Moral Decline in America #2 (gas prices, generation, global warming, ethic)

[kawgpz550]

I'm sorry I messed the first one up let's try this again lol


Ok, as requested by someone on another post, I have decided to start a thread regarding America's moral decay. I also decided to do this as a poll to see what everyone thinks. Please feel respond freely, HOWEVER....
PLEASE NO PERSONAL ATTACKS, RIDICULE OR HARSH REMARKS TOWARD ANYONE BASED ON THEIR BELIEFS! This is to discuss everyone's opinions and friendly debate maybe, but I don't want anyone getting offended or attacked.

Regardless of everyone's beliefs and differences of opnion, we all have to agree that our morals in America are declining SHARPLY! We have sexual predators preying on our young children, chidren being prostituted out by their own mothers, the shedding of innocent blood, severe cruelty and abuse...you name it, we've got it! We have drug addicted parents and parent drug dealers) neglecting their children and even encouraging their kids to take over the "family business" of drug dealing and gang banging.
We have kids that are growing up with NO BOUNDARIES or limitations. Too many Kids today do not obey and respect their parents, teachers or anyone else of authority.
Where do you think these problems stem from?
Lack of prayer in school?
Lack of discipline?
All of the above?
None of the above?
Other? (ie. lack of activities, working parents etc?)

[Stonecoldharbours]

Working parents is a huge factor, I know of a mother who allows her 11 year old to sit her 7 year old all summer long, kids coming and going all day long, no adults around, beer in the house, screaming, and god knows what else, and the oldest is not very responsible for his age, not a good scearnio...glad I am leaving soon...down the street...alot more homes like this one.

[Marks]

All the above! It's to bad but it looks like it's not going to change anytime soon.

[Colomonter]

I'm curious what poster(s) who checked none of the above and/or other thinks?

[BlueWillowPlate]

I checked Other.
Each generation has some awful thing to deal with one way or another.
I do not believe America is going to hell in a handbasket, but we do have our problems.
For me, it is how much capitalism and the media control our behavior.
It's all about how to make a profit: influence, but no responsibility.
Everyone is out for themselves. They have to be.
Corporate BS has taken over decisions parents make. Corporations have their hands in spineless policymakers' pockets. Music, art, cinema etc are rated according to sensational media trends and/or box office.
"Can you top this"? has become the watchword in the media. They think that's the only thing that will sell.
Our country is being steered by the almighty dollar (which is not so mighty anymore.)
The trickle down affect permeates our lifestyle, our laws, our morals, our foreign policy.
To me, it's too bad that people feel they must resort to homeschooling or other forms of isolation to protect their children from this kind of stuff--yet I don't blame them.
The trouble is, this breaks down our community.
I apologize for this rhetoric-filled manifesto but hopefully y'all will get my drift.

[christina0001]

I think a huge part of it is so many families have both parents working outside the home 45 - 60+ hours/week. Children get little guidance from their parents because the parents aren't home, or when they are home, they're exhausted. Some 2-parent homes have both parents working long hours just to keep up with the Joneses; in other cases if the parents' are in low-paying fields, they may have no choice but to work full time. Parents are too tired to discipline, and they just want to enjoy the time they do have with their kids; they don't want to be the bad guy. Single-parent homes experience this x2. Add into the mix, we live in an instant-gratification culture. If mom and dad don't have the self-discipline to practice restraint and patience, the kids will never learn those traits.

[kawgpz550]

IMHO, I do think prayer has a little to do with it in the fact that there are too many people that have NO faith at all, in anything. Although I am a Christian and most of you know how us Christians think lol I feel that it is better to have faith in something than nothing at all. Carolinajack said it pretty good when he said "have faith in something or fall for anything" (something to that affect anyway). At least with a short prayer (even if the kids are not Christian) the words that are spoken by the teacher or?? may actuall sink in a bit and help guide the kids.
I believe, the biggest problem with kids these days is the lack of discipline, which in some respects does go hand in hand with being a Christian to an extent. It does speak in the Bible about not sparing the rod (I'm trying to not make this a religious debate ). But lack of discipline equals trouble. If you know that you can do something and not have any consequences from it, you'll do it...then the next time you will do something even bigger and keep pushing the envelope. While it is true that some people go overboard in punishment, to the point of abuse, this is not the case for all. It really sucks though when kids now think they have the upper hand in a battle with their parents "go ahead, hit me...I'll call the cops". But guess where I won this battle with one of MY KIDS? I told her to go right ahead and call the cops, becaus I cannot think of a better reason to go to jail than for discipling my kids. I also told her that someday she would regret ever doing so, because as she got older she would understand I was right and only trying to correct her out of love and so she didn't get hurt. I also made she she knew that she had the chance of bouncing throughout the foster home and CPS system in the process. And if she thinks she has it tough at home..she hasn't seen anything yet! She mellowed out after this and never threatened to call the cops on me again...my other kids witnessed it and I have never had a repeat of the situation
I think that with today's economy and the lifestyle people tend to choose more families have to have boh parents working in order to make ends meet. When I say "lifestyle" I am talking about families that have to live beyond their means(this is not ALWAYS the case, but I have seen it many times). I have seen people that tend to treasure an overly nice house AND an overly nice car and have to have all of their other "TOYS" in life in order to behappy; However, kids need a good loving home, with guidance and direction and role models, more than they need a fancy house or car.
As far as the media, I think the media plays a large role in our kids as well. You have TV advertising everything from phone sex, Viagra and Enzyte (I really hate having to explain what's up with BOB) to alcohol and adult rated movies and more importantly VIDEO games. Yes, my kids play video games, but I REFUSE to let them play anything rated M (Grand Theft Auto has PORN...OMG, kids can't even play a game without sex anymore!).
I also feel that the media is responsible when it comes to giving the criminals so much attention. If there is a school shooting you will hear about it so much to the point they release FAR TOO MANY DETAILS. First off, a lonely child that may be depressed or not have many friends or??? see's this stuff on th news and thinks it's their 5 minutes of fame, whether dead or alive.
This also plays into parental involvment (or lack of). Parents let the kids play on the internet unsupervised and only God knows what they are doing. I continually check the computer to see what they are up to. This also kind of plays into the media as far as Myspace and YouTube! Some of the stuff on these sites are completely outrageous when you consider the ages of some of the people (young kids) that are on there! There isn't anything that kids cannot find on the internet. The internet can be very good, but definately contributes to some VERY BAD things!
There are other factors I feel relevant as well, but this is all i can do for now.
Thanks for the posts so far!

[spike1611]

The moral decay of America.

Where should we start?

Unfortunately, we can truly relate to Rome. Now, I'm certainly no expert, and I don't watch too much news or listen to too much radio, but I have eyes and ears.

Rome destroyed itself. How? Too much thirst for destruction (i.e. Matryrdom and Colliseums), too much power, and too much entertainment. What in the world are we doing not learning? We can clearly see what's happening!

...But that's not convenient, is it?

Welfare, Laziness, RAMPANT immorality, sex education, and the like. These things are actually encouraging the decay we would love to prohibit! But instead of the swift curtailing of these things, we allow our children to have sex at an average "first time" age of 14 years, nine months. We allow our money to go to people who are simply too lazy to get a job or education.

I don't want my kids putting a condem on a banana before I even get a chance to teach them what the Bible (or even simple common sense) says about it.

...But that's not convenient.

We want to please ourselves, and we, as an American whole, see no real problem with that. Ah, the "pursuit of happiness". Who forgot along the line that happiness comes from true service to other people? Who forgot to tell their kids that it takes WORK to be happy? Hmm...but I guess being a servant to others for no real material gain just isn't too popular, is it?

I'm twenty. I turned 18 on November 6. I was one day late to vote. Now, I don't know where my opinions place me as far as a political affiliation, but I vote smart. Even if you don't believe in God, the Bible still has the best standard for modern living available today.

Well, what is that?

Just...work hard. When the work is done, kick back. Have a great evening. Then get up in the morning and do it all over again. But...that's not too convenient. People cry "depression" when something doesn't go their way sometimes. Now, depression is real, but sometimes we stretch it a little.

Obesity. There's another thing that killed Rome, and not because people were getting too fat. Corpulence is a sign of a truly lazy society, and we are the epitome of that indication.

So...I have opened just a few of the surface issues. But the real reason for the moral decay of America is because we're allowing it. The second law of thermodynamics doesn't only disprove evolution (Oh, there's another reason. We're all animals, right? Thanks, Darwin, Dewey, and Freud.), it proves this: Things go downhill if simply left alone. We need to WORK to restore the States. I could care less about gas prices and global warming if we don't even deserve the gas to drive or the world to live in.

This little note might strike some people wrong. I don't like abortion. I hate it. It proves a disregard for human life. But that's not what this is about. I don't like organized crime, drugs, and STDs everywhere. But that's not what this is about. Those things are only symptoms of a much deeper problem. A lack of discipline. To work, to refrain, and to deny oneself. Without any form of self-discipline, there will certainly be ruin. That proves true in every area of life, from the child who wants to touch a hot stove to the teen who wants to have sex to the adult who wants to cheat at work. We must discipline ourselves to prevent the moral decay of America. And we must embrace that sacred book of principle, the Bible, in order to go back to where we were.

...But that's not too convenient, is it?

[stinky]

Wow! Such incredible insight for a younger person. I commend you, Spike, for excellent observations.

Our currency has "In God We Trust" imprinted on it...yet we will not even allow a few minutes set aside for individual prayer in schools. Our pledge of allegiance includes God in it...it's what our forefathers believed in. Separation of church and state is misconstrued to appease the far left who would like nothing more than to abandon all morals and values.

I think the work ethic in America has deteriorated, also. These days, children are learning to expect things, not EARN them. In addition, I am saddened by the lack of respect toward elders...parents, teachers, even government leaders. Just my opinion.

Okay, I'm ready for the flogging to begin.

[Travel'r]

Originally Posted by stinky

I think the work ethic in America has deteriorated, also. These days, children are learning to expect things, not EARN them. In addition, I am saddened by the lack of respect toward elders...parents, teachers, even government leaders. Just my opinion.

BINGO.

Can understand both parents having to work in a household but, to use an immediate family member as an indication of my present area:
Showers these kids with things they don't even begin to appreciate. And when you listen to a discussion between these parents and their (early) teens, they are equals. The parents, literally, obey the children. Kid calls parent "(shut up) you retart" (their word here) and such, and it sounds like twelve year olds arguing amongst themselves with every conversaton.

Grandmother cooks a nice roast beef dinner with mashed taters? Kids "don't want that" so they hi-tail it to Taco Bell or Mickey D's, or get out the boxed macaroni & chicken fingers. Right infront of the person who cooked the dinner as parents, of course, promptly obey.
"Ride me to the mall." Parent(s) jump at command -- literally.

These parents want these kids to own everything imaginable. Junk they don't even want! They are middle class. Not wealthy. Work just to shower themselves with more material things they never even bother to look at, or rots in the yard.
Our parents cringe every time, as we were brought up in an entirely different world, we appreciated everything, and we had to earn it... chores, honors in school ... had to have manners, know how to talk to people...or else!
My sibling was always a "rebel" type, but she was certainly taught better.

Have been around billionaires who didn't spoil their kids like this. Kids appreciated and respected everyone and everything. But my sibling thinks their poohh don't stink because they moved to the "burb" from the hood and they have an SUV and all this other garbage. Go figure.

Don't even want to get into the work ethic aspect here ...ugh. The name of the game is just how less you can do and get away with it without anybody noticing, and what corners to cut to just get it over with, no matter how shabby. It starts at home when they won't even teach the kids something as simple as wrapping a loaf of bread back up, so it doesn't go stale. Or closing a lid. The most mundane things imaginable are lost on them. :>(

Fortunately, this does not apply to all people/places, such as some other locales I've had the pleasure of living, though. But enough to, still, make an impact and have a trickle effect somewhere down the line.

Can only pray my neices don't ever work in a food plant, or quality control, it's scary :>(

Oops, forgot to vote. All of the above and overly-materialistic people on top of it. Indeed, instant self gratification has certainly hit new lows.