Liberal Misery

It seems of late there isn’t a newscast or publication that doesn’t contain something about injuries to a child by the hands of an adult. It makes you stop and wonder what’s happening to our society. I think the problems involving child abuse are becoming more severe and we’re hearing more about them because the media is doing it’s best to present the problem to the public, making everyone aware of the situation. So just what is happening? I think some are getting so wrapped up in trying to “feel good” that anything involving a little stress or prolong personal attention is producing rage and violence. Why are the minds of people becoming unstable and their thoughts irrational? In many abuse cases, it’s determined that drugs and/or alcohol are playing a big role. What’s the solution? Well, there are a lot of smart people working on it, but for me, I see a great loss in the ethics on which this country was founded. Self-gratification is a monster!
Many years ago a group of atheists decided to show the world what a fine civilization could be had, if only (and this is the way they put it) the “superstitions of Christianity” were outlawed. They founded the little town of Liberal, Missouri. They boastfully advertised it as the only town of its size in the United States that didn’t have a preacher, a priest or a church. It didn’t have God, Jesus Christ, hell or the devil. A few months later the St. Louis Post-Dispatch carried a lengthy article about the little town. It showed that, as a matter of fact, there was little else in the town except the devil. Its hotels had become houses of prostitution. Gambling, stealing and killing were essentially the standard conduct of the town. The newspaper article was so frightful the men of Liberal had Clark Braden, the author of the story, arrested for criminal libel. They also brought suit against the Post-Dispatch for $25,000. In the trial though, the evidence was so overwhelming that the jury took only a few minutes to render a verdict in favor of the defendant. The suit was dismissed and the town of Liberal, Missouri had to pay all court costs. It wasn’t long after that, before even life-long atheists themselves moved from the town in absolute disgust. Asked why, one of them confessed, “An infidel surrounded by Christians may spout his infidelity and he is able to stand it, but living and raising children in a town of atheists is too horrible to contemplate.”
[2 Timothy 3] “Get God out of our schools!!” “Keep religion out of politics!!” “God Bless America!!” It just doesn’t add up to a positive ideal. To reap the benefits of a God-blessed community, God has to be in the community; the whole community. I’m not advocating that Bible scripture be taught and quoted, becoming a third language to all. But the principles of God’s word aren’t even being stressed and practiced anymore. Do you and your family want to live in a safe and moral environment? Then lets get back to teaching and practicing moral and ethical values. Are you trustworthy and honest? Are you a responsible person in all you do? Do you respect the thoughts and feelings of others? Do you show a sense of fairness when dealing with others? Are you caring, compassionate, kind, loving, considerate and charitable? Are you a good citizen helping where you can and respecting authority? Do those things sound religious to you? They are principles of righteous Godly living. They are principles that can bring about change in life and lifestyle. Changed individuals can change communities. God is Love!