At the risk of sounding elderly, this is going to be one of those “when I was a kid” blogs. When I look at the current cultural and political landscape, I cannot help but be somewhat astonished at the accelerated cultural collapse of values I see and our nation’s passive acceptance of them.
When I was a kid and even a college student, I remember that every presidential candidate was somewhat scrutinized to see if he and his family were church members somewhere. The idea behind that was a need for biblical morality (even feigned) among our leaders. When JFK was running for president there was concern that he was Catholic and that he might be taking direction from the Pope. That was somewhat absurd, but the fear reflected how important we thought faith affiliations were.
Fast forward to 2023. Now it seems that if a presidential candidate has some actual faith and commitment to biblical values, he or she is considered radical and dangerous. It almost disqualifies them from leadership. How have we come to a place in a nation built on Christian commitment, to the place where a commitment to biblical truth disqualifies you from leading a nation, a university, a major corporation or major media outlet?
It wasn’t that many years ago when homosexuality was against the law in many states because it was considered sin and a perversion. I’m not in favor of jailing gay people, but the value that homosexuality was a deviation from healthy, normative reality was based on biblical standards. Now we have gay pride month..not just a day, but a month. In addition, we have transgenderism being championed in many of our schools and in the media. Now if you object to same sex marriage or transgenderism for children you are labeled as perverse. We are in such a place that some are seriously arguing that pedophilia should also be considered an acceptable alternate lifestyle. Millions of abortions are not just allowed but celebrated.
Recently, there have been serious attempts to make biblical preaching that doesn’t agree with “cultural norms” illegal under the category of “hate speech.” Preachers who presented homosexuality and same sex marriage as sin, have already been arrested in Canada for hate speech and if we stay on our current political and social track in America, we will se that soon here.
In past decades in the U.S, it was comfortable, acceptable, and even advisable to speak out for God, the church, and biblical standards of morality. To do less made you suspect as a political leader, a teacher, or a business man. People wondered if you had integrity in your business dealings if you were not clearly a Christian. I’m not naive enough to believe that all those who professed Christianity really lived it or even believed it. But biblical standards were at lease promoted to be the correct standard for living. Nearly all of that has been erased in our cultural landscape at this point.
What I truly wonder is whether the average American has given up those values or if the average American is simply remaining quiet because of the fear of man. It truly seems that a very small percentage of people in America are calling the shots for everyone else who doesn’t want be labeled as “a hater” or “perverse” by this truly small number of media, political, or educational “elites.”
I am encouraged that there seems to be some who are now speaking up against “wokeism” and the cultural tyranny of these few elitists. But all of us who believe in biblical or at least traditional values better begins to speak up. In past decades, it was acceptable and comfortable to be a Christian. Now, in many places and settings in America it is no longer comfortable and speaking up will cost you your job and will certainly cost you the praise of men..
I was reading in the book of Acts this morning and felt that the apostles prayer for their little group who were being persecuted by the religious and political elite of their time, must become our prayer now in this “new normal” in which we find ourselves. Peter and John had just been warned by the authorities to no longer preach or minister in the name of Jesus at risk of imprisonment. When they reported the threat to the church in Jerusalem, the church prayed a prayer we should begin to pray daily.
“On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “ ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.’
Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly” (Ac 4:23–31).
If power and boldness do not mark the church in the coming months and years, this nation that was once a beacon of light will slide into darkness. Much if what God will do with this nation is up to us, In Deuteronomy 28, God marked out two paths for Israel. One was a path of extreme blessing if they would be careful to follow the commands of the Lord. The other was a path of cursing, loss, poverty, and oppression if they failed to follow his commands. I believe America is at that crossroads. What we decide to believe, to do, and speak has never been more crucial; I am praying for boldness. I hope you will as well.