Concern for our now

I have long been proud & protective of our way of life, of our freedoms, values & standards. Our freedoms may now be something that can be used against us. I see a paradox & don't know how to address it.

Yesterday I heard a speaker on Islam, Mano Bakh. He wrote the book, "Escaping Islam." What a dramatic speech. I've read the literature, I've read the Koran, I've been in Mosques in other countries, I've known many Muslims, mostly in other parts of the world. The teachings of today threaten our freedoms as they are aimed at making the whole world agree or die. The teachings are something from centuries past with violent laws, degradation of women, strict controls & premises very foreign to our open society & Judeo-Christian heritage, values & points of view.

Because of our open-hearted freedom of religion in the West, the religion that wants to destroy our way of life has relatively free reign. Because of our tolerance, people refrain from voicing concerns about religions opposed to their own. But also this is because the Christians are meek & seemingly okay about being criticised, while Muslims react in the extreme to any even minor criticism.

Then too, our Christian faith has become mild & in the background of most people's lives. Church attendance is down, while violent movie attendance is up. Morals are very different than the ones that guided my youth. Christian life has taken a backseat to all of the fascinating & exciting things in modern life. Progress has become divorced in many lives from the very foundations that made progress even possible. The values that founded our nation are being challenged, with even the President saying our Constitution is flawed & surrounding himself with extremely radical, even Marxist, advisers.

In my considered opinion, we in the West are in danger of falling backward into darkness. We are in danger of losing the goodness that was our underpinning. We are in danger of watching the world go into another dark ages.

There must be a way out of the dilemma. There is always a way, but people do not always take the way.

God, I know you are always with us, available to us when we turn to You. Dear God, help us wake up. Tap the hearts of Your people in a deep & profound way. Help us hear Your guidance. Help us take steps to save our world from the darkness. Lead us into Your Light. Grant us the courage to take the steps You show us so that we actually walk in Your Way. Open our hearts for the presence of Christ to fill us. Make new the Christians all over the world. In this critical time on earth, open our eyes, our hearts & our depths. Let the scales fall from our eyes & hearts. Invigorate us for Your work. Thank You for hearing our prayer. Thy will be done. This prayer is sealed with the ancient seal of faith, Amen, Amen & Amen.