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tjservant
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Joined: 2006/8/25
Posts: 1658
Indiana USA

 The Fall of a Nation

The Fall of a Nation

Historian Edward Gibbons'(1737-1794) five reasons for the decline and fall of Rome

1. The undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home, which is the basis of human society.
2. Higher and higher taxes; the spending of public money for free bread and circuses for the populace.
3. The mad craze for pleasure; sports becoming every year more exciting, more brutal, more immoral.
4. The building of great armaments when the great enemy was within; the decay of individual responsibility.
5. The decay of religion, fading into a mere form, losing touch with life, losing power to guide the people.

-From The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon

1. The dramatic increase of divorce undermined the institution of the family. Traditional families ceased to function as was necessary to guarantee that the values which had proven to be successful in the past were successfully passed on to the next generation. This process of the deterioration of the Family Institution occurred over many generations prior to the actual collapse of the Empire.

2. The imposition of higher taxes undermined the economic stability and vitality of the Empire. Why were the taxes raised to such ruinous levels? To pay for deficit government spending, to pay for food for all in society and to pay for government-sponsored activities of diversion, such as circuses and sports. Interestingly, as the time of the final collapse drew closer, greater emphasis was placed on sports, to divert the attention of the public from the distressing news of massive trouble within the Empire. This brings us to Gibbon's reason number three for the collapse:

3. The drive for personal pleasure had become very intense, even to the point of obsession. Gibbons noted that at the very end, sports had become more exciting and brutal. We will return to this subject of sports, but let us list the last two reasons for the collapse of the Roman Empire.

4. People lost their faith, both religiously and in their government. Christianity gave way to Paganism and the efficient Roman Government gave way to chaos and disintegration.

5. Hidden conspirators were working within the government to secretly destroy it. They worked quietly, invisibly and deceitfully; during the entire time they were secretly dismantling the government of the Roman Empire, they publicly proclaimed a much different story.


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TJ

 2008/10/13 7:42Profile
crsschk
Member



Joined: 2003/6/11
Posts: 9192
Santa Clara, CA

  The Fall of a Nation

TJ,

Recall what must have been excerpts from this.

History repeating ...

Our times are far too similar.

[i]Why were the taxes raised to such ruinous levels? To pay for deficit government spending, to pay for food for all in society and to pay for government-sponsored activities of diversion, such as circuses and sports. Interestingly, as the time of the final collapse drew closer, greater emphasis was placed on sports, to divert the attention of the public from the distressing news of massive trouble within the Empire.[/i]

I would correlate the bent for entertainment, while including sports as we know it to some degree would still be somewhat dwarfed by just television in general, movies, etc. Much more could be said on those matters but we seem to be on the cusp of either turning this all around or becoming the result of the same.

Pray for revival.


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Mike Balog

 2008/10/13 9:20Profile
tjservant
Member



Joined: 2006/8/25
Posts: 1658
Indiana USA

 Re: The Fall of a Nation

Quote:
Pray for revival.



This really says it all.


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TJ

 2008/10/13 15:11Profile
sermonindex
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Joined: 2002/12/11
Posts: 39795
Canada

Online!
 Re:

Quote:
Historian Edward Gibbons'(1737-1794) five reasons for the decline and fall of Rome

1. The undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home, which is the basis of human society.
2. Higher and higher taxes; the spending of public money for free bread and circuses for the populace.
3. The mad craze for pleasure; sports becoming every year more exciting, more brutal, more immoral.
4. The building of great armaments when the great enemy was within; the decay of individual responsibility.
5. The decay of religion, fading into a mere form, losing touch with life, losing power to guide the people.


[b]
1. Adultery
2. Entertainment
3. Sports
4. Pride
5. Atheism[/b]

History does repeat itself


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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2008/10/13 15:16Profile
AbideinHim
Member



Joined: 2006/11/26
Posts: 5185
Louisiana

 Re:

Thank you TJ for posting this interesting parallel of the fall of the Roman Empire and the decline of America.

Greg, the 5 things that you listed pretty much sum it up. These things have also crept into the Chruch in America to a large degree. The last one listed, Atheism, is not in the Church as such, but the counterfeit of the true gospel definetly is. The true gospel of denying self and taking up our cross is being replaced with a humanistic, flesh pleasing gospel.

May the Lord have mercy on us.


Mike


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Mike

 2008/10/13 15:46Profile
ginnyrose
Member



Joined: 2004/7/7
Posts: 7534
Mississippi

 Re: The Fall of a Nation

Quote:
They worked quietly, invisibly and deceitfully;



Interesting post, unfortunately.

After news spread about Obama's link to the Communists I did a search on the web and came to the Communists Party's website. I read for a while and it was very informative. As I read I thought "you know it would be very easy to get snookered in if you were ignorant of their history."

Anyhow, the quote above - I could almost believe this is a direct one from their website. They did say that in a public meeting, you may speak up, disagree but do not make a scene. But be persistent, it will take time to win people over to our way of thinking. Scary.

ginnyrose


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Sandra Miller

 2008/10/17 23:57Profile





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