In a similar vein to yesterday's post, I want to write a little bit on America's influence in this world. There is an element in American society that has existed for some time, well over a century, that believes that America is an enemy of good people everywhere. We have given these people ammunition for their argument but it is a popgun compared to the evidence on how we have positively effected the world. Our consumerism has hurt us and been passed on to the world. Our corporatism has often taken advantage of smaller nations. Our entertainment industry sickens us and others. We have made errors in the past, sometimes out of arrogance, sometimes out of misplaced good intentions but three things should be considered before using this argument.
First, our enormous wealth highlights our role in a world where culture moves as slowly as climate change. Capitalism is the property of most nations in the free world, we didn't invent it and anyone can and does misuse it. The alternative socialist mind tries to assuage its own guilt. By trying to "help" the unfortunate, it is trying to legitimize its own existence. When they achieve full power they, as in the case of the Soviet Union or China, subjected their people to intolerable conditions and hated Capitalist societies that prosper even more. In the last sixty years, the United States , both its government and its individuals, has literally poured wealth into all areas of the world. It has seen suffering and rallied to alleviate it. The same innovation and entrepreneurship that built its economy has fought disease, hunger, malnutrition and ignorance. Secondly, the United States came to the rescue of Europe when faced by domination of Hitler and afterwards rebuilt much of what aggression destroyed. European, Asian, South American and African nations have survived because of the intervention of America. Everywhere, people were given hope by our freedoms and willingness to inject ourselves into other's problems. Third, the gospel has emanated from this country in a most powerful way, in fact, this is surely the reason God has blessed us to begin with.
Admittedly, we are hurting now, yet missionaries reject the consumerism inflicting us and go out into the world's most dangerous places while Christians send their monies. President Obama is, to say the least, unimpressed with the first reason, seemingly ignorant of the second and downright disparaging of the third. The Administration, Democratic Party and media such as Newsweek and Time seem to be very confident that Americans will applaud the dismantling of their history. More likely it is a ploy to feed the information as if it is a fait accompli. Our government was not designed for such change through populism or adventurous politicians. These policies that are off the drawing board and presented as if an American consensus exists, will be challenged and debated.
First, our enormous wealth highlights our role in a world where culture moves as slowly as climate change. Capitalism is the property of most nations in the free world, we didn't invent it and anyone can and does misuse it. The alternative socialist mind tries to assuage its own guilt. By trying to "help" the unfortunate, it is trying to legitimize its own existence. When they achieve full power they, as in the case of the Soviet Union or China, subjected their people to intolerable conditions and hated Capitalist societies that prosper even more. In the last sixty years, the United States , both its government and its individuals, has literally poured wealth into all areas of the world. It has seen suffering and rallied to alleviate it. The same innovation and entrepreneurship that built its economy has fought disease, hunger, malnutrition and ignorance. Secondly, the United States came to the rescue of Europe when faced by domination of Hitler and afterwards rebuilt much of what aggression destroyed. European, Asian, South American and African nations have survived because of the intervention of America. Everywhere, people were given hope by our freedoms and willingness to inject ourselves into other's problems. Third, the gospel has emanated from this country in a most powerful way, in fact, this is surely the reason God has blessed us to begin with.
Admittedly, we are hurting now, yet missionaries reject the consumerism inflicting us and go out into the world's most dangerous places while Christians send their monies. President Obama is, to say the least, unimpressed with the first reason, seemingly ignorant of the second and downright disparaging of the third. The Administration, Democratic Party and media such as Newsweek and Time seem to be very confident that Americans will applaud the dismantling of their history. More likely it is a ploy to feed the information as if it is a fait accompli. Our government was not designed for such change through populism or adventurous politicians. These policies that are off the drawing board and presented as if an American consensus exists, will be challenged and debated.
