A Lesson From History
The activities of certain leaders of the US Army have been in the news, lately. We have been prompted to consider a few facts and assumptions.
History reveals the support of the Russian Army was the key to the success of the 1918 communist revolution when the Winter Palace of Tsar Nicholas II was stormed, his family murdered. After years of Marxist subversion, Lenin had finally won the army over to the cause. That was when the revolution succeeded. Communist strategists clearly noticed and remember. Today, subversion of the police and military is considered one of the main objectives in schemes to weaken and overthrow any prosperous nation.
In the USA, we don't normally seek parallels with the communist revolution. We believe, "It can't happen here." Nevertheless, we are gradually coming to realize we have an internal enemy, one whose goals and strategy to achieve them bear a striking similarity to the Bolshevists of the early 20th century.
Our enemies are very clever and have managed to turn American against American with a very simple strategy.
(1) "They" have.
(2) "You" want."
3) "We" can arrange to transfer what "they" have to "you."
In exchange for support, of course. Easy as 1-2-3.
This can be applied to just about anything people could want. Jobs, positions, political and cultural influence, power -- anything that can be coveted can be confiscated and redistributed. Appearing in many disguises and with many faces, in simplest terms, it is a matter of people who want things being willing to support rulers who will take from the law-abiding citizens and hand it over to them. It is a hard red pill to swallow.
With respect to the military and the police, Americans are asking just how deeply the forces have been affected. The army has a couple of features that cause it to be fertile ground for such "reformers." First, the army puts recruits of all backgrounds together in the same place. Second, the fact that the army is an alternative to post-secondary education should cause us to look closely at what is being taught in our high schools and through our media, to have some assessment of the attitudes of the recruits, the career soldiers, and the policy-makers in Washington.
The same approach may be applied to schools, the welfare state, and very much to the powerful political machines which make our laws and run our country. Covetousness has become so pervasive as to be nearly invisible. In itself, that causes us to wonder if today's assault on Christian principles may have deeper roots than mere differences of opinion. After all, the 10th Commandment reads,
“You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.”
As long as we continue with this obsession with what others have and continue to facilitate leaders who pit neighbors against neighbors, our country will grow weak and defenseless. My hope is that we see the light.
Picture Credit: Wiki Commons by Charles Foster.
"Bible Illustration" Public Domain
A Lesson From History
The activities of certain leaders of the US Army have been in the news, lately. We have been prompted to consider a few facts and assumptions.
History reveals the support of the Russian Army was the key to the success of the 1918 communist revolution when the Winter Palace of Tsar Nicholas II was stormed, his family murdered. After years of Marxist subversion, Lenin had finally won the army over to the cause. That was when the revolution succeeded. Communist strategists clearly noticed and remember. Today, subversion of the police and military is considered one of the main objectives in schemes to weaken and overthrow any prosperous nation.
In the USA, we don't normally seek parallels with the communist revolution. We believe, "It can't happen here." Nevertheless, we are gradually coming to realize we have an internal enemy, one whose goals and strategy to achieve them bear a striking similarity to the Bolshevists of the early 20th century. Our enemies are very clever and have managed to turn American against American with a very simple strategy.
(1) "They" have.
(2) "You" want."
3) "We" can arrange to transfer what "they" have to "you."
In exchange for support, of course. Easy as 1-2-3.
This can be applied to just about anything people could want. Jobs, positions, political and cultural influence, power -- anything that can be coveted can be confiscated and redistributed. Appearing in many disguises and with many faces, in simplest terms, it is a matter of people who want things being willing to support rulers who will take from the law-abiding citizens and hand it over to them. It is a hard red pill to swallow. With respect to the military and the police, Americans are asking just how deeply the forces have been affected. The army has a couple of features that cause it to be fertile ground for such "reformers." First, the army puts recruits of all backgrounds together in the same place. Second, the fact that the army is an alternative to post-secondary education should cause us to look closely at what is being taught in our high schools and through our media, to have some assessment of the attitudes of the recruits, the career soldiers, and the policy-makers in Washington. The same approach may be applied to schools, the welfare state, and very much to the powerful political machines which make our laws and run our country. Covetousness has become so pervasive as to be nearly invisible. In itself, that causes us to wonder if today's assault on Christian principles may have deeper roots than mere differences of opinion. After all, the 10th Commandment reads,
As long as we continue with this obsession with what others have and continue to facilitate leaders who pit neighbors against neighbors, our country will grow weak and defenseless. My hope is that we see the light.
Picture Credit: Wiki Commons by Charles Foster. "Bible Illustration" Public Domain
Amen