it's time for some equal opportunity conservative bashing
This is the moment all of my liberal readers have been waiting for.
Obviously, I spend a whole lot of time and effort criticizing liberals and the philosophy of liberalism about.....everything! And why not? As liberals, they are wrong about everything, which makes them very easy targets! In the interest of intellectual honesty, however, I have to admit that those of us who call ourselves Christian conservatives need to verbally "slapped around" as well, and I'll tell you why. America is a mess (that's not news--we know that) and Christian conservatives have to share in the blame.
Take a look at all of the domestic/social problems that America faces today, such as crime, skyrocketing prison populations, abortion, teen pregnancy, rising teen suicide, rising mental/emotional problems in our children (depression, anorexia, substance abuse, school dropout rate, etc.), teen sexuality, etc., etc., etc. America is imploding, and anyone who doesn't recognize that is in serious denial. As Christian conservatives, we can sit around and whine about how liberals are destroying our country and, to a certain degree, we would be right. Liberalism is absolutely killing us! That doesn't tell the whole story, though, and it's intellectually dishonest.
The hard cold truth is that Christian conservatives aren't doing such a swell job, either. I say that because, in my opinion, the number one cause, BY FAR, of America's decline is the destruction of the traditional American family, and we C.C.'s must share the blame.
When I say "traditional American family," I am talking about a family where there are children being raised by their biological father (male) and biological mother (female). That has been the definition of "family" for most of America's history, and it's based on the model established by God at the very beginning of human history. No other model constructed by man has ever been as successful in raising healthy, happy children, or in creating healthy, happy adults. By the way, don't misunderstand me and think that I am somehow bashing single, childless adults. I happen to have several friends who are single and childless and they are some of the happiest people I know. I am bashing "alternative child-raising arrangements," because they don't work.
The American family, across the political spectrum, is in trouble. Did you know that only 25% of all American households are "married with children?" That number was 40% in 1970, and closer to 50% in the 1950's. Did you know that 31% of all children in America (the number is 64% for black children) live in single parent families? That number is up from 11% in 1970. We can complain all we want about the gay marriage issue (and we should) but let's face facts. Heterosexuals have done a lousy job of keeping their families together during the last 50 years!
What has been the result? Look at these stats:
90% of runaway children are from fatherless homes
71% of high school dropouts are from fatherless homes
85% of youth in prison are from fatherless homes
90% of inmates on death row are from fatherless homes
Children in single parent families are:
at risk for lower levels of educational achievement.
twice as likely to drop out of school.
more likely to become teen parents.
more likely to have conflict with their parent(s).
less supervised by adults.
more likely to become truants.
more frequent abusers of drugs and alcohol.
more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behavior.
more likely to join a gang.
twice as likely to go to jail.
four times as likely to need help for emotional and behavioral problems.
more likely to participate in violent crime.
more likely to commit suicide.
twice as likely to get divorced in adulthood, which just continues the cycle.
We know these numbers are true, and we see the harm being done to our children--the future leaders of America--yet we still support no-fault divorce and we treat our kids as if they are disposable. We should be ashamed!
What needs to happen? First, we Christian conservatives who are married with children need to recommit ourselves to our families. NOTHING is more important than our families, and we need to start acting like it. Second, we Christian conservatives need to recommit ourselves to the spiritual health of our families. We MUST lead our families to God. When Jesus told us to spread the Gospel to all the world, He absolutely wanted us to start with our families and work our way out. Third, we Christian conservatives need to help each other accomplish both of those objectives. Christian marriage/family counseling and mutual encouragement are essential if we are to become the solution.
With all of that in mind, I am going to start something new on this blog. Regular visitors already know that I post Scripture almost every day. I am also going to start posting articles on a daily basis pertaining to marriage and family issues. I hope that this serves as a help and a blessing to those who visit my blog.
rosemond.com/
index.php?action=website-view&WebSiteID=389&WebPageID=12972 John Rosemond's Weekly Column
http://www.familyfirst.net/marriage/covenant.asp Covenant, by Derek Maul
Obviously, I spend a whole lot of time and effort criticizing liberals and the philosophy of liberalism about.....everything! And why not? As liberals, they are wrong about everything, which makes them very easy targets! In the interest of intellectual honesty, however, I have to admit that those of us who call ourselves Christian conservatives need to verbally "slapped around" as well, and I'll tell you why. America is a mess (that's not news--we know that) and Christian conservatives have to share in the blame.
Take a look at all of the domestic/social problems that America faces today, such as crime, skyrocketing prison populations, abortion, teen pregnancy, rising teen suicide, rising mental/emotional problems in our children (depression, anorexia, substance abuse, school dropout rate, etc.), teen sexuality, etc., etc., etc. America is imploding, and anyone who doesn't recognize that is in serious denial. As Christian conservatives, we can sit around and whine about how liberals are destroying our country and, to a certain degree, we would be right. Liberalism is absolutely killing us! That doesn't tell the whole story, though, and it's intellectually dishonest.
The hard cold truth is that Christian conservatives aren't doing such a swell job, either. I say that because, in my opinion, the number one cause, BY FAR, of America's decline is the destruction of the traditional American family, and we C.C.'s must share the blame.
When I say "traditional American family," I am talking about a family where there are children being raised by their biological father (male) and biological mother (female). That has been the definition of "family" for most of America's history, and it's based on the model established by God at the very beginning of human history. No other model constructed by man has ever been as successful in raising healthy, happy children, or in creating healthy, happy adults. By the way, don't misunderstand me and think that I am somehow bashing single, childless adults. I happen to have several friends who are single and childless and they are some of the happiest people I know. I am bashing "alternative child-raising arrangements," because they don't work.
The American family, across the political spectrum, is in trouble. Did you know that only 25% of all American households are "married with children?" That number was 40% in 1970, and closer to 50% in the 1950's. Did you know that 31% of all children in America (the number is 64% for black children) live in single parent families? That number is up from 11% in 1970. We can complain all we want about the gay marriage issue (and we should) but let's face facts. Heterosexuals have done a lousy job of keeping their families together during the last 50 years!
What has been the result? Look at these stats:
90% of runaway children are from fatherless homes
71% of high school dropouts are from fatherless homes
85% of youth in prison are from fatherless homes
90% of inmates on death row are from fatherless homes
Children in single parent families are:
at risk for lower levels of educational achievement.
twice as likely to drop out of school.
more likely to become teen parents.
more likely to have conflict with their parent(s).
less supervised by adults.
more likely to become truants.
more frequent abusers of drugs and alcohol.
more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behavior.
more likely to join a gang.
twice as likely to go to jail.
four times as likely to need help for emotional and behavioral problems.
more likely to participate in violent crime.
more likely to commit suicide.
twice as likely to get divorced in adulthood, which just continues the cycle.
We know these numbers are true, and we see the harm being done to our children--the future leaders of America--yet we still support no-fault divorce and we treat our kids as if they are disposable. We should be ashamed!
What needs to happen? First, we Christian conservatives who are married with children need to recommit ourselves to our families. NOTHING is more important than our families, and we need to start acting like it. Second, we Christian conservatives need to recommit ourselves to the spiritual health of our families. We MUST lead our families to God. When Jesus told us to spread the Gospel to all the world, He absolutely wanted us to start with our families and work our way out. Third, we Christian conservatives need to help each other accomplish both of those objectives. Christian marriage/family counseling and mutual encouragement are essential if we are to become the solution.
With all of that in mind, I am going to start something new on this blog. Regular visitors already know that I post Scripture almost every day. I am also going to start posting articles on a daily basis pertaining to marriage and family issues. I hope that this serves as a help and a blessing to those who visit my blog.
rosemond.com/
index.php?action=website-view&WebSiteID=389&WebPageID=12972 John Rosemond's Weekly Column
http://www.familyfirst.net/marriage/covenant.asp Covenant, by Derek Maul
posted by hondo at 10:10 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home