For those of us who missed this, first time out: research by Harvard University and Indiana University at Bloomington finds “religion”–mostly meaning Christianity–in America, contrary to claims by noozies and other motormouths, is not fading away, but getting stronger (https://thefederalist.com/2018/01/22/new-harvard-research-says-u-s-christianity-not-shrinking-growing-stronger/?fbclid=IwAR2XkMLvWJzF3P4lTkrhMg-wSVxzmAdiCKhMoGsjhpNuM9s8U-Tu5n2YX9U#.XH7kV-iIzB6.facebook).
Meanwhile, the latest Pew poll shows some 50% of Americans would like to see “religion” (again, they mostly mean Christianity but for some reason are afraid to say so) play “a greater role” in U.S. society–with 18% opposed. I would like to hear them explain how it would hurt us to live by Christian principles.
Anyway, read the article in The Federalist, it’s really quite heartening and certainly worth another look if you’ve read it already. The research finds “persistent and exceptional intensity” in America’s Christianity, holding steady over the past 50 years.
I think we need to see that as something to build on. Consider how few people actually believe in Far Left Crazy ideas–and how many of those ideas have become public policy, like “gay marriage” and late-term abortion, simply because fanatics pushed them night and day for many years? What might Christians achieve in America, building upon an already broad foundation?
We just have to be careful, before we start building anywhere, that that foundation is Jesus Christ. We all know this, don’t we?–“Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it” (Psalm 127:1).
A Christian conscience, Christian families, Christian schools, Christian charities, a Christian popular culture–these are what we must build on that one foundation. Some have already built their share of this, and continue building as we speak.
If we would all join in–! I find inspiration in Haggai, Ezra, and Nehemiah: how the remnant of the Jews, released from captivity by King Cyrus, returned to the ruins of Jerusalem and rebuilt the Temple and the walls. What they did, with the Lord’s help, we can do, if God is our strength.
We can do it, if we hear His voice.
Once people finally get a taste of pure secularism and its negative consequences, we may start to see a revival.
Using my Amazon Prime channel on Roku, I have begun watching “Against All Odds.” An investigative journalist, Michael Greenspan, did a series on how Israel miraculously survived after 70AD when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem. They were persecuted wanderers on the earth, until 1948 when the state of Israel was established after the holocaust.
The stories of incredible happenings are totally awe-inspiring, like during the wars before the state was established, an Israeli platoon was trying to cross the desert and found themselves in the middle of a minefield. They began carefully poking around in the sand with their bayonettes to uncover one mine at a time and disarm it.
Suddenly a strong wind came up out of nowhere and uncovered the hundreds of mines all around them! They were able to just carefully walk through!
That’s just one of the amazing stories. I’m up to Episode 6. Episodes are 1/2 hour. I am doing one an evening. That’s about all I can take in.
Josephus’ eyewitness account of the siege and destruction of Jerusalem is one of the most gripping and harrowing things I’ve ever read.
I’ve seen the same series as Ev, and it’s impressive. Our God is a Mighty God and He performs works to advance His purposes. Everything we see happening today is no surprise to Him. He’s prepared and will see His faithful through it all.
Satan is a master deceiver, working to make us feel outnumbered, but it’s not so. The article linked above is profound, America is not losing its faith. We are still an exceptional nation and faith is far from obsolete.
This is fabulous news if it is true faith that is getting stronger and not just “religion” which can be just as dead as secularism. Have seen so many churches in recent years turn their main focus away from Christ and Biblical teaching to social causes, “inclusiveness/diversity”, or empty ritual. They might as well be social clubs or community support groups instead of churches.
A pastor change in ours years ago made our Biblically grounded church into one of these practically overnight. The new pastor admittedly hadn’t ever read the entire bible and had to force himself to get through it. He said some seriously blasphemous things from the pulpit, partlty out of sheer ignorance, while most of the congregation just nodded and smiled, completely oblivious. Sadly, we had to leave that church. It became intolerable. I want to be excited by this article, but feel like I must do so with caution. Religion is kind of a loaded word. In some ways lukewarm or perverted faith is worse than none at all, and twice as hard to recognize by the casual observer.
The same study shows the loosey-goosey good-time-plastic-banana liberal churches are losing membership very fast.
The answer for America is not to be found in politics but in a return to strong, large Christian families strong in Biblical faith. Tucker Carlson has been challenging politicians to run on a platform that would enable families who want to have more children through special tax breaks. One of his suggestions is to cancel the college debt of those who get married and have two children. The Left’s political answer is to open the borders as a way to sustain our population level.