Decades ago, we went on a family vacation to a cottage by the coast of Maine. On the way there, we stopped at some of the marvelous bookstores in Harvard Square.

I bought about half a dozen books written by ancient Greeks and Romans.

One of the books was the History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides.

This war was fought between Athens (the dominant naval power of Ancient Greece; analogous to the dominant naval power of the United States and Britain during the Cold Wars) and Sparta (the dominant land power of Ancient Greece; analogous to the dominant land power of Russia and China during the Cold Wars).

The History of the Peloponnesian War traces the victory of Athens in the first Peloponnesian War. Its lessons were often cited by strategists and analysts of the First Cold War—hence my desire to relax on vacation by reading it.

Unfortunately, there is no comparable history of the Second Peloponnesus War. Athens lost this war.

There are multiple explanations for the defeat of Athens in the Second Peloponnesian War.

But from what I gleaned, there are two underlying lessons that the United States needs to learn from the defeat of Athens. First, the arrogance of Athens led to it wasting resources on unwise military ventures (such as its defeat in Sicily). Second, the arrogance of Athens led to the loss of vital allies who were irritated with its arrogance!

In the First Cold War, the best example of wasting resources on an unwise military venture was the defeat of the United States in Vietnam.

In the Second Cold War, the best examples of wasting resources are the defeat of the United States in Afghanistan and the building of unnecessarily large numbers of nuclear weapons.

Arrogance!

Athens learned that “Pride cometh before a fall!”, paraphrasing the Biblical warning that:

Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.
(Proverbs 16:18)

The Prophet Isaiah also warned that arrogance leads to destruction:

The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled
and human pride brought low. (Isaiah 1:11).

The arrogance of [people] will be brought low
and human pride humbled. (Isaiah 1:17).

The Prophet Isaiah realized that salvation would not come from those who are arrogant and full of pride. To the contrary, salvation would come from the Suffering Servant who had no arrogance or pride. The Suffering Servant who

had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by [Humanity],
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
(Isaiah 53:2-3)

No wonder that followers of the Way of Jesus believe that Jesus is the Suffering Servant: the one “who took up our pain and bore our suffering . . . for the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:4-6).

And so, the LORD says . . . .
“These are the ones I look on with favor:
those who are humble and contrite in spirit,
and who tremble at my word.” (Isaiah 66:2)

The ones who the LORD looks on with favor are “suffering servants.”

Let us pray that the arrogance of the United States does not lead to its defeat and destruction in the Second Cold War.

As I write this in March 2025, the arrogance of the United States is:

—starting trade wars, even with vital allies;

—denigrating the contributions of our allies throughout the world, and tearing apart our alliances (especially NATO) that have prevented the Third World War for 80 years; and

—coercing longtime friends and allies such as Canada, Greenland, Denmark, and Panama.

Unfortunately, these examples of recent United States imperialism show that the arrogance of Athens is alive and well in the United States in the Twenty-First Century.

I believe it is essential for many people in the United States to follow the Way of Jesus, becoming humble and contrite in spirit, trembling at the word of the LORD. (2 Chronicles 7:14; Isaiah 66:2: Matthew 7:24-27; 8:1-3).

Why?

Because in the Twenty-First Century it is still true that pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall! (Proverbs 16:18).

And because we need to follow the Way of Jesus to establish the ideal America (that includes all Humanity, not solely citizens of the United States!) first discovered by the hearts Abraham, Moses and Jesus.

In this ideal America we will overcome the Power of Money, the Power of Religion, and the Power of the Kingdoms of the World.

In this Way of Jesus, we will establish the ideal America where:

—ALL people are blessed (Abraham; Genesis 12:3);

—ALL pharaohs are challenged to set ALL people free (Moses; Exodus 8:1);

—ALL hurting people are healed (Luke 10:25-37); and

—ALL means ALL (Isaiah 2:1-3; Isaiah 66:18,23; Luke 10:25-37).

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Do you think the United States is arrogant? How? How not? Why? Why not?

READ MORE

For related ideas, please read my blogs “How Do We Build a Civilization That Is Good—That Is Very Good”, “An Independent Path”, “Hiding in Plain Sight”, and “Civilizations and Governments: Mercy Is the Power that Preserves”.