Author: Helen Man
Translator: Kim Ng 2022-07
Why is the United States full of crises these days?
The Aftermath of the Pandemic
Since the outbreak of coronavirus, our worldwide statistics showed over 529 million confirmed cases and over 8.39 million deaths as of May 23, 2022. Here in the U.S. we have exceeded 1 million deaths as of May 13, 2022 on which the U.S. government flags were lowered at half-mast in tribute. (Note 1) Over 200,000 children have become COVID-19 orphans due to their parents’ or guardians’ deaths. (Note 2) According to WHO’s 2022 report, people felt desperate and broken-hearted due to long-term isolation or death of family members with whom the opportunity to spend the last moment with a sick loved one was denied. Other problems were: business closing, layoffs, financial difficulties, children stuck at home for school, limited space for family activities, frequent quarrels and conflicts, and constant fear of being infected…. As a result, worldwide anxiety and depression have significantly increased by 25%. WHO even concluded that mental problems were far higher than physical illnesses. (Note 3)
Disturbing Governmental Policies
The Democratic Party is in power, with a left-wing political platform, overturning all Trump’s policies such as energy issues and building a border wall. In contrast, Democrats opened the border (leading to a large number of illegal immigrants and drugs flooding into the U.S.), sharply raised taxes, liberated abortion restrictions, expanded of homosexual, bisexual and transgender rights, advocated Critical Race Theory and Cancel Culture, and even started sex education in schools from the third grade of elementary school. Our society is full of hidden dangers. (Note 4)
Shocking Inflation
- Biden, as a left-wing President, believes that “climate change endangers national security”. On his first day of presidency, he immediately endorsed 17 regulations which included the cancellation of KeystoneXL oil pipeline, the suspension of all crude oil reclamation, and stopping the issuing of oil and gas reclamation permits. The resulting rise in U.S. oil prices is one of the main causes of inflation. Compared with March 2021, general prices rose an average of 8.5% in March this year, hitting the highest inflation rate in 40 years. (Note 5)
- As Russia aggressively invaded Ukraine, the United States and other countries imposed economic sanctions on Russia. Since Russia is the world’s main producer of petroleum gas and Ukraine is the world’s third-largest grain exporter, this war has also led to world energy and food shortages and inflation.
- In the past few months, Shanghai, the financial and economic center of China and some provinces executed lockdowns due to the further outbreak of coronavirus, shutting down nearly 40% of the Chinese economy (Note 6), adding to the turmoil and depression in the US and global financial markets.
Rising Violence vs Declining Law & Order
The tragic killing of George Floyd in May 2020 detonated the worst riot in the United States. The “Black Lives Matter” movement quickly spread across the states, leading to the defunding of the police. According to the FBI, violent crimes such as mass shootings and assaults continue to increase. Homicides hit a record high in 2020, rising by nearly 30%, and in 2021, another 5% more. (Note 7)
- In 2021, California passed the SB-82 bill to treat felonies as misdemeanors. For example, robbery becomes petty theft if the amount does not exceed $950 and if the victim does not get seriously injured. In that case, the arrested felon may only need to sign out without a bail to get back to the streets. As a result, gang robbery in stores has become a trend. “Zero dollar purchases” take place in large stores such as Walgreens and Target one after another, resulting in heavy losses and businesses closing down.
- On November 20, 2021, a gang of 90 robbers looted Nordstrom.
Free media has not been reporting all of these crimes and some democratic senators even claim that these are fabricated. (Note 8)
Rampant Gun Shootings in Major Cities
Our new NYC District Attorney announces that he would relax the pursuit of certain crimes. As a result, NYC crime rate has increased by 32%, compared to the same period in 2021.
- A homeless man pushed a Chinese woman off a NYC subway track to her death on January 17, 2022.
- On April 12, at least 29 people were injured in a shooting in the NYC subway, of which 10 were shot and 5 were seriously injured.
- On May 14, a shooting occurred at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, resulting in 10 deaths and 3 injuries.
- On May 22, a bank executive was shot and killed in the NYC subway for no reason.
- On May 15, a shooting at a church in California left one person dead and several seriously injured.
- On May 25, a shooting at an elementary school in Texas killed 19 children and 2 teachers. The 18-year-old murderer was shot dead by the police. (Note 9)
Abortion Rights & Moral Standards
U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion leaked: Justices will vote to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade case. The government decides whether to restrict abortion. Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed that the leaked draft was true, but was not final. However, if the “Roe v. Wade” case is overturned and the state government regains the right to abortion, about 26 conservative states in the United States will have different levels of abortion bans.
After the draft was leaked, pro-abortion protesters staged massive protest marches on the streets of major cities and in front of the Supreme Court. They protested day and night in front of the conservative justice’s home, putting pressure on the justice to change his mind. Low national morality is evident.
Senate Democrats, in order to uphold the legality of abortion, will immediately pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, the most radical abortion bill in U.S. history, which is more aggressive than Roe v. Wade:
- They are even so radical to say that abortion is the prerogative of all people, including men and women. At a congressional hearing, representatives of pro-abortion advocates actually said that men can get pregnant and have the right to have an abortion, exposing their ignorance and shame.
- This Act will eliminate state restrictions on abortion such as no time limit for abortion, even during laboring. They even set up or join homosexual churches due to misunderstanding of the Bible. (Note 12)
Fading Faith of Believers
- Many Christians have become very laid back with online worship and have lost interactions with other Christians. Worldly trends easily drag them away from God. Some churches rather take shortcuts to solve problems caused by secular trends.
- According to the May 2021 report of Presbyterian Church USA, the largest denominational Presbyterian Church in the US, from 2019 to 2020, it has lost 57,000 members and closed 116 churches (Note 13). According to Rev. J. Herbert Nelson II, the secretary of the association, the reason is that the association has abandoned the truth of the Bible and agreed with social trends: accepting homosexual clergy, allowing same-sex marriage, favoring abortion, etc., causing members to leave in protest. Therefore any churches that cater to secular trends and abandon the truth of the Bible, not only will they be unable to be salt and light for the Lord (Matthew 5:13-15), but they will also have to face the severe judgment of God in the future.
The above several crises in the United States are just the tip of the iceberg. You may agree that the American society today is riddled with crises and returning to the true God is urgent.
So how do we return to God? God has proclaimed: “…. if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
- For a nation to return to God, it starts with God’s people. We, blessed Christians, need to repent for ourselves and our people. May God revive us and completely remove from us anything displeasing to Him so we can serve Him again. Let us start reading the Bible by heart, pray unceasingly, be alert, and obey the Holy Spirit.
- Watch our family by praying, following God’s will, teaching the kids the Bible, and encouraging the kids to strive for spiritual growth.
- Pray for churches and pastors for revivals.
- Pray for our national leaders.
- Be bold to witness for Christ as our Lord and Savior and contend for biblical truths. Do not compromise, follow the trends, or get contaminated by secularism.
- Preach the gospel in season and out of season because the only way to transform lives and our nation is through our Lord Jesus.
- Fulfill your civic duty by getting involved with politics and voting for godly leaders who can express their religious views and eventually change the policies, and bring the US back to God.
(Notes 1 – 13 from various websites)