Return to Ruin

While channel-jumping during my morning commute recently, I chanced upon an interview segment that intrigued me so much I was driven to track down the podcast and listen to the entire show.

Radio host Glenn Beck interviewed Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, author of The Return of the Gods. In addition to several other U.S. Supreme Court decisions, Cahn links the collapse of American morals and values to a specific date in 1962. That is when the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed prayer in public schools.

Although I was very young, I do remember that time. Most of my playmates were public school pupils, while I was attending Catholic school. I would learn new prayers and songs of praise from my friends.

Below is a prayer public school students said together as a class:

“Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our Country.”

That prayer is not from the Bible or any religious denomination. It was drafted by the New York State Board of Regents. Yes, truth is stranger than fiction.

One song I learned from my friends I liked so much that I’ve taught the chorus to my grandchildren:

Rise and shine, and give God the glory, glory

Rise and shine, and give God the glory, glory

Rise and shine and (CLAP!) give God the glory, glory

Children of the Lord.

Think of it—that song was taught and sung in New York City public schools little more than 60 years ago.

But back to The Return of the Gods, which I’ve already purchased. “The gods” refer to the false pagan gods of Baal, Ishtar,and Molech, who lie in wait for a nation or civilization to banish God; then they weave their way into the society to inflict ruin. As the first book of Kings shows, it happened in ancient Israel. The old Soviet Union and the current Chinese Communist Party are perfect examples. After the 1962 removal of public school prayer in the United States, the sexual revolution followed almost immediately, along with the escalation of the Vietnam War and the first state legalizations of abortion. Little more than one decade later, the Roe v. Wade decision by the Supreme Court enshrined abortion nationwide. The many same-sex, and now transgender, issues that we grapple with today quickly rose in public consciousness, gaining power as they grew. “The gods” have been busy.

Our moment in history is replicating may past ages, including biblical times. There is “nothing new under the sun,” as Ecclesiastes tells us. “Nothing new” includes sexual depravity and decadence, child sacrifice, wars, idolatry, and even transgenderism. These have all infiltrated societies many times throughout history.

Consequently, there is nothing remarkable about “woke-ism” except human pride and arrogance. Human beings are hardwired to believe in something greater than themselves; when God is missing, there is a huge gap to fill. Look around at the secular ideologies of our modern world and their impassioned devotees. If we’re honest with ourselves, it is easy to see how far—and how fast--we have fallen. "The gods" are thrilled by our decline.

The Return of the Gods author Jonathan Cahn interview

Horse Pucky

Many decades ago, I remember reading that the Roman Emperor Caligula wanted to make his horse a consul. Caligula was depraved, cruel, and arguably insane. Although reliable sources aver that it never actually happened, I thought the Caligula horse story was the craziest in all recorded history.

Yet today we are told, with great seriousness, that men can not only menstruate--but they can also get pregnant and give birth. Today many parents are powerless to prevent their children from having their sexual organs mutilated. Nowadays it is mandatory to accept that there are dozens of different genders, even though there are still only two human chromosomes--X and Y. Okay, the X and Y may get a little confused in some instances, but really, 68 genders? As the current occupant of the White House would say, "Come on, man" ("man?" How sexist!).

Whatever happened to "follow the science" or better yet, "the science is settled." Evidently, it's not when the "authorities" say it isn't.

In the grip of this madness, today there are many crazier stories than Caligula's horse. A horse as a Roman consul sounds more reasonable, and less damaging, than the destructive insanities our modern society is grappling with now. One theory about the planned promotion of Caligula's horse was that the emperor wanted to put Roman politicians in their place. He wanted to demonstrate to them that even his horse could do their job.

Not to be a "neigh" sayer, but when it comes to our current sorry crop of politicians, I'll bet that even crazy Caligula would hesitate to insult his horse with a government position.

Emperor Caligula and Incitatus ~ British Museum

A Closer Perspective

Today I had my annual vision exam. I've been visiting the same eye doctor since she opened her practice 20 years ago. So, although I don't know her well, I've known her for a long time. She is professional, intelligent, polite, and soft-spoken. A note of particular interest to me at this moment in time is that the doctor is originally from Shanghai, China.

After my eye exam concluded, the doctor asked (as she always does) if I had any questions. I said I did, but it wasn't about eyes, and could I ask? She agreed, so I asked her what she thought about China's recent actions in the world.

This calm, quiet woman's face grew fierce with disgust. In an impassioned torrent of words, my doctor detailed her criticisms of Chinese President Xi. To sum up, she described him as "stupid" and "uneducated" and punctuated her understated tirade with expressions of her personal hatred for Xi and for what he has done to both China and the Chinese people.

I expressed regret if my question had upset her, but the doctor seemed relieved to be able to speak about it to me. She told me that she has been a US citizen for 30 years, as if to reassure me that she's an American. This pained me, because I hadn't wanted to put her in any way on defense. Her parents, now deceased, used to help in the office when she was establishing her practice. Other young family members work there now, so I knew her family had all immigrated safely from China many years ago. Had I not known that comforting fact, I would not have asked her the question.

I was simply curious to know her opinion, since China was her native home. The doctor has a closer perspective on, and a deeper understanding of, what is transpiring in China today. It is no consolation that she is more outraged than I am.

Easter in Days Gone By

Manhattan Skyline ~ Easter weekend, 1956

 

 There was a time when meadow, grove, and stream, 

The earth, and every common sight,

                          To me did seem

                      Apparelled in celestial light,

            The glory and the freshness of a dream.

It is not now as it hath been of yore;—

                      Turn wheresoe'er I may,

                          By night or day.

The things which I have seen I now can see no more.

~ William Wordsworth 

The Unasked Question

In the wake of every tragic mass shooting, we Americans watch the eruption of the same fight over gun control. It's a lazy response to a heinous and urgent problem, and it solves nothing.

The impassioned debates and protests after a mass shooting play out on an endless loop. There are arguments about the need for guns, the types of guns, how the laws should change, what should be done to protect the public. Sadly, the victims themselves are quickly overlooked as the political players shift the focus to their entrenched positions. It's a sickening spectacle, and it never changes--except to grow more enraged and less effective.

In all the ideological jousting, there is one question that doesn't get asked. Or, if by chance it does get asked, it is swept aside with shocking rapidity as the shouting voices press their favored agendas.

The question that needs to be answered is: "What made the shooter pick up that gun?"

Until we as a society insist on an answer to that question, we will relive this repetitive horror show throughout the duration of our country's demise.

Lincoln Called It

As all the lost civilizations of ages past demonstrate, it is very difficult to reverse a great nation's downward spiral into destruction. The study of history, now an ignored endeavor, would teach us this stark fact. The concept of critical thinking, a largely lost activity in our modern world of emotional reactionary thinking, would assist us in concluding that the United States today is in mortal danger. 

Without knowledge of the past, wisdom in the present, and application of reason, our country will most certainly be lost. In 1838, Abraham Lincoln--remember him?--gave a speech called the Lyceum Address. I've quoted it before, but it has never seemed so relevant as it is today. Nearly two centuries ago, Lincoln put his finger on the enemy within as the killer of our society. 

Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant, to step the Ocean, and crush us at a blow? Never!--All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with a Buonaparte for a commander, could not by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years.

At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide. 

~ Abraham Lincoln

Take a good look at our unraveling society and decide for yourself. Death by suicide. I think Lincoln nailed it.