Had lunch with some dear friends and this question was put forth...
What makes a nation great? Is it the government? the culture? or is it, as my friends put forth, ordinary people doing extrordinary things for the greater good...???
I am still reading Obama... currently in the chapter on foreign policy... America had been great before... "The Greatest Generation" is the generation dubed so because of their service in WW2...
Churchill was great.
Britain has been great. Wilberforce...
Is America in her current state great?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
wow, a good question... Let me digest it...
Laci
Well, I think you have just given a subject that can be the subject of a good book... so my answer will be very surfacy...
It has many aspects...
1.political,
2.scientifically
...
Politically it is still a great nation... whoever they wanna bomb, they can, whatever they wanna do, they do... but I think they are aware of it that China is a sleeping Lion... when it wakes up... we are in trouble... (just look at the administrations response to the human right treatment in China, and especially the treating of Christianity...)
But economically I am aware of it, that it is good for the U.S. to make everything there... I remember 2001(after 9/11) my friend came back 3 weeks after the Terror attack and has bought a Patriot Pen... And it was made in China... :) OR I can mention my Compaq laptop that I am typing on, was put together (by my choice) in six days and delivered from China to C'ville... Is that crazy or what????
Anyhow Politically I think Amercia is sitll great... we shall see the fututre...
2. Scientifically, I think also still YES. You guys have the Nasa, still you are "buying all the eastern European scientists" to go and do the research there... so I think you guys are good to go... :)
From a Christian perspective? Thats a whole different story... Some would maybe say it is hopeless... If we would look at what Bono says... I think he sees much potential in America and American Christianity impacting the World for Christ... Yes there are problems, crakcs, Contentment, ... but these are all fixable things...
I agree with Bono on that also that America could do waaaaaaaay more then what they are doing presently... And I just hope they gonna start it sooon...
I am still amazed on how many churches are in America without a single missionary, without supporting any mission organization or anything... Just recently I hear from a friend who is involed with a 2000 member church, that has its on building and coffeeshop, and spends thousands of dollars for new furniture when a new assistant pastor joins saying: "We have no funds for missions" WHAT?????
Here is a crazy idea...: Tell to every attendant to leave a buck ( 1 stinking dollar) on their chairs after they left the sanctuary for missions... that will give you 8000 Dollars for missions/ month...
People spend probably 20 bucks in the coffee shop of the church, I think it will not kill them to give an extra dollar for GODs kingdom...
So Christianity might not be in the "best shape", but I think it still has good foundations and its not late to act....
:)
Lazo and his 2 cents...
Sorry for the emotions involved in the sentences...
Lazo
thanks for your thoughts Laci!!!!! It is awesome to start out with a Central European perspective!!!
South East-Central European, Balkanoid... :)
Lazo
Hey Mr. Foley, Its Kelsea Eastman (Sammi's little sister)... I just found out that you, like Joanna, have a blog! How exciting! :)
In response to your question...From the "first year of being able to vote, still learning the ropes younger American" perspective, I think that America in its current state is a great nation.
We still have our freedom.
Stretched across our television screens, posted in blogs just like this, found at a world wide web address, or even possibly seen with our own eyes lies the evidence of what other countries face on a day to day basis. The caloused goverments that suck the life straight out of its people, continually saying "no" to joy but "yes" to more regulation. I believe the mere fact that we're still basking in our freedom in and of itself makes this nation worth it, and completely great.
I appreciate and respect those who fought for this freedom. And those that still fight for that freedom today. Maybe those in the uniform, but even the ones sitting behind a desk in the White House - regardless of political party.
The ability to go to church and worship freely every Sunday, to attend an amazing Christian university, to vote as a woman ... those freedoms are a rare find anywhere else, especially in such a significant number.
Political parties, ethnicity, and gender aside we live within a country that prides itself on its freedom. Our government is still proving itself effective, even through the glitches when our humanity shines through the most.
It is, truly, a great nation.
"America is the greatest, freest and most decent society in existence. It is an oasis of goodness in a desert of cynicism and barbarism. This country, once an experiment unique in the world, is now the last best hope for the world."
-Dinesh D'Souza
Post a Comment