My momma and I always review the Sunday School lessons before she goes to teach. She has the little kids at Majority Baptist Church in my home town of Spartanburg. (The information below is paraphrased and quoted from the Nelson Study Bible, a must-have for those seeking faith and understanding.)

The prophets of the Old Testament often wrote about the truths of the human condition.   Our triumphs and fallacies from 3,000 plus years ago are still the same today.   This week's Sunday School lesson, Hosea chapter 4, is a great example.

Hosea 4:2-3 levels God's charges against Israel.   "By swearing and lying, killing and stealing and committing adultery, they break all restraint with bloodshed upon bloodshed.   Therefore the land will mourn; and everyone who dwells there will waste away with the beasts of the field, and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea will be taken away."

Godly behavior is goodly and wholesome to individuals, society, and the land.   Ungodly actions corrupt the soul, cities, and environment.   Today more species of plants and animals are threatened than ever.   No terrain is safe from our exploitation.   Fishermen and marine biologists fear the complete collapse of the ocean's food chain.   90%+ of all big fish have been removed from the seas; and many areas that once had an abundance of biodiversity are now barren or filled with jellyfish.  

Our gluttony and monetary greed are not just affecting nature.   We are the most materialistic people ever to exist on God's Earth.   It starts young.   Many kids have the same greedy mentally as corporate CEOs.   And unfortunately, the same set of ungodly behaviors (lying, stealing, cheating, manipulating, coercing, etc.) needed to get what they want.  

Look at the values of our society.   Not what we say we value, but what we actually cherish and genuinely love.   Idolatry is rampant.   Many pray to God in time of crisis, but most of the time we worship cars, celebrities, gossip, money, tv, and the like.  

It appears that this is just human mentality.   When given enough freedom, societies always seem to deteriorate morally.   Hosea warned Israel directly in verse 6.

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.   Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children."

As an African American, this verse hits hard.   Like Bill Cosby says, our community has strayed far from its core values, which come directly from the Bible.   And our children are disproportionately affected.   Over two-thirds of all African American babies are born out of wedlock.   The pitiful 50% graduation rate of African American boys from Chicago public high schools is typical throughout America.   African Americans are incarcerated at the highest rate of any racial group.  

I believe in my heart, that our rejection of knowledge in general and biblical teachings in particular is the main cause of those sad stats.  

I could write pages comparing Hosea's Israel to my America, but I know people like short blogs, so I'll wrap this up with God's comments on harlotry.

It seems God judged the tricks even harsher than the whores.   Hosea 4:14 - "I will not punish your daughters when they commit harlotry, nor your brides when they commit adultery; for the men themselves go apart with harlots, and offer sacrifices with a ritual harlot."  

So Judge Mathis is right to treat men harshly when they suggest a woman's worth and credibility are devalued by harlotry.   Without morally corrupt partners, the sins of harlotry and adultery could not occur.   This applies to our celebrity harlots/idols as well.   Before we start stoning these so called "stars", let's take a look at their partners in crime, namely the media for pushing them and us for caring.

Take time to examine yourself and your values. Pick up a religious book and accept some knowledge.