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Good Mourning 2014!

My final post for 2012 was entitled, In Which I Throw in the Towel. It’s a rather grim assessment of my growing belief that Western culture is headtone-2in deep decline. That post was largely about me coming to grips with the realization that our collective IQ is falling, secular liberalism is destroying the civilized world, the lowest common denominator is now the bar, human nature usually wins, and the American public are happy being chauffeured by the Powers That Be.

The end of 2013 has not changed anything.

I used to celebrate the New Year, like many, with a sense of anticipation about the future — doors waiting to be opened, opportunities and accomplishments waiting to be had. Now, things have changed. Don’t get me wrong. For me personally, and for my family, I am full of joy and have great hope.There are many reasons for me — for us — to celebrate.

It’s the world that we live in– more specifically, the country I live in — that I’ve lost all hope in.

Writer friend Jessica Thomas left a comment sometime last year (2013) on my Facebook page that has stuck with me. I don’t remember exactly what the post was about but I was, as usual, bemoaning something about the decline of Western civilization. Jessica said something that really struck a chord. She said she’d been in a state of mourning — mourning for our country. The country we could have been, the City on a Hill, has become just another shanty in a global slum. Our Light is but a smoldering wick.

As I concluded in my final post of 2012,

My conservative friends, we are fighting a tide that has turned. That’s my conclusion on the last day of 2012. We’ve reached the tipping point. The liberal intelligentsia’s control of academic institutions, state-run education, the courts, the entertainment industry, and the mainstream media has become insurmountable. We may nurture a strong remnant, but be advised, we will never, ever, control the national conversation. Again. We are the minority. We are the dissidents. We are on the downside of the slippery slope — morally, politically, ideologically, civilly — and picking up speed. All in crash position for when we hit.

I’m sorry if this brings you down. I’m not intentionally trying to be a quench. But frankly, I struggle balancing these conflicting emotions. I’ve wholly embraced cynicism and owned the label of pessimist. And I fight an ongoing battle against fatalism. It’s meshing the grim realities of societal collapse and my own personal hope that I struggle with — my hope of heaven, hope of continued prosperity, hope of expanding borders, hope of personal growth and career opportunities, hope of deeper friendship and stronger family ties.

How does one ring in the new year on a runaway train?

Anyway, Jessica’s sentiment has helped me identify my own emotions. I am in mourning for our country. That’s how I feel this New Year’s morning 2014. I am grieving. I am sad.

My seat belt is on and I am in crash position.

Good mourning 2014!

{ 14 comments… add one }
  • Margaret January 1, 2014, 9:15 AM

    We don’t have to look far to see the decay, do we? Evidence is rampant via movies, television, music, entertainment, government ~ no wonder our nation is often mocked by the rest of the world. I never thought I’d arrive at a day when I’m embarrassed to say I’m an American. And yet…

    While I still love my country for her continued generosity and freedom (though fading), I love my God more, and He is my hope and my salvation. “I would have despaired had I not believed I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13, 14)

    I mourn and grieve with you, Mike, but I look forward to celebrating when that day comes.

  • Ricardo Williams January 1, 2014, 10:08 AM

    The only thing I find myself mourning for is the state of my emotions. mourning converts negative energy into sound which eventually is transported out of me. So in my opinion mourning can be a good thing, just like laughter. There is a time for joy and there is a time for mourning.

  • ginaburgess January 1, 2014, 10:32 AM

    One thing is for absolute certain, no amount of dark can overcome the tiniest portion of light. The darker the night, the greater the light seems to be, and the more intense the hope that is generated.

    The times we live in give me a deep sense of urgency to make sure everyone in my path has the opportunity to see Jesus. I see the despair and the depravity that is abounding in our country… But, I also know that humans have this perverse habit of touching bottom before looking up.

    Engraved in His palm,
    Gina

  • Nissa Annakindt January 1, 2014, 10:49 AM

    Bad as certain things are, God is in charge just as much today as He was in 1958. And there are good things, too. We are able as Christians to set up a strong Christian subculture through Christian television, publishing and the internet.

    When we think times are bad today we should think of the early church. I read something about a very early bishop and it said that at the time he was made bishop it was understood that the new bishop would very shortly be condemned to death by the Roman government. At least the Pagans are killing us a lot less frequently lately.

  • Steve D January 1, 2014, 3:00 PM

    I don’t know, Mike. I believe in a God who is in control. Hence, I don’t have to be depressed, mourn, or cry over culture.

    I have found that the more I worry, the more I lose faith whether it is personal or societal. The less I worry, the more I realize that He is in control and that I just have to let Him work.

  • Jill January 1, 2014, 8:09 PM

    “I’ve wholly embraced cynicism and owned the label of pessimist. And I fight an ongoing battle against fatalism.”

    So have I. However, I’m also forced to acknowledge that cynicism is not the whole truth. It’s a warped lens to view the world through. It isn’t realism, as cynics believe. It just isn’t. In fact, I’m currently rebelling so strongly against cynicism that I’ve made a vow to myself to no longer visit blogs where cynicism is considered the true worldview because they bring me down and degrade my sense of purpose in the world. Yours is not one of these blogs (your perspective has balance).

  • Guy Stewart January 1, 2014, 8:55 PM

    As dark as it may sound, I don’t think that God intended for Christians to be on the “top of the heap” until we get to Heaven:

    Romans 8 is pretty clear on this:

    “31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was [l]raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of [m]Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written,

    “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;
    We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Ps 44:22)

    37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

    If these are to be His word to us today — then we maybe need to consider that the time of Christian “ascendancy” is approaching an end.

    In which case, while I don’t know when I will reach the “rejoice” stage — but I DO know that we will NEVER be separated from God’s love.

  • Adam Graham January 1, 2014, 10:25 PM

    Mike, I have many of the same feelings. Though, I’m less discouraged by the state of the world than I am the state of the Church. There are so many “Christians” who really are willing to cheer on leftists crusades against fellow believers (such as those who refuse to participate in same sex wedding) that’s startling. If hard persecution comes to this country, I fully expect many self-identified Christians to be cheerleaders for it.

    I also find the state of the right to be disconcerting. There are many so-called fiscal conservatives who pretend our culture could go to hell and it would have no impact on what government is necessary. We could have 98% illegitimacy and to them it has no effect. And then in my state, we have two groups of people on the right: toadies for the party establishment and people who think the most important issue is to make sure people can pay their taxes in gold.

    As I’ve reflected on this, I think I’ve been guilty of putting too much trust in naturalistic means for influence of the nation’s politics and culture. I think we’ve confused too often the idea that, “We can and should try to make an impact in politics,” with “Politics will solve our problems.” We need a spiritual awakening. We are living in the Valley of Dry Bones.

    “Can these bones live once more?”

    You alone know, oh Lord.

  • janet January 2, 2014, 10:48 AM

    I fight against the same feeling, Mike, while at the same time rejoicing that God will always be with me and hold on to me. I have a tendency to think about how to win back our country through politics and, while politics are important, I have to remember that my job is to win people for the Lord. I really need to do a better job of that in 2014! When things look darkest, our only hope is in the Lord. Thank God!

    janet

  • Nicole January 2, 2014, 11:03 AM

    I agree and my Day Two post is similar to this, Mike. I know the Lord is in charge, but to think He doesn’t view what’s taking place without emotion – weeping and anger – is to make him some kind of robot. This country flourished because it was built around Him and His principles. To destroy them with the politics of today is to rain down judgment. It’s heartbreaking to watch. I won’t go down without a fight or walk silently. Just can’t.

    Thank you for your honesty.

  • Linda January 2, 2014, 11:52 AM

    I don’t know when I have read a more downbeat blog post from you. Yes, things in U.S. society are often very bad, and I have experienced the downside of some of them first-hand. However, to state things will never change is to deny that God can and will do the seemingly impossible. After all, God is in the restoration business. Perhaps a number of us need to take a break from media and the daily news which so cloud our vision and renew ourselves with hope. For starters, how about “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.” Psalm 33:5

  • D.M. Dutcher January 2, 2014, 12:36 PM

    Yeah, I feel the same mood, too. It feels weird to see the mood shift so quickly in such harmful directions. This generation has it so rough now, and I can’t imagine how future ones will deal with what comes next. I guess the only thing to do is just ignore the fears and focus on my own life and the things I can change and am reponsible for.

  • Jessica E. Thomas January 3, 2014, 7:11 AM

    Oh. Hi Mike. 🙂 Thanks for the link.

    To be in mourning isn’t necessarily a negative thing. It’s part of the grief process. After 9/11 happened, I was sure my country would step up to the challenge. We’re Americans after all, that’s what we do. But sadly that hasn’t happened. It seems an extension of the Vietnam culture…or, at least, in hindsight the Vietnam era seems to be where the country lost its backbone to fight against evil, regardless of whether the Vietnam War was justified or not (that’s another debate). It’s no coincidence (imo) that those same Baby Boomers are now making a muck out of the country. Sorry, ya’ll, I’m not trying to point fingers, just calling it like I see it. And perhaps it’s not the Baby Boomers per se, but the post modernism and Eastern relativism that began to infiltrate at that time. Fast forward to the present and we are a nation of increasingly confused individuals. I’m pretty sure some wise theologians warned us of this… (“This” being the chaotic end result of post modern thinking.)

    The prophets mourned for Israel. And then Jesus came. So God can (and does) certainly turn things around. But, in the present, as it was in the past, I’m sure His plans will surprise us. 🙂 (And it *might* not be comfortable. As one who likes being comfortable, I find the prospect a bit unnerving.)

  • Lyn Perry January 17, 2014, 1:17 PM

    I guess I’m not sure what you mean by societal collapse. Are you living in a shantytown? Are there armed checkpoints in your neighborhood? Do you not have enough money to buy your next meal or are you going barefoot in the summer so you can save your shoes for Sunday? Is the money in your wallet worth more as wallpaper? Has society collapsed into anarchy…so that no one is obeying traffic signals anymore or they’re freely pilfering grocery stores with impunity or killing townsmen in order to carry of the women and children? Do you see this happening any time soon?

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