October 2008

With election coming up next month, let us talk about politics. This is a topic I seldom speak on in a public arena. What is going on with this country has brought me to reminisce on the Rise and Fall of Nations. The Rise and Fall of the different dynasties in China is too complicated to analyze, and since my knowledge of the Chinese history is limited, so I spare myself not to write about it. Since the United States is profoundly influenced by the Western culture, I thought of the similarity between the once seemingly unshaken Roman Empire and this once great country we now reside. The Fall of the Roman Empire should serve as warning to this country.

What can we learn from the Roman Empire? I would like to just list a few areas. This is by no means an exhaustive comparison. First, they were in denial. Before Rome fell to the Germanic’s attack in 476 A.D., there were already many barbarian tribes that grew into power in various parts of Europe, yet the Roman emperors were too pre-occupied with their own agenda and ignored the dangers that were lurking to devour them. Do we see a similar attitude in the United States? This country continues to be the “World Police”, and tries to overpower anyone who opposes her idiosyncrasy, and failed to recognize the rise of the Islamic terrorist power, who refuse to accept America’s agenda which is dispersed all over the globe.

Second, Rome ignored the moral decline. Debauchery, indecency, and lust became part of the societal way of living. Homosexuality, prostitution and abortion permeated every level of society. Little did they know that the moral fiber was rotten to the core! When the moral fiber is damaged, the morale of the people will decline. We are living in an era that has no more moral compass. Broken families, same-sex parents and marriages, abortion, extra-marital affairs and co-inhabitation are far too common. This moral decline affects our children more than we could ever imagine. When the moral fiber is broken, so will the family. When families are broken, so will the society. When society is broken, so will the country. If Americans don’t wake up in time, maybe we are going down the same path as the Roman Empire did.

Third, Romans had an enormous appetite for sport and increasing brutality in achieving the height of excitement. It seemed that the people were thirsty for blood. They got excited to see people die. Those who watched the movie Gladiator know exactly what I mean. This type of behavior signifies a view of devalued life. Have you watched some of the extreme fighting lately on TV? Personally, I don’t know how it can be called “Sport”? We value more of our rights than a human life. No matter how you look at abortion, it is removing a Life like removing cancerous cells. When a country begins to devalue Life, there is no hope for the future because the greatest asset in a country is Life, not technologies. Unfortunately, the country doesn’t see it that way.

What can we do? Well, we need to have a change of heart. With a new heart, we can re-discover the value of Life, Moral obligation and God-centered agenda. The only way to have a new heart is to surrender our lives to Jesus Christ. When Christians begin to implement the Scripture in their lives, the decline will stop. We need to do our best to help the government by putting moral individuals in high offices and vote to pass moral laws that protect families and our children.

Before I sign off, there is an encouraging statement I would like to share with you. It is taken from II Chronicles 7:14. It says, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Pastor Larry

大選即將下月舉行，就讓 我們談談政治吧。這個話題我很少在公眾場所談及。這個國家近來發生的事帶來了我對各國興衰的反思。中國不同朝代的興衰委實是過於複雜去分析，加上我對中國 歷史的知識有限，所以還是不寫為妙。由於美國深受西方文化的影響，我覺得她與曾被認為不可動搖的羅馬帝國十分相似，而我們則居住在這個大國裡。羅馬帝國的 興衰應當成為這個國家的借鏡。

我們可以從羅馬帝國學習到甚麼？我暫且列出幾方面，而非詳盡的比較。 首先，他們否認事實。在公元476年羅馬敗於日耳曼之前，已經有許多蠻族增長蔓延至歐洲各地，但羅馬統治者只埋首於自我既定的事務而忽視正隱藏要吞噬他們的危險。你可看到美國有類似的姿態？這個國家仍在當 “世界警察” ，並試圖制伏所有與她為敵的人；也沒有意識到伊斯蘭恐怖力量的崛起，反美行跡散佈全球各地。

第二，羅馬忽視道德的淪 落。淫亂、猥褻被視為社會生活的一部份。同性戀、賣淫和墮胎滲入社會各階層。他們沒想到道德已被腐蝕至核心了！當道德受損時， 人的士氣便會降低。我們正生活在這沒有道德指標的時代。殘破的家庭、同性家長和婚姻、墮胎、婚外情、和同居實在太常見。道德淪落對我們孩子的影響遠超我們 能想像的。當道德解體，家庭亦隨之破裂。家庭的破裂帶來社會、繼而國家的衰亡。假若美國人不及時甦醒，也許我們將會步羅馬帝國的後塵。

第三，羅馬人對體育有著極大的欲望，而且以越來越殘暴來滿足要求極度興奮的欲望，他們好像只渴求血腥。他們也會因著人的死亡而興奮，那些看過電影Gladiator的人便會明白我的意思。這類型的行為標誌著對生命的貶低。你最近有否在電視上看到那些極端的比鬥？就個人而言，我真不知道它如何能被稱得上“運動” ？我們視個人權利比生命更重要。不管你對墮胎的觀點如何，生命就如除掉癌細胞般被除掉。當一個國家開始貶低生命時，就再沒有未來的希望可言，因為一個國家最大的資產就是生命而非技術。不幸的是，我們的國家不這麼認為。

我們能做些甚麼呢？我們需要心意更新。擁有一個新的心讓我們可以 重新發掘生命的價值、道德義務、和以上帝為中心的生命。唯一擁有新心的方法就是我們把生命交給耶穌基督。當基督徒開始在他們的生活中行出聖經的教導，墜落就會停止。我們必須盡所能幫助政府重視個人的道德操守和投票通過有道德的法律來保護家庭和我們的孩子。

收筆以先，有一段令人鼓舞的說話想與你們分享。節錄自歷代志下七：14： “這稱為我名下的子民、若是自卑、 禱告、尋求我的面、轉離他們的惡行．我必從天上垂聽、 赦免他們的罪醫治他們的地。”

唐若愚牧師