This a Fourth of July we are reflecting on the Founding Father’s intensive study of the Roman civilization. Knowing history, they embraced Rome’s virtues and eschewed her vices. The Founders understood the currents of history which gave us a collective heritage unrivaled. Sadly, we as a nation are turning our backs on the morality that made America special.
The country has convulsed in the past 30 years as a new modern morality has supplanted the currents of culture built nearly two thousand years ago along the shores of Galilee. This new culture is not yet fully defined, but we stand horrified as we peer into the future.
The culture of the Roman world was brutal and nasty. Ironically, we see its worst practices reviving with vigor. Please give us a moment as we recount a history seldom taught today’s students.
The Roman Empire had a twisted view about the value of human life. These views were banished by the ascendency of Christ’s teaching. Infanticide was both legal and encouraged in ancient Rome. Pagan societies, such as the Carthaginians, Romans and Greeks went so far as to kill their children outside the womb, sometimes as a religious sacrifice to their gods. According to Plutarch, the Carthaginians “offered up their own children, and those who had no children would buy little ones from poor people and cut their throats as if they were so many lambs of young birds; meanwhile the mothers stood by without a tear or moan.”
We see a modern American society which looks at children as a burden, and a generation of mothers who have decided by their own “choice” to sacrifice a generation. Population control is now an international objective.
Roman views on homosexuality were closer to today’s views than many realize. Pundit Nathaniel Blake characterizes it this way: “But, the Roman conception of same-sex relationships was very different than that of the modern West. The most important factors in the Roman view seem to have been the status and role of the partners. The Romans did not consider homosexual or heterosexual identities as exclusive from one another. While bisexuality was common, strict homosexuality was all but unknown. Unlike the modern view, social class mattered a great deal in the acceptability of homosexual relations. The upper classes were much more likely to indulge in homosexual acts, and masters had the sexual use of their slaves.” It was common to see an older man who held dominance over a younger male, using him for sexual pleasure.
It was not until the teachings of Christ and Saint Paul conquered Rome and Western Europe that sodomy was outlawed. But alas much has changed. Now sodomy is once again legal, and some states believe these acts deserve celebration in the most public of ceremonies, the wedding.
Finally, we see the debasement of money and profligacy of the state. Today taxpayers fund stadiums for the “games.” Roman emperors don’t hold a candle to the US Congress and the Federal Reserve in the looting of the public coffers and destruction of money.
In this, Roman Emperor Caracalla comes to mind. In addition to murdering his brother, Caracalla is mostly remembered for granting Roman citizenship to every Freeman in the empire. Caracalla’s goal was to broaden the tax base to pay for his extravagant spending. He raised the inheritance tax so he could double public salaries and win the allegiance of the legions. His public works are still on display today. If you visit Rome, you can see the ruins of the gigantic “Baths of Caracalla.”
His final contribution rivals the Federal Reserve. The silver denarius was an innovation in sound money introduced by Emperor Augustus. It was 95 percent silver like America’s pre- 1964 coinage, and the denarius lead to greatly improved honest trade around the empire. Caracalla, in his drive to increase spending, changed it to a coin with only 50 percent silver.
It took later emperors to debase it as far as the Federal Reserve has debased America’s currency. By 268 AD the denarius was only 0.5 percent silver. The result was predictable, as prices rose throughout the empire by up to 1,000 percent. Soon the “barbarians” hired by the emperor as mercenaries would not accept the denarius as payment, and insisted on being paid in gold.
Such manipulations by Roman leaders are legendary, but Americans who fail to understand history are doomed to repeat it. The moral and financial collapse of Rome lead to a renaissance of morality and the “Christian Era.” We can only hope that the accelerating American collapse leads to a return of the time tested honest culture that celebrates life, prudently shuns sexual immorality, and with commerce flourishing after a return to honest money.
But until that day arrives, we will continue to fight for these virtues until our last breath.
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Rome burns while barry attends Paul McCartney concerts.
The gay group ruled Rome, don't give them a foothold here. One gay will further another gay based on sex not principles.
Where were you a couple weeks ago Don? There was one about the repeal of D.A.D.T
and McPherson was on here asking how an openly gay military would effect the military.
I also pointed out that most of our allies allow openly gay soldiers, and suggested that our military was as strong and adaptable as the militaries in any of those countries.
James then you most definitely fit right in with our allies militaires!
SICK- coming from something that wants 10 husbands.
1oldcoyote trust me it would take 10 men like you to satisfy any woman. but then again what woman would even want one of you?
That's right James, not only was our military just as strong, but was much stronger
than any of those militaries in any of those other countries. You have to also remember
that all them other countries are a bunch of panty waiste wusses.
Gary you are too nice to call them wusses!
"You have to also remember that all them other countries are a bunch of panty waiste wusses."
I'd love to see the reaction when you tell that to an Israeli serviceman.
High probability tha the Israeli serviceman that you would want me to tell
that would turn out to be 100% hetro. In that case, I probably would get a well
deserved whoopin, but for the reason of misidentifying that individual soldier.
Now if I call that to one of the "Village People" soldiers, it may be a different
story.
"Macho, macho man, they want to be a macho man! It's fun to stay at the YMCA!"
"High probability tha the Israeli serviceman that you would want me to tell
that would turn out to be 100% hetro."
True–just like here. But if s/he weren't, you'd probably still get whipped. And if s/he were, s/he'd more likely wonder why you'd question the readiness or willingness of their peers and comrades, whom they trust with their lives.
Of course gay soldiers have been common since the dawn of what we now know as Western Civilization. And most people I know from Western countries can't understand why we choose to define people by their sexuality.
But then they're not afraid of gays, as many Americans seem to be (or of their own latent tendencies). I can't pretend to understand homosexual attraction. But I certainly don't see how it threatens me or my marriage in any way.
Jim you have to remember that James is the poster child for Bi's, Gay's & Lesbians.
I don't see any Jim in these replies to Don's comment.
I just see me, you, Don Jusko, McPherson and 1oldcoyote.
Is there some reason Jim is not showing up on my feed?
Oh, and one seperate comment directly to Don from Ern.
Off to the side in seperate reply tree.
No Jim on this one; I suspect that Cougar is just talking to one of his/her multiple personalitiies.
Sometimes I wonder if you really do use alias, if Alexia/Cougar
might actually be one of yours?
Just saying.
Sorry, I'm missing something: What would be the point me doing that?
I'll just say that I heard a radio show a few years
ago where it sounded like the same guy debating
himself. And I think his whole point was to make
his other fictional character look ???? and use that
as a model to perpetuate a stereotype of those he
doesn't agree with.
Gary James does that often on this site! So do not fall for it!
So are you saying that perhaps I created Alexia/Cougar to make myself look a lot smarter by comparison? I didn't, though if that has been a result, I guess I'll live with it.
James i guess you could try? But you could never pass for anything but a gay! So it would be useless to even try.
Gary get real! Only a fool would think that!
Lol! Good try James boy! I do not need aliases to kick your butt on any issue! You are such a weakling to be a man! Oh i forgot that you are gay.
Only the godless.
By Pastor Butch Paugh
Immorality is the common cancer that has destroyed all great societies! As Alexander Tyler wrote in his “A Bird’s Eye View of the Evolution of Nations,” these are the progressive steps in a nation: 1. from bondage to spiritual faith. 2. from spiritual faith to great courage. 3. from courage to liberty. 4. from liberty to abundance. 5. from abundance to selfishness. 6. from selfishness to complacency. 7. from complacency to apathy. 8. from apathy to dependency. 9. from dependency back to bondage. Immorality always equals destruction!
Seems as though we are watching the country's final decline into destruction and our only real hope is in our Lord who has saved us but I don't see there to be enough who understand this to turn it around, I hope I'm wrong. I feel we need to secede half the country to the liberal progressives before we lose it all and that half will be our utter enemy!
And the gay military on the liberal side of the country. McPherson may be able to see
a live demonstration of what the difference is then.
Gary James is just envisioning how much fun he would have in a gay military.
Humans never learn from history! We are doomed to simply repeat ourselves.