America’s Economic and Spiritual Woes

By Rob Pue

April 2, 2023

Let me tell you about an incident I experienced recently that got me thinking about the entitlement mentality of Americans today. I was in a convenience store, waiting in line. Ahead of me, at the counter, was a young couple, who may or may not have been married. They were trying to purchase some “junk food” items — a case of soda, a large bag of chips, a frozen pizza and a few candy bars. My guess is that they were about 20 years old or so, maybe a little older, and both were seriously overweight and covered in tattoos. Please don’t tell me I’m judging them because of their obesity and tattoos — I’m just describing their appearance, which is indicative of their lifestyle.

Their transaction was taking a long time, and then it became clear as to why, because the young man began shouting at the clerk. His welfare debit card was not going through for some reason and he began to get angry and belligerent with the clerk. “Run it again!” he demanded. The poor clerk, trying her best to stay calm during what was becoming a loud disturbance, ran the debit card at least three times. Still not working.

Then the young man got even more angry. “I’m going to call my Mom,” he screamed. “These are my benefits, and you don’t have any right to stop me! I’m going to just take my stuff and go!”

“That would be shoplifting,” the clerk replied. “Unless you have money to pay for these things, you can’t just take them.” That made him even angrier, but finally, he and the young woman he was with went outside, without the items they wanted. When I left, he was yelling into his cell phone, apparently talking to his Mom, using filthy, foul language and talking about how he was being denied his “benefits.”

“How sad,” I thought to myself. Under other circumstances, I might have paid for their items myself, as I’ve done several other times, when I’ve been able to, for people who were truly in need and just didn’t have enough money for their necessities. But these were not needs — it was soda pop, potato chips, pizza, and candy bars. My guess is that this young man and his companion (wife or girlfriend) most likely live with his mother, are unemployed and live on government handouts, which they believe they’re entitled to.

It’s not just the young people. We’re now living in a society that has learned to depend on Big Government for all their needs. It’s become multi-generational. Indeed, there are many who know no other way of life.

Understand, I have no problem helping the poor and needy. As Christ-followers, we are called to help the poor. This is commanded throughout Scripture. In Deuteronomy 15, we have this: “There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I command you to be open-handed toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.” Proverbs 28:27 says, “Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.” Proverbs 22:9, “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.” Proverbs 19:17, “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.”

And Jesus Himself said, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” You see, it should be the the Christian churches helping the poor, not the government. When government does it, it’s simply a redistribution of financial resources. In other words, theft. The government steals the paychecks of the workers so they can enslave the non-workers, lulling them into a mind-numbed sense of entitlement and complacency. These non-workers subsist on their government “benefit” checks and they’re happy with that arrangement. This always creates an attitude of entitlement.

But let’s be clear on this: these are not “benefits.” “BENEFITS” are things you get with a JOB. A good job will include a “Benefits Package” as part of one’s salary. You work, you get paid, and a generous employer will include additional benefits as rewards for your hard work and dedication to helping build the company. So these government handouts are not “benefits,” and they certainly aren’t benefitting anyone, except the politicians seeking to dumb people down and keep them controlled. Just look at the state of our impoverished inner cities. Because the Nanny State takes care of them, there’s no incentive to work, no incentive to strive for something better — or for people to better themselves.

The help we give should be a “hand up” rather than continuous, multi-generational hand-outs. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “If anyone is not willing to work let him eat not.” I admit, I have a hard time understanding people who refuse to work and maintain an entitlement mentality. Because I’ve always worked hard. In every job I’ve ever had, I’ve always made it a point to do much more than my job description entailed. Rather than just scraping by, doing the bare minimum, I’ve always gone over and above what was called for, and that has served me well. It’s also a trait I sought to instill in my children, now all grown adults. And it’s served them well too. But sadly, most of my children’s peers were not brought up that way. This is why my kids have all excelled, while others their age have not.

Personal responsibility. Doing everything as unto the Lord. Doing your best. Going the extra mile. Above and beyond what is expected. No free lunch, but rather, working with a heart of service and humility, doing the best you possibly can and striving for perfection. These are the things we need more of in America, and things that we should be encouraging in our people. Especially now, with our country in such dire straits. We must all pull together and work harder than ever. And we have to refuse to take the bait that results in slothfulness. Because dependence on the government for so-called “benefits” always results in government enslavement. Remember, the mouse never understood why the cheese in the trap was “free.” Today we have record numbers of lost souls who’ve been caught in this government trap, and it’s now coming full circle as our culture and society has reached it’s lowest point in history.

In the 1800s, there were attempts to reform how the government dealt with the poor. Social caseworkers visited the poor, attempting to train them in morals and a work ethic. But for those lacking morals and a work ethic, their fallen human nature always seems to keep them down. It’s just easier to take the handouts, which are actually bribes, because those who get the free stuff will always support those who supply the free stuff. But friends, there ain’t nothin’ “free.” Those handouts come with a price. A lifetime of poverty and dependence.

With censorship now the “new normal” in America, it’s difficult to get accurate numbers, but according to government sources (which you can probably take with a grain of salt), in 2021, the federal government spent $1.5 trillion dollars on welfare programs in the United States. If the truth were actually told, that figure is very likely much higher…just as the current unemployment numbers given to us by the government are obviously much higher than they tell us. But $1.5 trillion dollars — that’s more than we spend on national security and the military defense of our nation. Let that sink in. And now they’re printing even more money and handing out even more “free stuff” to people who aren’t even US citizens, but rather, coming here illegally across all of our open borders.

During the Great Depression, 25% of workers were unemployed. Despite what they tell us, from what I’ve seen lately, we have at least that many unemployed right now — and they’re not looking for work. Even as huge numbers of businesses have been forced to shut down due to the current economic situation, the remaining businesses are still begging for workers, but nobody wants to work.

In 1935, FDR started the Social Security program, and for at least the last forty years, we’ve been warned continuously that Social Security is going broke. I believe it is broke — totally bankrupt, due to the gross mismanagement of confiscated money of those who worked hard all their lives. The only reason it still exists is that they keep printing fake money. But there are many who have relied on the promise of Social Security for their only means of income in their retirement years. And while our government leaders keep giving themselves raises, usually several times a year, our elderly subsist on Social Security payments that haven’t kept up with the cost of living for a very long time now.

I have no problem with people drawing Social Security. It was their money to begin with, that was stolen from them, mismanaged by the thieves, and of course, taxed not once, but twice — when they earn it, and when they get a pittance of it back in retirement. What a racket.

We’ve all heard about the few major bank failures in recent weeks. It’s made big headlines, even in the lying mainstream media. But are you aware that between 2021 and 2023 there have been 563 banks that went bankrupt? From the research I’ve been able to do, it appears at least 200 more are set to go under in the coming weeks and months of this year.

Of course, this has all been purposely orchestrated by the Globalist Great Resetters. Our economic system must be destroyed to make way for the global digital New World currency, at which time, our enslavement will be complete. No longer will it just be those taking the “free cheese” from the government trap. They’re planning to trap all of us, whether we like it or not.

The rage I saw in that young man, having his welfare debit card declined is nothing in comparison to what’s coming under this latest plan. When they can turn your money on and off at will — for any reason — I see utter chaos and anarchy in the streets in our future. When any dissent, any “wrong think” is quickly punished, most will comply, because after all, most will be completely dependent on the good graces of the “Build Back Better” tyrants. It’s easy to see how we will “own nothing” but not so easy to see how we’ll be “happy” about it and many Patriots will not go along with this so easily.

Already, our inner cities resemble war zones. These are places where living on government handouts has become the “normal” way of life. But it’s no longer just the ghettos and slums. Today, we have homeless encampments virtually everywhere — even in places that used to be the cleanest, brightest cities in America. Now they’ve been fundamentally transformed into “no go” crime zones; and our government, rather than supplying food, shelter and clothing, is now providing dangerous and deadly illegal drugs, which are used openly. People in these places are unashamedly defecating and urinating in the streets. Insanity and madness is our “new normal.”

Recently, when a CNN news crew went to San Francisco to report on the surge in crime and homelessness there, while they were interviewing people in front of City Hall, their car windows were smashed and their belongings stolen — in just four seconds’ time. Ironic for the “woke” CNN crew, isn’t it?

Friends, there’s no limit to which human beings will not sink without the Holy Spirit of God within them. The lost are not just lost for eternity — something most really don’t comprehend — they’re lost right now! What an incredible opportunity for the true Church — the Ecclesia — right now, to minister and witness to so many. Our enemies within the government meant their plans for evil, but if Christ-followers rise up and begin to push back against this wicked agenda, this can be a time like never before in history to save souls. Though the faithful remnant be few in number, with the power, love and sound minds we’ve been blessed with, we can be a modern-day Gideon’s army, as God Himself goes before us into this battle. What the Luciferians meant for evil can easily be turned to good — IF we’re willing to be the hands and feet of Christ in these dark days.

E-Mail Rob Pue: Rob@WisconsinChristianNews.com