[Looking at history and our area’s unique political and religious attitudes.]

Awakening. Coming out of a slumber, becoming aware, a shift in consciousness, an appreciation of reality which had been previously unrealized, are some of the definitions.

The term has been used twice in the American history to define a widespread religious experience across society. It is sometimes conflicted with revival. However, there is a significant difference. Where revival refers to a re-energization of religious experience, awakening is a new encounter.

Only one history book has survived across cultures, languages, and political power for the last 3500 years, the Tanakh. The collection of writings began with the recordings of an Egyptian prince in the Late Bronze Age about 1450 BC. That is an incredibly long time for a book to survive. There must be a reason. Simply, it is the history of the Western civilization. The many names in it show it was about real people.

Most individuals have heard of it. Few have studied it extensively. The less knowledgeable dismiss it as a religious document. Read it through several times, like a good book. Then you can relate to the characters.

It gives accounts of successful and failed governments, societal mores, with individual development and responsibilities. Laws which are fair and right derive from its principles. Is it not interesting that with few differences, every culture has similar laws protecting life, property, and telling the truth? The Tanakh also addresses the bigger questions of humans and why we are. For this reason, it has been adopted by many as a religious guide.

Many empires, cultures, and languages have arisen and collapsed during its history. How has it survived? It was written, with a limited exception, in the Hebrew language of the Jewish culture, which carried it around the world in their trading.

A sequel history emphasizing personal responsibility was written during a 45-year period after the Roman Caesars. This too came from the Jewish, as teachings of the Rabbi Jeshua. He explicitly stated he was not destroying or dismissing the former history, but was simply following through with it in a most dramatic fashion.

Our society has this irrational fixation on compartmentalization of our living. The mentation goes that separate your morality from politics. Well, that yields a simple situation of immoral politics.

After World War I, the hierarchal religions like Presbyterian, Episcopal, and Methodist began to move from the traditional teaching of personal responsibility to a social responsibility. In the generation from the 1960s, a self-righteous philosophy developed among many evangelical churches advocating separation from anything that was not to their vaunted morality. It was explicitly taught to avoid politics, since it was not religious enough. Neither of these positions is consistent with the Tanakh.

So, the culture now is largely without organized religious guidance. Most churches abdicated moral leadership. But humans have an inherent need for morality as illustrated by the continued long run of the Oldest History. A rather fascinating event is happening, seemingly spontaneously, without influence from traditional churches.

Powerful, influential, wealthy men who have made their mark in science, psychology, and business have discovered the ancient teachings. This is just an intro, you may want to find out more about them.

Dr. Jordan Peterson, a Canadian university professor, psychologist, and author had a 51-city tour for his book “We Who Wrestle with God.” He has affirmed that Jesus was a real person who lived. “The problem is I probably believe that. And I am amazed at my own belief and I don’t understand it.”

Elon Musk, an intellectual thinker, engineer, and world’s wealthiest man commented he “prayed for Dragon mission,” is “big believer in the principles of Christianity,” and “You could say whatever caused the universe to be is God…”,

Donald Trump, a television personality, billionaire real estate builder, and President, affirmed to Dr. Phil why he was spared in an assassination attempt. “I mean, the only thing I can think is that God loves our country and he thinks we’re going to bring our country back. He wants to bring it back.” Dr Phil continued “You were spared for a reason.” Trump replied “Well, God believes that.”

Tucker Carlson is a top-rated political commentator, thinker, and seeker. Joe Rogan is a quarter-of-a-billion-dollar podcaster, former Secret Service, and man’s man comes into the mold. Oh, there are so many more.

None of these came about their thinking through traditional church route, but rather through rational intellect. From their own words, their path is still undergoing understanding and development, like all of us. Based on their past successes, what do you think is their probability of progress?

Think about it. These are successful, real, and all have embraced Jesus and his teachings. They are not what the traditional church pontificates. They are not perfect, but who is? There is a real awakening.