Oh, perhaps I’m stepping into unforgiven territory here, but this has been on my mind. You’all be glad that I’m not God. Because if I was, I’d be reining hell-fire down upon this earth right now, and sending additional flames targeting the uprising mobs. Nah. Maybe not right now, because It could have already happened thousands of years ago, many times over. Gads, I even etched in stone so they couldn’t be burned, just ten rules of decent behavior, not 30 or 50 rules, just ten.
Flooded the earth to save Noah, a righteous man. A fire destroyed Sodom. Still, hardly any wanting to get along with neighbors. Finally fed up, I sent your redeemer for a sacrifice with just one rule: love your neighbor as your own self. But you still had those wars of yours? Stabbing and killing each other. Fighting over a piece of land. Can’t get along can you? Won’t sit down together and work out a peace plan? Don’t want to. Your way or no way. You, all of you, have not wanted to love your neighbor. No, for many, it’s more exciting to harass, fight, hang, and murder, break windows and destroy history. Think about the those millions put in cattle cars and taken to camps, starved to skin covered bones, gassed or burned. Do you really think the enslavement of millions of Africans was good for both of you? Yes, you love money more than anything, more than your neighbor, more than you even your own, as you choose to dismantle a life in the womb. Your choice. The baby did not get a choice. That big bomb that was dropped killed many innocent Japanese because they destroyed a submarine. But it ended a war, didn’t it? So, if that’s the only way toward peace, a huge one-world bomb from heaven maybe the final way to peace. Think about that.
But I loved you too much over these thousands of years by allowing you a second, third, fourth, a fifth a thousand more chances. Jesus provided a way for all of you, everyone to be saved and be made anew. Now again it’s peace or that fire-ball from heaven?
Your choice. What will you do?
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Author: Arnold R. Kropp
About Mr. Arnold.
Back in the days when I was a kid growing up in south Chicago, freely roaming around the neighborhood was common, and just a part of life in the late '40s and early '50s. A train track was less than a mile away and a favorite place to walk along the rails. A large city park was a bit closer with areas of dense trees and areas of open grassy picnic grounds. A public golf course was just two blocks away, but the famed 4-lane busy Western avenue had to be crossed to get to it, and we crossed in the middle of the block running between the cars and trucks. We knew the risks. In the winters, we would climb that fence making our way to one of the ponds, we’d push and shovel away the snow and play a spontaneous game of hockey, or bring a sled and slide down the hillside ; no adults, no special padding, just a group of kids enjoying the contest.
Dad was at work. Mom was home tending to the laundry and preparing the family meal for promptly at 6 pm. Life was good. It was fun. Sunday mornings were dress up in suit and tie, polished shoes for Sunday school and the worship service, then to a restaurant.
Arnold went on to college immediately after high school, but could not find a subject, a major that was really up his alley, so he enlisted in the Army and served in Germany during the years the Berlin wall was built. Seeing what effects Soviet communism had on the people of East Germany left an impression on him. During those years, he would write many long letters home starting a desire to write more than just letters. Many years later Arnold developed a blog where he posted hundreds of articles on the political side of American life. Some of those are available in the collection named "Ramblings".
Today, Society is totally different from that of the '50s, a whole lot different.
Today, it has become scary to let the kids roam. Today it has become organized to the hilt with 2nd graders playing organized football. In my present relatively quiet neighborhood, I do see kids walking the streets, but there is a difference as the kids seem to be apprehensive and on guard or intently operating a telephone as they walk, not running after each other playing hide and seek.
Today, the above freedoms of the '50s are suspect and avoided as being dangerous activities. And that is sad. It's sad that today's kids do not have that freedom, and it may be having a direct effect on their development. Consider, one fact that is readily apparent today compared to yesterday; the preponderance of overweight and obese kids, even pre-school kids are heavier than we were, and this has to be affecting the rest of their daily lives. No doubt about it. But, I'd better hush, can't talk about those things.
Yes, in the '50s there were Semi-trucks, public transportation, murders, rape, robberies, house fires, sickness and diseases resulting in death, and yes, there were deadly vehicle accidents too. There was even poverty and homosexuals too. We went to public schools, and the high school was integrated. This was Chicago, but those events did not make the headlines, as news was only broadcast at 6pm and possibly 10pm nightcap. Days of the cold war kept us together as a nation. We saw the "Victory at Sea" war clips before the main feature at the theaters.
And now technology dominates life. A cell phone in every handy pocket posting selfies. A computer saving everything to one of those cumulous clouds. Room size TV’s broadcasting everything 24/7.
This is more information than I want.
Let me decide something.
I think. therefore, I am.
I was born a male, therefore I am.
I was born-again, therefore I am.
I have life within, therefore I am.
The news is not my guide.
The TV is not my Sheppard.
View all posts by Arnold R. Kropp
One Day at a Time 