Choices for Troubled Times – 3. Redemption and Restoration

BACKGROUND: In the previous blog of this series, Choices for Troubled Times - 2. My Responsibility Matters, we discussed our human tendency to demand our rights and insist that others accept our way of viewing the faults of our fallen world.  At the same time we shirk our individual responsibility to show kindness and contribute in positive ways as stewards of the relationships and institutions that support our culture.  Among the loud voices and angry demonstrations occurring this summer are some with a sincere motive to improve American society. But there are many who are motivated out of selfishness and greed, and who are in fact criminals in need of redemption and restoration.  Part 3 of this series aims to present the good news of how people written off as criminals or victims of crime are finding Redemption and Restoration.

This morning, I was awakened by the brightness of the dawn.  Having slept peacefully for about seven hours without fear of danger, I paused to remember and reflect on the gift of life and the promise of a new day.  To be sure, I’m not a perfect man.  Even when I offer thanks and praise to God, it is only my response to His Spirit already alive within my spirit calling me to walk in step with Him. 

According to the Bible, each person bears God’s image and is created with a spiritual awareness, a capacity to respond to God’s Spirit.  Like a tuning fork used to tune a musical instrument, our spirits are designed to vibrate and resonate in harmony with God’s Spirit so that we are able to walk in step with our Creator.

Thankfully, I am blessed with a family heritage and Christian home environment that led to my submission to God through faith in Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for my sin.  My faith and walk with Christ have allowed Him to influence the choices I have made over the past seventy-three years.  Those choices, though not always the best, have led to habits or disciplines, including the blessing of having my first conscious thoughts directed to God in thankfulness for a new day.

But on this same morning, there are many men and women who have awakened to a new day with a different disposition, one ruled by selfishness, greed, anger, malice, and suchlike.  This is not to say that I am a better man than they are.  But the fact is, not all men are blessed with a family heritage and home environment that nurtures them in body, mind, soul, and spirit.  Not everyone is blessed with parents and mentors to help them honor God and make the choice to submit their lives to His love and authority. 

Broken People
Today, people all around us are suffering from bad choices.  Although each were born with the free will to choose rightly, many were born into dysfunctional families and have not had the blessing of godly friends, good schools, or a supportive community.  The following lyrics from Mac Davis, popularized by Elvis Presley, describe the plight of so many children who grow up without the supporting network to shape their character and values:

People, don't you understand
The child needs a helping hand
Or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day?
Take a look at you and me
Are we too blind to see
Do we simply turn our heads,
and look the other way?

Restoring Broken People
During the past century in America, there have been many attempts to restore the brokenness of people who suffer from bad choices and bad decisions of their ancestors and those in leadership in their communities and cities.  The infamous War on Poverty launched by the Johnson administration in the 1960’s illustrates how a government welfare program falls short of having a positive impact.  While it aimed to lift the poor and disadvantaged out of material poverty, it did not address the poverty of their soul and spirit. According to the Cato Institute, this welfare program has cost $15 trillion dollars since its inception in the 1960’s but has scarcely moved the needle on poverty.

The “welfare approach” fails to address human need of love, respect, a sense of dignity, higher education, job skills, and development of character and responsibility.  However, in recent years, the federal government with emphasis on the private sector has begun to recognize these human needs.  Several initiatives, some launched and supported by the Trump administration, are showing success in redemption and restoration of “forgotten people” because they address the needs of the whole person.  Many of these programs were highlighted in the Republican National Convention held this week and are featured in video recordings accessible via C-SPAN.

Living Testimonies of Redemption and Restoration
What follows is a sampling of personal testimonies and video clips that reveal how the lives of broken people are being redeemed spiritually and emotionally, and being restored with dignity and the ability to contribute in meaningful ways to American society.  Just click on the highlighted text to view each.

I watched as President Trump awarded a full pardon to Jon Ponder, a former felon who grew up without a father and made a series of bad choices leading him to serve time for a number of bank robberies.   While serving time, Jon started the non-profit re-entry program called Hope for Prisoners.  In the words of President Trump, “Jon’s life is a beautiful testament to the power of redemption.”

Criminal justice reform advocate, Alice Johnson, once sentenced to life plus 25 years in prison, was released by the efforts of President Trump who later signed legislation called the First Step Act which will allow many like Alice to be pardoned from unreasonable prison sentences.  In Alice’s words, “What I did was wrong.  I made decisions I regret…none of us want to be defined by our worst decisions.  I always knew that God  remembered my name, even in my darkest hour, but I never dreamed that a president would.”

Immigrants to the United States were sworn in as citizens at a naturalization ceremony and were honored for having chosen to complete the legal path to citizenship.

Tera Myers, wife and mother who is also a school choice advocate.  Tera works in support of efforts to allow parents, especially in urban communities with failed schools, to choose a better school for their children so that they may break out of the cycle of poverty to fulfill their God-given purposes.

Jack Brewer directs The Brewer Group, a consulting firm that aims to promote educational programs, health care, agriculture, sports and media, particularly in many of the underserved populations.  Jack is a “former 3-time NFL team captain, college professor, coach, husband, son, and father; and tells the story of his personal successes and struggles.  

Lou Holtz, former Notre Dame and NFL coach explains how his life was fulfilling in spite of his humble beginnings because of the right choices he made in life.

Herschel Walker, Heisman Trophy winner, former NFL football player, bobsledder, sprinter, mixed martial artist, and 37-year close friend of President Trump.

Stacia Brightmon, Marine Corps veteran and single mother of two boys who works in Houston, TX as a warehouse receiving clerk.  After becoming homeless, she applied to a learn-while-you-work apprenticeship program supported by President Trump and daughter Ivanka.

Abby Johnson, formerly a worker at Planned Parenthood, now leads a pro-life ministry called, And Then There Were None (ATTWN), which encourages abortion-clinic workers to make the bold choice to leave the industry.  ATTWN provides financial support and counseling for those who make the right choice.

Two Visions for America—One Involves Redemption
Today, America is deeply divided over what appears to be two major visions for her future.  One vision sees America as an unjust product of colonialism that has never been “great,” and is beyond redemption and restoration.  Seldom included in this truth claim is the truth that only God is great, good, and just.  But God is also merciful.  Lacking belief in this biblical claim of God’s justice and mercy, the first vision of America is darkened by pessimism, selfishness, intolerance, judgment, and even violence toward anyone who disagrees.

The other vision for America, often grounded in biblical truth, recognizes the fallen nature of man.  Therefore, America is “great” not because it she perfect, but because she recognizes she is part of a noble experiment “to form a more perfect union” by eliminating injustices and continually pursuing God in an attitude of humility and repentance.  This vision recognizes that ultimately, individuals are responsible for their actions, and that whole groups or nations are only as good as their citizens. 

Therefore, because God is both just and merciful, we who have received His mercy and forgiveness ought to extend mercy to our neighbor (Matthew 18: 21-35).  Many of those whom I have referenced in this article are living by this truth and are acting as channels and “stewards of God’s grace in its various forms (1 Peter 4: 10).  May their stories inspire us all to a positive outlook, and to an awareness that, as stewards of God’s grace and  mercy, we ought to sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts and always be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us, yet with gentleness and reverence (1 Peter 3: 15).

How Do You See America and Her “Forgotten?”
I have presented my vision of America, hopefully true to a biblical view of and relationship with a God who is just, yet merciful toward me.  This article also introduces you to the testimonies of many who have received God’s mercy and who now are a part of extending mercy to others.  I welcome your insights, comments, and questions.  Just use “Comments” or email me at silviusj@gmail.com.  Thank you for reading.

A Greater COVID-19 Danger: Misinformation

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.  – Prophet Hosea (710 BC) 

The financial firm, Franklin Templeton, has teamed up with Gallup to determine people’s behavioral responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Their hypothesis: What people know and don’t know about the pandemic will play a crucial role in shaping the economic recovery. 

Maybe you’d like to participate in part of the survey.   If so, write down your answer to three of the questions based on what you know about the COVID-19 pandemic.  Here you go:  What percentage of total COVID deaths have occurred among Americans…
(1)  …age 55 or older?
(2)  …age 44 and younger?
(3)  …age 24 and younger?

COVID-19 Risk:  Survey Results
Now, let’s compare your answers to the actual COVID-19 mortality statistics from US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), as of July 22, 2020.  First, in order to make you feel better in case your answers are far from the actual percentages, here is part of the conclusion made by authors of the “Franklin Templeton–Gallup Economics of Recovery Study:”

These results are nothing short of stunning.  Six months into this pandemic, Americans still dramatically misunderstand the risk of dying from COVID-19.

Maybe you will be "stunned" as well.  To compare your responses with the responses of Americans included in the survey when the three questions were asked, here are the results:

Based on this sampling from the survey, can you see the stunning discrepancy between perceived health threat of COVID-19 and reality?  Amazingly, in spite of Americans having access the best health care system in the world and excellent access to information at our fingertips, we demonstrate a stunning misunderstanding of the risk of death from COVID-19.  

As the table below suggests, Americans 65 and older are much more aware of the heightened risk for their own age group.  On the other hand, the younger the age group polled the more misled Americans are about their risk of negative health consequences from the virus.  Shockingly, school- and college-age young people (age 24 and younger) overestimated the danger of COVID-19 by a factor of 40!!

What is even more unfortunate and even frightening is the way in which the misinformation causes fear among us.  The table below clearly shows the increasing fear of negative health consequences among the younger age groups in spite of the lowered risk of death from COVID-19.

The following statement from the Franklin Templeton report summarizes how misinformation can be used to generate fear and influence partisan outcomes (emphasis mine):

Fear and anger are the most reliable drivers of engagement; scary tales of young victims of the pandemic, intimating that we are all at risk of dying, quickly go viral; so do stories that blame everything on your political adversaries. Both social and traditional media have been churning out both types of narratives in order to generate more clicks and increase their audience.

Media and Partisanship Blamed
The more access we have to information about risks to our health and well being the greater the likelihood that we will make decisions that favor our safety and minimize our fears.  If this claim is true and the survey data is accurate, how can Americans make good decisions based on risk to personal health if they misunderstand the risk.  The same applies to making good policy decisions on the part of policymakers.

For instance, if the risk of death among school and college age young people is less than 0.2%, how can we justify closing classrooms and canceling sports?  If the survey results are accurate, the current debates about whether or not to open classrooms and schedule school or college sports this Fall are being made by poorly informed administrators, educators, students, athletes, parents, and policymakers.  But never mind the actual data.  If the media and political actors can create the “perception” of greater risk than reality, then they can use a falsely generated fear to manipulate us to follow unrealistic guidelines.

Proof of media involvement in creating a misinformed public is seen in the differences in responses between those who identify as Democrats and those identifying as Republicans.    “People who get their information predominantly from social media have the most erroneous and distorted perception of risk.  Those who identify as Democrats tend to mistakenly overstate the risk of death from COVID-19 for younger people much more than Republicans.”  Most cable news watchers are aware of the vast difference in messaging between CNN or MSNBC and FoxNews.

The Franklin Templeton/Gallup survey predicts that if “…those who can afford it are willing to pay significantly more for extra perceived safety, we might see a significant rise in inflation down the line.  Again, misinformation can lead to unwarranted fear which in turn makes a population vulnerable to manipulation in directions that fit partisan priorities and visions for a restructured American government and society.

It is becoming clear that misinformation and resultant unwarranted fear may be the greater threat from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Consider the following statement from the survey report:

From a public interest perspective, we believe the top priority should be better information and a less partisan, more fact-based public debate.  The fact that a large share of the population overestimates the COVID-19 danger to the young will make a targeted public health response more difficult to agree on. We think it is also likely to delay the recovery, causing a deeper and prolonged recession.

We Need to Be Informed
Maybe it is time we devote some extra time to becoming accurately informed by doing our own research and making decisions accordingly.  At the same time, we who are called to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12: 31) need to deal graciously with those who are more fearful of negative health consequences whether or not their fear is warranted. 

Hopefully, readers who look in more detail at the Franklin Templeton and Gallup Survey will be better informed and able to articulate truth to neighbors who are misled or confused.  Otherwise, the greater risk may not be COVID-19.  Instead, we may experience very dire consequences to our culture and nation from those who seek to use the virus for selfish political motives.

Remember the words from the Prophet Hosea, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4: 6).  If you’d like to stay informed as the survey continues to expand over the coming months, you can receive ongoing updates on the project's findings by signing up here.  

What Do You Think?
Do you consider yourself well informed about the pandemic?  How well did you score on the opening three polling questions?  If you’d like to respond to this blog with comments or questions, just use the “Comments” link below, or contact me at silviusj@gmail.com   Thank you for reading, and may God honor your efforts to be informed, make good decisions, and inform others as we try to learn how best to respond to the pandemic and the politics surrounding it.

Moral Character Is Cultured in Community

Growing up in the 1950’s and 60’s meant that I benefited from a community of tightly woven and caring relationships within stable families, churches, public school, law enforcement, volunteer fire department.  Here, I also enjoyed the blessing of community events like parades, festivals, and fundraising dinners.  Rural, farm communities like ours in east central Ohio were formed by hard-working, responsible people who took responsibility for their decisions but also were quick to come to the aid of neighbors who faced misfortune. 

A community, whether rural, suburban, or urban, a is a social unit composed of people sharing a geographic location, moral values, customs, identity, and vision.  It is within a community that our families, churches, and schools teach us as individuals to know God, to love Him, to respect laws and law enforcers, and to love our neighbor.  To respect these privileges and responsibilities is literally to acknowledge and cherish what has produced and sustained American culture and much of Western civilization. 

However, within the past century, greater mobility coupled with more educational and employment opportunities have encouraged sons and daughters to leave their communities and make their homes elsewhere.  Consequently, many communities lack the cohesiveness fostered by stable, long-term relationships.  The resultant instability of communities has been highlighted by the recent violent protests in major cities.  Since May, organized groups of anarchistic terrorists have invaded already unstable urban and suburban communities to stir up vulnerable residents, incite rebellion against civil authorities, destroy property, and assault and murder innocent people.

During these troubled times, we can pray that American voters will soon elect leaders who value long-held moral and ethical standards, and that perpetrators of violence and destruction will be bought to justice.  Regardless, quality of life in America will depend not on government alone but upon responsible individuals and stable communities that nurture responsible residents.  This is why it was refreshing for me to read an article by Rhonda Edgerton, published in the Wooster Weekly News/The Bargain Hunter-Wayne (08-05-20), featuring the life of an exemplary community leader like Jay Lehman.

In 1955, Jay Lehman founded Lehman’s, a hardware store in Kidron, Ohio with the mission of serving the local Amish community with non-electric, simple, household goods.  Since then, Lehman's has grown into a multi-million- dollar international business.  The store now serves customers around the world by offering an extensive catalog and shipping.  Still each year, multitudes of international customers visit to see for themselves the extensive inventory of unique resources for missionaries, homesteaders, environmentalists, survivalists, and doctors serving in developing countries. 

The current 35,000-square-foot facility offers a visual reminder of its humble history and its owner’s appreciation of history and culture.  The store is composed of remnants of a log cabin and four pre-Civil War buildings.  The visual layout, inventory, and friendly help provided at Lehman’s is a reflection of Jay’s Christian faith, his work ethic, his genuine love for his customers, and his love for a simple way of life.

Jay Lehman died on July 26 at the age of 91, representing 65 years of humble service as owner of Lehman’s.  But his legacy lives on through the contributions he made toward his community. During his lifetime, he touched thousands of people with his humble, kind assistance.  Similarly, he enriched the soil, water, and wildlife populations through conservation practices including the planting of over 50,000 trees!  

Alexis de Tocqueville, the French diplomat, political scientist, and historian who is known for his remarkable appreciation of America in the 19th century is quoted as saying: The health of a democratic society may be measured by the quality of functions performed by private citizens.    Certainly, the life and contributions of Jay Lehman will continue to have a lasting impact on his local community, his country, and the international community including the over 70 countries to which he travelled.  

We extend our sympathy to the Lehman family, and rejoice with them at the legacy of faith and practice Jay Lehman has left to them and his community.  And, we thank God for the community that nurtured him and so many people of character like him.

More about Jay Lehman and Lehman’s

Article by Rhonda Edgerton.  Jay Lehman Dies at 91, Leaves Legacy of Simple Living and Christian Life.  The Bargain Hunter, August 5, 2020

Preview Online the Experience of Visiting Lehman's Store 

Decisive Events of History—Did One Just Occur?

History is somewhat like biology and geology.  All three try to explain present conditions based on interplay between two types of causes: (a) uniform processes occurring over long periods of time, and (b) major or cataclysmic events that interrupt the long periods of uniformity.  Uniform processes involving the soil, water, and air include natural selection, erosion, and sedimentation, while cataclysmic processes include pandemics, hurricanes, and volcanic eruptions.  Thus, both uniform and cataclysmic processes are responsible for the current state of both animal and plant populations and of whole landscapes as they exist today.  

Likewise, historians explain the current state of nations and cultures as the effects of uniform events that fill most of the pages of history and major “decisive events” that rise above the usual.  For example, I consider the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg, and the invention of the microscope by Anton van Leeuwenhoek, as decisive events that have had major impacts on science, health, and technology. 

Do we recognize “decisive events” when they happen today?  I believe one such event has just occurred, but it has received little coverage.  Before we consider this decisive event, let’s consider another event of a similar nature that occurred in a Roman stadium just over 1,600 years ago.

A Decisive Event in a Roman Stadium
A popular pastime in the Roman Empire was for tens of thousands of spectators in a stadium to watch the bloody gladiator duels which usually ended with the slaying of the weaker combatant.  According to an article by Lawrence W. Reed, Senior Fellow at Foundation for Economic Education, “Gladiators entertained the increasingly morbid sentiments of a public thirsty for blood.  Most were free men.  A small number were women.  Professional gladiators were a privileged class in ancient Rome, even endorsing products as idolized athletes.”

But on January 14, 404 AD, with the Roman Empire sliding ever deeper into moral and political decay, a decisive event abruptly ended the tradition of the Roman gladiator duels—forever!  As John Huffman describes the events on this particular January day in Discerning History, “a lone figure interrupted the proceedings.  Without warning, a rough and weather-beaten man jumped over the wall and into the arena.  Shouts of excitement over the combat gave way to a profound silence, as all eyes turned from the gladiators to look at the lone figure.”

“He was covered with a mantle.  He had come all the way from Asia to Rome.  He was a Christian.  He had heard about these barbaric entertainments, and, by the grace of God, he intended to stop them…  He advanced to the two gladiators who were engaged in mortal combat.  Interposing himself between the combatants, he faced the crowd.  Fearlessly, this hero raised his voice.  In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, I command these wicked games to cease.  Do not requite God’s mercy by shedding innocent blood.”

“A shout of defiance met the voice of our hero.  Pieces of fruit, stones, daggers, and other missiles were hurled down from the stands.  One of the gladiators, expecting the applause of the crowd, stepped forward and rammed his battle axe into the skull of the man who had dared interfere with Rome’s favorite entertainment.  As the hero sunk lifeless to the ground, the angry cries of the crowd died away into a profound silence in the arena.  As the life’s blood of this new martyr joined the blood of the thousands who had bled there before him, the crowd suddenly faced a courage that was greater than the strongest gladiator. The work of this Christian was accomplished.  His name was Telemachus (Discerning History).”

According to John Foxe, in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, “From the day Telemachus fell dead in the Coliseum, no other fight of gladiators was ever held there.” John Huffman adds, “Such was the legacy of a man who dared to jump over a wall and declare that an aspect of popular cultural entertainment was ungodly and unlawful.”

Telemachus’s bold decision to act upon his faith apparently helped him to fulfill his purpose as God’s instrument.  His bold protest and martyrdom in 404 AD became one of the decisive events in the history of Western civilization.  According to Codex Theodosianus 15-12, gladiatorial games were officially banned by Constantine in 325 AD on the grounds that they were inappropriate “in a time of civil and domestic peace.”  Amazingly, a one-man protest conducted by a foreigner who was not even a citizen of Rome caused leaders of an authoritarian government to outlaw a very popular but brutal custom.  But protests in the years since Telemachus have also been considered decisive events in history.

A Decisive Event in Montgomery, AL

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, an African American seamstress, seated herself in the white section of a Montgomery City bus.  When the bus driver asked her to vacate her seat for a white man, Rosa “refused to leave her seat on the grounds of fairness, freedom and equality. As a result, she was arrested and convicted of violating the laws of segregation, known as the "Jim Crow" laws.  She appealed her conviction and formally challenged the legality of segregation (See Rosa Parks Day, Ben Franklin Transit).”  

Non-Violent Demonstrations
In response to the Rosa Parks incident, civil rights activists, including Martin Luther King Jr., led a boycott of the Montgomery bus system.  Rev. Dr. King, leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), insisted on the principle of non-violent demonstrations based on his Christian faith.  
The most decisive demonstration led by Dr. King was the August, 1963 March on Washington.  There, King delivered his momentous “I Have a Dream” message, again grounded in biblical Christianity as well as the principles embodied in great documents of American history including the Declaration of Independence, Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the United States Constitution.  Rev. King described a world in which people of every ethnic group could work together, be educated together, and worship together. He repeatedly mentioned "God's children" in his message and expressed his hope and dream that “the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together (Isaiah 40: 5)."

The non-violent civil rights movement under Dr. King moved a step closer to his “dream” coming true when the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed by the U.S. Congress with bipartisan support.  Less than four years later, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, and his death further immortalized his leadership in bringing about an end to discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin.

Freedom of Expression Today

There is no doubt that America has made great progress in securing minority rights in the past 75 years.  However, if Dr. King were alive, I believe he would be opposed to the violent protests currently occurring on American streets.   He would oppose the manner in which tragic events such as the murder of George Floyd have been used by radical groups to stir violent demonstrations, vandalism, and destruction out of hate and greed rather than to promote necessary reforms and the love of our neighbor regardless of ethnicity.  In fact, one need only listen to Dr. King’s niece, Evangelist Alveda King, to hear the same heart of love and reason which she learned from her father and her uncle.  She emphasizes the importance of “pairing social justice with righteousness” when confronting issues plaguing America today (See Black History 1: Correct History Brings Light).

Social justice that is not coupled to God’s righteousness and love for neighbor becomes trapped in pride, covetousness, greed, and resentment others.  Instead of non-violent demonstrations so effective in bringing social reform under Dr. King, many of today’s protesters shout with loud voices and even violent threats against government authorities.  Aided by major media outlets that are biased in favor of extreme left-wing and socialist philosophies, these voices are becoming intimidating toward mainstream Americans.

Americans are guaranteed certain rights, inalienable rights which are ultimately from God, including the freedom of expression under the U.S. Constitution.  For over two centuries, each citizen of the U.S. has been given the right to cast one vote on each issue and candidate put forth during elections.  At election time, regardless of wealth, popularity, political opinion, physical health, or gender; all citizens have an equal influence when voting their consciences.  However, with the crumbling of law enforcement and the rise of threatening voices of the hateful and the violent, many who want to express their opinion and eventually cast their votes are increasingly afraid to speak up.  A recent Cato Institute Summer 2020 National Survey reveals that Americans with increasingly conservative political views are less and less comfortable in sharing their opinions (See adjacent chart of results.).

A Decisive Event in Milwaukee?
My concern for the protection of our freedom of expression has recently been increased by the news of the brutal murder of a Black American.  I am not referring to George Floyd, as tragic as that is; nor am I referring to the dozens of Black Americans being murdered in our major cities every week due to lawlessness.  Instead, I am referring to the murder of a Milwaukee man, Bernel Trammell in broad daylight outside his business where he publishes eXpressions Journal, a small periodical that focuses on political and spiritual news.  At the time of this writing, the murderer and the motive behind Trammell’s death on July 23 is not known. 

“Everybody has a voice. Everybody’s voice has power,” Trammell was fond of saying, according to a friend.  Tragically, the voice of Trammell and votes this simple man would have cast have been stopped by someone more powerful—possibly someone who hated Bernel Trammell’s bold Christian witness and/or his vocal support for Donald Trump.

With America so deeply divided,  I believe our only hope is that God will respond to the prayers of many of us for a spiritual reawakening (See How Firm Is Our Foundation?)  Returning to our notion of “decisive events,” is it possible that the murder of Bernel Trammell could trigger a major change in the direction of history?  The Christian, non-violent intercessions against injustice by Telemachus and Martin Luther King, Jr. each caused decisive outcomes in their respective cultures.  Is it possible that we Americans might respond like the Roman spectators on that January 14, 404 AD when they became sickened at the brutal murder of Telemachus?  Could the innocent death of Bernel Trammell, a Black American known only as a kind, outspoken man in Milwaukee who loved God and Donald Trump, cause us all to stop and say, “Enough!”

How Do You Respond?
I have described how several tragic events became decisive events in world history.  If the tragic murder of a Bernel Trammell is not enough to cause American’s to say, “Enough!” then what will it take to bring an awakening to our country? 

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