CAN THE HEART OF A
NATION BE CHANGED?
As I look around
my neighborhood and town I see American flags everywhere. We just celebrated
Flag Day and in less than two weeks we will celebrate Independence Day. Two
hundred thirty-seven years ago we declared our independence, and many
courageous patriots put it all on the line, to free us from an overreaching
government.
Numerous wars
have been fought since that time, when again men and women stepped up to defend
the liberties our founders established as the bedrock of our nation. There are
countless individuals throughout our nation’s history who also have also spent
their lives working to protect us and pursue justice.
“We
have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of
government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political
institutions upon the capacity of mankind of self-government; upon the capacity
of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain
ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.”
Attributed to James Madison
"Since
the general civilization of mankind, I believe there are more instances of the
abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of
those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpations; but, on a candid
examination of history, we shall find that turbulence, violence, and abuse of
power, by the majority trampling on the rights of the minority, have produced
factions and commotions, which, in republics, have, more frequently than any
other cause, produced despotism. If we go over the whole history of ancient and
modern republics, we shall find their destruction to have generally resulted
from those causes."
James Madison's
Speech at the Virginia Convention to ratify the Federal Constitution June 6,
1788
"Of
all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion
and Morality are indispensable supports.
In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to
subvert these great pillars of
human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. The
mere Politician, equally with the pious
man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their
connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, where is
the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious
obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in
Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that
morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the
influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and
experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in
exclusion of religious principle."
George
Washington's Farewell Address September
17, 1796
Much has changed
in our country in the intervening years. Scandals, both personal and national,
plague us. Many people have lost confidence in our resolve, and an increasing
number of citizens distrust the various branches of our government. One cannot
go to work, read a newspaper, run a business, or manage a household without
being reminded about our growing debt, a poorly managed economy, corruption,
deceit, immorality, over-regulation, over-taxation, and attempts to increase
control over our citizenry. Our beleaguered nation seems to have lost the idea
of who we were created to be, a people who were optimistic about the future and
who proudly acknowledged that our nation was founded, and operated at its best,
under Judeo-Christian principles.
We seem helpless
to alter the direction
"You
are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men
light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but
on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine
before men, that they may see your good works
and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." —Jesus, from the Sermon on the Mount,
Matthew 5:14-16.
"Unless
the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord
watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain." Psalm 127:1 ESV
"We can take responsibility for ourselves and our families, become informed about what is happening in our country and in the world and get involved, even if it is only to vote for godly leaders. We can also pray for revival in our nation, our churches and our families."
ReplyDeleteAmen. This is all we can do.
Thank you for this excellent post. If more people would read the original documents, they would not be deceived by the words of those who want to re-write our history.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Emma and Susan. I wish more people were aware of the original writings of our founders. They have timeless wisdom. Yes, knowledge of the truth, exposes the lie.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Janet
Thank you for saying this so well, Janet.
ReplyDelete2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Thanks Judith. I refer to that quote often, because it says it all.
ReplyDeleteWell written but not without a certain bias in the quotes chosen. Here are three of my favorites from another founding father.
ReplyDelete“It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are 20 gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.”
― Thomas Jefferson
“The end of democracy and the defeat of the American Revolution will occur when government falls into the hands of lending institutions and moneyed incorporations.”
― Thomas Jefferson
“Religious institutions that use government power in support of themselves and force their views on persons of other faiths, or of no faith, undermine all our civil rights. Moreover, state support of an established religion tends to make the clergy unresponsive to their own people, and leads to corruption within religion itself. Erecting the 'wall of separation between church and state,' therefore, is absolutely essential in a free society.”
― Thomas Jefferson