Over the last few years some interesting developments have made me aware that drastic changes are at hand. It's been a while since I wrote anything for my column specifically religious, but this is certainly required. I do not mean to alarm, only to inform and make aware to you that the changes we have seen here in America may have a deeper meaning far beyond merely paying more at the pump or the loss of a few thousand jobs.

Genesis 41v 1-44, there is the story of Pharaoh having a bad dream and needing someone to tell him the meaning behind it. That task falls to Joseph. In short, he dreams that seven fat kine are standing near a river bank when seven thin kine emerge from the river and consume the seven fat kine. Joseph interprets this dream for Pharaoh, informing him of impending doom if he fails to prepare his kingdom properly.

In September 2001, on the 11th of that month, terrible tragic events befell America. Thousands were killed. About 18 months later, the U.S. declared war on Irag. The base of American society, its economy, suffered severe blows from which it has not yet fully recovered.

An overactive hurricane season devastated the Florida peninsula in 2004; a Tsunami, spawned by a record-breaking earthquake, hits the South Pacific killing almost 200,000 people. Just this past August, America "lost" the entire city of New Orleans, LA when Hurricane Katrina slam-dunked it, leaving thousands homeless and helpless. As if that wasn't enough, the price of a barrel of oil soared to over $70 per barrel, driving gas to over $3.00 a gallon!

Thousands of people are out of jobs, American soldiers and innocent Iraqi civilians continue to die by the truck load in the war in Iraq, and protesting angry moms who feel betrayed post up outside the Crawford, TX ranch of President George Bush. The spiral is definitely pointing down. But not to worry, President Bush signs a $286.4 billion transportation bill just in the nick of time. Or is it? Many don't know the significance of this act, so I will let you in on the secret.

After the crash of the stock market in 1929, amid thousands of bread and soup and unemployment lines, FDR, to get the economy moving again, signed a similar transportation bill. This instrument helped get Americans back to work, which put money back in the hands and pockets of workers and simultaneously ended the bread and unemployment lines. Now the question is, what does George Bush hope to achieve with this bill? I think it's to avoid a repeat of the 1929 stock market crash and resulting famine and starvation.

Remember the Clinton years? America had just come out of the Reagan/Bush era of government that favored "trickle-down" economics and deficit spending. The trickle-down theory meant that as the super rich got richer, some of those dollars would inevitably fall from their dizzying heights down into the hands of those poor fools on the bottom – that would be you and me.

And deficit spending meant that the checking account, which had been empty for years, was still being overdrawn even more. Bill Clinton fixed both of these. He balanced the budget, got average Americans back to work at meaningful, good-paying jobs, and America enjoyed a truly prosperous time, and it was a long road getting there. Thanks to George Bush, all that is just a distant memory.

Now look at the situation we face. And I've yet to hear a TV or radio preacher detail the gravity of our situation, nor have they been instructing people to prepare for the coming major changes. I remember seeing a movie called, "The Vernon John Story" which told about the fiery preacher Vernon John who preceded Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Atlanta in the 1950's.

Vernon John preached self-sufficiency by providing our own food, water and necessities. Sure we can't make cars, but we can dig wells and grow carrots, watermelons, and potatoes to avoid our families starving.

Am I a prophet of doom creating more panic and fear, or am I a practical man who understands that we need to be able to provide for ourselves because we don't know how long this system will last? I heard my grandmother say time and again telling us to grow your own food.

The lean kine are eating the fat kine, and we are sitting on the grass, under a tree eating popcorn watching it all. What the hell is wrong with us? Why can't we see the coming disaster? Where are all the Christians who always talk about the end times, the last days, and getting your house in order? Are we dumb or just stupid?

Let me put it this way. It's time to stop the trips to McDonald's, 7-11, and the video store. Take that money home and put it in your bank. Hold on to it. Prepare the empty portions of your lawn for gardens. You don’t need an acre, just a small portion will put food in your freezer that could last you months and could mean the difference between starving and feeding your young children or pregnant wife.

Eliminate needless expenses, cut back where you can and do the hard thing now to prepare. The old story about the grasshopper and the ant is very appropriate for this time in American history. Let this be a warning to you, get your house in order while you still can.

© September 2005 By Dan Hardman

Brother Dan Hardman will be keeping the Black community informed on issues concerning the church and righteous living. Visit regularly for new information that could help you overcome and make the best of your everyday experiences.

To subscribe to Hardman's column join the Afromerica email list to receive new information as it is updated. Or E-mail D Hardman at: essaysfromchurch@edincorporated.com

Submit an article
Join the Mailing List
Join a Discussion

Afromerica: Where its all Black & white and some gray areas.

[TOP]     [BACK TO COLUMN]