I hate the choices, not the chooser.
Yes, there are plenty of problems in today's society, but Christians aren't the problem. Young single mothers are working two jobs just to barely make ends meet. People are dying of heroine overdoses, getting killed by drunk drivers. The homeless are suffering without food or shelter. There are plenty of examples of suffering in this world. But sadly, many of these examples are the direct result of poor choices, made by people with low self esteem, low moral fiber and very little sense of consequences and personal responsibility. Sad, but true. Now, this all may make me sound pious and close-minded. But it's quite the opposite. I have made many choices in my life I am not proud of. All of which led to some fairly serious consequences. That doesn't make me a hypocrite. I am a sinner. I have broken many of the Lord's commandments. I struggle daily to keep myself from sin, as I will never measure up to the example I have to follow in Christ. We all fall short. That's the price we pay for who we are. So, as Christians, we have to have compassion for those who suffer every day. But that doesn't mean we have to agree with the choices that got them there.
Yes, in today's world, the word Christian is a dirty word. It is equated with terms like hate, intolerance and hypocrisy. But those accusations are falsehoods, perpetrated by a society of people who would rather feel good in the moment, than do the right thing or make the hard choices. So, I will wear my Scarlet letter "C" with pride, and I will continue to absorb the spits of venom from the opposition that goes along with it. Because without pain, there can be no relief. Without darkness there can be no light. And without suffering there can be no compassion. I am called to this service by my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and his great commission, and I will not back down, just because the left majority would like me silenced. I follow the Holy Bible, which I believe to be the perfect, inerrant word of God, and for that I will not apologize.
Thanks for Reading......
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