National Suicide

  We still get a physical daily newspaper. However, along with the subscription comes a digital version. I usually have read the digital version before Leroy brings in the paper version. He is computer illiterate so the paper version is for him.

  All that background to say I read an interesting commentary in the paper this week. The title was "Poll shows strong signs of a nation committing suicide." After a brief introduction it goes on to give some statistics. Only 38% of Americans say patriotism is "very important" compared with 70% in 1998. Just 39% say religion is "very important" compared to 62% in 1998. And 30% say having children is "very important" compared with 59% in 1998.

   In 1990, 67% of American adults between the ages of 25-54 were married. This was down to 51% in 2021. In 2020, there were 56 births in the U.S. for every 1,000 women ages 15-44. In 1990, there were 70.9. Among the births in 2021, 40% were born to unmarried mothers.

  The picture looks even more dismal among the younger sector of the population.  Of those under 30, just 23% say patriotism is very important to them, 31% say religion is very important, and 23% say having children is very important.

   What is important to Americans today? A whopping 91% say self-fulfillment is very or somewhat important, and 90% say money is very or somewhat important. The devaluing of marriage, children and patriotism, and the focus on "self-fulfillment" and money are signs of a culture sunk into egotism and materialism, with a loss of a sense of being part of something larger than oneself.

   The article goes on to describe the problems created by the lack of population growth and patriotism. It ends by saying Joe Biden will run in 2024 on more of what is destroying the nation and it is up to the Republicans to mend our rapidly sinking ship of state.

   While the article makes some valid points, it totally missed the most important point, the loss of faith in God and increasing secularization of society. The answers to this nation's problems do not rest on the Republican (or Democrat) party. The core problem in America today is loss of faith in God. Legislation does not produce righteousness. 

   The answer to the nation's problems is found in 2 Chronicles 7:17 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."