The Future
Copyright © January 5, 2021 by Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E.
All Rights Reserved.
Introduction
As I have mentioned many times before, nobody can predict the future and that includes me.
However, it is possible to make a few general comments about what might happen in the future.
In my opinion there are three possible futures for people in the USA and for people all around the entire world:
- Living Conditions Significantly Improve:
Everyday I hope and pray this will happen. And I think that most people would be very pleased if this did happen.
- Living Conditions Remain Approximately the Same:
This may happen but it is not consistent with the way life has changed in the last 100 years. On the average, living conditions worldwide have improved everywhere when compared to 100 years ago.
- Living Conditions Significantly Deteriorate:
Everyday I hope and pray this will not happen. And I think that most people would be very unhappy if this did happen.
Discussion
In my opinion I think there is a good chance that the world is going to gradually become a much more difficult place in which to survive. The reason I believe this is because I am an old man and I have seen how things have changed since the 1950s.
- Religion: In the 1950s people were proud to be a Christian and they would greet one another with "Merry Christmas" during the month of December. In the 21st century Christians and Jews are told to keep their mouth shut and we are told to not talk about our religion in public. However, every other religion, including devil worship, can talk about their beliefs anywhere and at any time.
- Disrespect for God: People used to avoid using God's name in vain. But in the 21st century people of every age, including small children, teenagers, adults, and senior citizens speak without thinking about the words they are using. Examples would be the use of "Oh my G--" or its text equivalent of "OMG", or an exclamation using the name of "Jesus", or an exclamation that attaches the word "holy" to something other than the divine. These disrespectful words can be heard at grocery stores, in schools, and in movies including some animated cartoons for small children.
- Sundays: In the 1950s most stores were closed all day on Sunday except for a few exceptions such as pharmacies, gas stations, restaurants, motels, and theaters. In the 21st century almost all stores are open for business on Sunday, but many of them do not open until noon. In the 21st century some people attend a church service once or twice a year and they believe that is all that is necessary for God to welcome them with open arms into heaven.
- Disintegration of Family Values: Families were not "perfect" in the 1950s but most families were able to co-exist and achieve some reasonable level of harmony. Most families had a mom and a dad unless one of them had died in an accident, or from a medical problem, or they were killed while on active duty as a soldier. Today in the 21st century there are a significant number of single parent homes and there are also a significant number of foster parents who are taking care of a child that is not their own. In the 21st century a significant number of teenagers and young adults intend to never get married and to never have any children.
- Increase in Violence and Murder: In the 1950s almost anyone, including small children, were safe in most areas of the USA with a few exceptions. Today in the 21st century people are not safe anywhere in public, including their own neighborhoods. And domestic violence is increasing every year worldwide. A convicted murderer does not receive the death penalty in many states but a convicted murderer is given a life sentence and in some cases they may eventually be paroled. Many digital games now include violence. You can sometimes hear very young children say "please don't kill me" while they are playing a digital game with one of their friends or family on their iPad. Our young children and grandchildren are being taught that it is okay to kill anyone, including their close friends and family members, if it helps them to achieve their objective.
- Promiscuity: Sexual misconduct has always been present in every society since the dawn of time. However, in the 1950s people frowned on it and the people who engaged in it did not openly advertise what they were doing. Today in the 21st century people are being told that it is okay to cross-dress, to engage in homosexual activities, and to openly brag that they have sex with anyone that is willing, at any time, and in any way they desire. Some animated cartoons for young children now include these types of behavior as part of their stories.
- Profanity: In the 1950s most people were ashamed if a bad word slipped out of their mouth. But in the 21st century people have become desensitized and they no longer hear or pay attention to the foul language they hear on a regular basis in stores, at school, and on television. Examples would be "what the f---" and "what the he--" and "dam- it." Some animated cartoons for young children have the cartoon characters occasionally using "four letter words."
- Cheating, Lying, and Stealing: These "sins" have been present in every society since the dawn of time. But in the 1950s people did not believe this type of behavior was acceptable. Today in the 21st century people brag about doing these things and they brag about not being punished when they do them.
The Bible contains many true stories of how a nation slowly and gradually began to reject God and His Laws. Eventually the iniquity of the nation would reach a level where God could not tolerate it and God would allow a different nation to destroy it. Or sometimes God allowed the leaders of the nation to become so corrupt that they brought their nation to its knees as a result of "legalized" theft, acquitting the guilty, and persecuting anyone who objected to their corrupt evil behavior.
If you are a Christian or a Jew then you may believe that God's holy scriptures should still be followed in the 21st century, and that the ten commandments are as valid today as they were when God Himself wrote them on two stone tablets. Please remember that Moses put the two stone tablets inside the ark of the covenant. The ten commandments tell us to love God, to not worship anyone or anything except God, to not use His Name in vain, to honor the Sabbath day, to honor our parents, and to not murder, commit adultery, steal, lie, or covet the property of another person. The ten commandments are so important to God that the ten commandments are recorded in their entirety in two different books of the Bible: Exodus 20:3-17 and also Deuteronomy 5:7-21. If you believe you are religious then look at the above list of activities that are commonplace in the 21st century and compare them to the ten commandments.
If you think the ten commandments are no longer important to God in the 21st century then perhaps you should consider where the ark of the covenant and the two stone tablets are today. Revelation 11:19 says, "Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant." (NIV) This tells us that the ark of the covenant is not lost somewhere here on the earth. The ark of the covenant is in the temple of God in heaven. And God will use the ten commandments to judge every person who appears before His throne.
Numbers 35:33 says, "Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it." (NIV)
As a Christian it is my belief that God is in complete 100% total control of all world events. Regardless of whether the world is at peace or the world is at war, God will allow the world to reap what we deserve, whether it be good or bad. And I suspect that the moral values of most people in the USA, and the moral values of most people all around the world, are not anywhere near what God expects of His true children. Therefore I will not be surprised if "living conditions significantly deteriorate" everywhere in the not too distant future.
Conclusion
One day I will stand before God and I will be shown the true impact that my life choices had on my own life and on the lives of other people. At that time I will not be judged based on what happened in the world as a result of events over which I had no control. Instead I will be judged based on what I have personally done and the impact that my actions had on other people.
May I humbly suggest that you consider things you can do to make yourself a better person in the eyes of God. And may I humbly suggest that you not worry about whether or not you can change the behavior of lots of other people. We will only be held accountable for our own behavior and we will not be judged based on what other people do.
However, if enough of us individually decide to return to God with our whole heart then perhaps God will give our world some more time before He intervenes with punishment.
Respectfully,
Grandpappy.
Grandpappy's e-mail address is: RobertWayneAtkins@hotmail.com