PART ONE OF SOCIETAL COLLAPSE: HOW MINISTERS MUST CARRY THE CROSS OF A LAPSED CULTURE, REPENTING FOR THE HARMS DONE TO THE INNOCENT, BY MODELING GOOD WORKS AND FAITH
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This is the first of five articles in this module about the ruin of society by the greedy (Psalm 73). As a minister, you must carry in your heart an idea of the Tribulation (Matthew 24:21, 29-30; Daniel 9:27, 12:1). Mindful of its proof everywhere, you can warn the innocent how to “trim their wicks” (Matthew 25:7). Let us begin with holding down a job and losing it.
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“For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
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The National Unemployment Rate is 4.2% (roughly 7 million unemployed individuals; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2026).
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U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Per Demographic, June, 2026:
- Adult Men (20 years and over): 3.9%
- Adult Women (20 years and over): 3.7%
- Teenagers (16 to 19 years old): 14.6%
- White Workers: 3.6%
- Black or African American Workers: 6.6%
- Hispanic or Latino Workers: 5.2%
- Asian Workers: 3.9%
“Seest thou a man diligent in his calling? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men” (Proverbs 22:29).
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U-6 Underutilization Rate (U-6 stands for the sixth and broadest alternative measure of labor underutilization) includes discouraged and underemployed workers.
- U-6 reached 8.1 percent in June, 2026.
- U-6 averaged 10.00 percent from 1994 until 2026.
- U-6 hit the all time high of 22.90 percent in April of 2020.
- U-6 hit a record low of 6.60 percent in December of 2022 (Trading Economics, 2026).
- Marginally Attached Workers (U-6): People who want a job, are available, and looked in the past year, but did not actively search in the last 4 weeks—including discouraged workers (approx. 1.5 to 1.8 million).
- Part-Time for Economic Reasons (U-6): People working part-time because their hours were cut or they could not find full-time work (approximately 4.4 million).
- Final U-6 Sum: Approximately 13 or 14 million to 171 million people (U.S. Burean of Labor Statistics, 2026).
“I from thence considered industry as a means of obtaining wealth and distinction, which encourag’d me, tho’ I did not think that I should ever literally stand before kings, which, however, has since happened; for I have stood before five… Lose no time; be always employ’d in something useful” (Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin; 1784).
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“The process of sanctifying life could thus almost take on the character of a business enterprise.. Work hard in your calling” (The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism; Chapters IV, V; Max Weber; 1905).
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“Turning 26 comes with a uniquely American rite of passage: losing access to your parents’ health insurance. This isn’t just about health care, it’s about lost potential. Without affordable coverage, launching a business can feel like a nonstarter” (“How losing health insurance at 26 hinders entrepreneurship”; Stephanie Bohn; LinkedIn, August 11, 2025).
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Please click NEXT to see how traditional banks are causing Societal Collapse (PART TWO).