I find it curious how the stores all have ‘organizing containers’ and bins as the featured special each January.  I guess as part of our New Year resolutions to slim down, unclutter, make better, and re-do areas of our lives, it means we are cleaning out and organizing our closets and basements as well.  Maybe we clean out in January because we have old toys to throw out and new toys to put away along with all the other Christmas stuff.  It may also be because it is too stinking cold outside to do anything but find something to do INSIDE.  (Well, at least in the northern states.) The “cleaning out bug” bit me yesterday – my dresser top looks polished and cleaned off now!  As I was sorting through some stacks of papers, I came across this Q&A that I cut out ten years ago from the magazine, “Focus on the Family.”  God bless you Dr. James Dobson.  Posted in the February/March 2003 issue was the following question with Dr. Dobson presenting the answer:

Q  You have said on several occasions that a society can be no more stable than the strength of individual families.  Specifically, you said sexual behavior is directly linked to survival of nations.  Explain how that principle works.

A  A book could be written on that topic, but let me give you a short answer.  This link you referred to was first illuminated by J.D. Unwin, a British social anthropologist who spent seven years studying the births and death of 80 civilizations.  He reported from his exhaustive research that every known culture in the world’s history has followed the same sexual pattern:  During its early days of existence, premarital and extramarital sexual relationships were strictly prohibited.   Great creative energy was associated with this inhibition of sexual expression, causing the culture to prosper.  Later in the life of the society, its people began to rebel against the prohibitions, demanding the freedom to express their internal passions.  As the mores weakened, the social energy abated, eventually resulting in the decay or destruction of the civilization.
Unwin concluded that the energy that holds a society together is sexual in nature.  When a man is devoted to one woman and one family, he is motivated to build, save, protect, plan, and prosper on their behalf.  However, when male and female sexual interests are dispersed and generalized, their effort is invested in the gratification of sensual desires.  Unwin wrote:  “Any human society is free either to display great energy, or to enjoy sexual freedom; the evidence is that they cannot do both for more than one generation.”
It is my belief that the burgeoning social ills seen in Western nations, including rising crime rates, drug abuse, sexual exploitation of children and the disintegration of families, can be traced to the disintegration of traditional values and biblical standards of morality.

Oh my!

The United States used to be a country with strong traditional values and passionate patriotism. This country is going quickly to hell in a hand basket!   Where have the standards of right and wrong, good and bad gone?  It’s more of a “if it feels good, do it” kind of society.  <sigh>  What happened to respect, responsibility, and religion?

Today I saw a news story of how members of a Satanic Temple insist that a 7-foot tall statue of the devil be located at the Capitol building in Oklahoma.  Seriously?  Here’s the story if you want to look it up:  http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2014/01/08/satanists-seek-spot-on-statehouse-steps/
Looks like Satan is getting a strong hold.

PewResearch just released statistics on religions in America.  Included in their results was this finding:  “Among Americans ages 18-29, one-in-four say they are not currently affiliated with any particular religion.”  That is very sad.  Here is the link if you were interested in the complete report:  http://religions.pewforum.org/reports

Folks, it is a new year and you probably have aspirations to ‘make better’ and re-do areas of your life.  Why not ‘make better’ your relationship and commitment to God?  The results can be far-reaching.  As you walk closer to Him, perhaps you will influence friends and family and they will influence more people along the way.  It’s time to clean up our act and stand strong.  Show a little backbone and recognize a right from a wrong.  We need to save the next generation.

Stand strong.

Just Laurel