The Paradox of Modern America: Both Strong and Vulnerable
At the dawn of the new millennium, the United States is enjoying a preeminence unrivaled by even the greatest empires of the past.
Henry Kissinger's latest book articulates the American dream very well. He begins the first chapter of Does America Have a Foreign Policy? with the observation: "At the dawn of the new millennium, the United States is enjoying a preeminence unrivaled by even the greatest empires of the past. From weaponry to entrepreneurship, from science to technology, from higher education to popular culture, America exercises an unparalleled ascendancy around the globe" (2001, p. 17).
But the awful atrocities in New York City, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania show that Dr. Kissinger's evaluation is only a part of the overall picture. The Spectator in Britain adds: "There might seem to be no greater paradox in the history of civilization.
America, the global colossus, leading the world in scientific mastery, the possessor of unlimited military capability-but unable to defend itself against a handful of fanatics armed with knives. The gap between mighty America and its puny adversaries is far smaller than an inventory of American power would suggest" (September 15).
Though the raw capability of the World Trade Center terrorists and their network was vastly underestimated in this account, the main point is well taken. The Independent (London) bluntly declared: "For half a century, the U.S. has basked in the certainty of its commercial and military invulnerability, [but] now the confidence of the post-war era has been blasted away for ever" (September 12).
In but about an hour and a half the same technology that enables us to telephone just about anywhere on the earth or board an aircraft to any point on the planet was turned into an agent of incredible destruction in downtown New York City. Global mobility provided the means.
Of course this whole story is yet to be played out with all the reactive forces of American power and intelligence ready to be unleashed. But in the meantime if you want to know about the often unrealized origins of U.S. influence, wealth and prosperity and where its precipitous decline in moral values is taking the nation, please request our free brochure, The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy.
An Article from:
World News and Prophecy: November 2001
Course Content
Jim Tuck
Jim has been in the ministry over 40 years serving fifteen congregations. He and his wife, Joan, started their service to God's church in Pennsylvania in 1974. Both are graduates of Ambassador University. Over the years they served other churches in Alabama, Idaho, Oregon, Arizona, California, and currently serve the Phoenix congregations in Arizona, as well as the Hawaii Islands. He has had the opportunity to speak in a number of congregations in international areas of the world. They have traveled to Zambia and Malawi to conduct leadership seminars In addition, they enjoy working with the youth of the church and have served in youth camps for many years.
John Ross Schroeder
John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. John was 77 and still going strong.
Some of John's work for The Good News appeared under his byline, but much didn't. He wrote more than a thousand articles over the years, but also wrote the Questions and Answers section of the magazine, compiled our Letters From Our Readers, and wrote many of the items in the Current Events and Trends section. He also contributed greatly to a number of our study guides and Bible Study Course lessons. His writing has touched the lives of literally millions of people over the years.
John traveled widely over the years as an accredited journalist, especially in Europe. His knowledge of European and Middle East history added a great deal to his articles on history and Bible prophecy.
In his later years he also pastored congregations in Northern Ireland and East Sussex, and that experience added another dimension to his writing. He and his wife Jan were an effective team in our British Isles office near their home.
John was a humble servant who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel—the good news—of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world, and his work was known to readers in nearly every country of the world.
