Posted on 07/18/2007 9:09:38 AM PDT by jda
Let's begin with an extremely brief history of the foundation of America:
· 1740 - 1760 - the Great Awakening in America.
· April 19, 1775 - the Revolutionary War began with the Battle of Lexington. Note that Prior to this time and throughout the Revolutionary War, The Continental Congress often called for days of fasting and prayer to ask God for His favor, then proclaimed days of thanksgiving to acknowledge His intervention.
· July 4, 1776 - The Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence, upon which Samuel Adams commented, "We have this day restored the Sovereign to Whom alone men ought to be obedient."
· September 11, 1777 - The Continental Congress ordered 20,000 copies of the Bible from overseas because America’s supply line from England was interrupted by the Revolutionary War. (Note the inordinate coincidence of the date.)
Conclusion: As evidenced by these and innumerable other historical facts, including the fact that 106 of the first 108 colleges in America were founded on the Christian faith, it is indisputable that America was founded on the Christian faith by Christian men. In addition, as stated by George Washington, "The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this that he must be worse than an infidel and more than wicked that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligation."
In recent history:
· June 17, 1963 - the Supreme court struck down prayer and Bible reading in public schools.
· January 22, 1973 - Supreme Court overturned laws regarding abortion.
· Between 1960 and 1990, there was a 560% increase in violent crime, a 419% increase in illegitimate births, a quadrupling in the divorce rate, 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.
· And, since just 2000, America has experienced:
- Tropical Storm Allison (June 2001) - the costliest tropical storm in our history.
- Terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon (September 11) - nearly 3,000 dead and 3rd costliest disaster in U.S. history.
- Rodeo and Chediski fires in Arizona (June 2002) - one of the worst fires in western U.S. history.
- Hayman Fire (June 2002) - largest in Colorado history.
- Ice storm (December 2002) - worst in North and South Carolina history.
- Heat wave and tornadoes in U.S. (May 2003) - record heat and record number of tornadoes.
- Hurricane Isabel (September 2003) - third costliest in America.
- Southern California Fire (September 2003) - costliest in California history.
- Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne (August/September 2004) - unprecedented four major hurricanes to hit U.S. in single year, most total destruction in past 100 years, and, respectively, 4th, 8th, 5th and 9th costliest in U.S. history.
- Hurricane Katrina (August 2005) - largest disaster in U.S. history.
- Hurricane Rita (September 2005) - three million people evacuated from Texas coastal areas.
- Hurricane Wilma (October 2005) - 3rd costliest in U.S. history.
- Winter storms (January -March 2006) - $1.5 billion in losses.
- Storms (April-June 2006) - $3.8 billion in losses.
The conclusion from these and a myriad of other recent events can only be, to paraphrase George Washington: The hand of God Almighty has been so conspicuously absent in all this that he must be worse than an infidel and more than wicked that has not concern enough to acknowledge his obligation. God is trying to get our attention, but it appears that few are paying attention.
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Your list of disasters conveniently excludes any and all that occurred before 1963. I guess there must not have been any.
As much as I agree with the writer.
TOO MUCH irrelevancy with the last five years. Of course storms as the years go on will be the more costly than the previous ones. The value of the dollar continues to increase.
This pointless stuff at the end will undo the overall message.
Such as the 1900 Galveston, TX, hurricane that killed 8,000 people.
It’s a common misperception that global warming is due to greenhouse gases. It’s actually because the planet is going to hell in a handbasket.
You should listen to John MacArthur’s sermon, “A Nation Abandoned by God.” It is truly powerful and accurate. You should be able to listen to it on the web somewhere. I downloaded it at www.oneplace.com about three weeks ago.
this talks scares the liberals I know and makes me embarrassed to be a conservative.
In a nation of a few million, as the Founding Fathers had, government and leadership are very doable ideas.
In a nation of 300 million, government and leadership are essentially useless, at least in a free society.
Storms were raging way back when the continent was populated by only noble savages. There are sunken Spanish’s galleons on the bottom of the gulf that testify to that. The gist of the ‘God is punishing us” message is for the IQ challenged among us.
I chose to only include disasters since 2000 to limit the list. The point is that an incontrovertable number historically significant events have occurred since then - beyond the realm of coincidence. In fact, 7 of the top 10 disasters in the U.S. have occurred since 2000 - the other 3 occurred in 1989, 1992 and 1994.
I for one, am.
I rest my case - you are obviously among those who “don’t get it” and likely never will. Yes, there have been storms since The Flood, but the number and intensity of those in America over the past several years in beyond coincidence.
I totally agree that bad things happen to good people - we live in a fallen world. If you look at the founding of America, the hand of God is unmistakably present (as stated by Washington). If you look at our recent history, the hand of God is unmistakably absent.
Horse cookies. A whole lot of historically significant events have occurred throughout history. In fact, history contains a lot of historically significant events. Can you even have history without them?
And in terms of the Christian world, the most significant historical events took place centuries earlier ... things like the plague, the various European wars, the Renaissance, and so on. Those were huge events -- much bigger than the sorts of things you wrote down (and which happened regularly beforehand, too).
In fact, 7 of the top 10 disasters in the U.S. have occurred since 2000 - the other 3 occurred in 1989, 1992 and 1994.
Top 10 in terms of what? Cost? You don't suppose that might have something to do with the fact that a lot of folks built houses in dangerous areas. It's not like huge storms and such haven't hit those places before ... it's just that there are people there now.
The non-inflation adjusted cost is meaningless. Same with "MOST DEADLY...". Well gee, with the population always going up, the same thing applies.
Unless they compare these costs/lives as an average of current GDP/population, etc., the statistics will be deceitful.
Hey, the largest earthquake in US history happened in the early 1800's. Maybe God is less mad now - he's hardly touched us since 1906!
Well, no. The Hayman fire was big, but it has nothing on the huge fire during the 19th century that burnt the Hayman area and much more. It ran unchecked from June to September, and stopped only when the snows came.
Since real estate on the coast has exploded in appreciation during the last 10 years, this is somewhat meaningless. A home in Florida in 1995 might cost $50,000 and now that same home might go for $500,000. You 1995 hurricane would do 500 million in damage then and today it does 5 billion in damage, even though the number of homes is the same.
But in fairness to God, you can’t lay Krakatoa at His feet:
that happened in Allahu-land.
Why? Because he doesn't agree with you? Whence this notion that if one doesn't agree than one doesn't "get it". Why the airy dismissal of the idea that one understands [a.k.a. "get it"] but one still disagrees?
To an extent I, for one, think Weeedy is on the right track: "The gist of the ‘God is punishing us” message is for the IQ challenged among us.'. I can't say I agree with the term "IQ challenged", but I do believe that those who proclaim the Revelation is lurking just below the horizon say more about themselves* than anything else.
As a cure for this I would recommend some serious reading of serious pre-1965 American history books and biographies circa 1789-1860.
*(NOT an insult, just observation of a life time)
I agree. God was with this country in the beginning and He will leave us if we leave Him. The evidence is there, some people just don’t want to see it,
God’s telling me to not live in hurricane, wild-fire, or tornado areas?
“Your list of disasters conveniently excludes any and all that occurred before 1963. I guess there must not have been any.”
Coincides with the abolishing of Jim Crow. Hmmmm......
Face it. If God can’t make himself heard with all his powers, he’s basically an underachiever.
Trolling for more religious kooks to watch your show on TBN or something?
A little research will show you that those catastrophic events occurred at the same time or shortly after a US president talked about Israel giving up “land for peace” and a Palestinian state. That land is God’s covenant land and no one, including the Israelis, have the right to divide it up.
As a cure for this I would recommend some serious reading of serious pre-1965 American history books and biographies circa 1789-1860.
Aw, but facts aren't as much fun!
Short memory. Those that lived a couple of generations ago would generate lists that were equally "historical".
Our country became extremely prosperous after WWII, I feel, for the same reason you state.
Yes indeed. God has had his hand of blessing on this nation since it’s birth; however, he has been slowly lifting it and warning us since we kicked Him out of our schools and public institutions. This country needs a good wake-up call and I fear we will get it.
And the last straw will be if we turn our backs on Israel.
He definitely left the rails long ago.
Aw, but facts aren't as much fun!
================
LOL! Well, heck, that goes without saying!
Yes, I’m listening.
“June 17, 1963 - the Supreme court struck down prayer and Bible reading in public schools.”
The SC struck down forcing people to pray or read the Bible in school. Kids can pray silently all day long and they can also take Bibles to school and read them at lunch or during any break.
With all due respect but why the assumption that the Almighty is consumed by a pettiness we would never tolerate in an adult human being?
And if the presence of the Almighty is not so evident as before, might it be b/c He -- like any good parent --feels that at this point we are ready to start standing on our own two feet? After all, we serve God best when weneed his help the least.
bttt
The Old Testament is full of stories of Israel being in God's good graces, falling away, having their enemies invade them, repenting, returning back to God, and repeating the cycle over and over. Whether you believe the Bible or not, the book has been written thousands of years ago and human nature is the same then as it is now. I tend to believe it is the Word of God and our society is in a rebellious stage, living off the moral fumes of past generations
I've been raised Christian, fell away in my teens and made a steady, but stumbling journey back. I shared the point of view that you stated, but have come to the conclusion that God always wants us to need Him. Jesus prayed until he bled the night before he was crucified (also a sign we must and will suffer) he pray to the Father all through his crucifixion. Now in his glory the Father and Son are one.
We want our children to be weened from us and able to make it on their own because we will not always be there, God will always be there.
Why didn’t you list any of the natural disaster that happened in the 1700s and 1800s?
It's incontrovertable if you ignore everything that happened prior to 1963.
In fact, 7 of the top 10 disasters in the U.S. have occurred since 2000 - the other 3 occurred in 1989, 1992 and 1994.
Of course. There is more people, and more wealth to destory. A proper comparison would be to measure the % of wealth destoryed by disasters--- but nobody has those numbers.
Makes a lot of sense if you don’t count natural disasters before 1963.
There were plenty of them, by the way.
Do you have any sort of source for this?
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pastdec.shtml
BS.
Trollwork for the left.
Can you hear me now? How about now?
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