Can the American Culture Survive?
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Written by Jimmie Burroughs 
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Some have the mistaken idea that culture only means fine arts or highbrow pursuits, but it is far more than that. Culture is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society. -1
Foreigners base their opinion of American culture on American T.V. and movies, but that is far from what characterizes our culture. Freedom is the greatest tenant, a people free to pursue the life they want, free to worship as they please, and a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” No wonder so many people want to live in America; that is a precious privilege that many American’s take for granted. It is not given freely; it has cost the blood of hundreds of thousands to preserve it and keep it for future generations. There have been threats through the ages to the American culture and to the liberty we enjoy, and they continue today. Can American culture survive? Read on to find out what the threats are and how they can be averted.
The Pilgrim’s influence on early American culture
In the beginnings of America, there was a strong belief system. Though much of the early American culture was transported originally from Europe, it contained the elements of a strong belief system. The first group of people arriving in the new country was the Pilgrims who made the long and dangerous pilgrimage in order to have religious freedom to worship God without the restrictions placed on them by the state church of England; their belief system was grounded in God.
The Pilgrim’s orthodox Christian faith was not the only mark of the new culture being born in America. Nevertheless, their strong faith in God did pre-dominate the culture, at least in the early years of America. There were other non-Christian beliefs and practices that also entered the early colonies, also transplanted from Europe, and in time they would make their mark.
Still the early culture of America was heavily influenced by faith in God. One of the marks of that early faith is still seen on the face of our currency, “In God we trust,” although the Atheists and agnostics have for years denounced it and have tried unsuccessfully to have it removed.
The Post Christian Cultures
Like America, Germany was also once a Christian based culture. Some of the early Bible theologians were Germans, but over time Germany has moved in another direction and is now referred to as a post-Christian culture. In fact, all of Europe is referred to today as post-Christian. Sadly enough America is also headed in that same direction.
Cultures are sometimes overtaken or diluted by outside influences and beliefs until they pass the point of no return as a unique culture. This of course is not an overnight thing; it’s a drip, drip, drip, drip, drip until there is a noticeable change. Many believe that America has reached that point. A year or two ago President Obama made the statement that America was no longer considered a Christian nation, but was now a nation of many religions. At the same time America is being inundated by eastern religions, it has been slowly moving away from its Christian roots.
What will be the culture of the future in America, and what will be the results of it? America could follow the same course as Europe, as it presently seems to be doing. Europe in most places no longer considers the ancient practice of marriage necessary since it is a religious ritual. It is no longer an accepted norm in Europe to repress such desires as Pre-marital sex, casual sex, homosexuality, abortion, and wild, drunken parties.
A weakening culture opens itself to the threat of radical Ideologies
History has shown that any nation that does not evaluate its cultural values and understand the basis of its belief system, demises. It seems as if America is on a race to demise and self destruction. In the past, the Holy Bible has been a determining factor in forming American cultural values, its laws, morals, habits and beliefs, but anymore that is not the case. The modern America of today has an entirely different set of rules that supersedes the Bible, which makes the American culture more vulnerable to being hijacked by an alien culture than any other time in the history of this great nation. When there are no strong convictions and foundational beliefs, there is no resistance to change.
Agenda 21/Sustainable Growth
Two Decade old Agenda 21 is one of the greatest threats to our culture to rise up in the history of this nation; it is referred to as ‘Sustainable Development’ which makes it sound like a great idea. When you begin to strip away the rhetoric, you find that Agenda 21 and sustainable growth has been disguised to make people believe that our present world isn’t sustainable with our present culture and needs a total new makeover. The real plan is to turn the nation and the world into a system of Social Justice (Socialism). It is a radical move toward a one world government. Here are some of the cultural freedoms at risk for the private citizen from Agenda 21:
- Private Property ownership
- Single-Family homes
- Private car ownership and individual travel choices
- Privately owned farms
For more information on Agenda 21.
The Spread of Islamic culture
Another feature that is sweeping across Europe is the religion of Islam. It is believed that, within the next 50 years, Europe will be Islamic. If the devout Muslims have their way, it will also include Sharia Law (the Islamic form of government based on what Muslims consider God’s immutable law based on the Koran). At the Values Voters summit in September of 2011, Newt Gingrich said – to a standing ovation – “We should have a federal law that says Sharia law cannot be recognized by any court in the United States.” He has also warned that jihadists are trying to replace Western civilization with a radical imposition of Sharia.
“Since the 1970s, the Islamist movements have become prominent; their goals are the establishment of Islamic states and sharia not just within their own borders…their means are political in nature…The Muslim Brotherhood is international [They are responsible for 7 worldwide terrorist groups including al-Qaeda]. Their rhetoric opposes western culture and western power.”–2
While Islam is still a minority religion in America, (only 1% of all religions) it is growing with leaps and bounds. A map of religions by states shows that Islam is evenly dispersed across the United States, and in every state with approximately the same percentage. With the weak and anemic church in America showing little resistance to the downward spiraling of morals, and with a watered down faith, Islam poses a real threat. Is it possible that America could also be identified as an Islamic nation out in the future? I’m aware that there are those who say that America is more likely to have an invasion from Mars than an Islamic invasion, but isn’t that about what they said about the Japanese invasion before Pearl Harbor. It is real scary when you consider the ramifications ofIslamic rule. Unlike some cultures that merge with the culture of the host nation, Islam retains its own culture including its medieval apparel, laws, and beliefs and reverence of the Koran.
The Koran disallows forcing others to believe, but it has no tolerance for those who believe in and worship any other God other than Allah. They are counted as a threat to Islam, and are infidels that are to be killed according to the Koran. Under Islamic control, people can be neutral and not believe at all, but they are assigned to a second class group that does not have the rights of the believers.
It is hard to visualize America that has enjoyed the freedom to worship as it pleases and governs itself with a democratic form of government to fall under the power of Islam which dictates how to live, and how to worship, and enforces barbaric laws on those who refuse to abide by their rules. Women under Islamic law are totally subjected to men, and men have the right to do with them as they please.
The government and news media of the United States overlook the evil threat of Islam and takes a very soft attitude toward it in an attempt to pacify them and avoid any discrimination or prejudice. Islam is enjoying a free ride in America. The legal system has made it against the law to teach the Bible or Christianity in the public schools, but Islam can be taught, and is being taught even to grade school children.
Well you may say that the above could never happen; America will always be free. I hope you are right, but the Muslims think differently, not only concerning America but also concerning the entire world; it is their goal to spread Islam and sharia law everywhere. I believe that, in America, anyone should have the right to worship as they please including Muslims. It is against our democracy to expel people based on their religious affiliations. It is, however, against the law for any organization, be it religious ;otherwise, to advocate the overthrow of the government of the United States, and I personally believe that devout Islam has that as their goal. Let’s not forget September 11, 2001, when the third wave of the Islamic flood stormed American soil killing nearly 3,000 of our citizens.
The re-insurgence of Islam actually started in 1972, but it took September 11, 2001 to gain the serious attention of the United States of the dangers it imposed. There is little doubt that Osama Ben Laden was sending a message that the re-insurgence of Islam was alive and marching forward. No doubt he had in mind the date of September 11, 1683. By the 17th century, Islam had become the most powerful force in the world, even surpassing the world kingdom of ancient Persia. It was on another September 11, 1683, that Islam’s forward march was thwarted by the king of Poland as the Islamic forces tried to siege and take Vienna. For centuries, they were held in check and demise until their 3rd wave, (Sometimes referred to as phase 5) the Great Islamic Jihad, commenced in 1972 which was joined in 1979 by Osama Ben Laden. By 1988,,, Bin Laden and other powerful Islamic leaders had formed al-Qaeda.
Anyone who believes that there is no real danger of Islam world dominance, better read their history books and wake up to the fact that the present Islamic Jihad is moving forward with unbelievable speed. Their success throughout Asia and Europe attests their global ambitions.
At the beginning and during the Iraq war President George W. Bush and Tony Blair, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, made it clear that the war was not against Islam but against an outside bunch of radicals who’s only used Islam, and denigrated it for their own purpose. They praised Islam for being a good old peaceful religion. I don’t know where they were getting their information because it wasn’t from the Koran or the history of traditional Islam. While there are a lot of good and peaceful Muslims, they do not represent devout Islam, nor should they relieve our minds of the real threat that Islam poses. Osama Ben Laden and his radical followers represent traditional, devout Islam. The radical terrorist is the true devout historical Islam, who believes in following the literal interpretation of the Koran.
While there are some verses in the Koran that speak of peace, there are many that advocate violence and death to those who won’t embrace Islam. Unlike the Bible, which is a book of love, the Koran is a book of hate and violence just as its prophet Muhammad. History paints a violent picture of Mohammad as being a War Lord and a man of violence. He reportedly beheaded what could have been as many as 9 hundred Jews on one occasion in the name of serving Allah. Some writers say that is exaggerated, but if it was only one, it is gross violence. Devout Muslims believe Muhammad was a perfect man, and the more they can be like him, the better Muslim they are. They believe also in carrying out the literal commands of the Koran, which advocates death to the infidel.
The goal of fundamental Islam is global dominion. Anthony Dennis warns, “In short, the coming Islamic Empire will be a world power in every sense of the word, whose people will share a vibrant religion and a common Islamic culture. Like its Muslim predecessors, the Islamic Empire of the early 21st Century will also have an appetite for territorial expansion and military conquest. A modern, worldwide jihad against non-Muslim populations and societies complete with nuclear weapons promises to bring the highest casualty rates in the history of mankind. World War III, if it does come, will probably occur between the Islamic Bloc and the Western nations. It will be the deadliest war ever fought by humanity.”
Can the American culture survive? So, the question is can the American Culture be rescued from any other culture that threatens to take it over? That is a very good question in the light of all that is going on in America; the answer could be yes. However, it will require a change of course for the nation, and that is presently hard to visualize.
Today’s American culture is more defined by the list mentioned above that defines modern day Europe than by the traditional values that once defined this country. The emphasis, today, is on being politically correct at the cost of being Biblical incorrect. The church in America today, for a large part, has become a nice social club where friends can meet one timea week to socialize without the fear of being reminded of sin in their lives, or being required to contribute any effort at all to the cause of Christ other than a nominal monetary donation. Wimpy preachers, who are afraid they might upset someone, avoid anything but uplifting sermons on being happy and living a good life.
This philosophy is vividly demonstrated by the largest church in the nation which has some 34,000 attendees to their services each week; they never hear about sin or how Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected from the tomb to conquer sin and death, and to secure eternal life for everyone who believes in him; instead they primarily hear how to live a passive life with their effort directed at self, and how to be financially prosperous, and to be well and happy.
No nation in history has had the opportunity that America does to be a spiritual world leader. The people who profess Christ in this nation still number in the millions, but to find large numbers of those who are totally dedicated to God and the Christian mission is near impossible. The Pareto 80/20 principle is just as relative in the church as anywhere else, where 20% of the people do 80% of the service and the giving while 20% do 20% of the service and 20% of the giving. It is a true saying today, “What can the church do for me” instead of “what can I do to better serve our Lord through his church?” It’s little wonder when Christian believers look more to themselves and their own needs than to God and His purpose that our culture is fast becoming like the atheistic countries of Europe.
It is high time that America awakens to the threats to our culture and way of life while there is still a chance to make a difference. Joseph Stiglitz in his new book, “The ‘American Dream’ Is a Myth,” paints an ugly picture of what he thinks the future culture in America will be like: Stiglitz warns, “People will live in gated communities with armed guards. It’s an ugly picture. There will be political, social and economic turmoil.” (Subtitle of his book, ‘How today’s Divided Society Endangers Our Future’)
Conclusion
I truly believe that God is giving America a choice today, either life or death….chose life! Our only hope as a nation is in God. “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, then will I hear their voice and will heal their land.” America is truly in crisis and needs healing that can only come from God. He is our only hope. There is a need today like never before in history to turn to God, trusting him for our future. This can only happen when one person at a time realizes their own need for a relationship with God in their life. “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth”, Deuteronomy 28:1-3.
Comments welcomed
I may want to ask Jesus into my life, please explain this more fully…
I just asked Jesus into my life (some helpful information follows)…
have a question or comment…Sources:
-1 Anthropologist Edward B Taylor.
-2 Wikipedia.
About the author: Jimmie Burroughs is a motivational speaker and author who has been involved in teaching Christian Personal Development for more than 30 years. There are hundreds of articles to help you on this website ( Website Contents ) in your personal growth.
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