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Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.”
About twenty years ago, a young mother told me, “Father, I’m going to give my daughter what my parents never gave me.” I asked her exactly what that was. After all, she was a great lady. She said, “My parents, especially my dad, were very strict with me. We weren’t allowed to wear any nice [fashionable] clothes. I wasn’t allowed to go to any sleepovers in middle school. I could never paint my nails when I was a little girl. I couldn’t wear make-up and I couldn’t have a boyfriend until I was in College. And I wasn’t allowed to watch TV during the week.” “Well”, I told her, “you turned out pretty normal.” Twenty years later, her little girl did grow up with things her mom never grew up with: an eating disorder, alcoholism, drug addiction and two babies out of wedlock.
How can we feel at peace? Our country is a mess. Our families are a mess. Our finances are a mess. Our schools are a mess. I hate to sound so negative, but our country, since the 1960’s, has for the most part ceased to be any type of positive role model throughout the world. People who immigrate to the United States are far more successful than people who have lived here all their life! Why? Because they arrive here better educated and better disciplined. They come here with a strong work ethic, no sense of entitlement, high morals and great family ties. Immigrants still come to the United States because our country is still living off of the fruits and hard work of those who came before us. We are living off of their coattails. It will not last much longer.
The Mass media in the United States is a mess! Television programs have been far more successful at social engineering than the pioneers of genetic engineering. Ask any of the thousands of therapists out there treating our children. They will tell you. The marketing gurus have stolen our tots and turned them into “prostitots”. You can never be too young to be concerned about your weight or appearing sexy. And parents seem to gobble it all up! And those who do not are not willing to take the radical steps to protect their children, like cancelling cable TV, demanding greater responsibility, higher morals and standards and yes, instilling some fear. Kids do not fear their parents. Instead, they fear their peers, and what they think about them. They do not fear being a failure in life. They fear being rejected and not liked. As if it was some teacher’s punishment they will write “I will die” a thousand times a year if this or that happens or doesn’t happen before the all-important age of fifteen. The problem with so many kids is they spend too much time wanting to be understood rather than understand.
An idiot for Rolling Stone magazine recently informed parents that they can better understand their kid’s feelings by what they listen to and watch. What he failed to mention are the adult social engineers behind the cameras and gigantic screens that write the scripts, plaster the make-up, generate the fashions and televise it all on TV. Teens don’t write scripts. Adults do. Teens don’t create fashions. Adults do. Teens are not behind the cameras. Adults are. Adults take their child-like manikins and dress them up, put words into their mouth and move them into place. They take the worst of the worst and put it in front of the camera for millions to see. The lure of money and fame ensure a constant flow of disposable child actors and actresses.
Casts and crew have done more for evolution than Charles Darwin could ever imagine. They have quickened the pace of evolution. Overnight, they can create hysteria over a pair of shoes; a bracelet into an essential appendage; a virtue into extinction. In just a few hours, they can to turn tots into teens and mutate adults into teenagers. The social engineers are experts at recycling. For example, they can take a child and turn him/her into a star. And when the star has fallen, they can take their pathetic little lives and lies and turn it all into an autobiography. Even when they are dead and buried, like a fossil fuel, they can generate revenue. How environmental they are!
TV programs legally hijack our kids, brainwash them for hours and leave them brain dead for years. They hold at gunpoint parents and have kids in a head lock. They command more attention and more influence than parents and Church. In fact, they have managed to turn parents into enemies and the Church into fanatics. Amazing! Simply Amazing!
What to do? Recognize the obvious!
Without a foundation, a house cannot stand - not a glass house, not a steal house, not even a house on top of a mountain. Without virtues and morals, a life doesn’t stand a chance - not even with millions of dollars. Without authentic love, life has no meaning - not even with a million fans. Without personal sacrifice, a marriage cannot endure – not even a royal prince’s marriage. Without parent’s love, responsibility and discipline, a child will never be able to stand straight. Without Jesus Christ, a soul will never get home. Without Jesus Christ, I will never find my way, the truth or my life.
It’s so obvious. It’s time we attack the problems! It’s time that we defend the obvious!
The font you have been using is not very readable even when I adjust the size. The letters just seem too crowded together.
ReplyDeleteSome of your readers are senior citizens......
I think your negativity is well warranted. I cannot agree with you more, Father....
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad reality we live in such a negative society. Americans hunger, feed, and seek more nourishment from social engineering than divine engineering. Frightening to think Social Engineers/media exploits are becoming more of a "God" than Christ and his true Church. Satan must love seeing all of the "mess" our country is in. You are so right that more immigrants are better educated, harder working, and successful than obese, lazy, and loud Americans.
All of this talk about media exploits and social engineering makes me think back to "The Hunger Games" trilogy. The emotionally damaging way Katniss is constantly on camera during the Hunger Games and later on as the Mockingjay during the rebel outbreak. She's clearly being used to spread propaganda to the districts. I think of how so many of our young people are also used and disgarded in ways for profit. Anyway, I won't spill anymore details about the books. I hope you read the entire series, Father. It ties along well with so many social issues you've discussed recently.
I hope parents will realize the importance of instilling discipline and good morals in their children. Limit access to television, the Internet, video games, and other "harvesting" sources that our media uses to ensnare and manipulate our youth.
Blessings,
-Jennifer
It’s so obvious. It’s time we attack the problems! It’s time that we defend the obvious!
ReplyDeleteGood idea.
I do believe that there is a trend toward this in many serious devout Christian families and circles. It seems that many of those families are the ones who may be considered weird or on the outskirts by many if not most of your readers, the 'in' crowd of Christians and Catholics.
It takes a lot of courage to actually do what you are asking and not just sit and agree.
Doing what you are asking does put one out in the front line, where they are most likely to take not only fire from the enemy ahead of them, but those behind them who are supportive in words and thoughts and even prayers but are too afraid to look like freaks, even a Jesus freak to stand out there with those who are willing to take fire for Jesus.
We see how those courageous souls are ridiculed and judged by others and we fear standing with them.
No one is asking us to face the guillotine, the lions or any other bodily torture, so why is it so hard? Is that part of the times and the culture too?
Yes, I guess it is. Being ostracized has become one of our cultures tools to control. mmmm.mmm...what to do??
Is He telling us to let go and trust Him? Does He know how hard that is?
I guess I answered my own dilemma, but I'm not happy with the outcome.
Right on Father - Right On!!!
ReplyDeleteWE must ALL make a stand and fight back. The kids society is producing are monstrous and evil. They ask for respect from adults before they can even consider giving an adult respect. They think ADULTS need to EARN their respect. I am in awe of what new age parents are teaching their kids at home just for the sake of being a "popular" parent. Not only that but the high increase of divorce is also at fault for this, because the parents compete on who is the "better" parent and in turn try to "buy" the love from their children.
Out of the 8 yrs teaching high-school I saw those teenagers getting worse and worse. I would hear how they would play their parents against each other so that they would be able to get away with whatever they wanted.
Living life to the fullest is not living life recklessly - it is living life to the fullest potential God instilled in us to accomplish our mission on earth for the sake, honor and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Life is empty when the focus is on the lies of what is "supposedly" better for us. Life is GRAND when we walk in peace, hope & love through the grace of the Holy Spirit~!
Thanks for your passion and dedication in fighting the good fight of faith Father - keep on instilling inspiration and hope throughout the world!
May the peace and love of Christ grant you divine favor & protection everywhere you go!
Father you rock. We are immigrants and in 4 years my children heave lost our value systems based on God, family, others and then self. I am a weird parent because I form them in God centered values. They say they hate me and criticize all my actions.
ReplyDeleteThe US way of life is the role model for the rest of the world, we must rescue the values of this great country and repeat an d enhance the immigrants who have come to work hard and re-evagelize the USA.