5 Insidious Warning Signs The Media Rejects

Hostile conditions prompted 100s of England’s citizens in early 1600s to search for a better future. Nearly 400 years later, these resulting United States emulate the conditions our fore-fathers escaped. The brighter future they sought eludes masses of our population now.

As Yogi Berra said, “The future ain’t what it used to be.”

American culture today seethes with an insidious infection that yields an ornery present and a fearful future. Discord and rebellion reigns in all areas of American culture. A look at the warning signs confirm it.

5 Warning Signs of Discord and Rebellion

1. Bitterness

Most of us have experienced a kind of bitterness, e.g., tasting a sour, acrid fruit (1). But, bitterness can occupy the mind and soul, too, which affects the whole life. It prompts anger, even provoking vile speech toward other people. (2)

Thus, bitterness affects public discourse, especially politics, and creates difficulties among people. It even impacts religious conversations and, sadly, the Christian community, a declining authority in American culture.

In addition, bitterness incites self-seeking in our actions which prompts us to resist and exclude those who disagree with us. Look at the destructive effects of bitterness in our culture.

• Republicans fight republicans, democrats and independents.
• Democrats contest democrats, republicans, and independents.
• Independents resist republicans, democrats, and independents.
• Christians antagonize other Christians.

Bitterness in mind and soul yields vile speech and self-seeking in those swayed by it. It fractures our society into factions that fight against each other.

2. Envy

Aristotle defined envy as “grief because (s)he does not have.” As he indicated, it goes beyond mere jealousy of what someone else possesses.

Jealousy decays into envy and anger that cause one to make war upon that which it desires, even attempting to degrade the very thing(s) that it wants. (3) It degenerates into envious, contentious rivalry. (4) This bitter strife leads to factions. (5)

For example, agitators foster envy and division between the rich and the poor, demanding that the rich share equally their possessions and incomes with the poor. The rich take advantage of their positions and power to increase their advantages to the detriment of the poor. It results in an increasing rift between the haves and the have nots.

Like bitterness, it seems like envy pervades American culture which thrives on it. Politics today reeks of it in all political spectrums. Envy floods the internet and social media, stimulating their followers to jealousy with petty carping and fault finding. (6)

Nor does the religious community escape it. Pastors of small congregations covet larger crowds, even compromising Biblical truth to get them. Larger religious assemblies develop even larger audiences instead of helping the smaller ones to thrive.

To make matters worse, bitterness and envy create strife.

3. Strife

Contrary to popular belief, “strife” describes more than mere uneasiness and disputes. Strife embraces a wide spectrum of actions:

• pushing forward for personal ends leading to faction; (7)
• canvassing for public office; (8)
• electioneering for office, courting public opinion/applause by trickery and low acts; (9)
• serving in official positions for their own selfish reasons and interests; (10)
• promoting a party spirit, factions, and contention. (11)

Surprisingly, strife describes a lot of the political exchange now. But, these descriptions of politics also expose the similar behavior in business and religious organizations, even professing Christian ones.

4. Confusion

American culture borders on disorder. Factions appear in virtually every corner of our society, which frequently erupt into confusion and revolt. We see factions develop in open defiance of authority, engage in insurrection, and presumed intention to overthrow authority or to act in complete opposition to authority’s demands. (12)

Commotion and tumult grow out of seemingly inoffensive, yet different philosophic positions. (13) Disputes develop into disruptions of community peace. (14)

I fear that some hope their confusion will advance into anarchy.

5. Evil Work

The condition of American culture continues its inevitable decline into evil works. Without exception, this ultimate conclusion results from bitterness, envy, strife, and confusion.

What describes “evil work?” Moral, mean baseness seizes control of a person’s attitudes and behavior. (15) This spirit yields wicked, depraved, corrupt, evil deeds. (16) These good-for-nothing deeds prevent the impossibility of any true gain coming forth from them. (17)

Yes, American culture today seethes with the insidious evils of bitterness, envy, strife, confusion, and evil works.

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