Several recent responses to this blog prompts the question in the title to this update.  (Please see my remarks in the comment section in this blog.  I have been more than thrilled with the responses received from Prophezine members.)

Indeed, is the USA headed for a “disciplining” or judgment?  Or, does it deserve God’s favorable response to the popular invocation “God Bless America”?

No doubt, it is a heavily contested topic.  Some teachers argue that the best is yet to come for the great “Christian” nation of America.  On the opposite end, resorting to various prophetic approaches — from Old Testament parallels with Israel and Judah, to the fringe views of Celtic or British Israelism and USA as Babylon the Great — that a horrible destruction, if not a shattering disciplining, is barreling down toward us.

Is a disciplining coming?  I certainly have an opinion on that question.  However, it is an analytic view, not an emotional one … or so I like to believe.  In the first instance, I draw my conclusions from Biblical principles and precedents.  But also, secular analysis.

No doubt, the USA — and other Anglo-Saxon nations such as the UK and Canada — were major benevolent influences upon the world in many, many ways over the past two centuries or so.  But is that all past tense?

Perhaps my perspective is subject to some cultural bias.  As an individual who is very close to American culture, my views are likely not colored by excessive patriotism.  I’m a Canadian.  But, I like to think that my views have been primarily shaped by international perspective.  While I enjoy living in Canada and traveling in the US, I am more plugged into the global scene, than with what is going on in Canada.  Traveling around the globe, I have been exposed to the global perspectives of other cultures.  From that vantage point, what I see happening to and in America literally makes me dumbstruck.

It just doesn’t seem plausible that a great nation such as the US could be perpetrating such unwise policies (financial, economic, social, religious … etc.) without experiencing more outrage and backlash from citizens.  Even more chilling, its rising vulnerability is happening so quick!  What makes it all the more unbelievable is that America has had such a strong Christina heritage to begin with.  If a country such as Liberia, a chaotic country riddled with animist religions, implodes or declines we are not surprised.  But America?

A few current milestones in this respect from the economic realm: Sometime, this month, China will have accumulated over $1 trillion of foreign reserves … most of it in US dollars.  This is big — unprecedented in history!.  Its trade surplus with the US is hurtling toward $200 billion per annum.  Overall, America, supposedly the most prosperous major nation in the world, is borrowing near 80% of the world’s net savings.  We’re fast heading to a $1 trillion annual deficit.  But it won’t stop there if current trends continue.  It’ll keep rising … maybe hitting $2 trillion well before the end of the decade.

Also, in recent months, America for the first time is recording an income deficit with the rest of the world.  It is just one more sign of the rapid devolution of what is (was) a mighty America.

But don’t worry.  Or, so say our fearless leaders and blind (or lying) lapdogs.  The housing bust?  Things are already stabilizing they now argue, not having predicted a bust in the first place.  The good news?  Housing is now more affordable.  From my perspective, the truth is more likely that the worst is yet to come … a lot worse.

But look, the Dow Jones Stock index is rising to new highs, say the highly-paid lapdogs.  All is going well.  My answer?  Well, that is exactly the point.  Americans and others have been conditioned and duped into believing that financial indices and other false images of wealth are the sure indicator of the right and steady road … that all is well.  That is the KEY deception of our time.  The world of money and economic statistics are laced with lies and manipulation as never before.  That can be proved (for which I do not have space here).

The bottom line?  I believe that a massive disciplining is coming.  Simple common sense and secular analysis alone points to this conclusion.  But more importantly, we know God is not mocked.  If He punished Sodom, and disciplined ancient Israel for similar sins, should any other countries or peoples be exempt from the same standard?