Believe it not, America is in the midst of its most dangerous Culture War. This Culture War could virtually destroy America as a nation without any military action from a foreign nation or a terrorist group. However, the actual cost in lives and money could very well surpass all the wars that America has fought. In fact, based on the outcome of this war, America could possibly lose its recognition as the most powerful nation in the world. But, why is the current Culture War so much different than other Culture Wars that the United States has fought over the past hundred years?
A Culture War involves an on going debate on social issues between conservatives who advocate a traditional value system and liberals who advocate a progressive value system. Conservatives base their belief system on the tenets of America’s Judeo-Christian heritage, which are contained in the pages of the Bible. On the other side of the Culture War, liberals base their belief system on the post-modern ideologies of secular humanists, which represents rebellion against God.
Each generation of Americans face many different cultural issues. The two main cultural issues that Americans differ on at present are abortion rights and homosexual rights. Basically, most conservatives would oppose these two cultural issues, but most liberals would favor them. But, which side would God logically back? Logically, God would back the side that bases its beliefs on His Word. Therefore, the conservatives most likely would win automatically. However, it appears that God is using another approach to deal with America’s most deadly Culture War. Apparently, God is letting all Americans get their stomachs filled with the ugliness of their cultural ways, as seen in their actions, the actions of their children, and the actions of their government.
How does the war over abortion rights and homosexual rights affect society at large in America? First, abortion is destroying the very soul of America. Every sector of America’s society is affected by the murder of unborn babies by unscrupulous doctors. If there was an excess of jobs in the United States, the labor force would not be able to provide the workers, since millions of future workers were aborted at birth. Could this be one of the reasons that legal and illegal immigrant workers are needed in America? Also, many men and women who would be responsible for saving the lives of many Americans were never permitted to come into the world. Therefore, abortion has cost the United States economy billions of dollars. Fewer workers mean less tax revenue for the U.S. Treasury. Fewer workers mean less Social Security revenue for the U.S. Treasury. Fewer workers mean less money spent on food, clothes, and shelter in America which definitely affects the economy negatively. Get the picture! Of course, let’s not forget the mental and emotional state of those who have had an abortion, too.
Second, homosexual activities are destroying the very soul of America, too. It is amazing to see how the homosexual agenda is being pushed by so many Congressmen in Washington, D.C. It is amazing to see the number of public schools that are promoting a homosexual lifestyle as an acceptable sexual alternative in their curriculum. It is amazing that some states boards of education are changing their mission statement to include "sexual orientation." It is amazing that some state legislatures are appropriating thousands of dollars to promote homosexuality in their public schools. It is amazing that some schools are celebrating "Gay Awareness Week" each year. It is amazing that many schools are establishing Homosexual/Lesbian Clubs. It is amazing to see that in some settings boys are actually being taught how to become a homosexual. It is amazing to see that saying anything negative about homosexuality is considered to be politically incorrect. It is amazing to see the possibility of future laws that would prevent preachers from condemning homosexuality from the church pulpit, even though the Bible calls it an abomination. Ultimately, it is amazing to see how close the United States resembles the ancient city of Sodom and Gomorrah. Of course, anyone who has read the Old Testament in the Bible knows exactly what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah and the rationale behind it. Simply, God does not continually play with those who make a mockery of His Holy Word.
There are several hard hit areas of the United States society that have created financial stress, emotional stress and sadness for most Americans. First, even though other nations pay more for their gasoline than the United States, Americans are being hit hard at the gas pumps. Since Americans are spending more money for gasoline, they have less money to purchase food. Since it costs more to transport food products to the market, the food producers are charging more for their products. Since the food producers are charging more for their products, the cost of food at the grocery store is much more expensive, too. As a result, consumers of all political persuasions must sacrifice the quantity and sometimes the quality of the food products that they would normally purchase. For example, if gasoline escalates to over $5.00 per gallon, what are minimum wage workers going to do when they make around $5.00 per hour? That would definitely dig an economic hole for these workers and their families.
Second, the employment sector in the United States is currently facing a serious crisis. American businesses are either outsourcing their jobs to other foreign countries or downsizing jobs here in the United States. Of course, the aftermath of Americans losing their jobs is their inability to pay their mortgages, credit cards, and other financial obligations. Therefore, the inability of unemployed workers to pay their debts makes it even more difficult for their creditors to meet their financial obligations, too. As a result, the economy in the United States is presently going into a tailspin. In fact, it could very well lead to a recession. Of course, a recession would negatively affect the lifestyle that most Americans cherish. More and more people could possibly move toward the lower end of the social-economic ladder. In other words, the American Dream may become the American Nightmare.
Third, the Iraq War has become a battle zone for American troops. Also, it has become a major topic of debate in the United States between those who support the war effort and those who oppose the rationale for fighting in Iraq. Of course, like any war, the two major concerns is the loss of lives and the cost to finance the war. Currently, over 4000 U.S. military personnel have died in the Iraq War. However, is there a significant relationship between the actual deaths in the Iraq War and the moral deaths in America’s Culture War? Also, the cost is astronomical, especially since billions of dollars are spent every month. As a result, the drain on the United States Treasury is staggering. Therefore, it is easy to understand the rationale for Congress eventually increasing taxes tremendously. But, it will also be understandable that Americans will have even less money in their pockets than they do now.
Fourth, alcohol and drugs has taken the spirit to achieve from many of America’s teenagers and adults. They have only one main driving force in their life. They live for the next drink. They live for the next shot or sniff of some illegal drug. They are actually serving the god of death instead of the God of Life. Their productivity on their jobs, that is if they have a job, is null and void. Their relationships with family and non-drug using friends has become a thing of the past. Marriages are broken up, too. Of course, if drugs and alcohol do not kill them first, many teenagers and adults will spend many years of their life in jail and/or prison. Therefore, too many Americans are wasting the time given to them by God to make a positive difference in the world.
Fifth, many teenagers and adults alike are serving the god of sex instead of the God of Eternal Life. They are degrading their bodies and destroying their eternal soul at the same time. They are doing abominable things, such as using modern technology to send abusive and sexually explicit pictures to their friends. Needless to say, America’s godless views on sex is destroying internally the greatest Christian nation in the world. Unfortunately, the same actions that caused God to annihilate Sodom and Gomorrah are happening daily in America. Will sexually-transmitted diseases continue to rise? Will aids continue to kill thousands of people in the United States and around the world? Will pornography continue to destroy marriages and relationships? Ultimately, will the sins that caused America’s Culture War eventually destroy the moral fiber of the nation as a whole? God Forbid!
One final concern in America’s Culture War is the Christian Church. Even though the Christian Church should be conservative in nature and should fight the Culture War to the end, it has apparently surrendered already. Many Christian churches are preaching a social gospel, a gospel that meets the physical needs of people instead of a spiritual gospel, a gospel that meets the spiritual needs of people. As the spiritual fire is dying out in many churches in the United States, it is being rekindled in church movements located in countries south of the equator. According to many ecclesiastical scholars, the center of Christendom has migrated south of the equator, too. Therefore, the Christian Church in America must renew its vows to God and return to its first love.
Despite all the negative aspects of the current Culture War, there is one positive thing that should be remembered. According to Hebrews 13: 5, God has promised to provide for His faithful followers. God has always been willing to forgive and to heal those who have been wounded in America’s Culture War, too. But, the same Bible that states that God would never leave or forsake His followers also states in Psalms 9:17 that the wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God. Therefore, could it be possible that all the economic and social problems that America is facing today are related to the moral breakdown of a society that once feared God?
Dr. Parnell is a retired public school educator and presently teaches social science courses at a private, Christian high school in Georgia. He is the author of From Schoolhouse to Courthouse: Exposing America’s New Terror from Within (Wheatmark Publishing, ISBN: 1-58736-613-4). He is also a guest columnist on several online websites.