Bible Thumper’s Needed
One popular muddled thinking nightly news pundit has taken to blaming “Bible Thumpers”, those who call sin sin, for our growing cultural degeneracy. According to him, all could be solved if those Thumper’s kept quiet or used logical political arguments, particularly his.
His arguments might be both logical and right, but to stop our plunge into cultural degeneracy, moral restoration and change of heart must come first. It always has and it always will.
Where are those Bible Thumpers we are warned against? Those in the pulpit, political arena, or public square who are willing to call sin sin—to call individuals and a nation to repentance. Where are today’s soldiers of the faith?
“To win any war, the three most necessary things to know are: (1) that you are at war. (2) who your enemy is. (3) what weapons or strategies can defeat him.” ____ Dr. Peter Kreeft
The Church, individually or collectively, must not withdraw into cultural isolation. America needs moral restoration. That will require more than 45 minutes of Christian diversion every Sunday or going through life waving peace banners and singing “Kum ba yah.”
Our battle is against powers of darkness and evil spiritual forces who do not fear defeat by logical political arguments.
The spirit of darkness over our public institutions grows stronger each day as does the cost to those who stand against those same forces. We are becoming a nation of self centered individuals who lack a moral compass, individuals with spiritually deaf ears. Logical political arguments will not change their destructive behavior.
Will moral decline cause America’s fall as it did the greatest empire the world had ever known, the Roman Empire? Is it too late? No. But it will not be easy. We can take heart from the spiritual resurrection of a far worse morally corrupt England of 1700' into early1800's. But we are on an accelerating pace to get there.
The Proclamation For the Encouragement of Piety and Virtue
On a Sunday in October 1787, William Wilberforce wrote in his diary: ‘God Almighty has set before me two great objects, the suppression of the Slave Trade and the Reformation of Manners’, the reform of Britain’s morals.
In Wilberforce’s England of 1700' into early1800's the wealthy and noble class wallowed in extreme decadence, the poor in bestial debauchery. Both wealthy and poor embraced daily drunkenness. Parliament became a house of incredible intoxication, the poor wallowed in gin and brutal debauchery.
Stealing got one hanged. Murders were publicly dissected. Publically burning women alive stopped in 1776. They hung the woman first.
Public hangings continued into the mid1800s as did public displays of the most repulsive acts of animal cruelty, including Bull Baiting. Tied to an iron stake— to amuse both young and old—specially bred bull dogs tore the bull to shreds. In1835, England outlawed Bull Baiting, not due to animal cruelty, it had become a public nuisance.
Fellow Bible Thumper’s William Wilberforce and Bishop Porteous solicited King George III for a Royal Proclamation such as earlier sovereigns used in times of moral crisis.
King George III issued his Royal Proclamation For the Encouragement of Piety and Virtue, and for the Preventing and Punishing of Vice, Profaneness and Immorality on June1, 1787.
The Act of Parliament for Abolition of trading in humans finally received Royal Assent and became law on March 25, 1807. The abolition of trading in human beings the first step toward Wilberforce’s ultimate goal to outlaw slavery itself. The final objective attained in1833. By then Wilberforce had been retired from Westminster politics for eight years. He lived long enough to see the Bill for the Abolition of Slavery passed. Then died two days later.
In the battle against slavery William Wilberforce understood the fight was both political and moral. America desperately needs men and women in both arenas who understand that, and stand with the Church not against it.
Our nation is suffering a moral sickness. Healing will only come by prayer, repentance, and our loving God’s mercy.
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Be Informed Be Involved ___ Michael E. Odell
