I’m sure there is no need to detail all the ways America has shut out God from our nation and the everyday life of its people.  Not only do we have laws eliminating God from our nation, but we make laws promoting sin and evil against God. Consumed by an evil lifestyle, with no hope of a happy ending in heaven, things go from bad to worse.

Under these circumstances it is easy to see that many people become depressed, saying, “Is this all there is for me here and hereafter?”  Clinical Depression (also called “Major Depression”) in the U.S. affects 1 in 12 Americans. 

Clinical Depression in 12—17-year-olds increased from 1.6% in 2013 to 2.6% in 2016 (a 63% increase)!  Also, in young adults 18—34, 4.4% had major depression episodes in 2016, compared to 3% in 2013, a 47% increase. In adults, depression rose dramatically by 33% since 2013. Such Major Depression leads to suicide and feeling there is no reason to live.

Article entitled: Major Depression On The Rise Among Everyone, New Data Shows, Biggest Increase In Diagnoses Seen Among Teens.

These alarming statistics, unfortunately, aren’t a fluke that reflects youthful immaturity or teenage angst.  The annual U.S. suicide rate increased 24% between 1999 and 2014, the highest rate recorded in 28 years.

Read the study conducted by the U.S. Center of Disease Control.

  This includes wealthy people and those who are viewed as “very successful” people.  Without God, earthly success is meaningless after a while.  They fail to understand they were created for only one reason: to be happy in heaven with their Creator.  Life on earth is a short period to work toward a happy life hereafter.  Without this knowledge and goal in life, they turn to drugs and therapy.  Which may seem to work for a time before depression and suicide might seem like “the only way out."

If a nation abandons and rejects God, that nation will suffer greatly for this rejection.  God will abandon that nation, resulting in dysfunction and chaos when it is on its own.  Our country without God is played out daily with unrest and despair.  Our country passes laws to protect those committing sins against God's laws, such as killing the very young, the sick, and the elderly; unnatural lifestyles; banning prayer in school and public events; teaching evolution; promoting sins against the proper use of marriage; and classroom “education” promoting impurity and destroying the innocence of the students (to name a few abominations).

Vanity and pride are behind excluding God and enacting these laws.  The definition of vanity is “inflated pride in oneself.”   Without God, vanity and self-aggrandizement follow only unhappiness and depression—not contentment or happiness.  Mankind has suffered from these from the beginning of time, to one degree or another.  But it is far worse today, with Rome losing the Faith and unwilling to influence the world for the good. 

It’s easy to understand pagan depression if you put yourself in their mindset.  If suffering, chaos, and hard work is all there is in life, and is of little value, and if when you die you pass into a “black hole” after a painful death, with no possible joy, happiness, or reward in heaven, then there is no reason to carry on and put up with this meaningless, miserable existence any longer.  Why suffer on?  It is best to end it (with some state laws to facilitate it.)

Isn’t the strong traditional Catholic Faith we possess wonderful?  It’s a gift from God that few appreciate.  It is time for deep reflection on just how good and benevolent our Creator is.  We should pray hard for our country, and for those without faith suffering depression and considering suicide.

As The Disciple says to Our Lord, in the Imitation of Christ, ‘Where Thou art, there is heaven; and where Thou art not are death and hell.’ The Imitation of Christ, Book 3, Chapter 59.