It's Not Like the 50's Anymore
Those of us who advocate for traditional values are sometimes accused of trying to take the country back to the 1950's to a decade known for popular images captured in TV programs such as "Father Knows Best." While the 1950s were far from a perfect era, some of the qualities associated with it are reassuring to families.
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It was a time when two-parent families were the norm and children could pray in public school classrooms. It was a time when children were safe to play in the neighborhood and laws protected pre-born children. During this period of American history our society acknowledged God valued families and protected innocent human life.
While no one can or would want to, turn back the hands of time, the direction of our public policies and cultural trends continues to move further away from promoting stable families and sheltering vulnerable human life. The last 50 years have brought seismic social change to our communities, nation and world, so much so that the days of "Father Knows Best" are a distant memory.
Atheists are in court to prevent school children from reciting the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. Innocent human life remains at risk through abortion, destructive embryo research and human cloning. Marriage, the most stabilizing influence in civilization faces unprecedented attack by those who want to redefine it to include unions between individuals of the same sex.
Scripture tells us human life is sacred because it bears God's image and marriage between one man and one woman is a reflection of God's likeness. We honor the Creator when we protect human life and respect marriage. While not every American recognizes the value of Christian teachings our nation was founded by men and women who recognized a sovereign God.
More than three decades of aborting pre-born children have opened the door to destructive embro research experiements that dissect living humans in the name of scientific curiosity. At the same time, human cloning is pushing mankind across yet another threshold that of creating new human life the destruction in research experiments. Respect for life is slipping further from our grasp.
The sacred union of matrimony is also a targeted institution. With help from the courts, homosexual activists are making slow but steady progress in their bid to dismantle the centuries old definition of marriage.
In recent years voters in 18 states have fought these activits by passing state ballot initiatives declaring marriage as only between one man and one woman. These state constitutional marriage amendments find support among voters because people recognize the value of stable homes in stable society and they know redefining marriage to allow homosexual unions is a step in the wrong direction especially for our children.
A deteriorating society that erases God from the minds and hearts of it's people disregards the value of life and toys with marriage, impacts every one of us. None of us are immune from the negative consequences of such decisions.
For those of us who remember the 50's and for those who don't we must ask ourselves, "What kind of world do we want to leave our children and grandchildren?"
Will it be a culture that acknowledges God, honors marriage and defends life? Or one in which society eradicates religious freedom, discards the importance of a stable family and devalues vulnerable human life? Our heavenly Father does know best, and it's up to us to bring His design and wisdom to the public square.
Tom Minnery
Part of our Sunday Sermon entitled "Who is God" on New Year's Day included this scripture:
Remember the former things of old, for I am God there is none else. I am God and there is none like me. Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things that are not yet done saying, My counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure. Isa 46:9-10.
In the end, it's all about God's way. It's not about us. We just think so, because we have put ourselves in place of God.