National Strongholds

Last week, on the way home from the accusation lecture, David Russell said, "you killed me with that stuff about diabetes coming from accusation and a lack of a strong male. Did you know that black Americans are nearly twice as likely to have diabetes as white Americans? And I think we all know about the chronic absence of strong males in black families in this country..."

I'd never put those two together, exactly, but I did know that black Americans are 2-3 times more likely to have sickle cell anemia, and they're also out of whack with hypertension, asthma, and coronary heart disease. WHAT IS UP WITH THAT? Also, let's go ahead and ask why the irresponsible male, the overworked, embittered woman, and the screwed-up family unit is so common in black America that sitcoms are built around these stereotypes.

Let's expand that: why is obesity so common among Hawaiians and Samoans (and Americans)? Why does the world think of slavic nations as depressed and grim? Why are Germans thought of as unfeeling automatons? Why are asian fathers so regularly severe with their children? Why do first generation Americans feel such pressure to perform? Why is AIDS higher in poor countries? (P.S.- don't waste your breath telling me it's "lack of education".) Why is poverty racial in many areas of the world? Why is rebellion seen as an American (and Australian) characteristic? Etc. etc. etc. etc.

To me, it's simple: there are national and racial and even generational strongholds. So, when America was BIRTHED out of rebellion against our British authority, doesn't it make sense that rebellion and independence would be transmitted in our national DNA? If blacks in America lived and died with a slave mentality that said "we're worthless" for generations, would freeing them from that slave system instantly dissolve that spirit of rejection and accusation? Of course not. It must be repented of and broken off. If America put INTO LAW at its outset that all religions are equal, don't you think that spirit might show up on down the line if it's not dealt with? I do.

All I'm saying is, we can historically identify the spiritual roots of our country and race. Why don't we repent of that stuff too?