Draw a Line or Dig a Hole You

Draw a Line or Dig a Hole?

“You can evade reality but you cannot evade the consequences of evading reality. ” Ayn Rand

What Reality are we evading? • The past is important – “nothing new under the sun. ” • There is a future – “whatever you sow, therefore you will reap. ” • History matters.

Leon Festinger 1957 • Cognitive Dissonance – Forget, ignore, or reduce value of new info – Seeking truth to validate new info no longer occurs – Why? We don’t think anymore, we feel. • Truth can be very offensive – We are comfortable – don’t want to change – We do not want to admit we are wrong

Arnold Toynbee • “A Study of History” – 7000 pages – 13 volumes (1929 -1952) – Researched 26 civilizations – Identified trends, similarities, and cycles in cultures – History repeats itself with accuracy and regularity.

What did Toynbee find? • Disintegrating societies have a: – Loss of creative leaders – Loss of self-determination which will demand external controls (government) - Nationalism • Loyalty to the Creator withdrawn in order to bestow allegiance on mankind – creatures standardized

What did Toynbee find? • Disintegrating societies have a: – Syncretism of religious traditions • Multiculturalism • Coexist (Can’t we just get along? ) – Schism of the soul (What is right and wrong? ) – Slight chance of recovering – Only one solution to recovery

Jim Black America on the Brink: Warning Signs of a Culture in Crisis 1. 2. 3. 4. 1994 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Lawlessness Loss of economic discipline Educational decline Weakening of cultural foundations Loss of respect of tradition Increase in materialism Rise in immorality Decay of religious belief Devaluing of human life

So…what’s our Reality? • The United States of America has changed. • Today’s youth are the first generation of Americans who believe that life for them will not be better than their parents. • What is the biggest crisis facing America today? • Which one can you change?

Everyone of them, but not… • • • Overnight. By just talking about the problems. Without a fight. Without changing your perspective. Without paying a price. Without having a reason that drives your every waking hour.

What are MY driving reasons? • John Wise (1652 -1725) • John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg (1746 -1807) • Haym Solomon • Richard Allen, Wentworth Cheswell, Harry Hoosier, James Armistead, Benjamin Banneker • Edward Everett Hale • Glenwood Overstreet and Esther Cowlbeck • Carlton Witt

What’s MY reason? If we do not stand up, speak out, and act now, where will America be in 1, 2, 5 years?

Point of no return?

John Adams – July 1, 1776 “Before God, I believe the hour has come. My judgment approves this measure, and my whole heart is in it. All that I have, and all that I am, and all that I hope in this life, I am now ready here to stake upon it. And I leave off as I began, that live or die, survive or perish, I am for the Declaration. It is my living sentiment, and by the blessing of God it shall be my dying sentiment, Independence now, and Independence forever. ”

Draw a Line or Dig a Hole?

Strategies for Success • Don’t sweat the BIG stuff unless it is local. • Be willing to change and step outside of your comfort zone. • The closer to the problem - the more our influence – the greater our success • “All legislators (they are not leaders) work for me. ” Get to know them.

2014 Election Cycle • June 10, 2014 – 7 th District Primary – Winner will be Congressman – David Brat versus the Cantor machine – “It’s the Primaries” – R. Viguerie • Work locally – Precincts – Neighborhood activation – Identify future candidates

2015 Election Cycle • 40 Virginia State Senate races – 20 to 20 tie with Dem. Lt. Governor – +1 strategy • 100 Virginia House of Delegate races • Local races – School Board – Board of Supervisors • Time to stay involved

2016 Election Cycle • Presidential race • 11 Congressmen and women • Conservative control of the Republican Party • Growth in Conservative local leaders

A Study of History “The plane on which the decisive spiritual battle was likely to be fought was neither the military nor the political nor the social nor the economic nor the intellectual; for in A. D. 1952 the crucial questions confronting Western Man were all religious. ” Vol. IX, p 449

Toynbee’s belief There is only one way for a disintegrating culture to return to a stable culture. It is not government, nor education, nor the economy. It must return to the cult of its culture. Biblical Christianity

Draw a Line or Dig a Hole?