cutting the cord

 John Adams in an address to the officers of the first brigade, of the third division, Mass militia opened with these words, " While our country remains untainted with the principles and manners which are now producing desolation in so many parts of the world; while she continues sincere, and incapable of insidious and impious policy, we shall have the strongest reason to rejoice in the local destination assigned to us by providence." It is in this address that Adams made this declarative statement, " we have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. " 

 Just what was he talking about? John Adams was talking about the conduct of government. But John Adams, and others at that time and place in history, were well aware that government is nothing more than people. We the People are the government. It is the conduct of people that manifest the conduct of government. He says, " we have no government armed with the power capable of contending with human passion " Morality and religion are the powers that can " bridle " the actions of men. For that reason he points out that our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. Adams wasn't talking about any specific religion and morality to him was self evident. In reading these words and considering their meaning I have to question our government today. Are we a moral and religious people? If we are not our constitution is wholly inadequate to our governance! 

 I hear murmurs all the time about changing the constitution. I hear how it is an outdated document, not in touch with today's world. The constitution is the foundation upon which our government operates. It was made only for a moral and religious people. It has worked for 240 years and served our nation well. Indeed America is the standard by which all other nations are judged. I'm not saying we are perfect, far from it, but it has been a moral and religious people that has guided our course. And now that constitution has become uncomfortable for some? Why is that? I'd say because it no longer aligns with their sense of morality or their religious beliefs, indeed I'd suggest the lack of either of those qualities of government. Remember it is people that make the government, not the document itself! Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry would break the cords of our constitution as a whale goes through a net was his prediction. I believe we are seeing a number of those behaviors by our elected officials and the electorate. They are straining at the net and advocating for cutting those cords. 

 John Adams also made this statement, " oaths in this country are as yet universally considered as scared obligations. " I question how true a statement that is today. All of our elected officials are required to take an oath of office. How many consider it a sacred obligation? Indeed there are some that refuse to even take that oath with their hand on the Bible, instead choosing another Ideological book inconsistent with our moral and religious sensibilities. A cord broken? It appears that way to me. I shudder to think of the consequences should the cords of true freedom be cut. I shudder to think what the result of "human passion unbridled by morality and religious conviction " will bring to future generations. Think ISIS. Is real freedom the ability to do as one pleases? Or is freedom the ability to act within a framework of moral and religious belief? Ultimately man is responsible for man. John Adams knew that, as did many others. Perhaps it is a lesson that needs to be taught once again. That is why Adams said, the constitution is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. It is religious belief that should bridle our actions, it is morality that should guide our decisions.