Advancing Technology, Declining Morality

In 1900, only 2% of homes in America were wired for electricity; in 2000, greater than 99%.

In 1900, only 10% of homes in America had indoor plumbing; in 2000, it was 98%.

In 1900, not one person owned a PC [0%; they did not even exist]; in 2000, 117 million people owned one [about 41% of the 2000 US population]. To say that we have advanced - technologically speaking - would be an understatement. And for all these technological innovations and progressions,I am extremely grateful!
 

But with all of these technological innovations and improvements, somewhere along the line we started regressing in our spiritual knowledge and strength. Right along with the technological advances came a decline in the moral strength of the people. [They are not necessarily related, but some technological advances have contributed to the moral decline, without a doubt.] Because of this fact, I cannot say that we are better off - as a country - than we were a hundred years ago.
 

Sure, we can look back in our country's history and there are some things we should be thankful that no longer exist. Who really wants to use outdoor toilets? Who wants to go back to making 25¢ an hour,  or a dollar a day? Who wants to go back to the days before air conditioning? Who wants to go back to the time when anyone with darker skin was looked down upon or even killed simply because they had darker skin?
 

But there are some things we, as a people, had that should not have been left behind. The greatest of those things is a love of God and a love for good things [morally speaking]. Where once our population was generally interested in doing the right thing, now we have generations of people who want to do what they want and not have anyone tell them they are wrong, and many more who think one should never tell anyone else they are wrong.
 

It seems that in our efforts to make technological advances, we have left God behind. In our rush to make life more comfortable here and now, we have left off preparing for the one to come. In our

desire to get what we want, when we want it, and however we can get it, we have ignored the need to grasp the most important thing we could ever possess: the salvation of our souls.
 

We cannot claim ignorance of where we are headed, though. In recent polls of these same American  people, 77% see moral conditions getting worse [Gallup; May, 2004]. Only 19% have a positive view  of American morals and values [Harris; Feb., 2000]. But, though we see that our morals are declining,  we don't seem to want to admit personal responsibility for contributing to it. It seems many want to point the finger of blaming our current society's problems at a lack of moral strength, but few want to admit they are part of the problem, and few want to take the moral stands that would make a difference.
 

In a recent George Barna poll, it was found that of all people over 18 who have ever been married,

35% have been divorced [representing 26% of all Americans over 18]. Sadder still is the fact that there is no statistical difference between those who claim to be Christians and those who do not. In other words, it is just as likely that one who claims belief in Christ will divorce as one who is an unbeliever.

 

In that same poll, 66% disagreed that divorce for any reason other than for adultery is a sin.

Only 24% of those who claimed to be Christians agreed that it would be sin to divorce for some

reason other than adultery. It seems many who claim to believe Jesus are willing to disagree with

Jesus on this matter. Should we be surprised that many would disagree on other topics, especially if those topics would personally and adversely affect them? Don't be, because they do.
 

Another Barna Poll [April 2004] was on the matter of illegal music copying [12 billion songs illegally copied this year, according to last Friday's report on the ABC News Nightline program], and was aimed at those under 18 because that is the age group that most often does this. It was found that 80% believed there was "nothing morally wrong" with copying music and only 8% believed it was "morally wrong." Again, it is a sad discovery to find that the numbers are almost exactly the same for those who claim to believe in Jesus as the Christ. Additionally, 80% admitted to doing it in the last six months. To further the incredulity, those 80% of so-called Christians who admitted to it also admitted to illegally copying what is defined as "Christian" or "religious" music!

Is there something wrong with this picture?!?!
 

Do we remember the lessons of Israel? Maybe we should have a short refresher course after hearing the above statistics! Maybe we need to be reminded of what happened to a nation that was recognized as God's people. And if this could happen to God's people, it could certainly happen to a nation that was never identified as such. [In spite of what some people believe, America was never "God's chosen nation."]
 

Before Entering the Promised Land. Before Israel even got to the Promised Land, they had

turned against God and were ready to go back to Egypt (Num. 14:1-5). But because they

rebelled, they were promised that they would wander for forty years and that they would eventually die in the wilderness. Because of this, they were not able to receive the promise and their example stands as a warning to us today so we do not fall short of the promise of eternal life in heaven (cf. Heb. 3:12-4:11).
 

In the Promised Land. Once in the Promised Land, the unfaithfulness of the Israelites did not cease. After Joshua and his generation passed away, it is said "another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel." (Jdgs. 2:10) Is it any wonder then that we find that they soon "forsook the Lord" (v. 12) and "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (17:6)? Does this sound familiar?
 

The First Century. More than 500 years after the Israelites returned from captivity, when the

Messiah came, the religious leaders were leading the people not in the commandments of God,

but their fathers' traditions. And when Christ brought the Word of God to the common people,

simultaneously chastising and condemning the religious leaders of the day for their hypocrisy,

they put Him to death! Again: Does this sound familiar? How do many religious leaders and

preachers treat one who points out their errors and hypocrisy today? Do not even some of our

own brethren use the same tactics to silence criticism?
 

Friends and brethren, we do not need government programs and distinguished Senate

subcommittees to solve this country's problems. There is a simple answer to halting the

decline of morality in this country: stand for the truth and live a godly life! You can make

a difference. But God already knew that (Titus 2:11-13). --

 

Steven Harper
Truth - is as old as God -
His Twin identity
And will endure as long as He