The National Debt -- A Staggering Figure

As of today (April 8), this is the national debt.  I can't even fathom the number.  It amounts to $41,524.26 per person.  The latter number (41K) I can fathom.  This is your share and mine . . . as of today.   Remember, the meter is still running.  The politicians are still spending.

As a sobering news article points out, the share of the debt per household amounts to $72,000 this year, and will rise to $170,000 per household by 2020 (Click here).

Most Christians agree that any federal mandate requiring tax-payer funding for abortion is a moral outrage.  It is pretty clear to me that making someone who is opposed to the procedure as a matter of conscience, provide insurance for someone else to have the procedure, is flat-out immoral.

But the national debt is a moral issue as well.  We are spending money we don't have, which means we'll have to either print it, or borrow it, or raises taxes to unsustainable levels, because we refuse to live within our national means.  This debt will dramatically impact the lives of our children and our children's children.

When I read through Revelation 17-18, I am reminded how similar modern  America is to ancient Rome.  Rome, if you recall, was too big to fail.  I guess Alaric didn't think that was true.  We too had better not believe that nonsense. 

We keep spending like this, it is only a matter of time.

Comments

[Patrick Yamada]

When can profligate spending by a government be rightly called "stealing"? On tax day a few years ago Dennis Prager made a case that over-taxation was immoral. A caller responded that if the government requires it by law it cannot thereby be called immoral. In brief, whatever the law demands is by definition "moral". How about a modern rendition of Mark 7:11 ff? "But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me is Corban, that is to say, Given to the IRS; ye no longer suffer him to do aught for his father or his mother; making void the word of God by your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye do."

To what degree may a government take from the haves to give to the have-nots? How far may they go in taking money we would use to support our own families and communities to throw into a national pot?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[Howard]

I think this is where your lectures on eschatology really become more than just theology. It becomes very practical. They have reminded me constantly that the Blessed Hope of the christian is not to be found in anything in this present evil age.

Thanks again.

[Father Taciturn]

Although that number seems humongous, it's actually fairly "normal" by many accounts, only 70% of GDP right now versus 90% debt-to-GDP after WWII or the 115% debt to GDP in Japan at present (and there are many countries with even higher ratios). Government debt is not like household debt, so our common sense understanding of things won't always get us to the truth of the matter.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121766572

I don't think this is a moral issue as much as a practical one, as in, how can little guys like us make money in the stock market so we can retire to southern California later in life and listen to live tapings of the WHI.

[Kenneth]

I'm often reminded of Rev 18:7, particularly the phrase, "... and lived deliciously, ...". Chilling. Come Lord Jesus, come. Yet we all still have to and time to repent.

[John Yeazel]

I found the sections on natural law in David VanDrunen's new book relevant to what is going on in American politics these days. I just finished the resistance writers (John Knox, Beza, etc., etc.,) who went through much more political oppression and tyranny than we have faced here yet. However, many current day politicians need to be brought to justice and accountability. This was supposed to be one of the duties of the lesser magistrates back during the reformation but the whole political establishment today has made itself almost immune to proper and legitimate resistance. Politics is all about covering your backside more than accountability to those who elected you. It is a hide and seek game and someone or group is going to have to rise up and do something about it or things may get much worse.

I would encourage anyone interested in the American political and economic scene today to read Van Drunen's book. It definitely is one of those must read books.

[Lloyd I. Cadle]

Patrick Yamada: I enjoy listening to Dennis Prager as well.

Pastor Kim: Great, outstanding comments. Thank you for sounding out the alarm. It is very important to hear 2K comments.

What is so sickening, is that most of the politicians (democrats or republicans) don't care. They are truly in it for themselves. They are either lifetime politicians (McCain), or in it for the short term, so that they can steal the money of the taxpayers.

Many of the young people in our country want a socialistic type of government; a government where they don't have to work, a government that will take care of them.

Many of us baby boomers grew up in a selfish, defiant, rebellious generation. So, consequently, the young people of today have learned their values from parents that were taught by the selfish baby boomers.

Yes, of course, I believe in the providence of God for the Christian, and certainly common grace for the unbeliever, but in the kingdom of man, this country may be on the ropes. The complacency among many Americans is extremely troubling.

When a patriotic American like Pastor Kim, (whom for the most part believes that politics are cyclical) draws a parallel between us and the Roman empire, we better wake up. After all, our country is a young one, barely two hundred years old. And yes, it can happen to us!

[Larry]

"Government debt is not like household debt..."

That's one of the fallacies of Keynesianism, which has gotten us into this mess.

[Neal Evans]

Sadly, that number is far too low. The CBO numbers do not take into account unfunded liabilities: Social Security and Medicare. The total unfunded liability for SS is around $17.5 trillion and the unfunded liability for Medicare is $74 trillion according to the trustees. source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120373015283387491.html

This means a total debt of 13 + 17.5 + 74 = $104.5 trillion!

This doesn't take into account Medicaid either.

Our national GDP is only around $14T. Mathematically, we are past the point of no return. Our national debt is simply not serviceable. Hyperinflation or default seem to be the only options, barring a eschatalogical deus ex machina.