July/August/
September 2006
Newsletter


Table of Contents


The Josiah
Generation


Road Report


From a Teen's Point
of View - The End Of An Empire


Happenings at The Harvest Mill


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The ancient Roman Empire is considered by many to be the greatest in the history of mankind. The sheer might and vastness of the empire was astounding; dominating most of the known world at that time. Yet a cancerous process of sociological and governmental decay eventually felled mighty Rome. The United States of America has, in modern times, closely emulated the paradigm of ancient Rome. Through the blessings of freedom and divine providence, the United States has arisen as the preeminent world superpower—the modern equivalent of an empire. Few realize, however, that the same corruption that brought Rome to an inglorious end has subtly imbedded itself within American culture. America has embraced the same moral decadence, political complacency, and national disunity that ultimately destroyed the Roman Empire.

Moral decadence was perhaps the single most important contributor to the fall of Rome. From the very beginning of the Roman Republic, the core principle of honor, duty and group welfare over self-gratification constituted an integral element of Roman society. As the republic grew larger and saw a greater influx of wealth, such lofty ideals gave way to greed and lust for power. This degradation of the Roman ideal was cited by Cicero as the underlying cause for the end of the Roman Republic and the emergence of the Roman Empire. Under appallingly perverse emperors, the moral climate of Roman society deteriorated at an accelerated rate, and the moral awareness of the Romans steadily plummeted. America has allowed this same moral digression to be repeated within its own culture. The economic prosperity that propelled the United States to the forefront of world power brought the same magnitude of moral decline seen in late-republican Rome. With each new generation, Americans have forsaken more of the convictions of their forefathers and embraced all forms of drunkenness, lewdness, and sexual perversion. As seen in the Roman republic, a nation void of morality will consume itself. Without the moral foundation upon which it was established, America cannot and will not succeed.

Another contributor to the fall of Rome was the political complacency of the populous. In 49 BC, Julius Caesar marched into Rome and declared his authority superior to that of the Senate, thereby becoming the first Roman Emperor. Such injustice should have sparked an insurrection among the populace, but the masses were conspicuously absent. They had become so engrossed in their wealth, comfort, and entertainment that they were more inclined to ignore such an injustice than to question it. That day marked the death of the republic. Likewise, many Americans—enamored by sports, sex, and material wealth—have diverted their attention from the responsibilities of free government. Such distractions threaten to undermine the public participation in government that is so essential to the preservation of liberty.

As the moral and political fibers that held the empire together began to disintegrate, Rome became divided against itself. A climate of dissension developed as political and military factions vied for power, and national loyalty was divided among these factions. As the Roman legions battled one another, the fierce German barbarians began invading the weakened borders of the empire until they finally sacked the city of Rome itself. America is currently experiencing a level of internal struggle not unlike that of the last days of Rome. Political and social factions are seeking to impose their own agendas with complete disregard for the collective good of the nation. As this power struggle rages within America, radical Islamo-fascists are exploiting the opportunity to weaken American resolve and plot the nation’s downfall.

Sir Winston Churchill once said, “If we do not learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it.” As America is locked in an epic battle against the brutal armies of Islam, the moral and ethical decay that ruined Rome is beginning to take its toll on the social fiber of the nation. In Matthew 5:13, Jesus called Believers “the salt of the earth.” Just as salt is a preserving element in food, so Christ called the church to be the preserving element within a nation. It is time for Christians to stand against the immorality, idleness, and discord that threatens to fatally cripple the nation. There is yet hope for America, and it is that of Christ and the consecrated saints of God.