The U.S.—as a kinder and gentler nation—hasn’t quite worked out that way since 1989 when President Bush took office. Rather, the country now is more divided than any other time in history with the exception of the Civil War. The coming election will undoubtedly divide the nation even more. People have very diverse visions for the future. Unfortunately, the vast majority choose their own way of treating other people—the way of thinking about self and not caring about others.      

Jesus came to proclaim a way for all the nations to be at peace and the way to know how to be a kinder people. He proclaimed the way of “give” and not “get.” If we deeply examine ourselves, what way are we pursuing? 

Perspective    

Jesus prophesied that in the last days, “the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). 

Are people growing colder towards one another? Are the less polite even less kind towards one another? Thankfully, there still are those who are striving to be civil and kind-hearted towards others. 

For those who must conduct their daily life intermingling with others, driving to and from work and interacting with others regularly, they most likely would make the judgment life isn’t changing for the better. People are impatient in lines at the grocery store, in city traffic or on the phone. Everyone seems to be in a hurry to get somewhere else—even too much in a hurry to smile and show kindness to another human being. To borrow a phrase from Shakespeare’s Macbeth---the Lady Macbeth told her husband he was “full of the milk of human kindness.” He, in reality, acted ruthlessly to become king. The phrase "milk of human kindness" means sympathy, care and friendliness. She meant, the king had no kindness at all in his ruthless actions and he was doing just the opposite. Where is the milk of human kindness?

The apostle Paul warned: “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

A time when people were kinder

Gone are the days when children were taught to always respect their elders; a time when parents instructed their sons and daughters to say, ‘yes or no ma’am,’ or ‘sir’ to adults, or address their elders as Mr. or Mrs. and not by their first names. Young boys were taught to be masculine. They were instructed in how to treat a lady and act in a gentlemanly fashion. Girls were taught to be feminine and chaste.

Many remember a time when it was a common courtesy to be friendly with others, even if you didn’t know them. I remember well the days as a young boy riding with my father in his pickup, he waved at most everyone he saw on the road. Most smiled back and were generally friendly. 

We lived in a small farming community and everyone knew one another. You often knew your neighbors and they helped in a time of need. When a neighbor died you knew them well enough to support their families by being at the funeral. It is not uncommon today to not really know one’s neighbors.

As the love of many grows cold it is perplexing some can have more love and compassion for a pet than for a human being. This ought not to be, but is seemingly more often the case. It isn’t wrong to love animals; they are a part of God’s wonderful creation and can be wonderful companions and give joy to their owners. Animals should be treated humanely, but not on the same level as humans. 

“A recent study by criminologist Jack Levin reveals a possible answer. The study’s participants were asked to respond to a fake news story about a victim who was assaulted with a baseball bat, leaving them unconscious with several broken limbs. While the story was the same, it differed in one crucial detail; the identity of the victim changed. It was either a one-year-old baby, an adult human, a six-year-old dog, or a puppy. Respondents showed the same level of empathy for the baby, the puppy, and the adult dog, but significantly less for the adult human being. Researchers concluded that this suggests that our empathy level is unrelated to species. Rather, it has to do with perceived helplessness and vulnerability. This can also relate to the human-animal bond many of us feel, as they require our attention, help, and concern. The natural affection we feel for animals can be compared to the affection we feel for our children. We impulsively care for them and desire to help them because they are unable to easily help themselves. Our perception of adult humans is that they can easily speak up for their rights or defend themselves from danger.” (March 14, 2024, “People Who Love Animals More Than People: Psychology of Empathy”)

What might be other causes for a person to have more affinity for an animal than humans? Perhaps the reason could be that someone has been isolated for long periods from other people. The COVID-19 pandemic perhaps contributed to causing people to isolate themselves from others. A pet animal, a dog or cat, may have served as their closest companion.

The way of love and kindness for others

However, God’s way is all about human relationships and learning to interact with each other in a kind and loving way. The laws of God, when practiced effectively, can teach us how to love God and other human beings. Galatians 5:14 admonishes us, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

The law of God forms the basis of God’s way; a way which isn’t about the self, but it is a way of life which will make “a kinder and gentler” people of all the earth. Now, that is the kind of world we pray comes soon!

This is my Perspective and the current edition of the Prophetic Times follows below: 

Prophetic Times

Global fertility rate to keep plummeting, major study warns 

March 21, 2024 yahoo.com reported:

The population of almost every country will be shrinking by the end of the century, a major study said Wednesday, warning that baby booms in developing nations and busts in rich ones will drive massive social change.

The fertility rate in half of all nations is already too low to maintain their population size, an international team of hundreds of researchers reported in The Lancet.

Using a huge amount of global data on births, deaths and what drives fertility, the researchers tried to forecast the future for the world's population. By 2050, the population of three quarters of all countries will be shrinking, according to the study by the US-based Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).

At the end of the century, that will be true for 97 percent -- or 198 out of 204 countries and territories, the researchers projected. Only Samoa, Somalia, Tonga, Niger, Chad and Tajikistan are expected to have fertility rates exceeding the replacement level of 2.1 births per female in 2100, the study estimated.

China, Not Russia, Still Tops List of Threats to US

March 20, 2024 voanews.com reported:

Russia’s war in Ukraine — portrayed by top U.S. officials as posing a danger to the United States itself — still trails China when it comes to long-term threats to America’s security, according to a top Pentagon official.

The warning from Ely Ratner, the Defense Department’s assistant secretary for Indo-Pacific security affairs, comes in testimony prepared for a hearing Wednesday by the House Armed Services Committee on security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
‘The PRC [People’s Republic of China] continues to present the most comprehensive and serious challenge to our national security,’ Ratner is set to tell lawmakers, according to a copy his opening statement obtained by VOA.

‘The PRC remains the only country with the will and increasingly the capability to dominate the Indo-Pacific region and displace the United States,’ Ratner warns, adding, ‘the PRC is pursuing its revisionist goals with increasingly coercive activities in the Taiwan Strait, the South and East China seas, along the Line of Actual Control with India, and beyond.’

This is not the first time Ratner has addressed the growing threat from Beijing.

Trudeau Government Cuts off Arms Sales to Israel

March 20, 2024 breitbart.com reported:

The Canadian government of Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Tuesday that it is ending arms sales — such as they are — to Israel, bowing to pressure from left-wing radicals as Israel fights against genocidal Palestinian terrorists.
According to Al Jazeera, Canada’s arms exports to Israel are minuscule, amounting to less than $90 million over the past nine years. ‘The vast majority of Canada’s military exports to Israel come in the form of parts and components.’

Israel’s foreign minister, Israel Katz, reacted angrily, according to the Times of Israel: ‘I am sorry that the government of Canada is taking this step that undermines Israel’s right to self-defense in the face of Hamas murderers who carried out terrible crimes against humanity and against innocent Israelis, including the elderly, women and children,’ he says in a statement. ‘History will judge the current acts of Canada harshly,’ he says.

China says US has ‘no right’ to interfere in South China Sea

March 18, 2024 spacewar.com reported:

China said Tuesday the United States had ‘no right’ to interfere in the South China Sea, after Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington stood by its commitments to defend the Philippines against armed attack in the disputed waterway.

‘The United States is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to interfere in maritime issues that are between China and the Philippines,’ foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a regular press conference in Beijing.

Blinken is in the Philippine capital Manila — his second visit since President Ferdinand Marcos took office in 2022 — as part of a brief Asia tour to reinforce US support for regional allies against China.

‘Military cooperation between the US and the Philippines must not harm China’s sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, and still less be used to provide a platform for the Philippines’ illegal claims,’ Lin said in a response to a question on Blinken’s earlier comments.

‘China will continue to take necessary measures to resolutely defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea,’ he added.

Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea — a crucial route for global trade — brushing aside competing claims from several Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines, and an international ruling that has declared its stance baseless.

REPORT: Self-Proclaimed Hezbollah Terrorist Arrested at Border in Texas

March 18, 2024 breitbart.com reported:

A Lebanese migrant apprehended near El Paso, Texas, reportedly claims to be a Hezbollah terrorist. The Lebanese national claimed to be headed to New York and said he wanted to make a bomb.

Border Patrol agents arrested 22-year-old Basel Bassel Ebbadi, a Lebanese national, after he illegally entered the United States from Mexico near El Paso. ’I’m going to try to make a bomb,’ Ebbadi told Border Patrol agents when asked why he came to the U.S., according to an exclusive report by the New York Post.

Agents captured Ebbadi on March 9 after he crossed the border from Mexico into Texas. The agents transported the Lebanese man to the El Paso hardened facility for processing and investigation. Two days later, Ebbadi told the agents he was going to make a bomb. The agents moved the man to isolation and contacted the Tactical Terrorism Response Team to conduct an interview.

G7 threatens new sanctions if Iran sends Russia ballistic missiles 

March 18, 2024 spacewar.com reported:

G7 countries warned Iran on Friday that they will impose ‘significant’ new sanctions if Tehran transfers ballistic missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine.

‘We reiterate our call on third parties to immediately cease providing material support to Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine or face severe costs,’ the group, which includes the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Italy and Canada, said in a statement.

‘Were Iran to proceed with providing ballistic missiles or related technology to Russia, we are prepared to respond swiftly and in a coordinated manner including with new and significant measures against Iran,’ the countries said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced his concerns during a visit in Vienna on Friday. ‘We’ve sent very clear messages to Iran not to do it… And I think that the concern about that eventuality — and the commitment to address it if necessary — is very real and very strong,’ he told reporters.

Christians could be caught out by new ‘extremist’ definition

March 15, 2024 christiantoday.com reported:

Christians are at risk of being branded ‘extremists’ under the [UK’s] government’s new definition of extremism published this week, a campaign group has warned. 

The new definition says that ‘extremism is the promotion or advancement of an ideology based on violence, hatred or intolerance, that aims to’ among other things ‘negate or destroy the fundamental rights and freedoms of others. 

Christian Concern said that Christians who are pro-life, gender-critical or have traditionalist beliefs about marriage may fall foul of the new definition. 

‘Christians who are pro-life could be seen as being opposed to an assumed ‘fundamental right’ to abortion and thus to be ‘intolerant’ and so extremist. It is already the case that being anti-abortion is on a Prevent list of ideologies seen as potential signs of extremism,’ the organisations said. 

‘Christians who are opposed to same-sex ‘marriage’ could also be seen as wishing to ‘negate or destroy the fundamental rights and freedoms of others’ and to be ‘intolerant’.’ 

Prevent is the government’s counter-terrorism scheme that aims to stop individuals from becoming terrorists.