When Nations Die- America on the Brink: Ten Warning Signs of a Culture in Crisis by Jim Nelson Black was written published in 1994, near the beginning of the Clinton Presidency. That is a bit important. But I think the cover says it all.
Black uses the research of others to identify the common factors in the demise of the great empires in history. This is something we should be aware of, and they are:
Increased Lawlessness
Loss of Economic Discipline (both personal and corporate)
Hyper-Bureaucracy
Decline of Education
Weakening of Cultural Foundations
Disregarding of Tradition
Materialistic Mindset
Immorality run amuck
Destruction of (traditional) Religious Beliefs
Devaluing of Human Life
Where he to stop there, he would have done us a great service. It is true, American Culture is evidencing these in alarming ways. However, his book is alarmist. By that, I mean he often overstates his case. For instance, in the chapter on lawlessness, you’d think no one was safe leaving their home. It sounds like the apocalyptic world you see in Death Wish or Robo Cop. Part of these is that statistics are not given in context either. He notes increases, but never gives the # per 1,000 or any other objective measure to put things in perspective.
While I may agree with Mr. Black about most of these issues, I disagree with the method by which he expresses that concern. He falls into the trap- he sounds like an outraged religious extremist at times. His motives, far as I can tell, are noble- but he is just like the people he despises in selling fear. He just sells fear of a different future, but fear nonetheless.
It may be 13 years later, but we still get innundated with books selling fear from both the right and the left. I wanted an intellectually stimulating book, but I got a downer. I don’t want to fall into a dark pessimism that runs counter to the hope I find in the gospel of Jesus Christ. While some of the numerous threats are real, and require action as a means to God’s ends, my understanding of the future doesn’t include Islamic domination of the world, nations and islands submerged by water, the extinction of the gospel or any other number of doomsday scenarios. When I give in to those fears I find that I depart from the only hope for humanity, the gospel of Jesus which must be unpacked to address real issues in our day. Instead the church gets hijacked by special interest groups wanting our donations or presence on a picket line. Instead, I must realize that nations rise and fall in the providence of God who works all things out in accordance with His purposes (Ephesians 1:11) and for the ultimate benefit of the church (verse 22).
Cavman Considers 
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