It occurs to me that one way to know that Samuel had succeeded in his leaving even if the people did not repent is the fact that the people were focused on the fulfilling of his prophecies. Before they were fulfilled the people liked for them and planned based on whether they would be fulfilled and after they were fulfilled they based their calendar on those prophecies.
Separately I read of Giddianhi and the Gadianton robbers and it struck me that we could see a parallel in our day. Not very likely that it is a large-scale open and armed attempt at overthrowing society but more likely and ideological war between those who want to preserve self government and those who want to subvert it. If we are to survive that conflict we must draw in to some ideological middle ground where we focus less on progressive it conservative priorities and focus more on the preservation and strengthening of our democratic norms and preserving a free and pluralistic society.
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