Note: This is a reprint from December 17, 2012

There has always been a significant factor in legal matters known as “guilt by association.”  Judicial rulings confirm that “bad company corrupts good . . .”

With the rise of analyzing everything psychologically in recent decades, we have a very real and troublesome twist on the reasonable conclusion of “guilt by association.”  It is now superseded and replaced with “guilt by accusation.”

Without my explaining, I’m sure you can easily come up with examples and applications in today’s world.  Here are some of mine:

ONE—–I first realized the application in marriage disputes and marriage counseling.  It is one of those handy tools that are easily employed to manipulate friends and professionals alike to take your side.  Just say that someone is controlling, and you gain immediate sympathy without evidence, and the other person is at a loss without defense.  Needless to say, that example is only the tip of the iceberg.

TWO—–“Intolerant” is perhaps the best tool or weapon to sling and make “guilt by accusation” stick.  Again, how do you defend against a charge of intolerance?

THREE—–“You don’t have the right to offend me” is another classic angle currently used to the point of absurdity.  Sadly, the courts have lost all sanity in bowing down to yet another wave of anti-God and anti-American ideology sweeping over this country—sweeping us away like a tsunami.

FOUR—–“Israel (or U.S.) military killed civilians” gets full press and ensuing international sentiment against the good guys.  Reality is—the other side is usually committing such atrocities more, by ten to one.

FIVE—–“We must be more reasonable and understanding with terrorists [who have all vowed to kill us].”  America’s unfounded guilt trip spread around the world the past four years is killing us now.

SIX—– Hate Crimes.  Thought Crimes.  (need I explain?)

SEVEN—–“Extremists are always wrong.”  (that would include Jesus)

EIGHT—–“You must limit your fight for life, family, and religious freedom to the democratic process and non-violence.  Anything more than that negates your cause—guilty, even if you just think or talk about it.”

—Where would that leave us with England 236 years ago?

—Where would that leave us with England 200 years ago?

—Where would that leave us with slavery 160 years ago?

—Where would that leave us with Germany 100 years ago?

—Where would that leave us with Germany and Japan 70 years ago?

—Now, where has that left us with God out of schools for 50 years?

—Now, where has that left us with killing a whole lot more babies than last Friday, for 40 years?

—Now, where has that left us with bowing to gay ‘rights’ for 30 years?

—Now, where does that leave us with the blitzkrieg dictatorship currently blowing up every single thing listed in this paragraph for 4 years?

—Now, where does this “guilt by accusation” (which we allow by free will, nationally and individually) leave us today, and tomorrow?

—Where does it leave the rest of our babies that are still alive?

—Where does it leave our marriages that are still God-ordained?

—Where does it leave our faith and freedom we still have to tell others about freedom from all guilt, with Jesus?

Is not this something worth fighting for, again, like others did for us?  What measures were they willing to use, for us?  What measures are we willing to use, for our children?

NINE—–Another example on the individual level, that affects the entire country:

This one explains the dramatic rise in child abuse for the past several decades.  We had an entire generation conditioned without authority and confidence in parenting.  They were told,

—“You don’t have the right to discipline with physical pain.”

—“You have to earn the respect of your children first.”

—“You have to reason with your children.”

—“If your children don’t act right, figure out what you are doing wrong.”

When parents start off feeling guilty and reluctant to discipline quickly enough to instill instant regret, they delay the inevitable.  Pressure builds and defiance escalates, and ultimately the parent lashes out abusively instead of authoritatively.

TEN—–Now the most volatile current “guilt by accusation”:

“Guns are the cause of violent crime.”  That gets a lot of mileage at a time like this.

Just say “NO”  to gun control.  Don’t let anyone make you or anyone else feel guilty for owning guns.  It is what it means to be an American—FREE.

Gun control made last Friday’s horror possible, and all but one like it since 1950, and probably the next one.  Your gun could be the one to stop the next one.  Think about it.  Think about the lives you may be called to save, with deadly force.  You will be right before the Constitution, you will be right before your fellow citizens, and you will be right before God.

AND PRAY.

Trees by a river don’t wither, because their roots have access to water.
They produce year after year.
Without deep roots and water, plants dry up and blow away with the wind in summer.

Houses built on rock don’t settle or shift because their foundations are secure.
They stand year after year.
Without solid base, houses sink and wash away with the wind and water in storms.
– – –
Individuals and nations, and city leaders, that walk in step with ungodly council, that stand with people promoting sin, that sit alongside those who scorn any mention of the things of God—will bring destruction.
Politicians check the wind, and follow accordingly.

It was not so in the rock-solid foundation of this country, the Bible.
Statesmen check the truth, and lead accordingly.
– – –
The following words apply to individuals—and they still apply to individuals who become civic leaders:

The Bible says,
“Blessed is the man
Who does not walk in step with ungodly council,
Who does not stand with those promoting sin,
Who does not sit with those who scorn the things of God;
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.”

Jesus said,
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”