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Diversity at the Expense of Unity
By J. Jeff Toler for Shenandoah Christian Alliance j.toler@sca4christ.org
- “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” —Matthew 24:7
Mass migration, particularly forced migration, has been only one of the greatest threats to sovereign nations in the world today. We can make this claim when we consider that a flood of migrants is one way for a nation—and a state—to deform and collapse. But why would any nation or state allow, much less promote such a thing? As I researched this topic, I realized I wanted to know more about the difference between a nation and a state.
From the online version of Encyclopedia Britannica, we learn what makes the difference between nation and state:
“A nation is a group of people with a common language, history, culture, and (usually) geographic territory. A state is an association of people characterized by formal institutions of government, including laws; permanent territorial boundaries; and sovereignty (political independence). A state may comprise one or more nations (as did the Roman Empire and Austria-Hungary), and a nation may be represented in (or ruled by) one or more (usually contiguous) states, as in the early modern principalities of Germany. A state comprising or dominated by a single nation is often called a nation-state.” [https://www.britannica.com/topic/government]
The word “country” is often used as a metonym, but not every country is a nation. Some countries are considered kingdoms, including Belgium, Denmark, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. They are constitutional monarchies, because absolute monarchies eventually declined and disappeared in the first half of the twentieth century.
Other countries are referred to as a state; like the State of Israel for example. Interestingly, Israel is recognized as a sovereign state by only 164 of the 193 member states of the United Nations.
A nation-state is a sovereign territory with one group of individuals who share a common history.
A nation-state can be described as a sovereign territory with one group of individuals who share a common history. Today, a true nation-state in the academic sense of the world does not exist. Yet, nearly every state, or country, in the world contains more than one national group. If you’re not thoroughly confused by now you are to be commended.
The United States of America is a country to be sure, but it is, arguably at least, not quite a true nation-state. The US is unique in that it is a federal republic comprised of 50 individual, contiguous states governed as one federal constitutional republic.
We would say arguably because the increasing over-emphasis of diversity, and the erosion of a common culture have become increasingly problematic in maintaining unity and cohesion as a republic.
Most informed observers see western Europe is collapsing in on itself. The old constitutional monarchies with the parliament style of governance engender many differing political parties, all competing for power. For Conservatives, Liberals, Socialists, Communists, Populists, and hybrid parties like the Green Party, power is often gained only by small margins, and more often than not will require coalitions.
Populist movements and parties are becoming increasingly restless because more people are dissatisfied with their lives and livelihoods; seeking change from the inability of the centrist coalitions to confront and address migration and rising inflation. This is certainly true in France, Germany, and Italy as well others.
At the same time, the US has been deliberately subjected to an astonishing flood of illegal migrants in just the last four years alone. The problem became a top-tier issue in the November election only after voters became fully aware of the enormity of the problem when the corporate media could no longer downplay it. More than half of all Americans—including 42% of Democrats—said they would support mass deportations of illegal immigrants, according to an April, 25, 2024 Axios Vibes report. [https://www.axios.com/2024/04/25/trump-biden-americans-illegal-immigration-poll]
In less than four months, President Trump has mounted an already extraordinarily successful reversal of the trend to the open US border policy of the Biden administration. Until now, anyone who wanted to could simply cross over, take residence, and receive citizenship benefits—including Social Security—and be handed voting rights!
For years national sovereignty has been under assault not only by illegal aliens, but also by overtly partisan, judicial activism. Again, more people than not see this as an overreach. The Trump administration is slugging it out over defending the most basic constitutional framework with balancing of separation of powers.
Remember when Liberals were always for free speech?
Not every country—be it nation, state, or constitutional monarchy—seems to value free speech as much as America has historically. Now, even (some) Canadians seem to miss it too.
For five days, a Canadian father recently defended his right to free speech before an Australian tribunal in Melbourne because he shared an article from The Daily Mail, a British tabloid in an X post last year.
Chris Elston
Chris Elston, AKA “Billboard Chris,” flew “halfway around the world to defend not only his own free speech rights, but also those of all people.” [https://www.dailywire.com/news/he-shared-a-link-on-x-now-hes-in-an-australian-court] Clearly, the notion of globalization carries with it the pressure of just who decides what is or isn’t acceptable. If you or I continue to prefer the notion of national sovereignty, we must face the fact that we can no longer ignore the serious challenges that have already entered into the equation.
There are already indications that borders and sovereignty are giving way in a world where such things are no longer esteemed. Forced migration began in earnest nearly ten years ago. In 2017, The Shenandoah Christian Alliance produced a short video, Invasion: Hijra in the Twenty-First Century detailing the Islamic migration that spread into Europe. For the Muslim, nations are largely irrelevant insofar as sovereignty is concerned. The aim is to see the restoration of the caliphate.
On another front, the World Economic Forum national sovereignty is a global advocacy organization focusing on world trade, climate, supply chains, and geopolitics. Their mission statement is, “We bring together government, businesses and civil society to improve the state of the world.” [https://www.weforum.org/] national sovereignty and delineated borders are irrelevant.
These are only two examples of how the balance of power in the world becomes increasingly unstable. While America remains the dominant super power in the world, it’s clear she will need to aggressively promote her strength and influence to combat the globalist movements.
Does The Bible warn us about globalism?
According to GotQuestions, “The Bible does not use the phrase one-world government or one-world currency in referring to the end times. It does, however, provide ample evidence to enable us to draw the conclusion that both will exist under the rule of the Antichrist in the last days.” [https://www.gotquestions.org/one-world-government.html]
Whenever Christians consider these developments, discussion usually moves to the subject of the end times, relying on the prophesies found in the book of Daniel, and the Book of Revelation.
While we are likely not yet near that time, it’s possible we may be seeing the first clues. Christians should prepare, but they should avoid the trap of fatalism non-believers mock. All nations will fall under judgement. What should matter more is the judgement Christ will one day hold for the peoples of those nations.
- For I know their deeds and their thoughts: I am going to gather them from all nations, and I will bring them to the place where I have set my name, to make them dwell there, and they will be my people. —Isaiah 66:18
Photo by Ryoji Iwata on Unsplash
