We are not a sick society;

[apothanein kerdos]

But I don't think you can say one thing about this big of society to make that large of generalization, that was my point. We are part of this society, so if the whole society is sick that means we are just as sick. Yes on the whole things are not good, but there is huge variability between families, regions and people across this nation.

Every culture and people group is sick to its own degree. I think both conservatives and liberals are guilty of attempting to achieve a quasi-Utopia this side of eternity. I think both are also guilty of not seeing the ills within our society. Things are only going to get worse as time progresses. Man is naturally evil because he is the fallen image of God. Though he commits good deeds because of the image within him, he will still have a propensity to commit evil. Thus, all societies are sick...some on a different level than others.

On the whole we have big social problems, but we have been blessed with a stable government and constitution and some very strong independent and moral people. The individual choices that we make as Americans are often pretty bad, pretty sinful. But we can turn of the TV. we can have the power to raise our own children the way we want, we have the liberty to not take part in this sick society, and many are not taking part.

And refusing to ignore the evil, act like it's not there, and separate yourself from the culture is equally sick and evil.

The problem with man is that we caused evil to enter this world and ever since we've been trying to find a way to reverse what we did. Unfortunately, this too is evil. Anything done under our own power, no matter how good it might look, is ultimately evil (morally, not pragmatically).

America has been lucky/blessed more than most nations. For this we should be grateful. However, can we honestly say we have been blessed because of our own merit? Is this not merely placing a "health and wealth" type Gospel on our perspective of history? Would God honestly bless a nation that denied women voting rights, enslaved Africans, and committed genocide against Native Americans? Would God really bless a nation that rebelled over taxation without representation against the established authority...violating Romans 13? Would God really bless a nation who's government leaders have been corrupted almost since our conception?

America has done a lot of good, but we have committed a lot of evil. Thus, to say that God has blessed us for any of our own workings is illogical. In fact, I would argue, it is not biblical. The rain falls on both the righteous and unrighteous - in other words, God will bless whom He chooses. America has been blessed by God because it suit His purpose...not because we did anything to deserve it.

The question and challenge to us as believers is to stand out from this society to not simply become part of the society we complain about. The wonderful thing is given our liberties we have that power if we want to use it. I just have a hard time making a blanket generalization about our total society as totally corrupt; I don

[nebula]

As some of you may know, I teach Anatomy and Physiology labs at the local community college. This semester, I am also teaching Biology 101 labs.

This morning, I was sharing with some other Biology 101 professors a frustration I was having with my 101 students - their complete innability to hear, read and follow directions. The majority of my lab class last night lost 3 out of 10 points for not labeling their drawing (and the directions at the top of the page quite clearly told then to label the drawings, and what to label the drawings with). They had a week to finish these worksheets, mind you. The other teachers stated that they were having a similar frustration this semester. To the ones who have have been teaching the 101 labs for a few years, this large amount of students who aren't paying attention, aren't trying, aren't listening, aren't reading, aren't following instructions, etc. is a shock. They were even asking me, "What is going on?" Funny, I was trying to ask them the same thing.

Folks, if you want to measure the health of a society - look at our young people.

It's not looking pretty.

And this is only one problem area. Shall we talk about more?

[Marnie]

Folks, if you want to measure the health of a society - look at our young people.

It's not looking pretty.

Cameron Batiste of Arnaudville saved his family when a fire broke out at his grandmother

[Openly Curious]

Yes it is very important where we look. Sure there is sick people in our society but they will never make up the whole of our society nor define who we are as good Americans who are striving to make our world a better place in our way of life.

There is so much good still in the world as Marnie pointed out in previous post that those people did and there are those who came to their aid and help and still there is still good going on toward the families that lost their loved ones. We are blessed to have a compassionate people living among us.

OC

[None]

Thus, to say, "Well I only see good" or "I see mostly good" is to ignore that you have had to see quite a bit of evil in order to understand what good is.

It's a self-preservation technique, to block out the bad.

Sometimes it's not you who blocks the bad, it's God's hand that holds it back,

knowing when you've seen enough.

He lets us handle what we are capable of handling -but- when it's time to fix a problem,

He causes us to see only the problem until we fix it.

Sometimes we don't choose to chase the storm, it draws us into it.

It's good to keep in mind that God will always stay in control of it, though.

[Eliyahuw]

Thus, to say, "Well I only see good" or "I see mostly good" is to ignore that you have had to see quite a bit of evil in order to understand what good is.

It's a self-preservation technique, to block out the bad.

Sometimes it's not you who blocks the bad, it's God's hand that holds it back,

knowing when you've seen enough.

He lets us handle what we are capable of handling -but- when it's time to fix a problem,

He causes us to see only the problem until we fix it.

Sometimes we don't choose to chase the storm, it draws us into it.

It's good to keep in mind that God will always stay in control of it, though.

Phl 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things.

I don't believe concentrating and fixating on the bad is what Christ intended for us.

there is much good in this country.

To start off with, what about the newborn baby being brought into the world every day. Their our future. With a little optimism, you can direct that newborn into being a leader.

That newborn 18 years later grows up to be a fine adult. graduates highschool with honors, drives down to the Marine Corp office and enlists. He goes on to graduate bootcamp, goes and fights battles his country sends him into, comes home with honors. He defends his country with honor.

Thats just one good thing. there are thousands upon thousands of otehr things happening but you never hear about any of these. All you hear about is the nutjob that shoots up a school, the nutjobs that blow up innocents, the nutjobs that murder their families.

this is nto the norm of our society. The MAJORITY of this country does nto kill, comit crimes, and are not dirtbags. their hard working families that produce, provide and honor their good names.

No this isn't a sick country. Its a blessed country!

[LossForWords]

Folks, if you want to measure the health of a society - look at our young people.

It's not looking pretty.

Cameron Batiste of Arnaudville saved his family when a fire broke out at his grandmother

[Scarletprayers]

There is still plenty of good out there, we just very seldom hear about it, cause dirt sells better!

[LossForWords]

There is still plenty of good out there, we just very seldom hear about it, cause dirt sells better!

Exactly.

[MorningGlory]

...the beat goes on.

Reagan chose to see mostly the good in America.

Notice what a truely happy man he was all his life?

I think that sums it up.

The people that are unhappy in this country are the same people that see everything that is wrong with this country, they're pessimists.

I'm a very happy person as well, I know I have been blessed by God to be part of this country and feel even more blessed by being physically and mentally capable of serving this country in the Air Force. I am an optimist and I see most of the good that we have, while highlighting what needs to change. Our values need to be respected by all Americans. Including religion and life.

Amen, JustinM. You hit it right on with your statement above. While we are far from perfect, we are not a sick society either. The great hope of the United States is the envy of the world. I count myself blessed to have been born here and to have the freedom to worship, to speak, to protest, travel, whatever. Those who don't understand how lucky we are simply don't know much about the world, I guess.