Essay: How I found my American patriotism again and began to appreciate the West more

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The flag of the United States

I grew up in during a patriotic time in the United States. And I still recall America putting the man on the moon in 1969. And Ronald Reagan's speeches fueled my patriotism still more. So did the USA Olympic Hockey Team beating the Soviet Union's Olympic Hocket team in 1980. See: The United States will be the leading power in the world for the foreseeable future

However, at my university, I took a Sociology 101 course from a Western Marxist professor and he talked about all the problems in the USA (A Western Marxist is someone who recognizes that the Soviet Union was tyrannical!). At some level, I knew I wasn't getting a completely fairminded representation of the major facts (A fellow classmate and I laughed about the student who talked to the professor frequently at the end of the class who wore a green trenchcoat who we dubbed "Radical Ray"). On the other hand, the class was kind of a downer that brought up some factual negatives about the United States and its culture such as the high divorce rate in the United States and other social ills.

But at some level, the class made me dissatisfied with the status quo in general and so did the liberal university I attended. It also helped make me more open to the things the Christian teaching assistants who were sharing their faith that I had in my Macroeconomics, Algebra, and Calculus 101 classes. After all, you begin to appreciate paradise more as you begin to realize how hellish the earth can be. In other words, the existence of evil is a type of argument for the existence of good and the supreme good. After all, you can't have evil if good doesn't exist. And in my sophomore year in college, I became a Christian.

The 2004 movie Miracle about the USA Olympic Hockey Team beating the Soviet Union's Olympic Hocket team in 1980 definitely increased my patriotism.

To some degree, my patriotism increased due to being exposed to more conservative news and conservative content at Conservapedia. And then I started looking at the history of a famous war hero that I am related to and that increased my patriotism as he made a very positive influence on the world.

The American conservative and patriot Steve Turley definitely increased my patriotism. See also: Steve Turley on a new conservative age rising

Recently, I have been exposed to commentary/news that is very pro-Russia/anti-Western and doesn't give a fairminded picture of things such as the fact that Vladimir Putin is a corrupt kleptocrat and an authoritarian or about the the rising rule of communist idiocracy in China. Nor did it cover the Russian war crimes in Ukraine. And of course, Just War Theory was never brought up in relation to Vladimir Putin's "special military operation" on February 24, 2022.

But it was an Indian citizen, namely User:NishantXavier, that stoked my American patriotism and put it into overdrive. He pointed out that a person spewing pro-Russia, anti-Westernism and anti-Americanism wasn't taking into account how authoritarian China and Russia are or all the huge problems those two countries have and that their big problems are getting significantly worse (See: Attention all hyper Sinophiles/Russophiles. The USA being better than China and Russia is an incredibly low bar for Americans to jump over!). This caused me to appreciate more all the good things that the USA and the West have.

And as a result of this matter, I began to further research the favorable things about the USA and the West which I give below.

Map of the United States

The United States will be the leading power in the world for the foreseeable future:

Contents

Arguments for American patriotism

The United States has the largest Christian population in the world. The United States sends out more missionaries in the world than any other nation

See also: The United States has the largest Christian population in the world. The United States sends out more missionaries in the world than any other nation

The United States has a large Christian population (see: Christianity and social stability and Protestant cultural legacies).

And Bible-believing Christians have a higher fertility rate than the general population. Peak secularization of the USA is expected to occur before 2050 followed by a period of desecularization (see: United States, immigration and the growth of religion in the USA in the latter part of the 21st century and United States, irreligion vs. religion and demographics).

USA sends out more missionaries than any country in the world

The United States is the leader in internet evangelism

See also: Essay: The United States is the leader in internet evangelism

Hong Kong Christians at Gateway Camp.

In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western World Christians as there were Western World Christians.[1]

See also: Global Christianity

Internet evangelism is, as the name suggests, the process of evangelizing and spreading the gospel using the internet.

Since its inception, Christianity has seen a consistent and dramatic increase in its number of adherents.[2][3] In the 1940s the Lausanne Movement was started to help Christendom evangelize globally with greater effectiveness and thousands of Christian leaders from around the globe meet regularly to increase the effectiveness of Christian evangelism.[4]

Cru is one of the world's largest evangelism organizations within Christendom and has over 25,000 full-time missionaries. In 2006, Alan Beeber of CRU predicted that internet evangelism would result in more conversion than all other forms of evangelism for CRU combined.[5] Internet evangelism is effective at spreading Christianity globally - especially in countries where there is Christian persecution and evangelism is more difficult.

The Christian internet evangelism organization Global Media Outreach indicates that it has had over 2.5 billion "gospel visits" to its websites.[6][7] Global Media Outreach works with many Christians around the world (see: Global Christianity).

The Christian internet evangelism organization Network211 indicates that over 56,000,000 web visits have occurred on its websites.[8] Network211 works with many Christians/churches throughout the world.

There are other significant Christian internet evangelism efforts as well. For example, the Billy Graham Association is also active in internet evangelism.[9]

Franklin Graham is the president and CEO of Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

In 2022, the Billy Graham Evangelism Association announced:

“ Launched in 2012, Search for Jesus impacts website users with the truth of the Gospel and relies on a network of over 1,400 trained volunteers who interact with users and answer live questions. With a mission to reach those hurting and in need, Search for Jesus utilizes the accessibility of the internet to reach places otherwise closed to the Gospel.

Using these digital tools, more than 300 million people have indicated a decision for Christ and received follow-up through the internet ministry. To date, the PeaceWithGod.net websites have welcomed over 100 million online users. With messages in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Arabic, American Sign Language, and Russian, Search for Jesus has been able to expand globally and cross-language and accessibility barriers.

“This is significant because we’re following Billy Graham’s legacy of spreading the Gospel across the globe using every opportunity we have. The average person spends nearly seven hours a day on the internet, so we want to meet these people where they are,” said Mark Appleton, director of internet evangelism for BGEA, in a press release. “Search for Jesus has given us the chance to spread the Gospel like never before.”[10]

”

The Billy Graham Evangelism Association says about its desire for volunteers for its internet evangelism program:

“ People around the world are searching for answers online. Many find hope through Search for Jesus. Would you join us to make a lasting impact for God’s kingdom and see lives changed by Christ? You can serve with us as an online counselor, discipleship coach, or email responder, or get your church involved. If you have a heart for sharing the Gospel, an Internet connection and a few hours a week, consider making Search for Jesus your own personal ministry–a way for God to use you by reaching hurting people around the world in their time of need.[11] ”

The Christian Post states:

“ Online evangelism is producing real disciples for Christ, according to a recent study.

Over half of those who made a decision for Jesus over the Internet have subsequently shared their faith with others, Global Media Outreach's study reveals.

Additionally, 34 percent read their Bibles daily and nearly half pray for at least 10 minutes a day...

The study, called the Christian Growth Index, measured the responses of more than 100,000 people from around the world...

Fifty-one percent of those surveyed said they shared their faith three times or more and 37 percent said they shared their faith at least once or twice.

Global Media Outreach is a global ministry that presents the Gospel online through websites such as WhoisJesus-Really.com and GrowinginChrist.com. There are more than 5,500 trained online missionaries worldwide who respond to questions asked by seekers through emails.[12]

”

Also, many churches stream their services online in real-time and/or provide them on a platform (such as Facebook or YouTube). This is not only for the benefit of members who cannot attend services due to illness or old age, as well as people who live in areas with no Bible-believing church nearby, but also for visitors who want to check out what the church believes and how it conducts services before deciding whether to visit in person and ultimately become members.

The United States adopting more social conservatism and becoming more religious in the future

See also: United States, irreligion vs. religion and demographics and A new conservative age is rising

Post 1950s, the USA has experienced some decline (Divorce rate increase, increase in fatherless homes, high federal government debt, the sexual revolution, etc.).

As noted above, on July 24, 2019, due to religious immigration to the United States and the higher fertility rate of religious people, Eric Kaufmann wrote in an article entitled Why Is Secularization Likely to Stall in America by 2050? A Response to Laurie DeRose: "Overall, the picture suggests that the U.S. will continue to secularize in the coming decades. However, a combination of religious immigration, immigrant religious retention, slowing religious decline due to a rising prevalence of believers among the affiliated, and higher native religious birth rates will result in a plateauing of secularizing trends by mid-century." [13]

Steve Turley

Steve Turley wrote:

“ According to University of London scholar Eric Kaufmann’s detailed study on global demographic trends, we are in the early stages of nothing less than a demographic revolution. In Kaufmann’s words, "religious fundamentalists are on course to take over the world." There is a significant demographic deficit between secularists and conservative religionists. For example, in the U.S., while self-identified non-religionist women averaged only 1.5 children per couple in 2002, conservative evangelical women averaged 2.5 children, representing a 28 percent fertility edge. Kaufmann notes that this demographic deficit has dramatic effects over time. In a population evenly divided, these numbers indicate that conservative evangelicals would increase from 50 to 62.5 percent of the population in a single generation. In two generations, their number would increase to 73.5 percent, and over the course of 200 years, they would represent 99.4 percent. The Amish and Mormons provide contemporary illustrations of the compound effect of endogamous growth. The Amish double in population every twenty years, and projections have the Amish numbering over a million in the U.S. and Canada in just a few decades. Since 1830, Mormon growth has averaged 40 percent per decade, which means that by 2080, there may be as many as 267 million Mormons in the world, making them by 2100 anywhere from one to six percent of the world’s population.

In Europe, immigration is making the continent more religiously conservative, not less; in fact, London and Paris are some of the most religiously dense areas within their respective populations. In Britain, for example, Ultra-Orthodox or Haredi Jews constitute only 17 percent of the Jewish population but account for 75 percent of Jewish births. And in Israel, Haredi schoolchildren have gone from comprising a few percent to nearly a third of all Jewish pupils in a matter of five decades, and are poised to represent the majority of the Jewish population by 2050. Since 1970, charismatic Christians in Europe have expanded steadily at a rate of 4 percent per year, in step with Muslim growth. Currently, Laestadian Lutherans in Finland and Holland’s Orthodox Calvinists have a fertility advantage over their wider secular populations of 4:1 and 2:1 respectively.

In contrast, Kaufmann’s data projects that secularists, who consistently exemplify a low fertility rate of around 1.5 (significantly below the replacement level of 2.1), will begin a steady decline after 2030 to a mere 14 to 15 percent of the American population. Similar projections apply to Europe as well. Kaufmann thus appears to have identified what he calls "the soft underbelly of secularism," namely, demography. This is because secular liberalism entails its own “demographic contradiction,” the affirmation of the sovereign individual devoid of the restraints of classical moral structures necessitates the freedom not to reproduce. The link between sex and procreation having been broken, modernist reproduction translates into mere personal preference. It thus turns out that the radical individualism so celebrated and revered by contemporary secular propagandists is in fact the agent by which their ideology implodes.[14]

”

Why has the West been so successful?

See also: Why has the West been so successful?

Article:

Please read: Why has the West been so successful?

In the above map, the Western World regions of the world are colored light blue.

There are countries in Asia that have adopted much of Western values such as Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.

The above graphic comes from the video Why the West Won’t Collapse with Stephen Kotkin (Stephen Kotkin is an American historian, academic, and author.)

For more information, please see: Why has the West been so successful?

European-American culture is middle-aged in terms of how long it may last when one looks at world history

See also: Cultures change slowly. So world orders generally change slowly

According to Cornell University Press, "By historical comparative standards, European-American civilization is middle aged. One can get a sense of the life spans of civilizations by seeing how long other civilizations survived."[15]

Ray Dahlio, author of the book Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order: Why Nations Succeed and Fail wrote: "From examining all these cases across empires and across time, I saw that the great empires typically lasted roughly 250 years, give or take 150 years, with big economic, debt, and political cycles within them lasting about 50 to 100 years. By studying how these rises and declines worked individually, I could see how they worked on average in an archetypical way, and then I could examine how they worked differently and why. Doing that taught me a lot. My challenge now is trying to convey it to you."[16]

For additional information, please see: How long will the American civilization last? Strong reasons it could be a very long time

"By historical comparative standards, European-American civilization is middle aged. One can get a sense of the life spans of civilizations by seeing how long other civilizations survived." - Cornell University Press[17]


Donald Trump on the value of Western values, Western innovation and the value of NATO to the United States

Donald Trump's 2017 Warsaw speech about American/Western values of freedom and liberty. Donald Trump on Western innovation. Donald Trump on making NATO stronger

Donald Trump

Please read: Trump’s Warsaw Speech Wasn’t an Outrage. It Was a Clear Statement of American Values., 2017

Excerpt from 2017 speech:

“ Americans, Poles, and the nations of Europe value individual freedom and sovereignty. We must work together to confront forces, whether they come from inside or out, from the South or the East, that threaten over time to undermine these values and to erase the bonds of culture, faith and tradition that make us who we are. (Applause.) If left unchecked, these forces will undermine our courage, sap our spirit, and weaken our will to defend ourselves and our societies...

We write symphonies. We pursue innovation. We celebrate our ancient heroes, embrace our timeless traditions and customs, and always seek to explore and discover brand-new frontiers.

We reward brilliance. We strive for excellence, and cherish inspiring works of art that honor God. We treasure the rule of law and protect the right to free speech and free expression. (Applause.)...

As long as we know our history, we will know how to build our future. Americans know that a strong alliance of free, sovereign and independent nations is the best defense for our freedoms and for our interests. That is why my administration has demanded that all members of NATO finally meet their full and fair financial obligation.

As a result of this insistence, billions of dollars more have begun to pour into NATO. In fact, people are shocked. But billions and billions of dollars more are coming in from countries that, in my opinion, would not have been paying so quickly.

To those who would criticize our tough stance, I would point out that the United States has demonstrated not merely with words but with its actions that we stand firmly behind Article 5, the mutual defense commitment. (Applause.)

Thank you. God Bless You. God bless the Polish people. God bless our allies. And God bless the United States of America.

Thank you. God bless you. Thank you very much. (Applause.)[18]

”

2025 White House: President Trump’s Leadership, Vision Drives NATO Breakthrough. Donald Trump gets most NATO European countries to commit to 5% of GNP spending

Donald Trump's Pro-NATO Statements from 2017 to 2025: A Balanced Overview

Ronald Reagan on the value of Western values

President Ronald Reagan heaped praised Poland as a country “at the center of European civilization” and warned that our shared Western civilization is threatened by “totalitarian forces in the world who seek . . . to further their barbarous assault on the human spirit.” He called on the West to defend “the great civilized ideas: individual liberty, representative government, and the rule of law under God” and criticized “the shyness of some of us in the West about standing for these ideals.”[19]

Is the United States - European alliance worth it?

Summary: "Yes, unequivocally. The direct military costs ($25-35 billion annually) are a fraction (~5-10%) of the tangible economic benefits from trade ($370 billion exports + $180 billion services surplus) and investments/jobs (~$500-700 billion in output). When including strategic deterrence (saving trillions in potential wars) and influence, the alliance yields a return on investment of 20-50x. Without it, the US risks isolation, higher solo defense burdens (~$100-200 billion extra annually), and economic losses from instability (e.g., 10-20% drop in transatlantic trade). The alliance isn't charity—it's a high-yield investment in US prosperity and security."

Map of Europe

2030 and 2050 Forecast: USA/West power relative to other major powers

The United States has an above average constitution

Constitution.jpg

See also: United States Constitution

An above-average constitution with a separation of powers, a bill of rights and the electoral college system that gives sensible rural people influence.

Please see the videos:

Research indicates that in the long-term, non-authoritarian countries are more likely to experience greater economic growth. See: Time Under Authoritarian Rule and Economic Growth, CORI Working Paper No. 2007-02

In addition, there is research indicating that economies disrupted by political turmoil/unrest grow at an average rate 2 percentage points slower than those that are untroubled, with a persistent lag in the growth rate of 1 to 2 percentage points in the succeeding year.[20][21]

Reproduction of painting of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and others signing the U.S. Constitution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by Henry Hintermeister.

Labor productivity: United States in comparison to other countries in the world

See: The USA has one of the highest labor productivity rates in the world - significantly higher than both China and Russia and United States and innovation

According the U.S. Labor Bureau of Statistics, Labor productivity is a measure of economic performance that compares the amount of output with the amount of labor used to produce that output."[22]

Investopedia says about the importance of labor productivity to an economy, "Labor productivity is largely driven by investment in capital, technological progress, and human capital development. Labor productivity is directly linked to improved standards of living in the form of higher consumption. As an economy's labor productivity grows, it produces more goods and services for the same amount of relative work. This increase in output makes it possible to consume more of the goods and services for an increasingly reasonable price."[23]

According to Yahoo Finance: "Efficiency in production, also coined as productivity, is one of the major driving forces behind economic resilience in a country."[24]

Investopedia indicates: "Education tends to raise productivity and creativity, as well as stimulate entrepreneurship and technological breakthroughs. All of these factors lead to greater output and economic growth."[25]

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development states concerning labor productivity: "Labour productivity is a key precondition for high growth of output, employment and wages and central to long-term growth in living standards."[26]

In 2023, the USA was over 200% more productive in terms of labor productivity than Russia when measured using purchasing power parity.[27] In 2023, the USA was over 400% more productive in terms of labor productivity than China when measured using purchasing power parity.[28]

The United States is a high-income economy.[29] A high-income economy is defined by the World Bank as a country that has a gross national income per capita of US$13,845 or more in 2022 that is calculated using the Atlas method (The Atlas method, employed by the World Bank since 1993, is used to approximate the economic size of nations in terms of their gross national income (GNI) in U.S. dollars.).[30] China and Russia are upper middle-income countries.[31][32]

Investopedia says about the importance of labor productivity to an economy, "Labor productivity is largely driven by investment in capital, technological progress, and human capital development. Labor productivity is directly linked to improved standards of living in the form of higher consumption."[33]

According the Yahoo Finance: "According to Yahoo Finance: "Efficiency in production, also coined as productivity, is one of the major driving forces behind economic resilience in a country... The United States has one of the strongest economies in the world. The country hosts some of the largest companies in the world, which contributes to the high GDP per capita in the country."[34]

As can be seen in the map above, the USA has one of the highest labor productivity rates in the world.[35]


USA: Nonfarm Business Sector: Labor Productivity (Output per Hour) for All Workers[36]
Switzerland, Sweden, the United States, the United Kingdom and Singapore are the world’s most innovative economies in 2023, according to WIPO’s Global Innovation Index (GII), as a group of middle-income economies have emerged over the past decade as the fastest climbers of the ranking.[37][38][39]
VisualCapitalist.com ranked the USA 3rd in innovation in 2023.[40]

The citizens of the United States are happier than the citizens of Russia and China

See: The citizens of the United States are happier than the citizens of Russia and China

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." - United States Constitution

Global happiness index 2024.png
According to the World Happines Index, the citizens of the United States are happier than the citizens of Russia.[41][42]

For more information, please see: The citizens of the United States are happier than the citizens of Russia and China

Are the Russians as unhappy as they claim they are? There are so many reasons why the Russians are unhappy! Don't miss out on all the reasons. Click the link below!

See also: Are the Russians as unhappy as they claim they are?

Please read: Are the Russians as unhappy as they claim they are?

Influence of Western Christianity on the world

The Harvard University historian Niall Ferguson declared: "Through a mixture of hard work and thrift the Protestant societies of the North and West Atlantic achieved the most rapid economic growth in history."[43]

See also: Protestant cultural legacies and Christianity and social stability

The article "The Surprising Discovery About Those Colonialist, Proselytizing Missionaries" published in Christianity Today notes:

“ In his fifth year of graduate school, Woodberry created a statistical model that could test the connection between missionary work and the health of nations. He and a few research assistants spent two years coding data and refining their methods. They hoped to compute the lasting effect of missionaries, on average, worldwide...

One morning, in a windowless, dusty computer lab lit by fluorescent bulbs, Woodberry ran the first big test. After he finished prepping the statistical program on his computer, he clicked "Enter" and then leaned forward to read the results.

"I was shocked," says Woodberry. "It was like an atomic bomb. The impact of missions on global democracy was huge. I kept adding variables to the model—factors that people had been studying and writing about for the past 40 years—and they all got wiped out. It was amazing. I knew, then, I was on to something really important."

Woodberry already had historical proof that missionaries had educated women and the poor, promoted widespread printing, led nationalist movements that empowered ordinary citizens, and fueled other key elements of democracy. Now the statistics were backing it up: Missionaries weren't just part of the picture. They were central to it...

Areas where Protestant missionaries had a significant presence in the past are on average more economically developed today, with comparatively better health, lower infant mortality, lower corruption, greater literacy, higher educational attainment (especially for women), and more robust membership in nongovernmental associations.

In short: Want a blossoming democracy today? The solution is simple—if you have a time machine: Send a 19th-century missionary."

...at a conference presentation in 2002, Woodberry got a break. In the room sat Charles Harper Jr., then a vice president at the John Templeton Foundation, which was actively funding research on religion and social change. (Its grant recipients have included Christianity Today.) Three years later, Woodberry received half a million dollars from the foundation's Spiritual Capital Project, hired almost 50 research assistants, and set up a huge database project at the University of Texas, where he had taken a position in the sociology department. The team spent years amassing more statistical data and doing more historical analyses, further confirming his theory.

...Woodberry's historical and statistical work has finally captured glowing attention. A summation of his 14 years of research—published in 2012 in the American Political Science Review, the discipline's top journal—has won four major awards, including the prestigious Luebbert Article Award for best article in comparative politics. Its startling title: "The Missionary Roots of Liberal Democracy."

...over a dozen studies have confirmed Woodberry's findings. The growing body of research is beginning to change the way scholars, aid workers, and economists think about democracy and development.[44]

”
John Wesley

David Beidel wrote in his article The Bloodless Revolution: What We Need to Learn from John Wesley and the Great Awakening

“ In the 18th Century, most of Europe was on fire. Bloody civil wars and revolutions were decimating nation after nation. Unrestrained injustice, government and Church corruption, slave trade and the oppression of the poor created a powder keg for violence. Miraculously, Great Britain escaped the horrors of civil war and the brutal savagery that revolutionary anarchy engenders.

Few ancient monarchies are still in place today. The mystery of the UK’s capacity to honor the old guard, while raising up a more democratic system without a revolution, is a sociological wonder. Many credit the Great Awakening, in particular the Methodist movement, launched by John Wesley, for this extraordinary and peaceful transition.

Methodism unleashed an army of “little Christ’s” all over Europe. They cared for the poor, took in unwanted and abused children, fought unjust laws and labor conditions, visited prisoners, and battled against slavery; They joined hands with the Apostles and “turned the world upside down.” Eventually compassion became fashionable...

America is in desperate need of a Christ-infused revolution of compassion. We are a land of churches, who are well positioned to hear and answer the cries of our struggling communities. If a critical mass of congregations committed themselves to radically sharing the Gospel and passionately serving under-resourced/at-risk communities, we will see peace powerfully rise in these times of trouble. This will also enable, as in the days of John Wesley, wise reformation to take place because the true Christian Church is theologically hardwired to bring about peaceful, meaningful change that benefits all. I have written much about this in my book, Samaria, The Great Omission, and treasure every opportunity to strategize with churches who have a heart to minister in this way.

Let us stand in the gap as cultural/community peacemakers and healers in this season of sorrow and division. May our magnificent obsession be Jesus, the everlasting, ever loving, rescuer of the oppressed and Father of all.[45]

”

In December 2003, the University of Warwick reported: "Dr. Stephen Joseph, from the University of Warwick, said: "Religious people seem to have a greater purpose in life, which is why they are happier. Looking at the research evidence, it seems that those who celebrate the Christian meaning of Christmas are on the whole likely to be happier."[46]

The ex-atheist C.S. Lewis became a Christian and wrote a book entitled Surprised by Joy.[47]

The Harvard University historian Niall Ferguson declared: "Through a mixture of hard work and thrift the Protestant societies of the North and West Atlantic achieved the most rapid economic growth in history."[48]

Western culture, Eastern culture and embracing the best aspects of both cultures

Statue of Liberty

See also: Western civilization

The article West Vs Eastern — a successful journey into another culture states:

“ Western culture is known as individualistic or analytical, in which people are sensitive to objects and their attributes, and they detach them from their context when perceiving them. Also, they prefer predicting and explaining, and rely on the use of formal logic and the law of non-contradiction. Additionally, since the culture encourages individualism, people in these cultures are said to be challenged when it comes to understanding someone else’s point of view.

In contrast, East Asia cultures are known to be holistic or interpersonal and therefore much more adept at determining and accepting another person’s perspective. They also rely more on experiential knowledge rather than formal rules of logic and they positively embrace change, contradiction, and multiple perspectives — more so than people from Western cultures.[49]

”

Because this excerpt of the article is incomplete, I offer some articles which go more indepth:

Because I have friends in both cultures, I take the view that it is best to take the best aspects of both cultures. So while I do appreciate the West, there are things that I appreciate about the East as well.

East/West: Authoritarian vs. individualism/democracy: Economic growth and healthy society. Influence of the West on Singapore and Japan

Western civilization

Eastern civilizations

  • East: More collectivist. Rice farming more collectivist

Singapore (High standard of living and low crime). Had British/Western influence

Singapore: Hardworking, meritocracy, studious, disciplined, more collectivist than the West, low corruption and economic liberty and long-term thinking in terms of public spending and return on investment.

The British/Western Influence on Singapore: "We have many good essays on the English language, the rule of law, the free port, free trade, open economy, the civil service, health, education, welfare, town planning, low-cost housing, anti-corruption, business, sports, culture, the commonwealth, etc. The British left a rich legacy in Singapore." See: Singapore and the United Kingdom: 1819 to 2019

Academic

Abstract: As an authoritarian country achieves more economic freedom, it is often urged by its citizens to start pursuing social freedoms. This has led to the liberalization of many authoritarian nations and pushed them to adopt more liberal policies. But not Singapore. Singapore is one of the most economically-developed countries in the world yet it has a surprising lack of social/political freedom. But how does it succeed where so many others have failed? Why is Singapore one of the most successful free-market economies as well as one of the most societally restrictive? And how long can it continue to succeed? As it stands now, the same political party has been winning elections in Singapore for more than 60 years. How long can they last?

Videos on Singapore's economic miracle. Videos on Singapore's highly developed and safe country

Singapore is the 4rth richest country in the world.

Once again, Singapore is so much better than Russia!

Map of Singapore

The article What America Could Learn from Singapore's Social Welfare System indicates:

“ To take a look at how and where such a minimal standard of welfare design has been implemented successfully, one need only look at the city-state of Singapore. The Singapore welfare system is considered one of the most successful by first-world standards. World Bank data shows that Singapore’s government health expenditure in 2015 is only 4.3 percent of GDP, a small fraction in comparison to other first-world countries—16.9 percent in the US; 11 percent in France; 9.9 percent in the UK; 10.9 percent in Japan, and 7.1 percent in Korea—while achieving comparatively equal or better health outcomes of low infant mortality and higher life expectancies. While most of Europe, Scandinavia, and North America spend 30-40 percent of GDP on social welfare programs, Singapore spends less than half as much while maintaining similar levels of economic growth and a society relatively free of social problems."...

By compelling Singaporeans to save, welfare in Singapore has traditionally been internalized first to the individual and the family/grassroots level. This forms the crux of the government’s “Many Helping Hands” social policy where the role of the family and immediate community in welfare provision is emphasized over government-funded programs. Such a form of privatized charity is neither new nor unique, as a wealth of research shows how mutual aid societies predated modern welfare states in the 20th-century United States and the 19th-century United Kingdom."[50]

”

Singapore has the 2nd lowest infant mortality rate in the world - so it is much better than Russia in this respect as Russia has about a 400% higher infant mortality rate.[51]

In addition, Russia has the highest abortion rate in the world.[52]

Question: If Russia's societal system is so good then why do Singaporeans live so much longer than Russians? The proof is in the pudding!

Singapore compared to Russia: Parts of Russia are so bad to live in that Russia offers free land to Russians and foreigners. Singapore raises threshold for foreign investors seeking permanent residency

  • Russia offers free land to Russians and foreigners: "In an attempt to boost the population and economy of the largely undeveloped regions,Vladimir Putin has ordered free land handouts in Russia’s Far East and Siberia. Last week he signed a law offering land plots to Russians and foreigners for free if they are willing move to the country’s remote Far Eastern and Siberian regions. Under the deal, all citizens can apply for a hectare of land (2.5 acres) – about the size of a football pitch – in a vast stretch of territory spanning the upper Arctic reaches near Alaska, down to islands off the coast of Japan and south to the Chinese border."

Japan (High standard of living and low crime). Had post WWII American influence

The flag of Japan

Japan: Hardworking, studious, disciplined, harmonious and collectivist (Government invest in key industries. East Asian model )

United States influence on Japan:

"After the defeat of Japan in World War II, the United States led the Allies in the occupation and rehabilitation of the Japanese state. Between 1945 and 1952, the U.S. occupying forces, led by General Douglas A. MacArthur, enacted widespread military, political, economic, and social reforms." - Occupation and Reconstruction of Japan, 1945–52

Influence of American management consultant William Edwards Deming on Japan: "Starting in 1950 and in subsequent trips to Japan - 27 trips in all - Deming taught the Japanese his management philosophy which eventually came to be called the System of Profound Knowledge. This work has widely been cited as a key reason for Japan's rise as an economic world power on the international stage." - The Influence of W. Edwards Deming (1900-1993)

Economy of Japan:

  • Economy of Japan, Britannica. Japan has developed a highly diversified manufacturing and service economy and is one of the world's largest producers of motor vehicles, steel, and high-technology manufactured goods (notably consumer electronics).
  • Japan’s economy, AsiaLinkBusiness. Japan is one of the largest and most developed economies in the world. It has a well-educated, industrious workforce and its large, affluent population makes it one of the world’s biggest consumer markets.

From the 1960s to the 1980s, Japan achieved one of the highest economic growth rates in the world. This growth was led by:

- High rates of investment in productive plant and equipment

- The application of efficient industrial techniques

- A high standard of education

- Good relations between labour and management

- Ready access to leading technologies and significant investment in research and development

- An increasingly open world trade framework

- A large domestic market of discerning consumers, which has given Japanese businesses an advantage in their scale of operations.

The dangers of idolizing the United States

See also: The United States will be the leading power in the world for the foreseeable future

While the United States possesses remarkable strengths that position it as the world's leading power for the foreseeable future, it is crucial to approach this reality with humility and perspective. Idolizing any nation, including America, carries significant spiritual, moral, and practical risks. True patriotism celebrates a country's virtues and contributions without elevating it to a godlike status, which can lead to hubris, division, and eventual decline. Below, I outline key dangers of idolizing the United States, drawing on historical, biblical, and cultural insights.

Spiritual idolatry and displacement of faith

Alexis de Tocqueville

The Bible warns against idolatry in the strongest terms, stating in Exodus 20:3-5 (KJV): "Thou shalt have no other gods before me... Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them." When Americans idolize their nation—treating it as infallible, eternal, or the ultimate source of good—they risk placing it above God. This can manifest in "civil religion," where national symbols like the flag or anthem become objects of worship, overshadowing true religious devotion. Historically, empires like ancient Rome fell partly because their citizens deified the state, leading to moral decay and divine judgment. In a Christian context, America's greatness should be seen as a blessing from God (Proverbs 14:34: "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people"), not an inherent superiority that justifies prideful exceptionalism.

Moral blindness and justification of wrongs

Idolization fosters a "my country, right or wrong" mentality, blinding citizens to flaws such as historical injustices (e.g., slavery, Native American displacement) or current issues (e.g., national debt, political corruption, or cultural moral decline). This can lead to excusing unethical policies, like unjust wars or social inequalities, under the guise of national interest. As Alexis de Tocqueville noted in Democracy in America (1835), America's strength lies in its ability to self-correct through moral reflection and reform, not denial. Idolizing the nation stifles this process, turning constructive criticism into perceived disloyalty and eroding the ethical foundation that has sustained the U.S.

Hubris and historical precedents of decline

Overconfidence in national supremacy often precedes downfall. The British Empire, once the world's dominant power, idolized its "civilizing mission" and "eternal" rule, only to collapse under the weight of overextension and internal rot by the mid-20th century. Similarly, the Soviet Union's state-worship led to stagnation and implosion. For the U.S., idolization could manifest in complacency—ignoring demographic shifts, economic vulnerabilities, or geopolitical rivals—accelerating relative decline. As the essay notes, all empires fade eventually; idolizing America ignores this reality and discourages proactive reforms needed for long-term resilience.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while the United States' strengths merit celebration and defense, idolization invites peril. Healthy patriotism involves loving one's country enough to hold it accountable, grounded in faith and humility. By avoiding the trap of national worship, Americans can sustain their nation's leadership while honoring higher principles. As Ronald Reagan once said, America's greatness comes from its people and ideals, not from power alone—ideals that thrive best when kept in proper perspective.

Why multiple analyses by the Grok AI program suggests there is a less than 1% chance of me losing my American patriotism in the next 10 years

The bald eagle has been the national bird of the United States since 1782.[53]

Bald eagles, like other eagles worldwide, are seen as symbols of strength, courage, and freedom. And, unlike other eagles, the bald eagle is indigenous only to North America.[54]

1st Grok AI analysis excerpt

"The probability that this... patriotic American will cease being pro-American in the next 10 years is estimated at 3%, reflecting a robust alignment of personal, ideological, and environmental factors that strongly favor continuity of their pro-American stance. The individual's essays, such as The United States will be the leading power in the foreseeable future and Why I am not bullish on Russia's future, demonstrate a deep intellectual commitment to American exceptionalism, rooted in economic, military, and cultural superiority, while explicitly rejecting anti-Western narratives through critical analyses of Russia's decline. Their admiration for Ukrainian resilience and affinity for patriotic symbols like March of the New Army further solidify their pro-Western orientation. The Behavioral Style Report identifies.. [this person] as a "Performer" with high ego drive and empathy, complemented by the Life Coaching Report's extreme scores in optimism (100/100), assertiveness (98/100), and compassion (95/100), which underpin a resilient, positive worldview resistant to ideological drift. Their self-employment... ambition..., and [university] degree.. reinforce an entrepreneurial mindset tied to American opportunity. The low... trust in others (34/100)... [insulates] against external media influence, while high optimism ensures setbacks are viewed as growth opportunities. This 3% estimate conservatively accounts for rare risks like health or personal crises, but the individual's profile—intellectually consistent, personality-driven, and socially reinforced — suggests an even lower likelihood, potentially <1%, of abandoning their pro-American identity."

2nd Grok AI analysis excerpt

"Based on a thorough review of the provided essays and articles, which demonstrate a consistent, deeply entrenched pro-American worldview—emphasizing U.S. economic, military, demographic, innovative, and cultural superiority while extensively critiquing Russia's economic vulnerabilities (e.g., overreliance on oil/gas, lack of diversification, inflation, labor shortages), demographic crises (e.g., low fertility, aging population, brain drain, high alcohol-related deaths), military weaknesses, poor innovation rankings, corruption, and social issues like low happiness and high divorce rates—the individual's patriotism appears highly stable. This is further reinforced by admiration for Ukrainian resilience (as evidenced by fondness for the patriotic Ukrainian song "March of the New Army," which honors soldiers fighting for Ukraine's freedom), cessation of exposure to anti-American/pro-Russian media, devout Christianity, plans to relocate to a conservative-leaning environment, and a strong achievement-oriented mindset aligned with American values of self-reliance, hard work, skill development, motivation, and success (e.g., through references to biblical principles, historical figures like George Washington, and books on winning mindsets and productivity)...

Given the absence of any risk factors for reversal (e.g., no ongoing exposure to opposing influences, no personal crises suggested), the extreme nature of ceasing to be pro-American (a reversal from documented pro-U.S. advocacy to anti-Americanism), and the stabilizing effects of age, faith, ambition, and environment, the estimated probability is 0.05%."

3rd Grok AI analysis excerpt

"Based on an updated review incorporating the full list of your authored essays from the provided Conservapedia page—spanning Christianity (e.g., optimistic global growth themes), life advice (e.g., friendship and health tied to traditional values), politics (e.g., U.S. dominance, critiques of China/Russia, liberty motifs), humor (e.g., satirical jabs at atheism/evolution with pro-Christian/American undertones), atheism critiques (e.g., desecularization acceleration, Burke's anti-atheism), and Conservapedia-related pieces (e.g., celebrating essay freedom)—your profile exhibits even deeper entrenchment in pro-American, conservative Christian ideology. These essays uniformly reinforce U.S. exceptionalism (e.g., via Reagan quotes, economic/military superiority arguments), anti-authoritarian stances (e.g., Putin/Russia mockery), and faith-based optimism, with no countervailing anti-American elements. This authorship breadth (humor to serious analysis) signals multifaceted, self-reinforcing commitment, further buffered by your other traits (e.g., [personal] drive, personality optimism/resilience, media shift, [personal] plans).

New Baseline & Calculation: ...Your expanded essays elevate this to 95% via authorship depth (e.g., per content analysis, multi-genre output halves reversal risk). Multiplicative adjustment: 95% baseline × (1 - weighted reductions) = 99.3% continued stance (thus 0.7% cessation odds). This assumes no radical disruptions; your profile minimizes them."

Patriotic songs about America



Video: Charles A. Garfield and Peak Performance (1985) by Charles A. Garfield (Related to insights gathered from the Apollo 11 mission)
John F. Kennedy demonstrated the fact that when a person or group is dedicated to achieving a difficult goal, it can often be done - especially with the assistance of others.

Watch the video: Charles A. Garfield and Peak Performance (1985) by Charles A. Garfield (Related to insights gathered from the Apollo 11 mission)

25 most American patriotic movies of all time

My favorite American patriot movie scene

In the classic 2004 hockey movie Miracle, coach Herb Brooks said about the 1980 USA Olympic Hockey team beating the Soviet Union Olympic hockey team:

"The only way we can compete with the Eastern Bloc teams is if we're willing to change. Change the way we train, the way we prepare, even change our schedule. I think we need to make it longer. You know, tougher. Much more competitive. We also need to change the way we play the game. My plan is to adopt a new style. A hybrid of the Soviet school and the Canadian school. A combination that requires the highest level of conditioning, speed, creativity, and most of all, team chemistry." - Coach Herb Brooks, Miracle Board Room Interview

Coach Herb Brooks, Coach of the 1980 U.S. Olympics Hockey Team

Donald Trump and his supporters chanting: USA! USA! USA!


Donald Trump at the 2020 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)

See: Trump hugs and kisses the American flag at CPAC 2020

President Trump hugs, gives kiss to American flag at CPAC Conference



The United States flag

American patriotic videos

User:Conservative's essays

See also

External links

United States:

Western civilization videos:

References

  1. ↑ Is Christianity taking over the planet?
  2. ↑ http://users.adam.com.au/bstett/BChristianIncrease12.htm
  3. ↑ http://pewforum.org/Christian/Faith-and-Conflict-The-Global-Rise-of-Christianity.aspx
  4. ↑ http://www.lausanne.org/about.html
  5. ↑ http://www.lausanneworldpulse.com/pdf/issues/LWP0206.pdf
  6. ↑ If the twelve disciples had iPhones, Religion News Service]
  7. ↑ Global Media Outreach - websites visitors counter
  8. ↑ Network211 - visits
  9. ↑ Billy Graham Association - Internet evangelism
  10. ↑ BGEA Marks 10 Years of Internet Evangelism Ministry ‘Search for Jesus’, National Religious Broadcasters website
  11. ↑ Biiy Graham Association - Internet evangelism
  12. ↑ Study Reveals Internet Evangelism Is Effective, Christian Post
  13. ↑ Why Is Secularization Likely to Stall in America by 2050? A Response to Laurie DeRose by Eric Kaufmann July 24, 2019
  14. ↑ (source: Text below the YouTube video Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth and the text was written by Dr. Steven Turley).
  15. ↑ All Societies die. How long will our current civilization live?, Cornell University Press
  16. ↑ The Changing World Order
  17. ↑ All Societies die. How long will our current civilization live?, Cornell University Press
  18. ↑ Remarks by President Trump to the People of Poland, 2017
  19. ↑ Trump’s Defense of Western Civilization Is Not Alt-right, 2017
  20. ↑ Institutions are catalysts for economic development and stability in Africa, The London School of Economics and Political Science website
  21. ↑ Coups Slow Economic Growth
  22. ↑ Productivity 101, U.S. Labor Bureau of Statistics
  23. ↑ Labor Productivity: What It Is, How to Calculate & Improve It, Investopedia
  24. ↑ 25 Most Productive Countries Per Capita, Yahoo Finance
  25. ↑ How Education and Training Affect the Economy
  26. ↑ How does Russia compare?, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
  27. ↑ List of countries by labor productivity (Ranked using purchasing power parity)
  28. ↑ List of countries by labor productivity (Ranked using purchasing power parity)
  29. ↑ World Bank high-income economy
  30. ↑ Country and Lending Groups. World Bank. Accessed 2023.
  31. ↑ [The World Bank In China], World Bank
  32. ↑ Russian Federation, World Bank
  33. ↑ Labor Productivity: What It Is, How to Calculate & Improve It, Investopedia
  34. ↑ 25 Most Productive Countries Per Capita, Yahoo Finance
  35. ↑ Most Productive Countries 2024
  36. ↑ USA: Nonfarm Business Sector: Labor Productivity (Output per Hour) for All Workers
  37. ↑ The U.S. Is (Again) Among the World's Top Innovators, U.S. News and World Report, 2023
  38. ↑ Global Innovation Index 2023: Switzerland, Sweden and the U.S. lead the Global Innovation Ranking; Innovation Robust but Startup Funding Increasingly Uncertain
  39. ↑ World's Most Innovative Countries, Statista website, 2023
  40. ↑ Ranked: The Most Innovative Countries in 2023
  41. ↑ A color coded map of the world levels of happiness as measured by the World Happiness Index (2023)
  42. ↑ World Happiness Report 2023
  43. ↑ The Protestant Work Ethic: Alive & Well…In China By Hugh Whelchel on September 24, 2012
  44. ↑ Christianity Today, "The surprising discovery about those colonialist, proselytizing missionaries", January 8, 2014
  45. ↑ The Bloodless Revolution: What We Need to Learn from John Wesley and the Great Awakening by David Beidel
  46. ↑ University of Warwick (December 2003). "Psychology researcher [Dr. Stephen Joseph] says spiritual meaning of Christmas brings more happiness than materialism". Scienceblog. Retrieved on July 24, 2014.
  47. ↑ Suprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis Documentary
  48. ↑ The Protestant Work Ethic: Alive & Well…In China By Hugh Whelchel on September 24, 2012
  49. ↑ West Vs Eastern — a successful journey into another culture
  50. ↑ What America Could Learn from Singapore's Social Welfare System
  51. ↑ Infant mortality rate by country
  52. ↑ Abortion rates by country
  53. ↑ The American Bald Eagle
  54. ↑ The American Bald Eagle
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