I would like to look at the few similarities between the Senate of the Roman Republic and our Senate in the United States. The former had a Republican form of government, with a constitution of sorts and a series of checks and balances. The senators were men of privilege. Some were honest, some were dishonest. Men, in the centuries before Christ, were no more or less intelligent than today, they were patriotic or self-serving and they could differ with one another in opinions and philosophies. Rome's Republic was altered significantly during the Imperial period which itself eventually collapsed, the reason for which differs with the historian. I bring this limited analogy up for one reason.
We are no different than the Roman Republic in that God had a purpose with Rome, that being, it would be that government that paved the way for Jesus life and the beginnings of the church; and it would be our government, when called upon, that would stabilize the world for the continued propagation of the gospel. I have written extensively here on the American people and their love of liberty and willingness to sacrifice for it. We are the most fortunate of people to have this as our country! In fact this nation is so strong, so established, that we have come to see a stock market collapse or a recession, or a terrorist attack as the most devastation that we could possibly experience.
I'm convinced that we leave no place in our assessment for destruction or transformation into a governing system that bears no resemblance whatsoever to the last twenty-three decades, and because we are blind to our similarity to the Roman Republic in both capabilities and frailties, we are blissfully ignorant of being within sight of this collapse. Our history is resplendent for its liberties, the courage and compassion of its people and the hope that the world has gleaned from it, but in spite of all the accomplishments, in spite of the responsibilities of its citizens today to continue with this noble experiment, we most certainly can be utterly destroyed, and unless we admit that possibility, we will continue to idly pass the time instead of rebuilding the walls. The Old Testament false prophet prophesied Peace, when there was no peace. We hear the same voices today and when someone like Dick Cheney shouts his warning from the rooftops, he is accused of wanting America to be attacked. Our parents (I'm speaking of the Boomers here) met the challenge of totalitarianism head on and provided a continuing of America's blessing for its children. What will our children say of us?
We are no different than the Roman Republic in that God had a purpose with Rome, that being, it would be that government that paved the way for Jesus life and the beginnings of the church; and it would be our government, when called upon, that would stabilize the world for the continued propagation of the gospel. I have written extensively here on the American people and their love of liberty and willingness to sacrifice for it. We are the most fortunate of people to have this as our country! In fact this nation is so strong, so established, that we have come to see a stock market collapse or a recession, or a terrorist attack as the most devastation that we could possibly experience.
I'm convinced that we leave no place in our assessment for destruction or transformation into a governing system that bears no resemblance whatsoever to the last twenty-three decades, and because we are blind to our similarity to the Roman Republic in both capabilities and frailties, we are blissfully ignorant of being within sight of this collapse. Our history is resplendent for its liberties, the courage and compassion of its people and the hope that the world has gleaned from it, but in spite of all the accomplishments, in spite of the responsibilities of its citizens today to continue with this noble experiment, we most certainly can be utterly destroyed, and unless we admit that possibility, we will continue to idly pass the time instead of rebuilding the walls. The Old Testament false prophet prophesied Peace, when there was no peace. We hear the same voices today and when someone like Dick Cheney shouts his warning from the rooftops, he is accused of wanting America to be attacked. Our parents (I'm speaking of the Boomers here) met the challenge of totalitarianism head on and provided a continuing of America's blessing for its children. What will our children say of us?
