Has the World Gone Stark Raving Mad?

No, just the people who inhabit it. They are a little off kilter. Well, some of them.

My blog posts have taken a backseat recently while I focus full attention on my father’s WWII memoirs. I am really enjoying organizing what he has written into a manuscript, editing (minimal) and rereading his stories, and deciding which photographs are appropriate to include. I am writing chapters to insert as back stories for additional information and clarification to what he wrote.

So, what do my dad’s memoirs have to do with the crazy world today? Actually, quite a lot!

His experiences during WWII serve as poignant reminders of a world that, not so long ago, was turned upside down by evil—an evil resulting in the deaths of millions of innocent people, hundreds of beautiful cities destroyed, and life changed forever—all prompted by the Nazi invasion of Poland, led by the infamous dictator Adolf Hitler. A tyrant with hate and prejudice in his heart. A power-hungry man, out to conquer the world.  His power-grab started with one small country, then spread across most of Europe, then threats from nation to nation until it became a full-blown, six-year, bloody war, with thirty countries involved and sides chosen.

My father’s stories corroborate history. How people responded to their stolen freedoms, the devastating invasions, and brutal bombings. Then what eventually transpired to halt the advance of tyranny and end the war. We learn how my dad, and millions of other brave men and women from the Allied Forces, fought and died for freedom, and how they stopped the progression of oppression. We discover how he personally dealt with the associated trials and tribulations of a world that seemingly had gone stark raving mad.

Wouldn’t it be good if we learned lasting lessons from history? Of course it would, but unfortunately all too often, we don’t remember—instead we (humanity) repeat the same or similar mistakes. It’s sad.

We should be vigilant, but we turn a blind eye thinking it will never happen here—not to us. We become complacent. Comfortable. Not in this great country, right? Then the unimaginable happened. We got a wake-up call one day on 11th September 2001. America was attacked by planes piloted by terrorists, the twin towers went down, the Pentagon was hit and an aircraft full of people exploded out of the sky and crash landed, killing all on board.  Our fine military hunted down the perpetrators, killed Osama Bin Laden, leader of Al-Qaeda. We occupied Afghanistan for 20 years, held the Taliban at bay—thwarted further attacks on American soil. Then on this year on August 31st, 2021, the current administration, in a controversial move, withdrew our remaining troops abruptly, and left millions of dollars of sophisticated military weaponry in the hands of ruthless Taliban terrorists, who now rule Afghanistan. God help the citizens of that country.

We’ve come full circle—we’re back to square one. How can this be true?

We have become a weaker, more vulnerable America in the eyes of the world. It’s a sad day when the leaders of our country treat our ‘enemies’ and illegals with more respect than they give its citizens. It’s a bad day when the president disrespects Governors of these great United States. It’s not right that our leader turns his back more often than he consents to take questions that deserve honest answers. It’s shameful that the very one who promised to be a unifier, is intent on dividing people into vaccinated and non-vaccinated, all the while pointing an accusatory finger, blaming and shaming, distorting science, and restricting freedoms through unconstitutional mandates.

Why is it that so many of us have unanswered questions about recent events at home and around the globe? Why are so many confused and wonder what’s happening and where it will all end?

Firstly, the evil one is loose and wreaking havoc, using confusion and division as his weaponry. Remember that’s who he is. It’s what he does. He’s a hater and a divider and he uses people and circumstances to further his evil agenda.

Do not fear him. Be strong in the Lord. Stay the course. Pray.

Secondly, the world is full of self-serving people who would further their own agenda at any cost. Individuals who lust after power and control. Those who would happily trample on, and steal, our God-given freedoms, and constitutional rights—people in power who dismiss individual autonomy and crave submission and obedience to their ideology.

Here’s what I think. Those in power will eventually exacerbate their own demise. With each misguided mandate, each misuse of power, each lie, each misrepresentation, and each distortion of what is true, and every ploy aimed to divide people, they will dig themselves a deeper hole. Every illegal act, spawned in the name of the people’s best interest will backfire. I don’t know how. I don’t know when, but my common sense, my gut and my belief, tells me that time will come.

If you’re searching for answers to the swirling confusion and chaos you feel, be patient. Stand up for what you believe—for what you know is right. Do your due diligence and research. Be observant and discerning. Ask questions. Evaluate. Employ a good dose of common sense, logic, and critical thinking. Have faith.

Pray for this great country. Answers will come. Believe it.

May God bless the USA.

Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life — Galations 6:8