Today's lesson comes from the pen of a sociologist named Carle Zimmerman. You might call it a lesson in family history. What Dr. Zimmerman did was examine different cultures in history to look for patterns in how different civilizations viewed the family unit. In his 1947 book "Family and Civilization," Carle Zimmerman wrote that major cultures like Greece, Rome, and now America, started out with a strong respect for the family. Eventually, though, individual rights took precedence over family commitments, and the family structure deteriorated, leading to the downfall of the whole society. Specifically, Zimmerman noted the increase of divorce, the rise of feminism, more and more crime, and - yes - a tolerance for and spread of sexual perversions like homosexuality. One final thought. God's put you in your family at this point in history for a reason. Think about why that might be. I'm Dennis Rainey, and that's Real FamilyLife.
