改變的風2　

有時，對每個人來說最好的政策在執行上似乎很自私。舉例來說，如果在飛機上失壓，理想主義會讓我們認為每個父母都應該首先考慮到自己的孩子，幫助他們先戴上氧氣面罩。然而，在飛行前的安全指示中，父母被告知在幫助孩子戴上氧氣面罩前要先戴上自己的。為什麼呢？因為父母若在幫孩子的過程中缺氧而昏倒，他們會危及到孩子和自己。 

同樣地，「美國優先」政策可能好像很自私，但不單是對美國，對列國來說都是最好的政策。截至目前為止，美國的經濟和軍事力量保護了其他國家免於馬克思主義的侵略。如果美國因為沒有先顧自己而變弱或垮台，就無法在對抗全球主義專制的終極戰役中幫助到任何國家。 

在歷史上，因著美國的力量和富足，使它能夠比其他國家做更多事來幫助他國。在二次大戰後，是美國的經濟力量幫助他國從史上最糟的破壞中重建─包括幫助我們的敵人德國和日本。歷史上有哪個國家在戰後幫助重建的國家不只是同盟國，還幫忙重建敵國？

我們必須謹記在心，納粹主義是國家主義的極端形式，而極端的國家主義是非常危險的。然而，一些看似極端的事物之所以看起來那樣，是因為他們離相反的極端太遠。毫無疑問，極端國家主義可能和極端全球主義一樣糟，但許多歷史學家無法認出的是，納粹主義也是社會主義的一種形式。納粹代表著國家社會主義黨，納粹主義並不是共產主義的相反，事實上它是左派組織─只是程度稍許的不同。

納粹主義允許自由企業和自營商，但唯有當他們遵守國家命令，若國家有需要，任何時候都可以使用他們。正如所有社會主義國家，人民和他們所有的資源是為著國家而存在，也會被國家使用，前提是如果擁有者完全聽從國家的命令。

世界仍然分為同樣的兩大陣營，不全然是左派和右派，而是極左派和不那麼極端的左派。屬於馬克思主義─社會主義─全球主義的極左派主張：所有人民和資源都屬於國家，為著國家的利益而存在。其他的則包括許多民主共和政體，其哲學是國家屬於人民，為著人民而存在，並要保護人民的權利和資產，但實踐起來很難如此。雖然每個國家都有不同，但整體而言世界就是這樣區分。

正如我們曾說過的，歷史上最偉大的改革者和領導人，是被強大的對手和挑戰推到那個高度。同樣地，此馬克思主義對自由世界的終級挑戰，可以幫助推動自由國家走向更高的水平，最終造福所有熱愛自由的人。然而迄今為止，馬克思主義已經能夠從內部滲透並制服共和國，他們卻無法從外部制服，因此整個世界已經明確地向左移動，現在非常接近將整個世界帶到終極暴政之下。

聖經預言說到在這世代末了會有如此的情節，那是一個世界從未經歷，以後也沒有的大衝突和大困境，但新的一天的曙光將會出現，比世界曾見過的更加明亮。這些預言的其中一處是在以賽亞書六十章1-5節：

興起，發光！因為你的光已經來到！耶和華的榮耀發現照耀你。
看哪，黑暗遮蓋大地，幽暗遮蓋萬民，耶和華卻要顯現照耀你；祂的榮耀要現在你身上。
萬國要來就你的光，君王要來就你發現的光輝。
你舉目向四方觀看；眾人都聚集來到你這裡。你的眾子從遠方而來；你的眾女也被懷抱而來。
那時，你看見就有光榮；你心又跳動又寬暢；因為大海豐盛的貨物必轉來歸你；列國的財寶也必來歸你。 

在這裡我們看見，到了一個時候，黑暗會遮蓋大地，就好像黑暗目前的樣貌。正如夜晚最幽暗的時刻總在黎明之前，我們有此確據，新的一天將會到來，光終將戰勝黑暗，萬國會轉向光。 

不單是聖經預言預先告知此情節，而且似乎所有卓越思想家都已經開始理解這一點。在每個好萊塢故事都會有一位英雄和一個敵手，那也是人類的最終故事。然而，我們要謹記在心，敵手需要顯出黑暗與其威脅，這樣人們才能看見在光中的區別並轉向它。列國肯定也隨著這樣的轉向而來。 

大衛王要成為偉大的君王，他需要忍受邪惡的掃羅王逼迫，這可能是他品格發展的最大來源。在歷史上有大作為的人物，似乎都有這樣的敵手挑戰他們。但為了挑戰而這麼做，威脅一定很真實。自由總是在威脅下，但現在所面對的是最大的威脅。這迫使我們和我們的共和國，還有其餘的世界看到更大的光，然後轉向它。 

過去美國每次面臨大挑戰，她都克服了，因著這些爭戰，美國能夠成長的更壯大、更美好。當美國現在內外部都面臨一些最大的挑戰，我們必須將此看作我們的最佳機會。有時看起來似乎是我們的結局，卻可能是通往前所未有的進展之路。在過去，美國人在每次挑戰都以更大的決心興起，現在輪到我們了。 

在珍珠港事件將美國推向二次大戰後，在我們與日本的對抗中，美國軍隊在各方面都遭到擊打並被趕出太平洋，─直到一個看似微不足道的事件，幾乎無法成為戰爭歷史的註腳—吉米·杜立德 (Jimmy Doolittle) 率領幾架B-24轟炸機空襲東京。此轟炸行動是如何帶來如此的不同？ 

杜立德的空襲對日本沒有造成任何軍事損害，對世界而言似乎是一個愚昧而無法實現、毫無意義的行動，白白浪費了一些好的飛機和機師。然而，它所造成的影響不是物質界的損害。此看似沒有意義的空襲，卻同時改變日本和美國的心志。在此空襲發生之前，美國沒有贏過日本任何一場戰役。在空襲之後，美國再也沒有輸過。

一個寶貴的歷史功課是，看起來無不足道的人或事件，可以在歷史的軌道上有著如此大的影響。這可能就是為什麼我們有這麼多的文學和電影故事都圍繞著這個主題—它確實反映了我們的歷史。

托爾金（J.R.R. Tolkien）抓住了此歷史現象，大有能力地傳遞在他的魔戒古典傳說。隨著中土世紀大戰的展開，似乎沒有機會戰勝如此懸殊的差異，卻有一群渺小到沒有任何人注意的哈比人，以他們的勇氣和永不放棄的決心贏得戰爭。

許多有這種決心並獲勝的人都作證說，他們受到那些從前在戰鬥中獲勝者的故事所鼓舞。勇氣和膽怯都具有傳染性，也許這就是何以主賜給孝順/尊榮父母的人一個應許，這應許就是如果我們這麼做，我們就得福，在世長壽。或許這是因為如果我們記得這些父老，透過聆聽他們來學習他們做過之事的教訓，我們便不需要重蹈覆轍。

當我們重新數算開國父老所面對的不平，多年來，他們與世上最強大帝國的每次交戰都失敗，他們卻堅持不懈，拒絕投降，直到他們最終贏得了最大的戰役和戰爭。這根本就不可能發生，以至於在我們的獨立戰爭之後的好多年，世界多半都無法理解它確實發生了，因為無法認出來，所以沒有承認新美利堅共和國。

對美國人而言，贏得獨立戰爭是個神蹟，但需要一些更大的神蹟讓這新的國家存活。要建立一個政府，可以將這麼多獨立而不同的洲凝聚在一起，似乎比擊敗大英帝國更不可能。一些國家不承認美國是個獨立國家，因為他們不認為一個共和國可以存活過幾年，這是過去歷史的見證。    

當原始脆弱的聯邦政府開始垮台，美國大陸會議一起解決彼此之間的不同，建立一個夠強壯將大家凝聚在一起的新聯盟，連續好幾週都沒有進展，組成一個新聯盟似乎不可能。班傑明·富蘭克林懇求各代表休息幾天，尋求宇宙的至高主宰，祂以智慧和恩典建立萬國。在這次祈禱之後，制定憲法只用了幾天時間，該憲法將美利堅共和國凝聚在一起近 250 年，幾乎是歷史上任何先前共和國壽命的50倍！          

我們絕不能忘記自己生長的土地，我們境內境外都有不斷的衝突，許多衝突已經威脅到我們的存在，每一個衝突都使我們變得比以往更好、更強大。如果我們向開國父母學習，我們可以再次強大，因為他們相信在神凡事都可能，有神幫助我們絕不會輸。

～摘錄美國第二十八任總統─伍德羅·威爾遜（Woodrow Wilson）～

自由的歷史是一部反抗的歷史；自由的歷史是限制而不是增加政府權力的歷史。當我們抵抗權力集中，我們就在抵抗死亡的權勢，權力集中先於人類自由的破壞。 

 (摘自喬納Heritage Briefs 69, 2021)
 

The Wind of Change, Part 2— Heritage Brief 69 

 Sometimes the best policy for everyone can seem to be selfish by the one implementing it. For example, if an airplane loses pressurization, idealism would have us think that every parent should think of their children first, helping them get their oxygen masks on before their own. However, in the preflight safety briefing parents are told to put their oxygen masks on before helping their children get theirs on. Why? If the parent passes out from a lack of oxygen while trying to help their children, they have jeopardized their children and themselves. 

         Likewise, the “America first” policy may seem selfish, but it is the best policy for all nations, not just America. It is American economic and military strength that has protected the rest of the world from Marxist aggression to date. If America weakens or collapses by not looking out for itself first, it will not be able to help any others in this ultimate battle against globalist tyranny. 

         Because of America’s strength and prosperity, it has been able to do more to help other nations than any country in history. After World War II it was American economic strength that was able to help rebuild the nations devastated by the worst conflict in history—even our enemies Germany and Japan. What country in history ever helped to rebuild, not just their allies, but also their enemies after a war? 

         We must keep in mind that Nazism was an extreme form of nationalism, and extreme nationalism is dangerous. However, what some see as an extreme only seems that way because they are so far out of the opposite extreme. Without question extreme nationalism can be as bad as extreme globalism, but what many historians fail to acknowledge is that Nazism was also a form of socialism. Nazi stood for The National Socialist Party. Nazism was not the opposite of communism but was in fact itself a leftist organization—different in degree in just a few ways. 

         The Nazis allowed free enterprise and independently owned businesses, but only when they complied with the dictates of the state, and they could be seized by the state at any time if needed. As in all socialist countries, the people and all of their resources existed for the state and would be seized by the state if owners did wholly submit to the dictates of the state. 

         The world is still divided into these same two camps, not really left and right, but those on the extreme left, and those less so, but still on the left. The extreme left, Marxist-socialist-globalism, maintains that all people and resources belong to the state and exist for its interests. In the others, including many democratic republics, there may be a philosophy that the state belongs to and exists for the people, and to protect the rights and property of the people, but in practice this is hardly so anymore. There are some variants in every country, but in general this is what the world has come to. 

         As we have covered, the greatest innovators and leaders in history were propelled to that stature by great antagonists and challenges. Likewise, this ultimate challenge of Marxism to the free world can help propel the free states to a higher level, and ultimately work out for good for all freedom-loving people. However, to date Marxism has been able to penetrate and subdue republics from within that they could not subdue from without, and so the whole world has moved decidedly to the left and is now very close to bringing the entire world under an ultimate tyranny.

         Biblical prophecy speaks of this scenario at the end of the age, which is a time of great conflict and trouble like the world has never seen before, or will again after it, but there will be the dawning of a new day that is brighter than the world has seen before. One of these prophecies is Isaiah 60:1-5:

         “Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 

         “For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; But the Lord will rise upon you And His glory will appear upon you. 

         “Nations will come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising. 

         “Lift up your eyes round about and see; They all gather together, they come to you. Your sons will come from afar, and your daughters will be carried in the arms. 

         “Then you will see and be radiant, and your heart will thrill and rejoice; Because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, the wealth of the nations will come to you.” 

         Here we see that darkness will cover the earth for a time, just as it seems to be doing now. Just as the darkest part of the night is right before the dawn, we have the assurance that a new day will come, the light will ultimately prevail over all darkness, and the nations will turn to the light. 

         It is not just biblical prophecy that foretells this scenario, but it almost seems as if all transcendent thinkers have begun to grasp this. In every Hollywood story there is a hero and an antagonist. That is the ultimate story of mankind. However, we keep in mind that the antagonist is needed to reveal the darkness and the threat that it is, so that they can see the distinction in the light and turn back to it. This turn will certainly come with the nations.

         For King David to become the great king that he did required him to endure being persecuted by the evil King Saul. This was perhaps the greatest source of his character development. There does not seem to be anyone in history who accomplished something of significance who did not have such an antagonist to challenge them. But for a challenge to do this it must be a real threat. Freedom is always under threat but is now facing its greatest yet. This can compel us and our Republic, and the rest of the world, to see a greater light, and turn to it.

         Every time America has faced great challenges in the past, she has overcome them, and because of the struggle, has been able to grow stronger and better. As America is now facing some of its greatest challenges, from both without and from within, we must see this as our greatest opportunity. What may look at times to be our doom can be the path to an unprecedented advance. In the past, the American people rose up with a greater resolve with each challenge. Now it is our time. 

         After the attack on Pearl Harbor that thrust America into World War II, American forces were being beaten and pushed out of the Pacific on all fronts in our confrontation with the Japanese—until one seemingly insignificant event that is hardly a footnote to the history of the war—Jimmy Doolittle’s raid with a few B-24s on Tokyo. How did this make such a difference?

         Doolittle’s raid did virtually no military damage to Japan and seemed to the world like a quixotic and meaningless act of folly that wasted some good men and aircraft. However, it was not the physical damage that had such an impact. This seemingly insignificant raid changed the mentality of both Japan and America so that it radically changed the trajectory of the war in the Pacific. Before this raid, America did not win a single battle with the Japanese; after it, America did not lose one. 

         One of the remarkable lessons of history is how seemingly insignificant people or events can have such an impact on the trajectory of history. This may be why so much of our literary and cinematic storytelling revolves around this theme—it does reflect our history. 

         J.R.R. Tolkien grasped this phenomenon in history and conveyed it powerfully in his classic Lord of the Rings saga. As the great battle for Middle Earth unfolded, and it did not seem that the forces of good had a chance against such overwhelming odds, a couple of Hobbits, too small and insignificant for hardly anyone to notice, won the war with their courage and resolve to never quit. 

         Many who have had this resolve and prevailed have testified that they had been inspired by the accounts of those who had prevailed in previous struggles. Both courage and cowardice can be infectious. Perhaps this is why the only commandment the Lord gave that had a promise attached was to honor our fathers and mothers. The promise was that if we would do this it would go well with us, and we would have longevity. Maybe this is because if we would remember them and learn the lessons that they did by listening to them, we would not have to make the same mistakes.

         When we recount the odds that our Founding Fathers faced, going years losing almost every encounter with their enemy that was the most powerful empire the world had seen, they persevered, refusing to surrender until they ultimately won the biggest battle of all, and the war. This was such an impossibility that for years after our War for Independence, much of the world could not grasp that it had actually happened and did not acknowledge it by not recognizing the new American Republic. 

         For the Americans to win the War for Independence was a miracle, but it had to be followed by some even greater miracles for the new nation to survive. Forming a government that could hold so many independent and different states together seemed even more impossible than defeating the British Empire. Some nations would not recognize America as an independent nation because they did not think it was possible for a republic to survive for more than a few years, which was the testimony of history. 

         When the weak original Federation began to collapse and the Continental Congress came together to work out their differences to form a new union that would be strong enough to hold together, for weeks there was no progress, and the forming of a new union seemed impossible. Benjamin Franklin entreated the delegates to just take a break for a few days to seek the Sovereign of the Universe who formed the nations with His wisdom and grace. After this prayer it took just a few days to frame the Constitution that has held the American Republic together for almost two hundred and fifty years, almost fifty times longer than any previous republic in history!

         We must never forget the ground from which we have grown. We’ve had constant conflicts within and without, many of which have threatened our continued existence. With each one we have emerged stronger and better than ever. We can do it again if we learn from our national fathers and mothers, who believed that all things are possible for God, and with His help we cannot lose. 

         The history of liberty is a history of resistance. The history of liberty is a history of the limitation of government power, not the increase of it. When we resist the concentration of power, we are resisting the powers of death. Concentration of power precedes the destruction of human liberties. ~Woodrow Wilson