Steve McCann takes us on a journey through American history by applying the causes that led to the decline and fall of ancient empires. He enumerates six stages that have precipitated the rise and the current decline of the American empire. If we don't learn from the past, it will likely repeat itself, this time in the American nation. Mr. McCann draws heavily from Sir John Glubb's essay on the Fate of Empires: "A cursory examination of history reveals that the United States is mired in … [Read more...] about The Decline of the American Empire
Post-Truth
The Power of a Common Enemy
In February 2022, China and Russia unveiled a plan for a new world order. A Washington Examiner article stated in October 2023, that âChina and Russia have outlined a vision of international relations anchored in their potential to reinforce each other in disputes with the United States and its allies while cooperating on an array of economic and diplomatic fronts.â Moscow and Beijing could now develop into an integrated challenge to American power. The entire situation with Ukraine began … [Read more...] about The Power of a Common Enemy
2024 Relationship Challenges
Due to the natural proclivity of the human mind to focus inward on self, relationships in âthe worldâ are deteriorating. Nations are turning inward as are the communities that form a nation. We see the emergence of what is being called âIdentity Politicsâ and the âNew Tribalism.â This is a form of polarization which has as its underpinning an emphasis on self. This should not surprise us as we know the god of this world is a self-promoter. At the personal level, our present cancel culture is … [Read more...] about 2024 Relationship Challenges
The Collapse of Justice
Our problems with justice today began with those entrusted with judgment in ancient Israel. They rejected Godâs moral authority over them. They made the law void. The problem continues to this day in that Godâs moral authority is also rejected by those entrusted to uphold it now. The Enlightenment, a movement in Europe in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, promoted reason and reason alone as the method of obtaining truth. Nietzsche, a man famous for saying God is dead … [Read more...] about The Collapse of Justice
The Missing Dimension in Morality
We have a very real problem that pervades our world â and that problem is the missing dimension of morality. As one political commentator noted, âThis is not a constitutional problem. It is a moral crisis.â The lack of morality is a disease of the mind, and one definition of madness is âextremely foolish behavior.â Why do so many of societyâs influential people do things that leave us shaking our heads in bewilderment and asking the question, âWhat were they thinking?â What characterizes … [Read more...] about The Missing Dimension in Morality
The Humanist Philosophy of Life
It would be no overstatement to say that one of this modern worldâs most pervasive worldviews is that of humanism. The American Humanist Association defines humanism as âa progressive philosophy of life that, without supernaturalism, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity.â As the term implies, humanism is the reliance upon the human self. When this is coupled with secularism then God is eliminated from … [Read more...] about The Humanist Philosophy of Life
Death and Beyond
While we all know something about living a physical life, it is important to gain an understanding of death and what is beyond. Paul's perspective in I Corinthians 15:19-26 is very enlightening: "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death [through Adam], by Man [Christ] also came the resurrection of the dead. For as … [Read more...] about Death and Beyond