It seems that a rather large rift exists between the way Americans perceive themselves, and how the rest of the world understand them to be. For the last 50 or so years America has been the dominant player on the world stage. Their leadership has helped to shape the thinking of countless millions who see the U.S. as the land of promise and endless opportunities.
While there is much truth in that statement, sadly, America has also become an net exporter of much filth and immorality.
While we have become used to the ever numbing influence of Hollywood and it's charge down the hellish abyss, people from other countries have been deeply shocked and disgusted. Now of course the Europeans exceed even Americans in depravity, but that is another story.
There is much to be said for first impressions; when missionaries travel to other lands and bring the good news of Christ, these people are drawn to us and what we have to offer. However, if their first impression is through exposure to filthy movies and corrupt business dealings, they soon come to think that all Americans are like this.
Jesus said that a city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Similarly, the U.S. has been blessed with the opportunity to take the gospel into all the world.
But somewhere along the way, we Christians became obsessed with the pleasures of a hedonistic culture and compromised our love for God and the purity of His Word by embracing the "culture" of a secular society. Just because it is American does not make it any better than the ideology that Islamic fascists are promoting. We must realize that sin by any name is a detriment to our spiritual health and the stability and longevity of the nation.
America has become a society addicted to sinful pleasures and the life of ease. It will catch up eventually and the results will not be pretty. Let us pray that God will move in our midst to draw His people out of the mixture of a carnal christianity into the purity of a Christ centered life.
