Where Have All The Christian Soldiers Gone?

The abject failure of the Christian church in America is astounding when you compare the church today with Americans from 70 years ago.

This essay on the condition of Christianity in America is so succinct in it’s indictment – that to ignore it is to invite the judgment that is for certain coming upon the House of God in this country.  As I have stated before, in the context of the bible and our military: a military that is not bound by the bible and Christian principles is a military that can be used to crush righteousness and impose wickedness.

 

Onward Christian Soliders? Not Likely

George Tate was in the US Army in World War II. He served in a unit that was establishing communication lines across the Himalayas.

George’s son, Sid is a parishioner, he said about his Dad, “His plane was riddled with enemy gunfire going in, and as I understand it his job was conducted in an active combat zone. He received the Bronze Star, which was the military’s 4th highest award:  Awarded to ‘any person whom while serving in with the United States military after 6 December 1941, that distinguished himself or herself apart from his or her comrades by brave or praiseworthy achievement or service. The act justifying award of the medal must be performed while fighting an enemy of the United States, or while involved in conflict with an opposing/foreign force.’ ”

Sid sent me this snapshot  of the opening pages of his Dad’s government issued WW2 G.I. Bible.

Note the beautifully written letter from the occupant of the White House. It is simple, dignified and full of an assumed faith, shared hope and noble spirit.

Imagine such a letter being written today by the present occupant.

It’s impossible.

The following preface pages offered manly Christian advice for soldiers going into battle:

See how it is assumed that the soldiers first of all, know what the Christian virtues are, and secondly, that they have an interest in pursuing them. They live in a moral universe. It is assumed that a man will be seeking to be the best man he can be–not just the richest man he can be. It is assumed that the soldiers will understand this moral quest, and even if they dismiss it, that they will at least know that they are dismissing something which is great and good.

Is such an awareness alive in our society today? I don’t see it.

Should the armies of the False Prophet Mohammed advance, and should we need to go into battle would we be able to summon the same Spirit of noble Christianity in our country today? I doubt it.

What strikes me about this artifact from the second world war is that this Bible was issued to the troops without question. It was seen to be part of their equipment and to be accepted by all with an open heart and mind.

This indicates that the whole population understood that the moral battles were also spiritual battles, and if there was a spiritual dimension to war, then there was also such a thing as spiritual warfare. Soldiers were expected to be equipped physically but they were also expected to be fit morally and spiritually.

Millions of young Americans went into battle across the world from a country that was truly Christian in its worldview and self understanding. They were not all knights in shining armor, they were a band of sinners, but they had a shared underlying faith and set of moral values. They understood that they were engaged in spiritual as well as physical warfare.

Furthermore, they were clear about their objectives. They were faced with an overwhelming and clearly evil force and they rallied to defeat it.

In the intervening seventy years our moral fiber has been so weakened by wealth, decadence and self indulgence that it seems unlikely not only that such a noble letter would be written from the White House, but that our own people would be able to respond with anything like the simple, noble spirit evidenced by this soldier’s Bible.

Our country has suffered from a severe disintegration of our faith so that many no longer believe in the spiritual dimension of evil nor do they believe in the concept of good and evil at all. Instead “evil” is what does not work and “good” is what works. There is no need for virtue in utilitarianism.

We are also reeling from a moral revolution so destructive that we still cannot understand its final implications.

I’m talking about the sexual revolution of the 1960s. What came along with the pill was not just illegitimacy, abortion, divorce, pornography and sexual disease. The other destruction was the erosion of the moral sense. For most men the first and most pressing area of self control was to control the sexual drive. With the pill and anti bionics that was gone.

Once that area of life no longer needed to be controlled why control anything else? The rampant sexuality brought on rampant greed, rampant violence, rampant self indulgence, rampant gluttony, rampant drug use, rampant alcohol abuse. Why control oneself at all? There was suddenly no motivate to achieve virtue. Why should one seek to be virtuous unless one retained some sort of religious faith, such an ambition was pointless.

The men who fought were our fathers and grandfathers. They were manly, simple, strong and good. They were good and they are gone. What would those young men have thought of the state of our nation today? Abortion on demand? Same sex marriage? Sex education for first graders? “Transgendered” men dressing as women and having an operation to become women? Women priests and homosexual priests? Those who survive must be horrified. Those who have gone would ask if this is what they fought and died for.

I know. I know.

There are wonderful, strong and good fighting men and women in our armed forces today.

I also know that much of the rot in our country today was brought about by the very men who returned from the second world war and pursued a path of greed, self indulgence and worldly power.

Nevertheless, this artifact from only seventy years ago reminds us where we were and how far we have fallen.

This is the Muslim criticism of our culture: that we are the Great Satan: we are decadent, immodest, sexually depraved, twisted, fat, complacent, immoral, violent and cruel. They see that we kill our unborn, divorce our wives, rape our children and murder one another in the streets. That’s how they see us. Are they completely wrong?

In one of the other front pages we see the Lord’s Prayer one the left hand side and well known Christian hymns on the right.

The first hymn listed is “Onward Christian Soldiers…Marching as to War…with the cross of Jesus going on before.”

Onward Christian Soldiers today?

Not Likely.

…And The Pulpits (and The Brethren) Are Silent

“They are fiddling while the nation burns, building their church rather than Christ’s Kingdom.”

Here is a great essay by Coach Dave Daubenmire that addresses what is the root cause of what ails us as a nation and a people; the complacency and complicity of Christians with the Secular removal of God out of every aspect of American life.

From Global Warming to Homosexual Marriage – Christianity is content to go along with and adopt the Secular Left’s own doctrines in the redefinition of morality in America, and yet we shake our heads in disbelief at the woes piling up around us and when we hear yet ANOTHER story of the banning of Christian exercize in society.

This man writes like I think, and we are blaring the same trumpet call: Churches in America, WAKE UP and GET SALTY! You have grown lukewarm and as limp as an overboiled noodle, having the form of religion, but denying it’s power thereof.

…AND THE PULPITS ARE SILENT

For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge. Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? – Jeremiah 5:26-31

Despite what the political parties would like you to believe, the problem in America is not the politicians, it is the pulpits. I hate to break the news to you, but most of America’s pulpits are filled with cowardly men. They are a shame to the Christ they claim to serve.

Harsh words, aren’t they? Not the type of thing that will make any friends in this “cheap-Grace” culture in which we live. But that’s okay. I’m not looking to make friends.

I am about fed-up with what I see. How did we ever get such man-pleasing leaders? All that our fore-fathers held dear is being destroyed before our very eyes and hardly a peep from the pulpit. They don’t want to hear it. It’s the pulpiteers that I am talking about. They are concerned with being too harsh, they tell me that “Jesus is in control,” that they are not “called” to fight evil and that “we should pray for our enemies.”

Where have these guys come from? What we need is a return of the Voice of God thundering through the prophets standing in America’s pulpits. Not the prissy Purpose Driven drivel passing as the Gospel today. The feminized-preachers of today cannot hold a candle to those who ushered in The Great Awakening which led to the American Revolution, and the abolition of slavery — two world-changing events spearheaded by the pulpit.

Listen to the message of America’s premiere preachers today. Rick Warren and his Purpose Driven Life have infiltrated the Church. Over 400,000 pastors have attended his conferences and over 40 million of his books have been sold. Wikipedia tells us “Since September 2002, over 30,000 congregations, corporations, and sports teams across the United States have participated in a “40 Days of Purpose” emphasis. A May 2005 survey of American pastors and ministers conducted by George Barna asked Christian leaders to identify what books were the most influential on their lives and ministries.” The Purpose Driven Life was the most frequent response. Today’s Christians are more familiar with the words of Warren than the Words of Jesus. Thousands of America’s churches have used it in their Bible Studies and thousands of preachers preach Warren’s message.

Joel Osteen was voted Most Influential Christian in 2006. His preaching style focuses on “the goodness of God rather than sin.” He is a self-described “Life-coach” and “thinks that there are probably others better qualified, or more gifted for explaining Bible verses. Osteen explains that he tries to teach Biblical principles in a simple way, emphasizing the power of love and a positive attitude.” Wikipedia. “Presently, Osteen and several Lakewood Church team members travel across the nation, presenting programs in large stadiums to a paying public.” He has sold millions of books to millions of feel-good Christians.

While our nation is killing babies, our schools are indoctrinating Christian-kids in Secular Humanism, and “Truth has fallen in the streets,” our preachers are attending church-growth seminars, using ‘self-help” books to supplement the Bible, and chasing after the butts and bucks. They are fiddling while the nation burns, building their church rather than Christ’s Kingdom.

Public schools are destroying the faith of Christian children and the pulpits are silent.

Legislation is introduced to remove the rights of parents and the pulpits are silent.

Children are taught they came from apes and the pulpits are silent.

Millions of children are “medicated” to control their behavior and the pulpits are silent.

Gambling is promoted to pay for schools and the pulpit is silent.

Precious babies are being murdered in the womb and the pulpits are silent.

Planned Parenthood kills babies with our tax dollars and the pulpits are silent.

Judges make laws and the pulpits are silent.

Tolerance trumps Truth and the pulpits are silent.

Sodomy is granted legal protection and the pulpits are silent.

The institution of marriage is crumbling and the pulpits are silent.

Obama says the Sermon on the Mount justifies gay marriage and the pulpits are silent.

Government has replaced God as defender and provider and the pulpits are silent.

Faith-based initiatives invite the government into the Church and the pulpits are silent.

The IRS muzzles the voice of the Church and the pulpits are silent.

Taxes are levied to do the work of the Church and the pulpits are silent.

The Church locks arms with compassionate-conservativism and the pulpits are silent.

Children’s service agencies separate family members and the pulpits are silent.

Self-help books replace the Bible and the pulpits are silent.

A Purpose Driven Life is elevated above dying to self and the pulpits are silent.

G.W. Bush says Christians and Muslims worship the same God and the pulpits are silent.

The Constitution is ignored and the pulpits are silent.

Pagans pray to open a session of Congress and the pulpits are silent.

Our elected officials lie and steal and the pulpits are silent.

Private property is stolen by government and the pulpits are silent.

Mother Earth is protected more than Father God is defended and the pulpits are silent.

Illegal aliens over-run our borders and the pulpits are silent.

The entertainment industry celebrates debauchery and the pulpits are silent.

From a bygone era, the sound from the pulpit rumbles throughout the ages.

Could a mariner sit idle if he heard the drowning cry? Could a doctor sit in comfort and just let his patients die? Could a fireman sit idle, let men burn and give no hand? Can you sit at ease in Zion with the world around you DAMNED? – Leonard Ravenhill

Churches don’t need new members half so much as they need the old bunch made over. There wouldn’t be so many non-church goers if there were not so many non-going churches. Too many churches are little more than four walls and a roof.– Billy Sunday

The voice from the pulpit today sings a different song.

“The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” Jeremiah 5:31.

Truth, justice and the American way are a thing of the past.

“None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.” Isaiah 59:4.

Tragically, the pulpits are silent.

And when liberty is lost and the tyranny of men is visited in full upon a people bereft of faith and common sense – the silence of of so many in the face of approaching evil will be a grievous sin upon our souls as a people.