‘We Are a Righteous People’

President Donald Trump’s inauguration address certainly was unique, not least because of the degree in which religion played a role. More prayers were delivered at the inauguration lectern than at any other inauguration. Trump quoted from the Psalms during his speech and stated his assurance that “we will be protected by God.” The address won the approval of droves of Christians, especially white evangelical voters, 81 percent of whom voted for Trump in the election.

One statement Trump made during his inauguration stood out in particular:

Americans want great schools for their children, safe neighborhoods for their families, and good jobs for themselves. These are just and reasonable demands of righteous people and a righteous public.

The United States of America—a “righteous people” and “righteous public”—bastion of morality and values, world peace and freedom, the “shining city on a hill.” Another president, and another step in the legacy of American Exceptionalism.

Of course, other countries would dispute that. Terrorist states live to crush that idea. But what about it? Are Americans really how Trump characterized them—a “righteous people”?

Here are some facts that give a true image of the “last best hope of Earth” (statistics are all U.S. only):

Sex and Pornography

• 40 million in the U.S. regularly visit porn sites
• Every 39 minutes a new pornography film is made
• The U.S. is home to 1 million prostitutes

Crime

• 15,696 murders (2015), amounting to 43 per day
• 1.2 million violent crimes reported (2015)
• 385 mass shootings (during 2016 alone)
• 2.3 million people currently jailed in America
• Average of 321,500 victims of rape and assault each year (age 12 and older)
• Every 98 seconds, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted

Drug Use

• 24.6 million used an illicit drug in the previous month (2013, age 12 and older)
• 19.8 million users of marijuana (as of 2013—and 94 million in the U.S. have used it at least once)
• 144 die every day from drug overdose (52,404 cases in 2015)
• 36.5 million Americans smoke (2015)
• 15.7 million have Alcohol Use Disorder (2015)

Suicide

• 44,193 commit suicide yearly (121 per day)
• 1.1 million attempt suicide yearly

Abortion

• 59.3 million abortions since Roe v. Wade
• 926,200 abortions in 2014 (more than 2,500 every day)

Marriage and Family

• 10 million American adults identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender
• 52.7 percent of all marriages will end in divorce
• 2 out of 5 children are born to unwed mothers
• 22 million children are raised by a single parent

Children

• One child is abused every 10 seconds and raped every two minutes
• Every 40 seconds, a child goes missing or is abducted (yes, you read that right)
• More than 800,000 children are reported missing each year (2,200 per day)
• Four to seven children die every day as a result of child abuse or neglect

Religion

• More than 50,000 members of The Satanic Temple (just one of the Satanist branches)
• More than 200,000 registered witches
• 8 million practitioners of witchcraft

These are the statistics of “a righteous people and a righteous public.” This is the record of modern-day “American exceptionalism.” As Jesus said, “A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.” That is, unfortunately, the negative example of the United States of America today—an example “set on a hill” for all the world to see.

Amidst all the talk of “righteousness” and values, what does God say? Ezekiel 5:7-9:

Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because ye multiplied more than the nations that are round about you, and have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments, neither have done according to the judgments of the nations that are round about you; Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, am against thee, and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations. And I will do in thee that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of all thine abominations.

This prophecy is for the end time—and the context shows it is directed at the United States of America! Our free book Ezekiel: The End-Time Prophet explains this in further detail.

Ezekiel explains the utter national collapse that is coming, including death and destruction the likes of which this world has never seen. Instead of merely hiding national sins under a supposed umbrella of national righteousness, we ought to take an honest look at where this nation is heading—what has taken place for God Himself to be personally against us.

We are not a righteous people. But we don’t have to remain unrighteous. While the above numbers are enormous, so too is the impact of even just one who is willing to change.