One of the most memorable characters on Cheers was a guy who appeared open to everything, tolerant of it all. The problem was he was so open to everything that he hadn't a real clue about anything.
We’re talking about Cliff, the mail carrier and barstool regular. Cliff is "Mr. Whatever."
Cliff is the type who hedges his bet. You know, ready to admit there may be some cosmic force of good out there, but also ready to admit there may be something to reincarnation, mysticism, spirit channeling, UFO’s, Bigfoot and the rumors that the trilateral commission is behind the conspiracy that killed JFK, too.
Cliff learns just enough about something to be a real pain. His problem is he wants to straddle the fence... not commit until he sees which way the wind blows.
Well... guess which way the wind is blowing.
Consider this:
* While the population of the US has increased only 41 percent since 1960, the violent crime rate has increased by more than 500 percent.
* Since 1960, the number of children born in the US to an unmarred mother has increased by 400 percent to almost 30 percent of all births today.
* Since 1960, teenaged suicide has more than tripled.
* Since 1960, the divorce rate has increased 200 percent to the point that today, almost 1 out of every two marriages end in divorce.
* In 1960, we spent (in constant 1990 dollars) $2,035 per student for education in the US. Today, we spend (in those same 1990 dollars) $5,247 per student. Yet SAT scores, the broadest measurement of academic abilities, has dropped nearly 80 points since 1960.
* Americans today watch an average of 50 hours of television per week... more than seven hours a day. By the time the average child reaches 18, he will have witnessed 15,000 murders on television or in the movies and nearly 10,000 rapes or sexual assaults. Since 1960, TV viewing in the average home has increased by two hours A DAY.
Why is 1960 used as the ballpark figure? That’s the start of the me decade... the year Time Magazine said on its cover “God is Dead.” That’s the decade that prayer was kicked out of school. That’s the time the sociologists say America’s culture began an unmistakable decline.
Does that sound like cause and effect? The result of a process of a whole society turning from God? Does that sound like... the social and moral problems that are literally tearing our nation and families apart today?
It seems to me the wind is blowing hard. So hard... that it’s going to blow the Cliff types... the “Mr. Whatever’s” right off that fence...or that barstool.
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Mike Wendland - Online Christian Shopper www.onlinechristianshopper.com Mike is a pastor from a large Bible-believing church in the Midwest who founded the Online Christian Shopper Web ste to make it easy for Christians to practice lifestyle evangelism. His Web site sells quality Christian T-shirts and jewelry.
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