I think many of the claims you mention in the article you referenced are false. For example--- the old, tired out lament about guns, but no mention of the MANY lives that have been SAVED because innocent Americans had guns to defend themselves??? I have read of many accounts of this fact, some in my own home town. These criticisms of America are not new and will continue to circulate. Yes, we have challenges--but our nation is still blessed beyond measure. It is ALWAYS a good idea to evaluate our family relationships and work at strengthening them, but the continuous criticisms of America causes much more harm than good. We live in a time when it is "politically correct" to keep up the "'ain't-it awful" rhetoric, and I believe it is a technique used by our enemies to destroy our patriotism.
K HardenNovember 13, 2020
I agree with the comment that selfishness is the root of all problems in this country. The decline of the family doesn’t lead people to build a wall on our southern boarder or deny a person health care. Recent research has brought to light in the past 50 years reviewing published literature the word ‘I’ has replaced ‘we’ significantly. Personally, I feel the ‘baby boomer’ generation of which I am a part has been a disaster as far as leadership. We are leaving our children with war, debt and abounding in crime and still no health care. Shame on us.
Thank you for this article, very thought provoking. i agree that America the promised land is all of North and South America not just the USA. I also question this oft repeated quote that the Constitution will hang by a thread prophesy. The only reference I can find if that is a third hand account in a journal entry. Please enlighten me if you can find a first hand document.
SkepticalNovember 12, 2020
@Splink, what is your source on the claim that the standard of living has been generally in decline for decades? That seems like an unsubstantiated thing to say. According to economist Ed Yardeni, "I have taken deep dives into the data on standards of living and income inequality. Nowhere can I find a credible series that confirms a 30-year drought in standards of living for almost all Americans. Instead, the data show that Americans have never been better off. I’m not making a political statement, just a statement of facts (which, I acknowledge, do have political implications)." He explains his reasoning in this article: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/americans-living-standards-are-at-an-all-time-high-heres-proof-2019-05-02.
Dave MyersNovember 12, 2020
Actually, it seems to me, the decline of the family is another symptom, and the real root cause is selfishness - the individual puts himself and his interests and desires before those of his family, his neighbor, his community and nation.
SamNovember 12, 2020
"Scripture teaches us that America is a “land of promise,” a phrase used dozens of times in the Book of Mormon." Must remember that America is not just USA. There is more to the promised land than them. Many problems have arisen in the USA. Church members need to get back to living the values of the Book Of Mormon. Humble. Repentance. Service to one another.
SplinkNovember 12, 2020
I'm a materialist. People's relationship to their material conditions determine their lives. It's inevitable. You have all of this completely backwards. This is one of the most maddening things in the church, although I know you can't acknowledge this, because then people would realize they don't need the church. The reason for the decline in marriage, and people having children in marriage, and general home stability, is that the standard of living for people has been in general decline for decades. People aren't getting married because they lack economic stability and means. People aren't having children in wedlock because they lack the means to do so. If you want the family to be strengthened, then people's economic position has to be improved. If that doesn't happen, the realities of family will continue to decline.
Richard EyreNovember 12, 2020
I would welcome your comments, questions or feedback on this article. Thanks for reading.
Diane IrwinNovember 12, 2020
This is spot on! Truly the demise of families has been the demise of this country! "Me, me, me. It's all about ME!" is the thought process for so many. Selfishness is the heart of so many social ills.If people would forget themselves and their needs, then reach out to others, allow others in, marriages would be the majority instead of the minority and family life would flourish!
Joel MarksNovember 12, 2020
Dr Eyre is correct in his prescient evaluation of America as ‘the promised land’ and strong families as the solution. Mss Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Lincoln and Nelson would all concur.
God bless America as the much prophesied Promised Land.
Steve ZeiglerNovember 12, 2020
As our love of Jesus Christ has declined, so is going the true strength of this still great nation. The love of the Lord fosters strong families while socialism requires that the government be worshiped instead of God. Look at the founding principles of BLM for example. It's estimated that 40% of Christians in this country attend church weekly. Even many Christians feel that when two men love each other, it's alright for them to marry. Many also believe in a woman's right to choose. What was wrong 2000 years ago is still wrong today, regardless of how modern society is changing. Right and wrong don't change. This country has lost its footing as we have forgotten our Lord, as Universal Law dictates its effects. In the Book of Mormon we see example after example where the Lord brings nations to their knees as they have forgotten the provider of all that is good. We are most likely entering this phase. I hope we all keep our eyes on the Lords prophets and that good people who are not yet aware of prophets will keep their eyes on God for deliverance from the trials that await us.
Edward HessNovember 12, 2020
America is in decline, not just because families are in decline, or that there are more people living out of wedlock, or that the rising generations are being dumbed down, but because belief in God is no longer the focal point of society.
In my youth the majority of families attended church on Sunday, but now days only a handful of churches have more than a hundred people in attendance, and many of those old churches now stand empty. The disintegration of families and neighborhoods, the dumbing down of societies, allowing politicians, judges and lawyers to have the power to tell us what is right and what is wrong, what we can and cannot do according to the doctrines of "political correctness," rather than adhering to the laws, ordinances, and commandments of the Lord is why America is in the decline.
There needs to be a call for this nation to repent, to believe in God, to believe that He is, and for each of us to become our brother's keeper, but if we continue to rely on government to be the solution to everything, then, "Yes! America will no longer be a Land of Promise, except for those who still believe in God and worship Him; and if we continue in the direction we're now going, then there will come a time, probably in the not too near future when the people will separate into tribes and each will appoint their own leaders and establish their own laws to be united against those who are corrupt and lawless."
That is the promise and the prophecy concerning the fate of America when Jesus Christ is no longer worshiped or honored as the God of this land. Never in my lifetime has this country been more corrupt and more self absorbed than it is at this time, and it is just a matter of time when prophecies will be fulfilled concerning it's demise.
Those who still believe in God need to rise up and to raise a clarion call for America to repent, otherwise we will continue down this path until even the earth itself will rise up and say, "Enough is Enough!" and like Sodom and Gomorrah the people will perish in their sins. Nevertheless, it will still be a "Promised Land" for the righteous, and only the righteous who will be reserved to be caught up to meet the Savior during His Second Coming. As we draw closer to the end of time as we know it, things will only grow worse; however, the Constitution will still hold, but it will hang by a thread as was prophesied. I firmly believe these things, and I say this in the name of Jesus Christ..
Wayne C FletcherNovember 12, 2020
America is still the Land of Promise by the Lord’s standards.
Scriptures tell us where we are going in the near future. That is why President Nelson has given us the cautions and guidelines he has.
At the present time the secret societies are in control(Ether 8:22-26). America will be cleansed as it was in 3 Nephi 8. Few living today will be then. Then with the return of the 10 tribes, Enoch and Melchizedek, the New Jerusalem will be established. There is more but that is enough.
Robert MartinNovember 12, 2020
What a thought provoking article. As I reach my middle seventies I look back to when I was a child and to my parents our nurturing was the most important thing. Mother stayed home and father worked. We forego a motor car, and the single bedrooms for each child, and an annual overseas vacation. Our welfare and education was the most important goal for most families. We have lost that now. Young couples want to move in together, sometimes marry, and buy a new home with 4 bedrooms and a study and also a media room. All new furniture and appliances. And they lose the freedom to raise a meaningful family. They are in debt for the rest of their lives and both have to work to pay off that debt.
We should in the future, maybe through tax relief, allow our mothers the freedom to raise their children to be worthwhile citizens of the future.
I have a large family with now 16 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren and as I reach the end of my life I realize how blessed I am and that accumulated wealth is not the goal but our treasure is tied up in our families.
Good luck everyone. Have a great life.
Comments | Return to Story
Maryann TaylorNovember 13, 2020
I think many of the claims you mention in the article you referenced are false. For example--- the old, tired out lament about guns, but no mention of the MANY lives that have been SAVED because innocent Americans had guns to defend themselves??? I have read of many accounts of this fact, some in my own home town. These criticisms of America are not new and will continue to circulate. Yes, we have challenges--but our nation is still blessed beyond measure. It is ALWAYS a good idea to evaluate our family relationships and work at strengthening them, but the continuous criticisms of America causes much more harm than good. We live in a time when it is "politically correct" to keep up the "'ain't-it awful" rhetoric, and I believe it is a technique used by our enemies to destroy our patriotism.
K HardenNovember 13, 2020
I agree with the comment that selfishness is the root of all problems in this country. The decline of the family doesn’t lead people to build a wall on our southern boarder or deny a person health care. Recent research has brought to light in the past 50 years reviewing published literature the word ‘I’ has replaced ‘we’ significantly. Personally, I feel the ‘baby boomer’ generation of which I am a part has been a disaster as far as leadership. We are leaving our children with war, debt and abounding in crime and still no health care. Shame on us. Thank you for this article, very thought provoking. i agree that America the promised land is all of North and South America not just the USA. I also question this oft repeated quote that the Constitution will hang by a thread prophesy. The only reference I can find if that is a third hand account in a journal entry. Please enlighten me if you can find a first hand document.
SkepticalNovember 12, 2020
@Splink, what is your source on the claim that the standard of living has been generally in decline for decades? That seems like an unsubstantiated thing to say. According to economist Ed Yardeni, "I have taken deep dives into the data on standards of living and income inequality. Nowhere can I find a credible series that confirms a 30-year drought in standards of living for almost all Americans. Instead, the data show that Americans have never been better off. I’m not making a political statement, just a statement of facts (which, I acknowledge, do have political implications)." He explains his reasoning in this article: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/americans-living-standards-are-at-an-all-time-high-heres-proof-2019-05-02.
Dave MyersNovember 12, 2020
Actually, it seems to me, the decline of the family is another symptom, and the real root cause is selfishness - the individual puts himself and his interests and desires before those of his family, his neighbor, his community and nation.
SamNovember 12, 2020
"Scripture teaches us that America is a “land of promise,” a phrase used dozens of times in the Book of Mormon." Must remember that America is not just USA. There is more to the promised land than them. Many problems have arisen in the USA. Church members need to get back to living the values of the Book Of Mormon. Humble. Repentance. Service to one another.
SplinkNovember 12, 2020
I'm a materialist. People's relationship to their material conditions determine their lives. It's inevitable. You have all of this completely backwards. This is one of the most maddening things in the church, although I know you can't acknowledge this, because then people would realize they don't need the church. The reason for the decline in marriage, and people having children in marriage, and general home stability, is that the standard of living for people has been in general decline for decades. People aren't getting married because they lack economic stability and means. People aren't having children in wedlock because they lack the means to do so. If you want the family to be strengthened, then people's economic position has to be improved. If that doesn't happen, the realities of family will continue to decline.
Richard EyreNovember 12, 2020
I would welcome your comments, questions or feedback on this article. Thanks for reading.
Diane IrwinNovember 12, 2020
This is spot on! Truly the demise of families has been the demise of this country! "Me, me, me. It's all about ME!" is the thought process for so many. Selfishness is the heart of so many social ills.If people would forget themselves and their needs, then reach out to others, allow others in, marriages would be the majority instead of the minority and family life would flourish!
Joel MarksNovember 12, 2020
Dr Eyre is correct in his prescient evaluation of America as ‘the promised land’ and strong families as the solution. Mss Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Lincoln and Nelson would all concur. God bless America as the much prophesied Promised Land.
Steve ZeiglerNovember 12, 2020
As our love of Jesus Christ has declined, so is going the true strength of this still great nation. The love of the Lord fosters strong families while socialism requires that the government be worshiped instead of God. Look at the founding principles of BLM for example. It's estimated that 40% of Christians in this country attend church weekly. Even many Christians feel that when two men love each other, it's alright for them to marry. Many also believe in a woman's right to choose. What was wrong 2000 years ago is still wrong today, regardless of how modern society is changing. Right and wrong don't change. This country has lost its footing as we have forgotten our Lord, as Universal Law dictates its effects. In the Book of Mormon we see example after example where the Lord brings nations to their knees as they have forgotten the provider of all that is good. We are most likely entering this phase. I hope we all keep our eyes on the Lords prophets and that good people who are not yet aware of prophets will keep their eyes on God for deliverance from the trials that await us.
Edward HessNovember 12, 2020
America is in decline, not just because families are in decline, or that there are more people living out of wedlock, or that the rising generations are being dumbed down, but because belief in God is no longer the focal point of society. In my youth the majority of families attended church on Sunday, but now days only a handful of churches have more than a hundred people in attendance, and many of those old churches now stand empty. The disintegration of families and neighborhoods, the dumbing down of societies, allowing politicians, judges and lawyers to have the power to tell us what is right and what is wrong, what we can and cannot do according to the doctrines of "political correctness," rather than adhering to the laws, ordinances, and commandments of the Lord is why America is in the decline. There needs to be a call for this nation to repent, to believe in God, to believe that He is, and for each of us to become our brother's keeper, but if we continue to rely on government to be the solution to everything, then, "Yes! America will no longer be a Land of Promise, except for those who still believe in God and worship Him; and if we continue in the direction we're now going, then there will come a time, probably in the not too near future when the people will separate into tribes and each will appoint their own leaders and establish their own laws to be united against those who are corrupt and lawless." That is the promise and the prophecy concerning the fate of America when Jesus Christ is no longer worshiped or honored as the God of this land. Never in my lifetime has this country been more corrupt and more self absorbed than it is at this time, and it is just a matter of time when prophecies will be fulfilled concerning it's demise. Those who still believe in God need to rise up and to raise a clarion call for America to repent, otherwise we will continue down this path until even the earth itself will rise up and say, "Enough is Enough!" and like Sodom and Gomorrah the people will perish in their sins. Nevertheless, it will still be a "Promised Land" for the righteous, and only the righteous who will be reserved to be caught up to meet the Savior during His Second Coming. As we draw closer to the end of time as we know it, things will only grow worse; however, the Constitution will still hold, but it will hang by a thread as was prophesied. I firmly believe these things, and I say this in the name of Jesus Christ..
Wayne C FletcherNovember 12, 2020
America is still the Land of Promise by the Lord’s standards. Scriptures tell us where we are going in the near future. That is why President Nelson has given us the cautions and guidelines he has. At the present time the secret societies are in control(Ether 8:22-26). America will be cleansed as it was in 3 Nephi 8. Few living today will be then. Then with the return of the 10 tribes, Enoch and Melchizedek, the New Jerusalem will be established. There is more but that is enough.
Robert MartinNovember 12, 2020
What a thought provoking article. As I reach my middle seventies I look back to when I was a child and to my parents our nurturing was the most important thing. Mother stayed home and father worked. We forego a motor car, and the single bedrooms for each child, and an annual overseas vacation. Our welfare and education was the most important goal for most families. We have lost that now. Young couples want to move in together, sometimes marry, and buy a new home with 4 bedrooms and a study and also a media room. All new furniture and appliances. And they lose the freedom to raise a meaningful family. They are in debt for the rest of their lives and both have to work to pay off that debt. We should in the future, maybe through tax relief, allow our mothers the freedom to raise their children to be worthwhile citizens of the future. I have a large family with now 16 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren and as I reach the end of my life I realize how blessed I am and that accumulated wealth is not the goal but our treasure is tied up in our families. Good luck everyone. Have a great life.
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