At the turn of the Twentieth Century, one of America's leading newspapers addressed the following question to many notable people of that time: "What in your opinion is the chief danger, social or political, that confronts the coming century?”  General William Booth, founder of Salvation Army, was one invited to reply to this question; he sent this reply:

“The chief danger that confronts the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, heaven without hell.”

It would appear as if he saw the headlines of today's world. The horrific shooting in Aurora is just one huge example of just what this statement warns of. There is no other explanation for the escalation of such tragic events other than the removal of God as our keystone.

I happen to live in the Keystone State, Pennsylvania. It was considered William Penn's Holy experiment. He predicted that it would be the keystone to a new found nation which would be based on God's Holy principles. About 100 years after he made statements alluding to the new United States of America, it happened. Just as he said and just where he said it would. In Philadelphia and the Keystone State of Pennsylvania.

Now we live in a country that has turned it's back to God, has spit on those principles that we were founded on, has embraced Darwinism in our schools and in His place, teaches children that we have evolved from animals. Why does it surprise people in our world when people act as animals with very little to no regard for other human life? I mean it's legal now to kill babies, over 50 million of them to date. Why are we horrified when a man mows down a whole movie theatre of innocent people? They were in attendance to see a movie in which I would guess there are probably more than 1,000 senseless deaths portrayed, fictional but yet realistically and graphically displayed.

As I posted the other day, the Supreme Court went 180 degrees when they overturned 150 years of previous findings in 1947. We've been on a constant assault of religion in our country ever since. The floodgates were opened and now we have constant headlines like Aurora, Colorado or Columbine High School or Fort Hood or countless other public massacres. Why is this occuring and why now in recent history with such prevalance? Is it ease of access to weapons? Is it just psychotic minds going over the edge?

In my humble opinion, I think it has to be tied to that one decision made by our Supreme Court in 1947. It was the first time they enjoined the 14th amendment to the 1st amendment which overrode the State's sovereignty. It is in the words of William Booth, "politics without God." After 1947 there were decisions after decisions all based on this one decision. It was the floodgates opening and it was gradual but every dam break begins with the first leak which weakens the fabric of the whole dam eventually. It's not gun laws or lack of gun laws. It is a whole society now brought up under the laws of nature that tell us we came from animals. So why are we surprised when we see actions like animals?

The book of Jude, found right before the book of Revelation, spells out exactly what Booth was saying. The first 16 passages deal with the history of the ungodly and their plights. Also pointing out for all what we can expect by turning our backs on God and going our own way.  In 17, Jude starts telling us the benefits of staying in love with God. All God wants for us is what's best for us. He knows we tend to worship what we focus our energies on. Our society is riveted by such violence and gore. The highest rated movies, TV programing and video games are usually the most violent. We feel good watching 'justified retribution' and feel it's ok to kill when someone deserves it. I've heard cheering in movie theaters as the bad guys get it in the end. We worship death and when we do that, it is what we get.

God would have us worship life and resurrected life. Man's natural disposition is to slowly spiral downward with time. As we age, we get crankier, more jaded, more guarded and basically don't usually end well. In God's way of doing things, He would have us spiraling upward, against all human logic, against all scientific boundaries and in a most unnatural or supernatural way. Moses was said to be still vibrant and healthy until the day he died at the age of 120. When we embrace a resurrected life, we have hope, we have faith of a new life coming. A life spent eternally in God's presence in a newly formed and perfect earth. It is not restrictive but total and unabandoned freedom.

So in dealing with the enomity of such tragic events, we really need to know and accept this is not going to stop. No matter what laws are passed, no matter how much security we put in place. It is to be expected as long as we keep separating God from our public life. We tie His hands and still expect Him to perform for us when we need Him. It just doesn't work like that. William Booth had it right then 112 years ago and even now, it hasn't changed.  The only thing that can and will change such things is what John the Baptist tried to get across 2,000 years ago... Repent! Repent! For the Kingdom of God is at hand.... if we want it.