The flag of the United States was adopted by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777. One hundred years later, Flag Day was officially celebrated for the first time. In 1782, the colors of the flag were made part of the newly designed Great Seal of the United States, and the Department of State said the colors have these meanings: "Red stands for hardiness and courage. White is the symbol of purity and innocence. Blue is the color of vigilance, perseverance, and justice." Are Americans living up to those standards? Let's examine a couple of them.
What about purity and innocence? The Secret Service Agents and their prostitutes are an example. It demonstrates our rejection of the Bible, for it is merely "an ethics violation." They just need some instruction. Whatever happened to God's moral law - the Ten Commandments? The evidence is clear from our entertainment and news that we now scoff at such old fashioned ideas. Modern man decides what is right for himself. He is free from those old restraints (Psalm 2:3).
On Feb. 9, 1964, May Craig of Meet The Press wrote in the Sunday Telegram: "Unless there is a change, deep-down in the American people - a genuine crusade against self indulgence and immorality, public and private, then we are witnesses to the decline and fall of the American Republic ... cheating from top to bottom in our society, get rich quick, break-up of family, faltering foreign policy, reckless debt - these have destroyed nations before us." In regard to her reference to "reckless debt," Communist leader Lenin said, "The surest way to overthrow an existing social order is to debauch the currency." Obama is on the fast track to make it happen.
In May 1964, Reader's Digest reported, "The smut industry is approaching a two billion dollar-a-year volume, rapidly turning this country into the pornographic capital of the world." (This is peanuts, compared to today).
A Senate committee investigating juvenile delinquency back then reported that "...the moral fiber of the country is being undermined by a deluge of filthy books, pictures, and other pornographic material. Worst of all, up to 75% of it falls into the hands of minors." This moral collapse has had unprecedented acceleration under the Clinton and Obama administrations. People used to be shocked by flagrant sin; and churches spoke out, but now, many lips are sealed.
What about the color of blue to signify justice? Justice has always meant that one is innocent until proven guilty. Not so now. If a woman accuses a man of sexual harassment on a college campus, "accusation equals guilt." The Department of Education for Civil Rights sent a 19-page DCL (Dear College Letter) to colleges and universities purporting to be under Title IX (federal law banning gender discrimination) with the threat of losing federal funding. It is another of this administration's federal orders which have the force of law, bypassing Congress. This DCL orders colleges to reject the use of the criminal justice standard of proof-namely, being judged guilty "beyond reasonable doubt"; or even the standard of "clear and convincing" proof. Instead, they must judge an accused man, based on "a preponderance of evidence." In other words, the campus disciplinary board only has to believe that the female accuser is 51 percent likely to be truthful and accurate. This DLC even "strongly discourages" colleges from permitting an accused man "to question or cross-examine the accuser" during the hearing.
"Accusation equals guilt" was the "justice" Christians received during the Spanish Inquisition; and in many Islamic countries today. In both cases they were, and are demanded to recant (renounce salvation by faith in Christ).
America, the "city on a hill" - the bastion of freedom for over 200 years, seems to be moving in the direction of becoming a part of the anti-Christ world. So far, open persecution of Christians is not in force, but in the minds of most people "accusation equals guilt" when a true servant of God is accused. Christian martyrs do not die as heroes, but as sinners and law-breakers in the eyes of an anti-Christ world.
These are indeed perilous times. But in such times, the Psalmist reminds us, "Thou hast given a banner to them that fear Thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth." (Psalm 60:4) Are you displaying the banner of truth? "The wicked flee when no man pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion." (Prov. 28:1)
Bob Beetler is a resident of Battle Mountain.
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