Darrow Miller and Friends

DEATH OF THE FAMILY, Death of a Civilization

What happens when a generation of young people fail to marry and have children? Not only does life diminish for them, but to the degree this develops as a pattern, the society will become self-absorbed and die from within.

In reality, half the world’s countries have a fertility rate below the replacement level of 2.1. This means they are slowly depopulating. Some countries have such low fertility rates the best description for their future is “cultural suicide.” Korea and Japan are examples.

It is for the purpose of forming families and governing creation that God placed human beings on the earth (Genesis 1:26-28). The scriptures are replete with the subject of family life. Before the creation of the universe the Divine Family—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—existed in eternity. The Bible begins and ends in the nuptial: the wedding of Adam and Eve at the beginning, that of Jesus Christ and his bride, the church, at the end. Despite the modern mantra of the independent individual, we were made for relationship, and the most basic relationship it that between a husband and a wife and their children.

Honor your father and your mother

The fifth commandment in the Mosaic Covenant reinforces this: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you,” Exodus 20:12 NIV.Dennis Prager teaches importance of the family

In his insightful commentary on the book of Exodus, Jewish scholar and intellectual Dennis Prager writes:

The breakdown of the family is a guarantor of the breakdown of a civilization. One reason is “a society in which children do not honor parents will lose the means through which the society’s culture, religion, and ethics are transmitted” (Telushkin). Yet another reason why honoring parents and a long enduring civilization are connected is strong families form a major bulwark against totalitarian regimes. A standard feature of totalitarian regimes is the shifting of children’s loyalty and obedience from their parents to the state. One of the first things totalitarian regimes seek to do is weaken parental authority and replace it with the party or state. In such countries, children are encouraged to inform on their parents if they make critical comments—or even tell jokes—about government leaders or about the dominant ideology (in the modern period, that would almost always refer to communism, Nazism, or radical Islamism). Consequently, parents would often fear to speak openly in front of their children.[1]

We are seeing these expressions of how the totalitarian state sees and treats families. Instead of the family being central–as in a healthy society–totalitarian governments see the state being central. And they seek ways to separate parents from their children at many turns.

What are some ways you see this in your own country?

  • Darrow Miller

[1] Prager, Dennis. The Rational Bible: Exodus (p. 258). Regnery Faith. Kindle Edition.

 

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About 
Darrow is co-founder of the Disciple Nations Alliance and a featured author and teacher. For over 30 years, Darrow has been a popular conference speaker on topics that include Christianity and culture, apologetics, worldview, poverty, and the dignity of women. From 1981 to 2007 Darrow served with Food for the Hungry International (now FH association), and from 1994 as Vice President. Before joining FH, Darrow spent three years on staff at L’Abri Fellowship in Switzerland where he was discipled by Francis Schaeffer. He also served as a student pastor at Northern Arizona University and two years as a pastor of Sherman Street Fellowship in urban Denver, CO. In addition to earning his Master’s degree in Adult Education from Arizona State University, Darrow pursued graduate studies in philosophy, theology, Christian apologetics, biblical studies, and missions in the United States, Israel, and Switzerland. Darrow has authored numerous studies, articles, Bible studies and books, including Discipling Nations: The Power of Truth to Transform Culture (YWAM Publishing, 1998), Nurturing the Nations: Reclaiming the Dignity of Women for Building Healthy Cultures (InterVarsity Press, 2008), LifeWork: A Biblical Theology for What You Do Every Day (YWAM, 2009), Rethinking Social Justice: Restoring Biblical Compassion (YWAM, 2015), and more. These resources along with links to free e-books, podcasts, online training programs and more can be found at Disciple Nations Alliance (https://disciplenations.org).

1 Comment

  1. Dr. Elizabeth Youmans

    August 16, 2021 - 8:48 am

    DNA and Chrysalis International (AMO Program) collaborated and published a book called “As the Family Goes, So Goes the Nation: Principles and Practices for Building Healthy Families” It was written for use by Christians for personal study or group Bible study. It is available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Family-Goes-Nation-Principles-Practices/dp/098939381X/ref=sr_1_2?Adv-Srch-Books-Submit.x=0&Adv-Srch-Books-Submit.y=0&dchild=1&qid=1629128670&refinements=p_28%3A+So+Goes+the+Nation%5CcAs+the+Family+Goes&s=books&sr=1-2&unfiltered=1 .

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