The Divided States of America

In my last post, I pointed out how the Future of the United States is Catholic. This is pretty much set in stone, because it’s a demographic issue. Protestantism (yes, even Evangelical Protestantism) is dying. Read the essay for more details on that. However, what I didn’t say was what type of “Catholic” that would be. In the long run, perhaps within a century, it will be orthodox Catholic, in line with the historical teachings of the Church. In the short run, however, say over the next ten to fifty years, things are sure to be much more chaotic, both spiritually and politically.

It’s the short run that this essay is about, and I’m afraid in the short run (within the next ten to fifty years) we’re all going to have to get used to some radical changes. A lot of this will be along lines drawn on the abortion debate. In the 1860s, God allowed a terrible war to befall this nation, as a result of secession that came about because of disputes over many things, the largest of which was the position of slavery in American society. For far too long, the United States tolerated slavery, and as punishment, God sent his wrath in the form of a great military conflict, the War of the Rebellion, commonly called the “Civil War,” which devastated much of the American Southeast known as Dixie. By his grace, however, God allowed the nation to remain united as a result of the war. I believe the grace is about to come to an end.

I am personally convinced that God judged the United States of America back during the 1990s, and his judgement began on this nation on September 11, 2001. The American wars against radical Islam began a weakening process that continues to this day, and is only exacerbated by seemingly unrelated events, until the United States will break apart into at least two (possibly more) nations. I believe this is God’s judgement against the United States for the sin of abortion on demand as a result of Roe v Wade. The national unity that was given following the Civil War of God’s first chastisement against America, is about to be revoked following this second chastisement which began in 2001. I believe God is weakening the world’s last remaining superpower, and preparing for a whole new global paradigm to emerge. Those nations most guilty of slaughtering the unborn will have the most to suffer. Communist China is first on the list. I do not know what kind of chastisement awaits China in the near future, but I believe God has already pronounced his judgment. It is coming.

For the United States, however, our future is division. We will break into at least two separate nations. The divisions that exist now, mainly upon the abortion debate, separate the United States into two great nations: The Christian States of America (CSA) and the Secular States of America (SSA).

The Christian States of America (CSA) are those states that have banned, or severely restricted, abortion. While the Secular States of America (SSA) are those states that have protected abortion by law. If we examine these states along other social issues, especially those regarding religion, we will quickly see that the whole thing really and truly is about religion. It has to do with civil rights, as interpreted by two very different worldviews. Following the fall of Roe v Wade, we can expect the Christian states to become “more Christian” in their approach to law, while at the same time we can expect the Secular states to become “more Secular” in their approach to law. In other words, whatever the states are now, they’re going to become more profoundly so in the years ahead.

Like the issue of slavery divided the United States of the 19th century along the Mason-Dixon Line, so the issue of abortion will again divide the United States of the 21st century along less defined regional lines. It’s not going to be North versus South this time. Rather, it’s going to be Northeast, West and upper Midwest, versus everyone else.

This isn’t the kind of conflict that can be solved with a military solution. This is because it’s regionally scattered, and in addition to that, it’s also religious in nature. The only way to suppress it is to suppress religion itself, and that’s not going to go so well. A military conflict, wherein the Secular States of America (SSA) attempt to suppress pro-life laws, will inevitably result in a military campaign against churches themselves, along with retaliations of “holy war” or “crusade” as a response. One need look no further than the Cristero War (La Cristiada) in Mexico from 1926 – 1929. Secularists will discover that Catholics are quite docile in comparison to Evangelical Protestants. Catholics will fight against an anti-Christian government if provoked, but if limited to Catholics alone, the response will be limited as well. However, America is primarily Protestant at this moment in history, and Evangelicals make up a large percentage of that. Whatever the Cristero War was in Mexico, the American Crusade will be a thousand times worse, and it will last much longer. That’s why I do not believe the United States is heading toward another civil war.

The same is true vice versa. Any attempt by the Christian States of America (CSA) to enforce pro-life laws upon the secular states will result in endless riots and rebellions, along mainly Marxist lines, weakening the CSA and ultimately resulting in secession of the secular states. This is another reason why I do not believe the United States is heading toward another civil war.

Ultimately, America is now two very different nations, with two very different people, having two very different worldviews, and both sides are sick and tired of fighting each other. That’s a fact.

Neither side wants to spill blood over this, and neither side is willing. It is far more likely that both sides would lock arms and turn against Washington DC, rather than allow themselves to be turned into canon fodder in another civil war that will last for years, if not decades. No, the days of civil wars are over. Americans are tired, and we are far more willing to let the United States simply break apart, then send our youth off to fight another bloody civil war to keep it together.

What does this mean? It means God’s judgement is sure, and his chastisement of the United States is well underway. For the sin of legalized abortion-on-demand, and the holocaust of 60 million unborn children, it seems the Lord has required our national unity as a penalty. The United States of America shall be divided, and an incredibly large swaths of land shall be broken away from each other. New nations will arise from this new arrangement, and the borders will be determined largely along the lines of abortion legalization versus restrictions and abolition.

For Catholics, this will likely coincide, or overlap, with a major schism in the Catholic Church, led by the German bishops in their Synodal Way, that will surely result in a breakaway from Rome eventually. Many American dioceses will be directly impacted by this, and those most likely to follow the German bishops into schism are probably in the blue Secular States of America (SSA). So, according to my speculation, if you’re a faithful and orthodox Catholic, remaining in a blue state, you’re the most likely to end up not only surrounded by open schismatics in the near future, but you may even find yourself in another country eventually, a country that openly persecutes Catholic orthodoxy. In other words, if you’re a faithful and orthodox Catholic, you may want to get out of your blue state now, while you still can, and it’s still legal for you to do so. Once the United States is politically divided into separate nations, you’re not going to be able to cross those borders so easily.

For some Catholics, living in blue states, red state America (CSA) will seem quite foreign initially. This is primarily Protestant country to be sure, but it’s not all Protestant. The following areas have large Catholic populations…

• The southern regions of Arizona and New Mexico, as well as Texas,
• Pretty much all of Louisiana,
• A large portion of Florida,
• The eastern border of Missouri,
• A large portion of Kansas,
• Small areas of North and South Dakota,
• Large swaths of Michigan and Pennsylvania,
• Pretty much anywhere where there is a city of reasonable size.

In addition to that, pretty much any place where you can find a Catholic parish, you have a missionary opportunity to win Protestants to the Catholic Faith. If you’re in a position to move, I highly suggest looking for an Ordinariate parish to join. This will put you in a parish where you are guaranteed to not have to worry about heresy, schism or liberal practices that can easily lead to such things. Ordinariate Catholics tend to have a stronger grasp of the Catholic faith, and are less likely to deviate from it. Ordinariate parishes are traditional in nature, but 100% English in practice. So integration with such a parish should be simple and easy for any regular Catholic. In addition to that, any regular Catholic may become a member of an Ordinariate parish with no questions asked. If you wish to solidify this with membership in the Ordinariate, I recommend talking to an Ordinariate priest to see how that might be possible.

Traditional Latin Mass (1962 Missal) parishes are also plentiful in the CSA. You can find them here, if that’s your thing.

Beyond that, you’ll find plenty of Reverent Catholic Masses in the CSA, but as I said, anywhere there is a Catholic parish, you’ll find a missionary opportunity, as well as fellow Catholics to help recharge your batteries.

Time is running short. I am of the opinion that the religious schism will happen first, probably around the time of Pope Francis’ death or retirement. I don’t think it will happen under his pontificate (it could), but I think it’s more likely under the next. The fall of Roe v Wade will mark the beginning of the end of the United States as a single nation. The lines will begin to be drawn almost immediately thereafter. However, it’s going to take some time for the dust to settle. We can expect the political battle to be quite heated in the beginning, then simmer into a Cold War of sorts, as the states gradually move apart both ideologically and politically. The final separation into different nations probably won’t happen for another ten to twenty years. when it does happen, however, it will be permenent and final. I suggest contacting Real Estate for Life, and start making plans to move as soon as possible.

Shane Schaetzel is an author of Catholic books and an Evangelical convert to the Catholic Church through Anglicanism. His articles have been featured on LifeSiteNews, ChurchMilitant, The Remnant Newspaper, Forward in Christ, and Catholic Online. You can read Shane’s books at ShaneSchaetzel.Com