| In the last few years we have witnessed a | | | | Ezekiel's rebuke there is a warning for us |
| woman who drowned her children just to keep | | | | to recognize the same cause festering in our |
| her rich boyfriend. An ice skating competitor | | | | land today. Behold, this was the iniquity |
| who had the legs of her top rival broken so | | | | of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of |
| she could win. We have seen a mother hire a | | | | bread, and abundance of idleness was in her |
| hit man to eliminate her daughter's | | | | and in her daughters, neither did she |
| competition in baton twirling | | | | strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. |
| championships. Another man destroyed his | | | | Eze.16:49 |
| pregnant wife to be able to play the field, | | | | |
| and live the life of a playboy. | | | | Ezekiel's rebuke comes to my mind every time |
| | | | I hear some one refuse to give a few |
| Perhaps the most unbelievable of all was a | | | | dollars to a children's organization because |
| woman who killed a pregnant woman then cut | | | | they think the child won't get all the |
| her open and stole her unborn baby. I take | | | | money. But no one seems to even notice, |
| exception with those who take exception with | | | | much less demand a tax refund when a four |
| me for saying, that we have a nation of | | | | hundred million dollar Jupiter probes go |
| potential criminals and crackpots in our own | | | | haywire and becomes useless. Movies are made |
| children. | | | | that cost hundreds of millions of dollars |
| | | | to produce, whose messages and images would |
| We have created this dangerous potential by | | | | he better left in a garbage can. Tax money is |
| giving our children anything and everything | | | | spent on everything from the study of the |
| they want or call for. When they enter the | | | | flow of ketchup to the nocturnal habits of |
| real world, the work a day world where they | | | | lesbians. Concupiscence and waste are rampant |
| must fend for themselves suddenly the | | | | in every level of society and government, |
| silver platter is withdrawn and the reality | | | | while personal responsibility and prudent |
| is too much to handle for some. We have | | | | stewardship has become an ethical relic of |
| forgotten the days of our austerity when as | | | | sorts. Where does it end? |
| pioneers, plainsmen, and immigrants we were | | | | |
| thankful to have our most basic needs met. | | | | I have no doubt that the chastisements of |
| We have elevated our wants and desires to the | | | | America will be the sudden and complete |
| level of the sacred. | | | | removal of nearly all essential goods and |
| | | | personal wealth. Something on the order of |
| We imitate and borrow from the language of | | | | the dust bowl and the stock market crash |
| the greedy with our preoccupation with the | | | | combined, but multiplied many times over will |
| prosperity gospel of today's preachers. You | | | | soon befall this country. How this will |
| will be just as likely to find today's | | | | come about is not certain but that is not my |
| churches teaching us how to invest our | | | | concern at this moment. I would prefer to |
| money as how to get saved. Being born again | | | | see millions of Americans coming to their |
| is mocked and set aside in favor of | | | | senses and turning back to God in humility |
| instruction in the stock market, retirement | | | | and thereby avoiding this great portent, |
| funds and get rich schemes. Add to this, that | | | | but I am sure that this is not what they |
| modern psychology, sociology and other | | | | are going to do. |
| behavioral and environmental scientists have | | | | |
| repeatedly warned us that poverty leads to | | | | A few years ago I was singing and playing |
| crime and social upheaval of every kind. | | | | guitar in some folk music venues. I |
| You can only imagine what America would look | | | | produced three albums of Irish, folk, |
| like if virtually every extra and almost | | | | bluegrass and gospel songs before I |
| all essentials were at a premium, if they | | | | published a compilation of my original songs. |
| could be found at all. It does not paint a | | | | Among them is one I named An American |
| very good picture. | | | | Lament, I tried to present it as a |
| | | | Christian song but in the most subdued |
| The ancient city of Sodom was rebuked by the | | | | fashion. I wanted a message without the |
| prophet Ezekiel. Everyone knows the sins of | | | | mush. I think I was able to accomplish that |
| ancient Sodom but in Ezekiel's rebuke, the | | | | and that is why I present it here to |
| root cause for Sodom's sin is revealed. In | | | | appendage this section. |