America, a Fractured Nation

         In the current political atmosphere in our country, the phrase, “Black lives matter,” is being used supposedly to bring attention to existing racial problems.  In the minds of some, racism is perceived to be so rampant as to actually define all of American society.  Among that segment of our society, according to their view, all of white Americans are racists and guilty of being white supremacists, who are oppressors of people of color due to their perceived superiority based upon assumed advantages of white privilege.  Under this view, all people of color are declared to be perpetual victims, still oppressed by the past history of slavery in our country over a century ago, never given the opportunity even today to pursue life, liberty and happiness to the same degree as white people.    This view of our country is predominantly promoted by those within the Democrat Political Party. 

          It is not the intent of my paper to try to prove or disprove the reality of the existence of this racial bias one way or another.  I must be upfront in stating that I do not personally hold this view of America.  It is hard for me to believe such ideas when Americans, of all colors, have elected a black president, not once but twice.  In addition, many people of color hold high offices in positions of authority throughout the land, both at the federal and state levels, and within the private business sector.  Ironically, many of the successful black people, especially if they hold conservative and traditional views, are accused of such things as being an Oreo, an Uncle Tom, and “trying to act white.”  In addition, many agencies have been formed for the purpose of attempting to provide assistance to the poor and needy, of all colors, to help improve their chances for a better life.  Through these methods of assistance, many people of all colors, have worked hard and have made their way out of a history of devastating poverty to become extremely successful people. 

          I’m sure you are aware of many prominent people of color in our society without my having to name them.  For those who hold fast to the victim/oppressor view, it wouldn’t matter how many names of successful people of color I could produce, for they are entrenched in their own opinion, which is their perceived reality, and seldom can anything change their mindset or ideology.  I do not negate the idea that racism exists in America, just as it exists in all of humanity, regardless of what country we may talk about.  I just do not buy into the idea that the totality of America as a society can be so broadly painted to define our country in such a manner.  Up until the increased atmosphere of divisiveness of this present administration, I would have viewed America as a land of peoples that was more often defined, not by color, but rather by character.  I thought our nation was headed in a positive direction in which the healing of the wounds of our past history as a nation was making great strides.  I looked upon America as a great nation which had its faults, but was always striving to improve itself and our relationships with one another.

          However, within the past decade or so, I have witnessed a great fracturing of our country into more divisions than I personally could have imagined was possible.  There’s the war on women (men against women, liberal women against conservative women), division among the classes (the haves against the have nots), gays against straights (gender against gender, and transgender), humanity against animals, environmentalists against humanity, ethnic group against ethnic group, younger generation against the older generation, pro-choice against pro-life, unbelievers against believers, democrats against republicans, libertarians against both democrats and republicans, and I’m sure we could throw in global warming against natural climate change (which does not view man as the root cause of all climate change), and a myriad of others that I have probably failed to list.  It seems we are divided into multiple factions, which in turn develop even more fractures, until we are reduced from being one nation under God into to a state that could best be described as a nation characterized by lawlessness, more closely resembling a bunch of gangs involved in tribal warfare.

          The root cause of these divisions extend far deeper than any superficial political, economic, racial or social disagreements or problems.  Instead, it is a far more serious problem.  Unfortunately, our country has become an increasingly secularized nation, one that has chosen to forget God, intent on erasing Him and His influence from every part of our foundations.  We have made ourselves to be a nation that is more often spiritually deaf, dumb, and blind.  By making that last statement, I may have just lost about seventy percent of my readers, but if you are still willing to hear me out, please continue to read further and give me the benefit of the doubt as to whether my conclusions may have any validity. 

          Man was created “in the image of God.”  That is, we are designed to be triune beings, having a body, mind, and soul.  Our spirit is made alive, that is, we are born again, when we receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and the Holy Spirit is sent to indwell us, giving us the ability to discern the things of the spirit once again.  Well, I probably just lost another ten percent of my readers.  I hope the twenty percent who are still reading, will continue to hang in there with me.  Without the Lord, man is given a conscience, an inner sense of discerning right from wrong to an extent.  However, without the leading and guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we are not properly equipped to understand that there exists in this world much more than what we can perceive through our natural senses.  In this fallen world, there are things of the spirit that are not visible, but still are a very definite part of reality, both good and evil, having a great deal of influence upon our lives.  Therefore, as long as we have breath on earth, we are forever involved in spiritual warfare, a battle between good and evil.  The Bible is meant to be our map, or book of instructions as to how to live out our life under the authority of the one true God.  He only wants what is best for us, and will give us the desire and strength to follow Him, if we humble ourselves before Him, allowing His Holy Spirit to be our tutor, guide, and strength to submit our will to the will of God. 

          The Word teaches that we fight not against flesh and blood, but against the powers and principalities and the darkness of this world; that is, against Satan and his host of fallen angels and demons. (Eph. 6: 12)  Whoops, it is very possible that another ten percent just dropped out of our journey together.  But for the remaining ten percent or so, I hope you will choose to hang in there and continue on this pathway with me, that we might be enlightened together by the Lord, and stop depending upon our own opinions and vain imaginations.  Satan is real, and he is out to rob, destroy, and kill us in body if he can, but even more importantly and specifiacally, to kill us off spiritually. (John 10:10 and I Peter 5:8)  If he can keep us spiritually deaf, dumb, and blind, then he has succeeded in keeping us from gaining eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.  He will never admit that he was defeated when Jesus died for our sins on the cross, was raised from the dead that whosoever would believe in Him (Christ) would be given the gift of eternal salvation by the grace of God through faith. (John 3: 15)  Satan wants God’s most loved creation, mankind, to worship him, not God. 

          Satan’s power is real, and he is pulling out every lie and instrument of deception that he has in his bag of tricks to try to deceive and destroy every individual and nation that he can, while he has the opportunity to do so.  God has forewarned us when He said that a house divided can not stand. (Matt. 12: 22- 28) To be forewarned is to be forearmed that we may not fall into the pit of doubt and unbelief.  If he can rob us of our faith in God, he knows he’s already won the battle for that individual’s life or the life of a nation.  As our secularized nation rushes more and more towards becoming a godless society, we will become a nation that is void of the wisdom of God, and deprived of the knowledge and faith in the one true God.  In other words, if we choose to go our own way, rejecting God and His ways, we will become as a ship lost at sea in a raging storm, without a rudder, a compass, and a navigator, being tossed about in every direction by every wind and wave.  Like that cliché says, if you don’t take a stand to believe in God, you will fall for anything and everything that comes along.  If we do not stand on solid ground being anchored to God and His word, Satan will succeed in removing every cornerstone of the biblical foundations upon which our democratic republic was built.  George Washington is one of many who warned that without our Christian faith, our republic would not long stand. 

          This present atmosphere of dividing Americans along every possible line of division is creating a society that is rapidly experiencing one crucial fracture after another, being shattered into more disjointed pieces than a broken glass.  If Satan can keep us pitted one against the other, being destroyed from within, we will suffer a condition of decay that will be as bad, or worse, than the results of a devastating earthquake which makes the whole nation rupture violently and fall into the sea.  Out of hatred, unforgiveness, and pride, we will have brought the judgment of God down upon ourselves.  We are quickly removing His hedge that previously acted as a shield of protection against the demonic powers of Satan.  But now, unless by some miraculous move on our part to repent of our sins and return our hearts back to God, He will remove His hand of protection altogether, letting us go our own way without Him as we have chosen to do.  The consequences we will suffer have already begun, and are further revealed in the Book of Revelation, for anyone to read and understand, if we are willing to be taught by the Holy Spirit.

          If a human body was placed into a car compressing machine, there would survive only bits and pieces as evidence that the body had ever previously existed.  There are people that are hard at work trying to promote hatred and increased violence within our country with for the sole purpose of destroying the sovereignty of our nation in order to produce something different that suits their own agenda.  If you think this is a supposition or part of a conspiracy theory, the next time there is a “spontaneous” riot in the streets, take note of all the people wearing the same uniform type shirt, all of the same color, have written on them the same words or log; look at all the same posters, not hand made, but mass produced. 

          If we continue to hang on to old grievances and offences, demanding reparations for one reason or another for this or that group, there will never be a healing.  Even if we had the money, there could never be any amount of money, services, cash from those who have more given to those who have less, guilt placed either legitimately or illegitimately, that would ever be deemed sufficient to satisfy those who feel they have experienced wrong treatment.  If we were to decide to pay blacks for the fact that slavery existed here, who is going to distract the money from the black people of Africa who sold their own people into slavery?  Who is going to determine which black people here in America owned slaves, and there were some, to determine how much they should pay for their part?  If the head of a family owned slaves, are all of the children in that family considered to be slave owners also, even though as adults they never were slave owners (this standard was actually used to determine how many people owned slaves)?  Who is going to determine which white people even had ancestors that were or were not slave owners, or are they all to be considered guilty simply as a result of the white color of their skin?  How much should Jews receive as reparations for the years that they were not allowed housing in certain areas,   (and other far worse treatments in their history)?  How many white people deserve reparations because their ancestors were indentured servants?  How much should be assessed and required from an Indian tribe for their massacres and taking of women and children in slavery against other tribes?  How many planes and huge homes should be taken away from private owners to prevent their abundant use of fossil fuels?  I’m sure there are those that could add far more to this list of groups that could deem themselves deserving of reparations justly due in their eyes for some perceived wrong. 

          As long as there is anyone that will listen to this blame game, hatred, violence, anarchy, and rebelliousness against God and the rule of law, our country may be doomed to partial, if not total, destruction which may very well occur within the near future.  If we continue to hold on to unforgiveness for the sins of our past history, we will never be able to move on to a brighter future with the grace and mercy of God leading us towards unity and reconciliation with Him, and with one another through faith. 

          Recently, we were all witnesses of two incidences of violence, yet the results of one was far different from the other, and the long term consequences were also just as different.  In Baltimore, a black man died after being arrested by a group of six police, some of who were white and others were people of color.  The police were speedily indicted, yet there were riots in the streets causing further destruction within the predominantly black or people of color, community areas.  Since then the number of murders and acts of violence within that same area has also increased, bringing further harm to the people that were already previously experiencing hardships and harm.  The political leaders in this city are predominantly democrats and people of color, and it has been so for several years.  The cries of vengeance and violence continue to emanate from the community, and ironically the republicans and white people in general are being blamed, not the black democrat leaders, who have been in positions of authority for years, or even the black on black violence that is allowed to continue without any proper consequences.  Can you imagine the horror of being a poor person (of any color), who is desperately trying to live out a decent life amidst this violent and chaotic atmosphere?  I don’t assert that placing “blame” on anyone is a cure for anything.  To the contrary, coming together to determine proper solutions would be a far more advantageous action than continuing on in strife, name calling, and indulging ourselves to join the destructive blame game.,

          As for the racism that exists in America and other countries, it is not limited to participants only within the white race.  Yes, the murderer in this particular event was a white racist, but that does not make all of the rest of us, regardless of color, racists.  Racism is not a sin that is exercised by only one race; it is an equal opportunity sin that is found within every race, as exemplified by the Black Panthers, those that follow Louis Farrakhan, and those that adhere to the teachings of Rev. Wright who so boldly exclaimed more than once before his whole congregation, “God d—n America.”

          In complete opposition to the scenario played out in Baltimore , there were nine people of color (not sure if they were all black or not) who were killed by a white man, who was definitely a racist, in the city of Charleston, S.C.  He had been kindly welcomed into their church to participate in their bible study for an hour or more before he pulled out a gun and killed them.  Instead of calling for more violence, rioting, or even making accusations that all white people are racists and guilty of being white supremacists, etc., these people set the example of Jesus Christ and His influence in their lives by calling for peace and even forgiveness for the one that had killed their loved ones.  Amazingly, this was their immediate response, demonstrating the evidence of their true faith and obedience to Christ, their Lord and Savior.  Many of the people of the entire city and even people from surrounding areas, of every color, flooded into the streets, but it was not for the purpose of encouraging riots, or to point accusing fingers of blame, or to initiate more violence and harm.  Instead, Satan and all of his intent for destruction was blocked and thwarted by a spirit of love and support towards those who had lost so much.  Oh yes, there were those present who tried to disrupt and destroy this outpouring of love, but they could not win because, whether all of them were believers of not, those that came together did so in a sincere spirit of love and peace that was promoted through the example of the very people who had lost so much, who, in the natural, could have chosen the path of vengeance and vindictiveness.  No, this was not a place of violence and hatred, but rather a very present example of the difference that is made when the love and peace of Jesus Christ exists in the hearts and minds of His people, granting victory over every evil way.

          If only Americans, especially those who profess to be Christians, could once again come together to humble ourselves before the Lord, to repent of our sins, and turn from our wicked ways, then our  Heavenly Father has promised that He will hear from Heaven, will forgive us our sins, and will heal our land. (II Chronicles 7:14)  Unless we turn our hearts back to the Lord, we will soon reap the consequences of the seeds of hatred, division, unforgiveness, disobedience, and blatant continual rebellion against the one true God, which we have so diligently sown.  The choice is ours to make.  We can join the factions that are intent on causing violence and discord, which contribute to the destruction of our own nation.  Or we can choose to join with others in the spirit of love and forgiveness and work together to sow the seeds of peace, that we may be bound together with cords of love that cannot be broken. 

          This is spiritual warfare, and we decide the outcome by our own choices and actions.  Choose to serve the devil and eternal separation from God, or choose life eternally by serving the Lord God Almighty.  God will allow us to go our own way without Him, if that is what we demonstrate that we want as individuals, and as a nation.  He forces no one to follow and obey Him.  Following and obeying the Lord can only be done out of a heart that loves the Lord and willingly submits his will to the will of the Lord.  Are we going to choose to be a nation that is anchored to the solid rock of Jesus Christ that we may stand as a nation blessed by the Almighty Living God, or do we choose to be set free from His authority which can only result in slavery to Satan, sin, and death?  Our nation stands on the very brink of total destruction, not as “one nation that under God,” but as a nation that is fractured and facing devastation beyond our comprehension.  I pray that we wake up from our apathy, doubt, and unbelief, and willingly turn our hearts back to the Lord through faith in Jesus Christ, God the Son.  There is no other way to win against the powers of the darkness of this world except through faith in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit – three in one.  Why?

Is it not written?

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,” saith the Lord of hosts.” (Zech. 4: 6)

Did not Jesus say?

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.  And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” (Matt. 7: 24 – 27)

Is it not written?

”A nation without God’s guidance is a nation without order.  Happy are those who keep God’s law!” (Prov. 29: 18 GNT), or

“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” (Prov. 29:18 KJV)

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, and the people whom he hath chosen for his inheritance.” (Psalm 33:12)