There is a movement in this country away from Christian values. Indeed, it is getting to the point where the very mention of Christianity and some begin to bristle. The cries of separation of church and state echo across those purple mountain majesty and onto the fruited plain. In the name of freedom we are tearing up the foundations of liberty and building upon the ever shifting ground of, what's popular. If it feels good, do it and everything goes. Laws are written, stricken and modified and codified. We are man and we know best !
We need no moral compass, no guidance, we will blaze our own path to glory, or descend into anarchy and despair in the process. By the power of shear intellect we can do this.
The arrogance of man. It has been and continues to be our greatest fault. We rule over the animals and plants. We can communicate with one another. We can read and write and envision abstract thoughts. We can do it all. Yeah, right. In the big picture we are just a molecule in the universe. And like all the other molecules we are subject to universal law. We can be gone in an instant. Transformed. We are energy and energy can not be destroyed but it can be transformed. That is a law.
In the foundation of any society there must be a standard. Something to build upon that is stable and unchanging. A set of rules for conduct within that society. A standard moral value. And yes here is the word that causes much consternation in society today, religion. Just what is religion ? The dictionary defines it as, a moral code with sacred feelings that causes feelings of awe, mystery, guilt or adoration. It doesn't take an historical scholar to figure out what religion the founding fathers had in mind. Those principles contained within that religion are the basis for our nation. It is what they came here seeking in the first place, religious freedom. Free from an oppressive government interfering in the practice of their religion. That was the key to them, religion is separate from government. They did not say, religious values,a moral code, should be absent from government, a big distinction there. That code, that set of values was Christian. No doubt about that.
The issue today is the interpretation of that code. The misunderstanding of that code does not mean we just discard that same code. Perhaps man in his arrogance and superior intelligence are failing to see the message contained within the code, dare I say, the Bible. Gasp, we shouldn't be referencing the Bible now should we ? It hasn't been scientifically proven to be 100% accurate. Why man has figured the whole thing out. It all started with a big bang ! Just what made the bang is in doubt, err, we don't know for sure, but it started with a bang. Okay, even if that were the case we still require a moral code to live by. We still need a method to interact with each other without constantly bickering or trying to kill each other. Oh wait, we seem to be doing just that right now. I wonder why that is ? Could it be that not everyone is following the code ? Could it be that the absence of the code in society leads to these problems ? Could it just be that man doesn't know it all after all ?
If we just abandon this Christian religious code of morals and ethics just what are we going to adopt as a standard ? A standard is imperative ! There are other religions in the world we all know that. Should we adopt their morality ? Or should we just govern based on emotional response. Give the people whatever they want ? Avoid the tough questions and choices and just go with the flow.
I submit this. If you took and wrote down a moral code of conduct, one that instructed us in proper social behavior and just how to get along with one another, one that included suggestions on helping one another and a cooperative spirit what book would you have ? A Bible. That is what you would have. A Bible without the stories of inspiration that our present Bible contains. I submit to you the moral principles are the same. I also submit that it is that very book, The Bible, that the founding fathers referenced in their writings and thoughts. Yes, they used others as well, they were educated men but the moral code was Christian in nature.
It is my belief the dialogue we should be having today is not whether we are a Christian nation but the defining of those values. If we could reach a mutual understanding of the words in that book, all would be well. I know that is not likely to happen however. We all read and have our own understanding of the word. Some of us get lost in the literal translation. Others get lost reading between the lines. It is a discussion worth having however. In fact, in my opinion it is vital.
We need no moral compass, no guidance, we will blaze our own path to glory, or descend into anarchy and despair in the process. By the power of shear intellect we can do this.
The arrogance of man. It has been and continues to be our greatest fault. We rule over the animals and plants. We can communicate with one another. We can read and write and envision abstract thoughts. We can do it all. Yeah, right. In the big picture we are just a molecule in the universe. And like all the other molecules we are subject to universal law. We can be gone in an instant. Transformed. We are energy and energy can not be destroyed but it can be transformed. That is a law.
In the foundation of any society there must be a standard. Something to build upon that is stable and unchanging. A set of rules for conduct within that society. A standard moral value. And yes here is the word that causes much consternation in society today, religion. Just what is religion ? The dictionary defines it as, a moral code with sacred feelings that causes feelings of awe, mystery, guilt or adoration. It doesn't take an historical scholar to figure out what religion the founding fathers had in mind. Those principles contained within that religion are the basis for our nation. It is what they came here seeking in the first place, religious freedom. Free from an oppressive government interfering in the practice of their religion. That was the key to them, religion is separate from government. They did not say, religious values,a moral code, should be absent from government, a big distinction there. That code, that set of values was Christian. No doubt about that.
The issue today is the interpretation of that code. The misunderstanding of that code does not mean we just discard that same code. Perhaps man in his arrogance and superior intelligence are failing to see the message contained within the code, dare I say, the Bible. Gasp, we shouldn't be referencing the Bible now should we ? It hasn't been scientifically proven to be 100% accurate. Why man has figured the whole thing out. It all started with a big bang ! Just what made the bang is in doubt, err, we don't know for sure, but it started with a bang. Okay, even if that were the case we still require a moral code to live by. We still need a method to interact with each other without constantly bickering or trying to kill each other. Oh wait, we seem to be doing just that right now. I wonder why that is ? Could it be that not everyone is following the code ? Could it be that the absence of the code in society leads to these problems ? Could it just be that man doesn't know it all after all ?
If we just abandon this Christian religious code of morals and ethics just what are we going to adopt as a standard ? A standard is imperative ! There are other religions in the world we all know that. Should we adopt their morality ? Or should we just govern based on emotional response. Give the people whatever they want ? Avoid the tough questions and choices and just go with the flow.
I submit this. If you took and wrote down a moral code of conduct, one that instructed us in proper social behavior and just how to get along with one another, one that included suggestions on helping one another and a cooperative spirit what book would you have ? A Bible. That is what you would have. A Bible without the stories of inspiration that our present Bible contains. I submit to you the moral principles are the same. I also submit that it is that very book, The Bible, that the founding fathers referenced in their writings and thoughts. Yes, they used others as well, they were educated men but the moral code was Christian in nature.
It is my belief the dialogue we should be having today is not whether we are a Christian nation but the defining of those values. If we could reach a mutual understanding of the words in that book, all would be well. I know that is not likely to happen however. We all read and have our own understanding of the word. Some of us get lost in the literal translation. Others get lost reading between the lines. It is a discussion worth having however. In fact, in my opinion it is vital.
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