If you could improve the effectiveness of certain groups of people in this country, who would they be? Well, mine would be these three—parents, preachers, and politicians—and for this primary reason: these three have the greatest potential impact on the long-range development of individuals in this country and, therefore, on the development of our nation as a whole. Let's take at look at the circumstances.
Parents: The Need for More FATHERS
18,400,000 children in the US live in fatherless homes.
1 in 4 live without a biological, step, or adoptive father in the home.
Bottom line, approximately 25% of our children are being raised without a father.
Unfortunately, these numbers are increasing. Thank God, our children have their mothers. But, we need for every male in this country, married or otherwise, to make the choice and the ongoing commitment to support their offspring, both developmentally and financially, until they are at least 18 years of age. Without this fatherly support, social media and the internet will continue to "fill the gap" and influence many of our children in detrimental ways. Until all fathers accept the responsibility for their children, the statistics above will continue to increase.
Preachers: The Need for Lessons for TODAY
Only 47% of our population attend church today compared to 70% in 1999.
However, only about 20% do so on a regular week-after-week basis.
In most church denominations, the attendance figures are continuing to fall.
You have to ask yourself...why this downward trend? Well, I blame it on the preachers. So many of the words coming from the pulpit are a retelling of events that took place well over 2,000 years ago; are difficult to understand; and require a stretch of imagination to accept as accurate. Instead, preachers need to explain how God’s Spirit is here with us today—the Spirit of Goodness if you will—and how it works in our lives each day to help us do the good and right thing. Preachers need to make the choice to emphasize the current-day presence of the Spirit of Goodness in our lives and explain the importance of heeding its guidance in the choices we make each day.
Politicians: The Need to Work TOGETHER
More truth stretchers, than truth tellers.
Exhibit a total inability to reach across the aisle to form an agreement that is good for everyone.
It feels like they are trying to ”run two different countries, instead of actually trying to work together to improve the one country that we have.
We have the largest national debt ($31 trillion+) and more people killed by guns (almost 50,000 annually) than at any time in the history of our country. Yet, absolutely nothing effective is being done to fix either of these major problems. To date, it's all talk and no meaningful action. Politicians should make the choice to become independents, quit “parking themselves” on one side of the aisle or the other, and work cooperatively with each other--yes, Democrats and Republicans working together--to actually resolve these and dozens of other major problems facing our country today...before it's too late to do so.
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I may have “stepped on it” a bit by being so blunt and straightforward with this posting. However, I believe all three of these circumstances to be true. And, as things stand today, the projections are that these circumstances will only get worse in the months and years ahead.
So, I call on all parents, all preachers, and all politicians to assess the choices you are making in the way you are leading and directing those who look to you for guidance and direction. And, while I am reminding them to do that, it would be a good idea for you and me to "take stock" of the choices we are making in our lives as well.