The more I learn
about history and the “human condition” and the more deeply I
look into what is happening in America and in the world, the more I
love and value the American ideal. I am amazed at what our Founders
established in our Declaration, Constitution and Bill of Rights. I am
amazed at the foundational simplicity and profundity of “one
nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.” I am inspired
by the idea of a government established to limit its own power
instead of garnering power for itself. I am thankful that our
Founders recognized the invasive and corrosive tendencies of the lust
for power in the human heart, and established a government
ingeniously designed to limit that power. I am amazed, when I look at
the course of governments in history, that our Founders founded our
Republic on the understanding that “all men are created equal”
with “inalienable rights” that were and are “endowed by {our}
Creator”---not doled out by the whims of those in power. What an
amazing gift has been given to us by our Founders. But I fear for the
American ideal. Our Founders knew from the beginning that a democracy
is fragile and dependent upon the spiritual maturity of the people
governed. Our enemies are betting that we will not be able to attain
or maintain this level of maturity. Government “of, by and for the
people” depends upon people who are capable of maintaining a bond
of unity based upon the common good, transcending selfishness and
what Geo. Washington called the “party spirit”---a malady
characterized by a greater allegiance to a party or faction than to
the nation as a whole. There are many factions in America today; not
just two political parties. And there are many, especially in
academia, who seem to hate America. They not only major on her faults
[and, of course, America, as all nations, has her faults] but they
tend to morbidly exaggerate them and overlook her goodness and
strength. They have the wisdom of viruses or cancer cells which, if
successful, destroy the host that they invade and themselves in the
process. They speak the language of hatred. They magnify and feed on
the discontent of citizens. And discontent is a spiritual malady that
cannot be healed by politicians or systems of government. Until we
discover the Source of contentment, we will not know how to govern
ourselves. Our Founders knew this Source, and desired all to have
free access to it. That is why they established “freedom of
religion.” It is also why they, early on, established free public
education; so that citizens would be able to read the Bible and judge
politicians and the laws that would in the future be enacted by its
gold standard of Truth [If you doubt this Google “Old Deluder Satan
Act”. And/or visit historian David Barton’s “Wallbuilder”
site]. The roots of our democracy are inextricably intertwined with
the roots of Christianity. This is an undeniable historical fact.
Christianity has provided the fertile soil and basic truths upon
which this great nation has been founded. Christianity has been the
immune system of this nation, protecting it from the invasive
“viruses” and “bacteria” of hateful polarizations, the lust
for power, and the demise of civil unity. As the knowledge and
application of the Bible and the Spirit that it fosters has
deteriorated, so has peace, unity and harmony in our nation. The
unfounded fear of theocracy [Christ would never allow it] and the
false belief that the secular mind, bereft of spiritual
enlightenment, can govern itself have been corrosive to the American
ideal. If we extricate Christianity from democracy, we will
certainly destroy it. It will not have a unifying foundation and
fabric suitable for its survival. It will degenerate into factions
and parties selfishly vying for power and “rights”. And this will
always have the volatile potential to escalate into violence enacted
to procure that power and those rights.
The most potent way
to preserve America is to promote the Christian Faith. Anyone who
deeply understands the New Testament will certainly see this truth.
And the fact that many do not have a deep understanding of the New
Testament is a symptom of the problem here being elucidated. Our
Founders had a profound understanding of and allegiance to it. They
quoted it profusely, publicly and privately. If you are interested
in pursuing the facts and ideas of this post, I encourage you to
examine the following sources:
1. Geo. Washington’s
Farewell Address of 1796
https://www.ourdocuments.gov/print_friendly.php?flash=false&page=transcript&doc=15&title=Transcript+of+President+George+Washingtons+Farewell+Address+%281796%29
[A must read for anyone interested in American government
2. Dinesh D’Souza’s
movie “America….” 3. Wallbuilders website
