In all too many movies, characters portrayed as religious fanatics inevitably say, when face with disaster, ‘we are being punished by God’ — and just as inevitable, they look like idiots. I will try to not sound like an idiot.
For many years (if not decades), the US government has pursued policies which have weakened its democratic foundations. It has allowed massive ongoing illegal immigration, which continues to weaken its borders and national sovereignty. It has engaged in a constant war for 15 years, which has brought death and suffering to a quarter of the world. More recently, the Federal Drug Administration has allowed the sale of highly addictive prescription opioids, causing a massive crisis in addiction. This has flamed a nationwide crisis in fentanyl and heroin addiction as people addicted to opioids seek out cheaper ways to feed their need. The death toll from overdoses have been so great, that it has reduced the longevity of Americans.
Despite the fact that America is still home to many Believers, by looking at the actions of its government, you would think otherwise. How is it possible that a democratically elected government that represents a seemingly majority of Christians, be responsible for letting such tragedies occur?
Recently President Trump has been focused on delivering on his campaign promises — despite getting almost no help from the Democrats, the Republicans, the Left, nor the Right (well, recently a small group of conservative House members stepped up). The establishment politicians on both the Left and the Right have been bought out or otherwise co-opted. Career politicians are afraid of being targeted by the mass media or the agents of the Beast. President Trump is trying to stop the perpetual war against Muslims and the suffering it has caused. He is trying to protect America’s sovereignty by protecting its sovereign borders. He is trying to strengthen the economic foundation of America’s democracy by rolling back policies that have decimated the workers of the middle class. He is pretty much alone in these efforts.
This site has argued that America’s attacks on the nations of Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and Syria as well as it bombing of Muslim groups in different regions of Africa was the driving factor for the societal chaos affecting those regions. America has plunged a quarter of the world into conflict and suffering, serving to open the Fourth Seal . Even if Death and Hades do not live in America, they certainly have many friends there. Given that these wars have also resulted in physical attacks and mass killings of Christians in these conflict zones, it could be argued that America has not only brought about the opening of the Fourth Seal, but it is also responsible for the opening of the Fifth Seal (Revelation 6:8-9). Given this viewpoint, one could continue and argue that the opening of the Sixth Seal could serve as America’s payback. If a supervolcano eruption will serve as the manifestation of the Sixth Seal, what better place for that eruption than the country that has caused so much suffering in the world?
Should President Trump succeed in his efforts to change America’s course, perhaps God will spare America from a catastrophic eruption within its borders. Should President Trump fall from the constant attacks by the agents of the Beast, then I would argue that there is no longer any reason for God to spare America. Though a bit Old Testament, just as the sins of the father can cause his children to suffer, perhaps so could the sins of a government (especially a democratically elected one) cause its people to similarly suffer. When I look at certain prophecies in Revelation, I do not see the presence of an American superpower. If this view proves accurate, then America will either pull back on its own accord, leaving the world to take care of their own problems, or it will be forced to withdraw due to some domestic calamity. One lesson that the Bible teaches is the notion of accountability — one way or another, in the end, you will be held accountable for your deeds. At some point, will God hold America accountable for the deeds of its government?