My kids and I took in a movie tonight. It was X-Men 3. I have given much thought to this in the past, and this movie tonight sure fit my theory. It is really more of an observation than a theory.
We Americans are obsessed with magical powers. Many people are upset about the Harry Potter books and movies because of the witchcraft in them. This is only part of the problem, however. There are so many books and movies that stimulate our imaginations and entice us to fantasize about having psychokinetic or other powers. X-Men 3 is a very good example of what I'm talking about. Other examples of the same obsession with powers are the many vampire and/or werewolf movies. I admit, these are very entertaining to me as well. So, what's the problem?
The question is, in our thirst for this activity or distraction, what are we really telling ourselves about ourselves and the world we live in? Are we secretly thinking that if we had those powers we could brandish those powers to intimidate others, like a common thug that brandishes a gun, to get what he wants? Admit it, you'd feel almighty powerful, if you just had those powers!
Power is a heady, intoxicating drink. None of us could handle it, I'm sure. Remember what Winston Churchill said, "Absolute power corrupts absolutely." I played a computer sim game a few years ago. I'd get everything built up and working great, and then I'd get bored and I'd trigger a tornado or other disaster.
You see, that's why we cannot be God. We'd be too much like Jim Carrey in Bruce Almighty, trying to take shortcuts to get to our selfish wants, not considering anyone else's wants or needs.
I've been watching the political power-grab free for all that currently seems to be intent on wiping out this formerly great country, the USA. It's heartbreaking to me, to see my beloved country circling the drain, faster and faster. What is at the heart of it? What is driving this death wish of Uncle Sam's? The lust for more power. Can't anyone else see how it will end?
There is no shortage of people that are proud to call themselves a 'red-neck.' I think our country's wholehearted acceptance of The Simpsons, Married With Children, Jeff Foxworthy and Larry ('git 'er done) the Cable Guy, is because they tell us that we're OK, even if our educational system is ranked 52nd in the world or whatever it is. So, because dimwittedness is now the acceptable norm, these people really don't want to think about stuff too much. It's too much work. In regards to patriotism, striving to excellence in this country, they'd rather engage in nationalism, or just assuming that we are inherently superior to other nations. Instead of the work of investing emotionally and compassionately in the welfare of people in other countries, 99% percent of which are good down-home folks who'd charitably take us in if we were down on our luck, this misguided and lazy section of middle America would rather say, "Kill 'em all, let God sort 'em out!"
And then there are the defeatist Christians, who say, "Well you know, these are the end times. What're you going to do?" These people are misguided too, in my book, because they don't really want to do things to preserve our environment. They don't really want to see what they can do to prevent war, or human injustice. They don't really care about what happens to the USA. If we all had to be implanted with GPS enabled identification chips next week, they'd just shrug, "End times."
You know what? If you have one of these attitudes you are doing what I think of as 'twisting God's arm.' What if God doesn't think the time is right, just now? I would speculate that some Christian Germans thought they were in the 'End Times' during the reign of the Nazis. Do not try to twist God's arm. He will not be manipulated by the likes of you!
Does the following passage of the Bible apply to us?
(Matthew 12:38, 39) Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet...
Start appreciating your family, your neighbors, your fellow countrymen and the rest of our great big family here on this planet. This is where true riches are hidden.
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