Kerby Anderson
Many historians have written about the descent into barbarism. Novelist Mark Lewis reminds us that the “descent into barbarism is easy and fast; you only need to let yourself go.”
How does it happen? He suggests, “When it becomes socially acceptable to be a barbarian, as is increasingly the case in America, there will be more and more barbaric activity.” And he adds that it is often to the advantage of leaders to allow it to happen or even encourage it to happen. Once there is chaos, authoritarian leaders can justify increasing their power to manage the chaos.
Sadly, he observes, “Barbarism never elevates anyone.  It took Europe several centuries of the Dark Ages to get out of it.  We appear to be descending into it again, as law, religion, traditions, and social order no longer hold back the tide.” Government cannot stop this decadent slide.
Human reason, he adds, cannot not provide an answer nor a solution. Precisely because “human reason can never fathom the depths of the mind of God. And that is because every human has his own reason.”
He explains, “When one removes from a man that which separates him from the animals, when we teach man that he is nothing more than a glorified ape, we mustn’t be surprised when he acts like one, and when we take God out of man, we leave nothing but the animal.”
Pastors and Christian leaders have said for decades that it you teach children in the public schools that they are evolved animals, they will act like animals. If you take God and morality out of the culture, anarchy and immorality will result. The solution to this descent into barbarism is a revival and reformation.

Kerby Anderson
Today is December 7 – a day that President Roosevelt said would be “a date which will live in infamy.” On that fateful morning of December 7, 1941, America was attacked without warning. More than 2,400 Americans died and 1,100 were wounded. Our country was changed forever.
This attack led us into war, and the citizens of America responded with courage and resolve. So it may be well to reflect on what took place and how we today must also rise to the occasion of an attack on America more than eight decades ago.
Today is known as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. It is a day when we honor the lives lost in that attack on Pearl Harbor and also honor the veterans of World War II. But it can also be a day in which we pay tribute to the men and women who are currently serving in the armed forces in an effort to promote freedom and justice around the world.
If you travel to Hawaii, you need to stop at the memorial in Pearl Harbor. The USS Arizona stands as a testimony to the 1,177 crew members who died as a result of the attack on December 7. I understand that more than 40 million people have visited that memorial and have therefore honored the heroic efforts of these sailors and marines. If you have been there, you know that it has become a sacred place as well as a reminder of what can happen when others (either a nation or terrorists) attack this nation.
In 1941, the enemies of the US were Japan and Germany. Today they are our friends. But we have new enemies, terrorists who want to destroy us and to destroy our way of life. We are protected from their evil intentions by those who serve in uniform.
So today, take a moment to reflect on your freedom that was bought with a price. And honor those who died for your freedoms and honor those who protect you today. December 7 is an important day, and I didn’t want it to pass without challenging you to consider its importance.

Kerby Anderson
Yesterday I discussed a Wall Street Journal article about a poll that revealed that most voters see the American dream slipping away. Only a third (36%) of voters said the American Dream holds true.
My focus yesterday was on the mindset that prevents young people from being successful. Why work hard if you are convinced the system is rigged against you? Perhaps the better way to look at it is to focus on the economic reality since the 1970s.
Go to a search engine and type the words “disconnect between productivity and work compensation.” You will see more than a dozen charts that show that productivity and wages were correlated and then sharply diverged in the 1970s. You can find other graphs that show that wages never increased when adjusted for inflation.
The reasons for this divergence are many: going off the gold standard in 1971, wage and price controls, dual incomes to qualify for home ownership, etc. You can debate some of the reasons, but you can’t argue with the result.
The builder generation (born before the end of WWII) generally was able to support a family with Dad working while Mom stayed home. They bought a house and were able to pay for their expenses. The boomer generation had a more difficult time making ends meet but still were able to own a home, sometimes by having a dual income.
Fast forward to families today where both parents are working and having a difficult time paying bills. As one couple in the Wall Street Journal article put it, “I’d be lying if I didn’t say that money is tight.” He then added “I feel we are a couple of paychecks away from being on the street.”
Over the last fifty years, the value of the dollar declined and the prices of everything went up. Wages didn’t keep up, and that’s another reason why people no longer believe in the American Dream.