We Reap What We Sow: The Tragic Decline of America and the Western World

By Christopher Mark
In this article, although it is certainly not my intention, it is possible some may find my thoughts offensive. Yet, please consider the words of Thomas Paine, who observed “He who dares not offend cannot be honest.” The purpose of my article this week is to present a blunt wake-up call, particularly to America, and to the whole of the Western World. Why is it that we are facing an infinite variety of troubles? What is the root of our endless travails? What, indeed?Well, if one should study the history of civilizations for the past few thousand years and one believes in a Higher Power (as do I), then perhaps you already know the answer: We asked for it. You may be wondering “...how so?” First of all, there is not a nation upon the planet that currently exists, or that has ever existed, that does not have the exact government that its people deserves. This phrase or a variation thereof has been oft-repeated, many, many times for hundreds of years. “Oh, what a callous thought...” you may say to yourself. I do not believe so. Think of America, back when it was merely a series of English colonies. The people were unwilling to fight for their rights—unwilling to fight for liberty. But, in time, a minority of men convinced the population that revolution was the only solution.

These “radical, right-wing, revolutionaries,” such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Paul Revere, John Jay, and so many others led the majority, who were opposed to any open revolt, that it must be so. The rest is history. The freedoms we have enjoyed, indeed, have toyed with in modern times, were so very dearly paid for, with the blood of countless men and women. Thus, a Republic, based on human liberty and a belief in God was born. Do you doubt this?

Perhaps you recognize these words: “WE hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness—That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” Surely, you recognize this portion of the Declaration of Independence. But who is this “Creator?”

After the American Revolution, another “radical” man by the name of Patrick Henry said “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religion but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We shall not fight alone. God presides over the destinies of nations.” Indeed, this author shares the opinion of Patrick Henry. It is God who presides over the destinies of nations; it is God who is our Creator. Many also believe God presides over the destinies of every individual upon the face of the earth. What does that mean? It does not mean that we are without choice in our individual lives. Not at all.

It is our great privilege, and challenge, to choose good or evil. That having been said, God does indeed have a plan for the destiny of all of earth. As individuals who comprise the whole of a nation, at a minimum we have a choice as to how we behave and how we impact the course of history. We have seen time and again what happens to nations who have discarded God, denied God, offended God at length, or otherwise displeased the Creator. We had/have a choice as to our form of government. In 1905, Mark Twain wrote “In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.”

Anyone who is not brain-dead knows good and well that the form of government established by our Constitution and Bill of Rights is under full-scale attack. Folks, I have probably watched about six hours of TV in the past year. I simply cannot bear the overwhelming intellectual assault which television broadcasting represents to me. It is an anathema to a sound mind. Furthermore, in my opinion, TV is to a mature, intelligent adult as Gerber baby food is to an infant. Truly there is a war on for your mind, as Alex Jones is fond of noting, and if you are regularly watching TV...guess who is winning?

Famous American newspaperman, Henry Louis (H.L.) Menken (http://www.io.com/~gibbonsb/mencken.html) noted “The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed and hence, clamorous to be led to safety—by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.” Now take a look at a “typical” everyday story in America, courtesy of Fox News at http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,78978,00.html and draw your own conclusions.

Forget about the so-called War on Terror, for a moment. Unfortunately, it may be true that there are indeed hobgoblins out there. However, many have put forth ample evidence to suggest we, ourselves, have created these “hobgoblins” in the quest for ultimate hegemony and fear-based government. (For more information on this, please see http://www.prisonplanet/911.html and http://www.infowars.com/resources.html.) In reality, is it not all simply “practical politics” and a purposeful distraction from the real war: The War on The Constitution and The Bill of Rights. The War on Your God-Given Rights. The War on Your Liberty!

Therefore, as individuals, we must make a choice to seek the truth. As families, we must make a choice. In sum, individuals and families comprise a nation. Just as is the case with individual lives, even if God knows ahead of time the choices we are to make, the very destiny of our nation may ultimately be based upon the choices we individually make. What kind of choices have we been making in America and the Western World? For example, what do you think of when you hear people say things like “If there were a God, how could He let such terrible things happen, such as 9-11...”

Although I feel nothing but horror for the tragic incidents of that day, I can only sit back in disdain when I hear such comments. Why? Because we have forsaken our Creator. We have told Him to leave! Leave our schools! Leave our courtrooms! Leave our government! Leave! We have made it perfectly legal to murder His unborn children—30 to 40 million in America, alone, and counting. What do we expect? Our Creator is known for His patience. But we have forsaken Him and His patience can only be tried for so long. So said William Penn “Those who will not be governed by God, will be ruled by tyrants.” So, why cry in amazement at the events of our days? It is to be expected, as both here and throughout the Western World, for all practical purposes, we have given God the boot.

This is far worse than rejecting your own parents who have lovingly raised you from the womb to where you are today. For we are nothing more than children of our Creator and He is a father to us all. How do you treat your Father? Do you even talk to Him? Is He even a small part of your life? If you are an American, do you give thanks for the gifts of liberty that you enjoy each day under The Constitution and The Bill of Rights? Do you care that your way of life is under vicious, relentless attack? Or is your only concern that you have a job, a nice car to drive, a place to call home, a grocery store nearby, a TV, and a cold six-pack? If you fall into this last category, please awaken, my fellow American, to the cold, hard reality of the transformation, now considerably progressed, of our entire society into something quite different than what the Founding Fathers envisioned, not only for the sake of America, but for that of the whole Western World and beyond.

But you say “I am tired...I have to work 40 hours a week...I can barely pay my bills...and life is hard.” I know. We have all been there. However, I also learned that with God all things are possible. You can quite rapidly change your life with faith, even if your faith is only as small as a mustard seed. Change your priorities. Consider carefully the choices you make. Consider carefully the people with whom you choose to regularly associate. Make a plan for your life—and things will change and you will no longer have an excuse to sit on the sidelines. Consider the words of Samuel Adams, who said “If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains set lightly upon you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.” These are strong words, from a highly dignified and intelligent man who fought and believed in liberty.

While God has a plan for the world, do you have a plan for your life? I am continually dumbfounded by the pleasure-oriented nature of the average American who spends more time planning the one or two weeks of vacation time one may have from their job each year, than one devotes to planning an entire life—the Gift of all gifts. Consider this analogy. I want you to picture a big building, say, The Empire State Building. Let me ask you a simple question. What happened before a single piece of dirt was overturned to begin that project? Hmm...that is correct: The plans were ever so carefully prepared. Along the way those plans were altered as needed, if obstacles appeared or unforeseen events occurred. Let me ask you another question. Is not every single human life more valuable than any building out there? Of course! Then let me ask you this: Why do you not have a written plan for your life? Why do you not turn to your Father, our Creator, and ask for regular guidance as you execute daily your personal plan to the best of your ability? I guarantee you this, if you have, you already know the power of the results. If you have not, please carefully consider doing so.

For just as individuals who run their lives as a ship on an ocean with no rudder surely will crash into the rocks of despair, drug usage, divorce, criminal behavior, deviancy and more, so will a nation...so will the collective values of a greater Western World run into the larger rocks of God’s judgment. These are the times we live in my friends. So go to the mirror and look at yourself and ask: Who am I? You truly are a free person, no matter where you live, particularly if you are so fortunate as to be an American—as long as you are willing to endure the struggle to fight for or maintain your liberty, not merely for yourself, but for the sake of your children’s children, and so on. Thomas Paine stated “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it.”

In closing, please consider words from those who have gone before us, and of those still among us. Plato wrote “The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.” Sitting member of the House of Representatives, Ron Paul noted back in April 2002, “Let us be convinced that there is not enough hate or anger to silence the cries for liberty or to extinguish the flame of justice and truth. We must have faith that those who now are apathetic, anxious for security at all costs, forgetful of the true spirit of American liberty, and neglectful of the Constitution, will rise to the task and respond accordingly.” General George Patton said “If everyone is thinking alike then somebody isn't thinking.”

Are we thinking now? Do you think you can admit that when we live in an essentially Godless society full of the worst possible behavior; that when this behavior is reinforced daily through TV and video games; that when this behavior is reinforced in our schools; that when this behavior is seen in our pubic leaders and other “role models,”; that, as a whole, when the value of human life is diminished...that there can be any doubt as to why we find ourselves in the state of affairs in which we presently exist? I do not choose to embrace the present Tragic Decline of America and the Western World. Nor should we seek to impose our values on the rest of the world, but only to act honorably, as individuals and as nations, to take action with great vigor towards the preservation of liberty for future generations, and to conduct our affairs with prejudice and malice towards none, save for those who would threaten to undo our way of life.

A final quote from The Holy Bible, Proverbs, Chapter 2, Moral Benefits of Wisdom, Verses 12-15: “Wisdom will save you from the wicked ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways, who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.”

I pray we find wisdom, as individuals, as a nation, as a culture, wisdom above all else, to address the root of the vast problems confronting us, each and every day. Otherwise, our decline will only accelerate at a frightening pace. Start by making a difference in your personal life, in your community, and do not be afraid to speak your mind. Just start!