The Spiritual Decline Of A Nation

By: Donna J. Kazenske

I cannot tell you how blessed I am to be an American citizen. I love this nation and highly respect all that our founding fathers did to establish this nation upon Godly principles. However, as I look around at the spiritual condition of our nation today, my heart grieves.

In the book of Habakkuk, we see the prophet of God burdened by the sin and lawlessness of the nation of Judah. He begins to cry out to God saying, “O Lord, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear?” “There is strife, and contention arises. Therefore the law is powerless, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore perverse judgment proceeds.”

As I read the words of Habakkuk, I could almost feel what the prophet was feeling as he wept over his nation.

In the beginning of this prophetic book, we find Habakkuk praying faithless prayers. There was violence all around and everything looked absolutely hopeless.

As the book continues to unfold, we hear the Lord respond to the questions of this burdened prophet. But, the reply that comes forth from the Lord is not exactly what Habakkuk wanted to hear. The Lord declared that He would send Babylon (Judah’s enemy) as His chastening rod against the nation of Judah.

Judah had consistently refused to repent of her sinful ways and the Lord’s wrath was about to be manifested against her in a mighty way. The Lord had given Judah many opportunities to repent and turn back to Him, but they refused to do so.

I believe that America is very close to being in the same sinful position that Judah found herself in. God has poured out His mercy upon this nation for years. He has continued to bless America in spite of her abominable and sinful ways. The message of repentance has been preached throughout this nation by mighty men and women of God via every means of technology available to man. Yet, this nation continues to go its own way, doing its own thing rather than going God’s way and doing God’s thing.

September 11th seemed to wake the church up for a season, but once the terrorism stopped, so did our repentance and prayers.

The outward appearance of our nation today looks great. America seems to be doing very well with technology booming and a military force that makes all the nations tremble.

Most homes in America have one or more computers and one or more cars. Thousands of people carry credit cards in one pocket and a cell phone in the other. Everything looks great on the outside, but what’s happening within?

Let’s take a quick glance at America’s past and present:

• From 1960 to 1990 there has been a 560% increase in violent crime, a 419% increase in illegitimate births; a quadrupling in divorce rates; a tripling of the percentage of children living in single-parent homes; more than a 200% increase in the teenage suicide rate; and a drop of almost 80 points in SAT scores.

• In 1962, organized prayer was taken out of public schools.

• On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized unrestricted abortion.

• Since 1973, there have been more than 40 million abortions.

• Dr. Billy Graham stated that, according to his research, over 90% of the Christians in America are living defeated spiritual lives.

• 60% of all websites on the Internet are pornographic websites.

• 85% of kids surveyed said their parents didn’t know what they did on the Internet.

• Internet pornography now ranks highest of all causes of divorce.

• Addiction to pornography is rampant among Christian men, and greed, sexual sins, and dishonesty abound in the Christian church.

• Homosexuality is now called “an alternative lifestyle” instead of an abomination in the sight of Almighty God.

• In 1990, Disney’s Magic Kingdom began GayDays, which began as a one day event, has now evolved into a week of celebration designated for the LesBiGay community ‘to wear red and be seen’ while visiting the world’s most popular theme park.

• August 21, 2003 – According to CNSNews.com, an online sperm bank geared toward lesbian couples and single women recorded its first birth. This allows babies to be born to homosexual couples.

• American Airlines can’t pay its pilots, but it can pay to sponsor a bisexual conference in California which will include sexual demonstrations. (http://www.rfcnet.org)

• The divorce rate among Christians in America is now higher than the divorce rate among non-Christians.

• August 5, 2003 – The House of Bishops voted to confirm the Rev. Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire, making him the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church’s history.

• As of July 1, 2000, Vermont recognizes same-sex unions by law.