I watched The Last Samurai yesterday for maybe the fifth time in the last six years. And it made me stop and wonder, “What is it about this movie, that is so appealing?” One word repeated itself over and over in my mind and that word was Honor. And then I wondered is the appeal so strong because honor is so lacking in America today? Honor is defined in the dictionary as “honesty, fairness or integrity in one’s belief and actions: a man of honor.” Where do we find honor in America today? The most obvious place today is in the military. Sometimes we find it in churches, businesses and hospitals and rarely in government. I think honor has been on the decline since the end of the greatest generation that ever lived. For those that don’t know which generation that is, think World War II.
We watch a movie like, “The Last Samurai” and go wow where are the men like that today? Where can we find men of honor or for that matter a man of honor? Why is it so rare today? I’ll tell you why. Honor is not taught anymore in home or schools. Sometimes it’s mentioned in church. The only place it is being taught daily is in the military. When was the last time we talked to our kids about honesty, integrity, truth or love? Heck forget teaching them, when was the last time we actually practiced those things daily? Oh but I do these things. Really? We lie on our tax returns. Everything is a business deduction even our French poodle security dogs. We’re not honest with our spouse because we want to control their reactions. We only love our kids when they do something right; however right is defined.
What do we honor in America today? We honor a woman’s choice over the right to life of an unborn child. We honor the rights of a criminal over the suffering of a victim. We honor pleasure today over sacrifice for tomorrow. We honor being political correct over honesty. We honor ego and status over the truth. We honor athletes and entertainers over preachers and teachers. We honor sin over righteousness.
Unfortunately, the greatest generation was succeeded by the worst generation, the baby boomers. We traded honor, truth and integrity for free love, free homes and free lunches. We invented a buy now pay later industry in everything. Our generation has created more debt than the next 3 generations will ever repay. It just makes me wonder if a hundred years from now they will be making a movie about America called, “The Last Man of Honor”?
God Bless, Art
We watch a movie like, “The Last Samurai” and go wow where are the men like that today? Where can we find men of honor or for that matter a man of honor? Why is it so rare today? I’ll tell you why. Honor is not taught anymore in home or schools. Sometimes it’s mentioned in church. The only place it is being taught daily is in the military. When was the last time we talked to our kids about honesty, integrity, truth or love? Heck forget teaching them, when was the last time we actually practiced those things daily? Oh but I do these things. Really? We lie on our tax returns. Everything is a business deduction even our French poodle security dogs. We’re not honest with our spouse because we want to control their reactions. We only love our kids when they do something right; however right is defined.
What do we honor in America today? We honor a woman’s choice over the right to life of an unborn child. We honor the rights of a criminal over the suffering of a victim. We honor pleasure today over sacrifice for tomorrow. We honor being political correct over honesty. We honor ego and status over the truth. We honor athletes and entertainers over preachers and teachers. We honor sin over righteousness.
Unfortunately, the greatest generation was succeeded by the worst generation, the baby boomers. We traded honor, truth and integrity for free love, free homes and free lunches. We invented a buy now pay later industry in everything. Our generation has created more debt than the next 3 generations will ever repay. It just makes me wonder if a hundred years from now they will be making a movie about America called, “The Last Man of Honor”?
God Bless, Art
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