Ron
Boat wonders; To God, or not to God?
Ron Boat
It’s
not just the past Christmas season that brought these facts to mind, but a consolidation
of emotions and thoughts that propel us toward a new year and a seemingly more ungodly
America.
We
must, or should, admit that America is unique. Conceived in liberty – Born out
of revolution – Based on forethought, reason and freedom. A country whose very essence
and form of governance is like no other ever developed.
Forgive
me while I digress for a moment. The tyrannical oppression of England, the
burden of over taxation through the Sugar Act (1764), or the Stamp Act (1765),
the controlling monopolistic policies of the Tea Act (1773) and the general
concept of taxation without representation (They should see taxation WITH representation) all contributed to
the desire for change. More and more regulations and taxes to pay for England’s
debt from the French and Indian War (1763)… and the colonists didn’t like it.
These
were a spark, the basis for change. It became clear that a separation was
needed for many reasons. A new and better country based more on a sense of
fairness, good, what’s right, strong religious principles, independence – and a
desire for freedom, hence the foundation for our United States.
Our
founding fathers were brilliant, thoughtful men of deep religious convictions
based in the Bible and their Christian faith in Jesus Christ. Of the 56 men who
signed the Declaration of Independence, nearly half (24) held seminary or Bible
school degrees.
Adams
and Jefferson, Madison and Hamilton, and many of their colleagues were men of
exceptional European learning. They immersed themselves in the Greek and Latin
classics, in the history of medieval and modern Europe, in British and French
constitutional theory and practice. And they were men of action. They
understood mistakes of the past and had a clear, intimate awareness of the
special needs for a new America.
While
in Turkey (Aug. 2009), President Obama casually rebuked the concept that the
United States is a Judeo-Christian nation. "…we do not consider ourselves
a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves
a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values."
How
wrong and descriptively demeaning can one be? Where do the best, most solid
“ideals and set of values” come from if not a foundation of true inner and religious
beliefs – not in social justice ideology. And yes, the basis for our country
was a belief and dependence on God and his own wisdom and guidance for us.
God
has systematically been reduced, slighted and eliminated from our culture more
and more over the last few years. The taking of the words “under God” from our pledge to our flag, the daily practice of even
pledging allegiance to this flag and the country has been stripped from
acceptance. And forget about prayers in school any more.
“In God we trust” offends people who use
our money. The mere presence of a nativity scene or “Christ”mas tree drives
many to the local courthouse, the Ten Commandments are removed from view, and
in 2007 (and with many maneuvering explanations) the monogram of “IHS” was
covered from view behind the president during a speech at Georgetown
University. When growing up this was predominant in our church standing for “In
His Service” – or the service of God – even though it actually comes from the
original Greek for Jesus’ name, being the first three letters of “ihsous.”
The
following Christian quotes of the founding fathers stand as testament to their
strong moral and spiritual convictions which helped form the fundamentals of
our nation and our government. And these represent only a small sampling of
their views, beliefs and many writings.
George Washington - 1st U.S. President
"While we are zealously performing the duties
of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the
higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should
be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian."
John Adams - 2nd U.S. President and Signer of the Declaration
of Independence
"Suppose a nation in some distant Region
should take the Bible for their only law Book, and every member should regulate
his conduct by the precepts there exhibited! Every member would be obliged in
conscience, to temperance, frugality, and industry; to justice, kindness, and
charity towards his fellow men; and to piety, love, and reverence toward
Almighty God ... What a Eutopia, what a Paradise would this region be."
And
Adams wrote in 1813, a letter to Thomas Jefferson, excerpts being:
"The general principles, on which the Fathers
achieved independence, were the…general Principles of Christianity.” "Now
I will avow, that I then believe, and now believe, that those general
Principles of Christianity, are as eternal and immutable, as the Existence and
Attributes of God; and that those Principles of Liberty, are as unalterable as
human Nature…”
Thomas Jefferson - 3rd U.S. President,
Drafter & Signer of the Declaration of Independence
"I am a real Christian – that is to say, a
disciple of the doctrines of Jesus Christ."
John Hancock - 1st Signer of the
Declaration of Independence
"Resistance to tyranny becomes the Christian
and social duty of each individual. ... Continue steadfast and, with a proper
sense of your dependence on God, nobly defend those rights which heaven gave,
and no man ought to take from us."
Benjamin Franklin - Signer of the Declaration of
Independence & Unites States Constitution
"Here is my Creed. I believe in one God, the
Creator of the Universe. That He governs it by His Providence. That He ought to
be worshipped."
"As to Jesus of Nazareth, my opinion of whom
you particularly desire, I think the system of morals and his religion, as he
left them to us, is the best the world ever saw, or is likely to see.”
Samuel Adams - Signer of the Declaration of
Independence and Father of the American Revolution
"And as it is our duty to extend our wishes
to the happiness of the great family of man, I conceive that we cannot better
express ourselves than by humbly supplicating the Supreme Ruler of the world
that the rod of tyrants may be broken to pieces, and the oppressed made free
again…and speedily bringing on that holy and happy period when the kingdom of
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ may be everywhere established, and all people
everywhere willingly bow to the sceptre of Him who is Prince of Peace."
James Madison - 4th U.S. President
"A watchful eye must be kept on ourselves lest
while we are building ideal monuments of Renown and Bliss here we neglect to
have our names enrolled in the Annals of Heaven."
Rev.
John Witherspoon, president of Princeton University when James Madison
graduated wrote:
"Cursed be all that learning that is contrary
to the cross of Christ." [Can you imagine such writings in liberal
academia today?]
Add
to the above even more words, references and beliefs from:
James
Monroe - 5th U.S. President
John
Quincy Adams - 6th U.S. President
William
Penn - Founder of Pennsylvania
Roger
Sherman - Signer of the Declaration of Independence and United States
Constitution
Alexander
Hamilton - Signer of the Declaration of Independence and Ratifier of the U.S.
Constitution
Patrick
Henry - Ratifier of the U.S. Constitution
These
men, while religious in their core beliefs, also knew that a governing body
should have no demands on its citizens to worship a particular way other than
to hold principles of value that enhance the lives of all men. Principles we
have been losing through the social evolution of more recent time.
The
60’s brought its “social freedoms” of drugs, sex and rock and roll. And the
“right” to do as we wish personally without regard to punishment or
consequences. These are seen in the basic principles and actions of our current
president and his selected team of “social sovereigns” – ideals born in the
60’s with views and actions toward man and not God. Even belittling or denying
God.
People
believe in many paths to God as is their privilege. So much a civil right that
our founders established its steadfastness in the First Amendment to the
Constitution: Two rights in fact.
The
first part being known as the “Establishment Clause” which prohibits the
government from establishing an official religion or showing preference of one
over another.
The
second is the “Free Exercise Clause” which prohibits the government from
interfering with a person’s right to practice his or her religion. Religious
freedom is an absolute right guaranteed and without government control, however
this has been boldly abused lately and with Constitutional disregard.
My
reasoning behind this exercise in history is straightforward. To show that we
are drifting knowingly and deliberately, dangerously away from the basis of our
foundation and the beliefs of our founding fathers which served us well for
nearly 200 years – until modern society decided it knew better.
The
concept of being a Christian nation is not limiting, not controlling or
demanding of anyone to believe in a common path to heaven. Nowhere is it found
that our founders expressed a Christian point of view for this purpose but yet,
a set of values which guide our lives and actions toward others and… we are
losing them. They talked of these principles in the terms of freedom, charity,
law, liberty, kindness and duties of good citizenship.
Many
will say that our founders were Deists and not Christians, but Deism is a
position that God does not intervene in the “natural world” but allows it to
run according to the laws of nature. I think one can clearly appreciate that our
founders believed that God held the power and set the rules for a life above
and beyond our mere existence.
As
we embark on a new year, a future of questionable “retainment” of rights,
freedoms and ability to live and enjoy in our personal and yes, our religious
lives, it’s important to recognize the eroding of these rights; One by one –
little by little. When government can dictate to and demand of established
religions a change in their belief system to fit “changing social values,” can
other more diabolical intentions be far behind for the betterment of a society
gone askew from God?
As
Thomas Jefferson said, "God who gave
us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure
when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the
people that these liberties are of the Gift of God?” I sincerely take this
not just as Jefferson’s belief, but a warning lest we remove God from our lives
and society. And aren’t we daily doing just this?
America
is a unique and well founded country that had everyone’s best interest at heart
without need for changing its core beliefs. Unlike a recent rant by CNN’s Piers
Morgan, it is not “time for an amendment to the Bible” and “the American
Constitution is not inherently flawed.”
Whether
Protestant, Jew, Hindu, Catholic, Buddhist, or of any organized religion, there
are values and a divine guidance, something bigger and better than ourselves
that can enhance our lives. I wish you nothing but happiness and success in
this New Year and hope that whatever your religious basis, it brings you peace
and contributes to the betterment of yourself, your family and the country we
all love as conceived by our founders.