American culture In collapse

(Pixabay photo)

ZeroHedge posted the following by Victor Davis Hanson:

Victor Davis Hanson: A Culture In Collapse

January 9, 2024

In the last six months, we have borne witness to many iconic moments evidencing the collapse of American culture.

The signs are everywhere and cover the gamut of politics, the economy, education, social life, popular culture, foreign policy, and the military. These symptoms of decay share common themes.

Our descent is self-induced; it is not a symptom of a foreign attack or subterfuge. Our erosion is not the result of poverty and want, but of leisure and excess. We are not suffering from existential crises of famine, plague, or the collapse of our grid and fuel sources. Prior, far poorer, and war-torn generations now seem far better off than what we are becoming.

What is happening to us is not due to an adherence to a too strict conservative tradition but is almost exclusively the wage of the progressive project.

In short, we are seeing fissures that America has not experienced in our cultural history since the Civil War. The radical Left apparently feels such chaos, anarchy, and nihilism are necessary to topple past norms and customs and thereby adhere to a socialist, equity agenda that no one in normal times would stomach.

Some of the decay is existential and fundamental; some anecdotal and illustrative. But either way, while decline came about gradually over decades, its sudden and abrupt chaos during the three years of Biden’s presidency has shocked Americans. …

Lawlessness

We are witnessing the steady erasure of jurisprudence, both civil and criminal. Does the law as we knew it a mere decade ago still exist? Massive looting with impunity is now largely exempt from justice in our major blue-state cities. In Compton, a van slams into a Mexican bakery as waiting crowds swarm, loot, and destroy the business. And for what? Some free pies and cakes? Or the nihilist delight in ruining the livelihood of a hardworking family business?

Such smash-and-grabs rob stores of billions of dollars in revenue each year. Can we even comprehend that employees and security guards are now ordered to stand down, as if the apprehension of such thieves might in some way seem illiberal or racist?

Does anyone even care that pro-Hamas protestors—many in America as guests on green cards and student visas—shouted support for the October 7 massacre of Jews, screamed for the destruction of Israel and the Jews in it, shut down the Manhattan and Golden Gate Bridges, defiled the Lincoln Memorial and White House gates, and disrupted Christmas celebrations in our major cities with complete exemption? Is storming the California legislature, and disrupting it in session, now a felony in the manner of those convicted after January 6, or do we have two sets of laws, dependent on ideology, race, and party affiliation? …

In sum, American civilization has been turned upside down, and we have a rendezvous soon with the once unthinkable and unimaginable. https://www.zerohedge.com/political/victor-davis-hanson-culture-collapse

Jesus said the following in an end-time prophecy:

12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. (Matthew 24:12)

The article by Victor Davis Hanson, especially his comment of decline brought about related to “leisure and excess,” brought the following from the Book of Deuteronomy to mind:

1 Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. …

15 “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:

16 “Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country. …

47 “Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything, 48 therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you. 49 The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you will not understand, 50 a nation of fierce countenance, which does not respect the elderly nor show favor to the young. (Deuteronomy 28:1,15-16, 47-50)

11 “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, 12 lest — when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; 13 and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14 when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 15 who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; 16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end — 17 then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’

18 “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 19 Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. 20 As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God. (Deuteronomy 8:11-20)

Consistent with the above, the USA will perish! Destruction will come–the “unthinkable” as Victor Davis Hanson put it.

Related to Deuteronomy 28 and 8, the late evangelist Raymond McNair wrote:

But how could this prophecy in Deuteronomy 28 refer to us? How could it apply to the peoples of the U. S. in particular? … Very few in Britain or America today are really grateful for the bounties they daily receive from the hand of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! We have grown fat, lazy, complacent, self-satisfied, SELF-INDULGENT and UNGRATEFUL!

Moses’ Solemn Warning

Shortly before his death, the elderly Moses gave a solemn warning to the people of Israel — and to their descendants, to our very people — not to forget their God!

He assured Israel of old (our very forefathers) that we (their descendants) would inherit “a good land” — a land possessing lots of water, natural resources and abundant crops (Deut. 8:6-9).

Then Moses was inspired to give this sobering warning: “When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which He hath given thee. BEWARE THAT THOU FORGET NOT THE LORD THY GOD, in not keeping His commandments, and His judgments, and His statutes, which I command thee this day. lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; then thine heart be lifted up, and thou FORGET the Lord thy God…”

If our people began to forget God (even proclaiming that “God is Dead”) then terrible calamity was certain to overtake them. World Wars I and II were only a slight foretaste of the terrible things which God Almighty will let befall us — in World War 111, with all of its nuclear terrors — unless we quickly reverse our downward plunge!

God Almighty continued His warning through His servant, Moses: “And thou [Israel] say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day” (Deut. 8:17).

If Israel did forget her God, doom would be certain, warned the grey-haired Moses: “And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely PERISH” (Deut. 8:19)! …

All too many of us take our blessings too much for granted — until (in a moment) they are taken away from us.

Overnight, you could be struck down with some terrible disease or affliction which could sweep away most, if not all, of your hopes and dreams. In one moment — in a flash — your life could be snuffed out in an accident, or your loved ones could be taken from you. A financial crash or a terrible calamity (such as a nuclear war) could instantly turn a normal, pleasant existence into a nightmare. …

We should be thankful … for the assurance of eternal life in the endless Kingdom of God! …

Yes, God’s Word solemnly declares that, in the dark days immediately ahead of us, the public preaching of God’s Word will be cut off! The true Gospel will not have free course to go out unhindered as today. Appreciate this blessing while you have it — before it is too late! (McNair R. Ingratitude – A Deadly Sin. Good News, March 1968)

Regarding the proclamation of the true Gospel and the USA being subject to nuclear destruction, the late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote:

World War 3 brings with it THE GREAT TRIBULATION. That is now next in order. But Jesus, in foretelling this chain of world events, said the GREAT TRIBULATION would be preceded by the world-wide proclaiming of HIS Gospel. “The GOSPEL must first be published among all nations,” said Jesus (Mark 13:10), or, as recorded by Matthew (24:14): “This Gospel OF THE KINGDOM shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto ALL NATIONS; and THEN shall the END (of the world) come.” (Armstrong HW. Brethren and Co-Worker Letter, May 22, 1953)

Matthew 24:15…That will be a time when the UNITED Europe shall appear–the revival of the medieval “Holy Roman Empire.” We shall then be warned, and readied to be taken to a place of refuge and safety from the Great Tribulation. Forty-five days later “the beasts armies” will surround Jerusalem. Thirty days later the Great Tribulation will probably start with a nuclear attack on London and Britain–and possibly the same day or immediately after, on the United States and Canadian cities. The GREAT TRIBULATION, we shall fully then realize, is the time of “Jacob’s Trouble,” spoken of in Jeremiah 30:7. And Jacob’s name was named on Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen. 48:16). … We have reached the time just before a “United States of Europe” restores the “Holy Roman Empire,” under the papacy, in a union of church and state. (Armstrong HW. The Time We Are In, Now. Pastor General’s Report-Vol 1, No. 15, November 20, 1979, Page 2).

Now I want you to notice the time of this prophecy, it’s just before the coming of Christ, but it has to be the time after the hydrogen bomb had been produced, because nothing else could completely obliterate whole cities and a whole nation. Because a few hydrogen bombs… Well suppose one hydrogen bomb should be dropped on New York, one on Boston, one on Washington DC, one on Philadelphia. Let’s say one down on Miami, one on Houston Texas, one on St. Louis, one on Chicago, one on Kansas City, one on Denver, one on Phoenix Arizona, one on Los Angeles, one on San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle on the West coast. What would be left of the United States? Those cities and all around them would be totally destroyed, there wouldn’t be anything left. Now I want to show you some of the prophecies that say that very kind of thing is going to happen. The cities aren’t mentioned but I’m going to show you that our country is mentioned, and the countries where it’s going to happen, in the Book of Ezekiel chapter six verse six: “In all your dwellingplaces the cities shall be laid waste…” (Ezekiel 6:6)

That is referring, my friends, to the United States, and Canada, and Britain, and our nations, the English-speaking nations. ,,, “And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 6:7)

That is a saying that is used by the prophet Ezekiel again, and again, and again, and always it is referring to the time of the Second Coming of Christ. It shows that they — that even the people of ancient Israel did not know who He was. They did not know that He was the Eternal. They will know it when He comes, and they don’t know it now, it is speaking of the Second Coming of Christ.

Now I’d like to have you notice again now in the twelfth chapter and verse 20 of Ezekiel: “And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the LORD [or the Eternal].” (Ezekiel 12:20) (HWA/ Telecast Date: July 15, 1982)

World events are showing that we are getting closer to the start of the Great Tribulation (see also When Will the Great Tribulation Begin?).

As far as proclaiming the good news of the coming Kingdom of God, we continue to get more translations of our English booklet titled The Gospel of the Kingdom of God. After we passed 1000 languages, we put together a related sermonette which covers some scriptures related to prophecies about the use of languages (watch Proclaiming the Gospel in 1000+ Languages). This is proclamation is something you should be grateful for and should support.

Understand that something that resembles nuclear devastation is consistent with prophesied curses mentioned in the Bible:

23 ‘The whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning; it is not sown, nor does it bear, nor does any grass grow there, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in His anger and His wrath.’ 24 All nations would say, ‘Why has the Lord done so to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean?’ 25 Then people would say: ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt; 26 for they went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods that they did not know and that He had not given to them. 27 Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against this land, to bring on it every curse that is written in this book. 28 And the Lord uprooted them from their land in anger, in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.’ 29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:23-29).

6…He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. (Jude 6-7)

19 Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts
The land is burned up,
And the people shall be as fuel for the fire; No man shall spare his brother.
20 And he shall snatch on the right hand
And be hungry;
He shall devour on the left hand
And not be satisfied; Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm. 21 Manasseh shall devour Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; Together they shall be against Judah (Isaiah 9:19-21).

The above descriptions are consistent with a nuclear or similar attack. Manasseh represents the USA and Ephraim its British-descended allies. THIS HAS NOT YET HAPPENED IN HISTORY AND IS A PROPHECY FOR OUR TIME. While Israel was uprooted historically, the land did not burn up or become brimstone. Deuteronomy 29:23-29 provides one reason why most Protestants and most others that profess Christ do not understand these prophecies–they do not do the words of the law that God expects His people to do today.

WWIII will involve the destruction of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon descended allies.

Victor Davis Hanson is correct that we are seeing more and more cultural collapse for a people who have “leisure and excess.”

He is also basically correct when he wrote of those in the USA that “we have a rendezvous soon with the once unthinkable and unimaginable.”

But, I will add, that Jesus has a plan of protection for those that will repent and become Philadelphian Christians per Revelation 3:7-13 and 12:14-16.

More on that can be found in out latest sermonette video:

14:36

Leaving the American Dream for Safety

Many Americans are struggling financially and one survey pointed to 45% saying that they do not believe the American dream of prosperity is valid any more. Furthermore, it has been claimed by Bryn Elise that “the new American dream is to leave” and “pack up and head to … somewhere where we aren’t being poisoned by our food, we don’t need 2-3 jobs to survive and where health care isn’t the luxury but the norm.” What will happen to their USA dollars after the USA is conquered? Are all people around the world about to have nowhere to hide, according to Michael Snyder, once more and more Artificial Intelligence is used? Philadelphian Christians have long felt that Americans (and others) will flee and escape to a place of safety in the wilderness, consistent with prophecies in Revelation 3:7-13 and 12:13-17. If so, how can they eat if the coming Beast and Antichrist power control buying and selling as Revelation 13:15-18 prophecies? Does the Bible give clues as to where a place of protection and escape could be? What about Moab in Isaiah 16 and references to Jordan in Jeremiah? What about Petra or some other rocky and cave-filled place in Jordan? Will only a minority of end-time Christians go there? How will they know when to go, as well as where not to go, according to Zephaniah 2? What did Jesus say to do? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie address these questions.