Americas Financial Crisis

As Americans argue whether or not Obama has done well by us during his first 100 days in office, I say it's time to take a really good look at how we got here.

A recent poll shows that more and more Americans are losing their religion. While Christianity still reigns at 76% with Catholics comprising 57 million in America, those numbers are still down 10% since 1990.

Non-Catholic Christians continue to decline whereas more and more consider themselves Christian but non denominational or practicing no religion at. I am included in that number and I had to ask myself why?

In a nation obsessed with instant messaging, fast food meals, 45 sports channels, microwave dinners and endless unreasonable social calendars, who has time to set aside two to three hours on a Sunday morning for worship?

A country where our options are so diverse that a trip to the grocery store can give one a head ache just trying to select cereal, we have come to see ourselves as totally individual and exclusive.

While we profess our spirituality what we are really saying is, I reserve the right to believe in a God that fits my lifestyle. If we want to keep up with the Jones, and be a part of that exclusive group of "celebrity like" people we will believe in a God that helps us do that.

If we want to love trees and the ocean and the creatures of the earth and lay aside material things, and reject all others who think differently than we do, we will Believe in a Goddess which supports that way of living.

If we want to be a sexual being that loves whomever whenever and however we wish to perform it, we will also choose a God that exemplifies that lifestyle.

If we want to believe in classism and racism and all the other ugly isms we will choose our own misconstrued interpretation of biblical scripture to argue that as well.

We have chosen what we want to believe with what really is. No matter what religious affiliation one has, there are truths and principles that bind them all.

Religion is not just about which God you believe in, but its about which God you serve. It is about community and being held accountable for your actions or lack of action to a group of individuals. It is about public worship and confession of your acknowledgment that you cannot survive this world alone and need a higher being for guidance and support.


We who no longer speak to our neighbors and hustle and to and fro trying to out glam, out sport, outrage one another have no time for a God that has rules and holds us accountable.

In a politically divided nation we have made the word religion and even God a dirty word.

Well you say, writer what does all of this have to do with our struggling economy?

This lack of Godliness in our homes, in our schools and in our communities has spawned in us a new religion of Greed.

This nations insatiable desire for more and more and still more has made us void of our common humanity. Our Gluttony for fine foods and excessive living. Our Sloth to nurture our families with home cooked meals and time for gathering and reflection has left us weak in mind and body. Our Envy of our neighbors things has led us to borrow more than we can pay back. Our Lusts for all things pleasurable has replaced quiet moments to be introspective and robbed us of our ability to connect to one another with true intimacy, in every sense of the word. Our Pride has rendered us shamefully exposed as a nation of pretenders. And finally our Wrath sent us in to a war against a peoples who would dare challenge our Godless way of life and maintain power of our dependence of their richest resource.

A Godless nation is a divided nation. Swarmed by the immigration of those seeking not a better way of life, but a richer, greedier way of life. A life where all the things they coveted from afar are attainable. A place where the ACLU is more concerned with making sure Christians have no rights that they are at risk of losing their own.

A nation falling to its knees.

How unpatriotic writer, you say? Can anyone say Rome?

This is nothing new, from early testament we as people have been warned,


Malachi 3

6For I am the LORD, I
change not;

7Even from the days of
your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them.
Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye
said, Wherein shall we return?

8Will a man rob God? Yet
ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and
offerings.

9Ye are cursed with a
curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

You see our religious practices, fellowship with other worshipers binds our common humanity and helps us hold ourselves accountable and accountable for, and to, one another.


While many of our churches would like us to believe that tithing is merely 10% of ones income, tithing is actually giving the best part of your whole self worth. I do not wish to argue scripture or theologians, but I would dare say according to historical data including scripture, your money, your time, your talents, your compassion; the best you have to give to another in honor of an Almighty God is what is required from us all.

Right now we are operating under the fear our greed has left us with. However, I believe once we return to practicing and participating in our religions and placing God and others first, the financial crisis will be healed. For He has not given us the spirit of fear, but He has given us the spirit of love, the spirit of power, and of sound mind.


Let us be one minded for a rebirth of our nation and watch and see!


Malachi 3

12And all nations shall
call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.


I pledge to find a church to publicly confess my hope and my salvation, to worship and to hold myself accountable for my sake and your sake and the sake of this great nation.

That's Melavision

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