introspective

  "To suppose any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people is a chimerical idea." (James Monroe) It is this defining of virtue that constitutes the soul of a nation. What did James Monroe view as virtue? Being a member of the Anglican church, you have to assume it was those virtues that were foremost in his life. A full discussion of just what that would have been in Monroe's time I will not attempt. The manner of practice has certainly changed since his time, and some would argue some of the basic precepts as well. It's my feeling whatever changes have been made and accepted have been done more so for maintaining membership or profits for the church. Sin has certainly been redefined! But that has always been so and shouldn't be of great concern. It is virtue that is the concern. 

 So, what is virtue? The dictionary says it is high moral standards. Okay, so what defines the moral standard? The people do. That's the long and short of it. Those values will be assigned by the people regardless of any text or testimony. They will simply be modified to meet the moment. When viewing history, it must be remembered that a moment may be a decade or a century. 

 Liberty, a term Monroe and all the other founding fathers used frequently. What is liberty? Here's what the dictionary says: "the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views:" From that definition you could surmise it to mean, you can do whatever you want. But we all know that isn't true, in a group, a community or a nation you have to conform to a standard of behavior. Virtue is that standard. Monroe said it plainly, without virtue in the people neither liberty nor happiness can be achieved. To suppose otherwise is just a fantasy, an unattainable goal. 

 Monroe has been called a Diest. He never said so in any of his writings. In fact, he rarely spoke of religious matters at all, at least in his writings or public life. But Deism was a popular thing in his time, the new thinking, the progressive movement. It was "religion" based on reason. Still, it's goal was to instill a sense of virtue in the people. That is the goal of every religion, or so that is the way religion is advertised. The sincerity of those spreading the word is at times, questionable. But that isn't the point. The point is that all religious belief is designed to provide a set of moral "rules" or "codes" for a good person to abide by. Its' purpose is to instill virtue in the people.

 All of man's appeal to the Gods are an appeal to themselves. That is what a Deist would tell you. A supreme being exists but does not intervene in the affairs of man. Man's inhumanity to man would seem to be the proof of that. Our appeals to the gods are nothing more than the request for a do-over or an appeal for mercy for another. Prayer does provide comfort to the believer that is indisputable. Prayer is self-reflection is it not? It is a review of our own virtues! At least in my opinion it should be. I pray as a supplicant not a celebrant. And yes, it takes supplication to be virtuous.