Scandal and oppressive government: What happens when a society loses its moral compass...

Benghazi-gate, IRS-intimid-gate, and pandering to a hostile ideology (Islam) for profit and power are just some of the current federal scandals.  Yes, the Obama administration does finally appear to be unravelling - but don't hold your breath.

Anyone who is following the moral decline of this nation cannot help but conclude that simply exposing scandals will not correct or prevent them.  In fact I have no doubt that while the news cycle and public awareness are focused on these events, there are another dozen equal or worse scandals in the works.  Unfortunately, the "see no Islam" in Islamic terror attacks and violent jihad in mainstream Islamic ideology remain an undiagnosed cancer in our federal goverment and most media.

Why is this happening now?   Yes, we are a self-absorbed society. The time the average American spends in front of the TV watching mind numbing programming, mostly immoral trash, the time spent absorbed in sports or devoted to trivial social networking leaves little time for for mind-building, community-building, or knowing when yor government and elected officials are screwing you over with with scandal and deception.

While we all can share some responsibility in reaching this dismal state, I lay much of the blame on the "feel good" churches of our nation.  When most churches value self-esteem over abstaining from sin, or even acknowleding that there ia such a thing as sin anymore, it is no surprise we get what we got:  An amoral society that believes tolerance of everything BUT morality is the highest value.

From the time I first became a Christian I was suspucious of the "once saved, always saved" belief held by so many conservative Christians.  This so easily leads to a self-serving presumtuousness that too easily excuses repetitive sinning:  The freedom to sin without consequence.  And then there is the liberal version of salvation - universalism - where God is so sweet and sugary and loving that no one will really be punished for anything.  All will be saved and go to heaven because Christ paid it all.

And then we have the Catholics whose doctrine proclaims that ignorance of sin gives a free pass to heaven.  This is moral relativism at it's most aggregious.  And this one is REALLY special:  Since Muslims worship the same God (this is an exceedingly ill-informed undwrstanding of Islam), then Muslims are first in line among all who are ignorant of Christ to be saved.  Yes, this is Catholic doctrine.  Google "Gentium Lumen, Section 16" and read it.

So, is it any wonder why we are in such moral decline in this nation?  The one institution , our churches, and the one group of leaders, our pastors and priests, are out to lunch.  And those few who are in major denominations who know better and wish to speak up are suppressed by their liberal denominations.  There are a very few independent pastors who are a voice crying in the wilderness.  For these I praise God.