Customer Reviews

When Nations Die

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"When Nations Die" proclaims the obvious. America is currently on the wrong track and many indications suggest that we are careening out of control headed for a crash. Some will dismiss this scholarly book as "right-wing fanaticism," but common sense demands that we look a little deeper. Why have so many great empires collapsed throughout history? Is it just a coincidence that several traits existed in every mighty nation that took a fall?

When Pope John Paul speaks of our current "Culture of Death," he could just as easily reference the latter stages of the Roman Empire or the heydays of Carthage. When many complain of the excesses of big government with its rapacious taxation policies, they could apply that charge to most of the other chronicled nation states. In ancient civilizations the evil practice of sacrificing newborns to the gods was commonplace, and today in America inconvenient babies are killed in their mother's wombs with the government's imprimatur.

Even less obvious example abound. The popular diversity and multiculturalism fads annoy most of us, but too often we dismiss them as silly diversions rather than look to the perils they truly pose. In every once great nation laid low, there were forces working to create class wars and split people apart based on artificial considerations similar to our current "group rights" campaigns. The breakdown of the family, which goes hand-in hand with sexual licentiousness, is equally indicative of past imploded civilizations. Nero's impudent concupiscence could compete with Bill Clinton's any day.

While all decent people in our era are appalled at Oliver Stone's "Natural Born Killers" and much of the other gory garbage ejaculated by Hollywood's poison factories, ancient Rome regularly fed Christians to the lions in front of hordes of howling spectators. (Fortunately, Tinsel Town's tiny brain cells haven't figured out how to get away with that yet.) We currently have prime-time sitcoms populated by sex-crazed sybarites; they had public orgies like the one depicted and vociferously defended by Hollywood's legion of janissaries in "Eyes Wide Shut."

I do have two minor criticism of this work. At times I felt it could have been better organized; in a few cases topics seem to weave in and out. Secondly, I think this version's appendix is incomplete because its abrupt end leaves the reader hanging.

Still, it a badly needed wake-up call. Jim Nelson Black agrees that there is still time for America to turn back from its dangerous course, but as Americans we must all decide if that is what we truly want.

I read this book a few months ago and wrote the above review which for some reason never accepted when I tried downloading it. Since that time we have seen the government of a so-call liberal president have federal forces execute a nazi-caliber raid and kidnap a small child from innocent U.S. citizens. Sadly it may be time to add America's name to the list of nations that have died.

This book accurately documents the sad state that this nation (USA) is in. It is almost depressing to see where we've fallen from. It is a clarion call for Christians in America to wake up and strive for faithfulness, before God sets us on the shelf completely.

When reading this book, it is interesting (and scary!) to compare our present state with that of other nations that have fallen throughout history. Rome comes immediately to mind. We are on the downward slope, picking up speed.

Mr. Black has given me a great gift, a book that gives concise study of the downfalls of civilizations and then shows the same events going on in American society. The historical value of the book is great in that it gives great insight and research to our societal ills and hopes. We have to learn from history, or else we do end up repeating it. Excellent Book!

I read the other reviews and am pleased with them. I read Jim's book and am pleased with it. I only add a log on the fire for potential customers...buy it. It is simple to read, clear, and Jim has done his homework. The bibliography at the end of the book is worth the purchase alone. Jim covers the distinctives of moral, social, and theological collapse. Thanks Jim, working the bibliography beyond your fine work. (By the way, I always use first names, never last and never titles, including John at the Vatican. I call Jesus Jesus, I call John John. As Augustine said, "Humility, humility, humility".)

This book reveals that human nature never changes and that when people lose their religious background, they self destruct. Another book that speaks truth and most likely most will not face the music. Losers never admit they are wrong only that they are victims of circumstances.

Read this book years ago and someone recently sent me an email of where this country is going, which led my mind to this book's message again. Very interesting reading, but when you see a pattern nations set and compare it to today, it is also sad. If anything, there is still much good, and with God's help, things can turn around. It's obviously our freedom of choice to do the right things, or continue with the bad.

When Nations Dies is a book that I recommend every American read. It is a staggering book, in following the falls of other great nations it is fearful that America is going the same direction. I also recommend that you read this book ASAP, for America is following the road of declining very fast, we know not how long until we may be added to the list of When Nations Die. I plead with you please read.

Donald E. White

This is a great read. Very dated because the changes our country has seen since 1994, the year the book was published. That does not affect the content though, just makes it more relevant for today. I bought two. One for my personal library and one to give to a friend.

...it was a disappointment. I remember seeing the author and his book on the 700 Club in the 1990's. I said "I want to read that book". Over time I had forgotten the title & author. It too me years to find the book. I finally did find it a month ago. I thought it was going to detail how nations of the past collapsed. It did...about 20% of it. The rest was on present day (at that time) mistakes within our own society. Therefore, it was not as good a book as I once thought.

A well-written and well-crafted book that forces us to face some of the hard lessons about the possible parallels between the fall of ancient powers and America.