Simple enough

  Is it possible to have a national morality? That is certainly a very high aspiration and one I believe the founding fathers had in mind. It can be seen in their personal letters as well as the founding documents. Each had their own personal idea of God. I believe each of us do, even those that profess to have no such belief at all. When pressed those folks can offer no explanation for the creation of the universe beyond, chance. It all happened by chance without any divine intervention whatsoever. Given the order of the universe I can only say it had to be created in an orderly fashion. It didn't just happen by accident. It took planning. The plan is still unfolding and will continue until complete. 

 Our understanding of time, and the universes reality of time, are different things entirely. A concept Einstein struggled with and managed to offer a theory about that. His theory of relativity has been proven correct. Still a grand unified theory that incorporates gravity has not. So, at best, we have discovered that time is linked to matter and space. Time cannot exist without space or matter. Gravity holds it all together. But that hasn't been proven. I'd say morality is what holds mankind together. 

 The debate rages on, is morality learned or is it innate? My belief is that we are all born with an innate sense of right and wrong. Morals in their most basic of form are simply that, right and wrong. If we don't like something done to us, it's wrong. We know that without being told. The golden rule. That rule is the basis for our republic. We the people. The delineation of morality is what we call law. A rule is something that is made up, but a law is written. Who wrote the golden rule? Know that and you will know the secrets of the universe. Laws are written by man. They are written by those with the power to enforce them. That's how it works. Whether it is a dictator or an entire body of people, laws are written by those that can enforce them. 

 Is the golden rule enforced? That rule is followed by those that do what is right even when no one is looking. It is self-enforced while on this planet. That is what I believe to be the truth of the matter. I do not believe God, or any other deity or force will strike you down on the spot. I cannot reconcile that with the same God that offers forgiveness for every indiscretion. I do believe there is a final judgement day. That's when you will hear the verdict on your life. It will either be good or bad. And that is where religious belief and practices enter the picture. Religions and their doctrines attempt to define the moral.   The major religions of the world share common traits. A supreme being, a text to tell you how to worship and how to treat others, and probably most importantly, a sense of community. The laws were written by prophets, seers, wise men or received through divine messages. Those laws are enforced by the "church." The punishment for offenses ranges from a simple admonishment to perhaps death!  That is dependent upon the law, the golden rule doesn't apply in those situations. Remember laws are written by those that can enforce them, also the reason there are as many laws as there are religions. Denominations are what they are called in the Christian tradition. The governing body instituting their own laws. They can be as extreme as the Shakers where or as lax as some of these churches we see today. Anything from the formal to, it's party time! 

 But as to a national morality that is a different thing altogether. Our declaration of independence was just that, we gave our reasons for the division, for the need for us, as moral people, " to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation." There were referencing the golden rule. Following that declaration, a constitution was written. It did not include a state religion for a very simple reason. No single religion should delineate the morals of a nation. It was a grave concern of those people composing that document. They had experienced persecution for religious beliefs, knew the history of that occurring, think the Inquisition as an example, and was not going that to happen in the United Staes of America. John Adams famously wrote that out constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. Note moral and religious are separated here! The reason is because you can have one without the other. The reason there is also no religious test for anyone to hold office in this country. That candidate can be just as moral as anyone else. 

 It may not be the popular sentiment; scholars can argue the merits of the claim all day long, but this nation was founded on Judeo-Christian principles. It was founded on the most basic of those principles, the golden rule! That constitution was written to lay the foundation for a moral and religious people. And just like the Bible, and all other religious texts, it has been interpreted in different ways over time. Lately we have decided, at least with our constitution, that if it doesn't say we can't, that means we can! Some view the Bible in that way also. If I'm not hurting anyone else, I should be allowed to do whatever I want. Well, unless I'm offensive and hurt your feelings that is, we have laws about that. Still, it was that most basic of Judeo-Christian teachings, the golden rule, that was to be the national morality. Not a religion, but a national sense of right and wrong. that was to "assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them" 

 Is it possible to have a national morality? It is only when there is a commonalty. It goes directly to what Abraham Lincoln said about a house divided. That wisdom comes from a much older document, however. The same expression can be found in three chapters of the bible, Mathew, Mark and Luke. One nation under God was added to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1953. What does it mean? It means that man can make laws, but God makes the rules! The law must follow the rule. The one rule. That's how that works. A republic is where the people hold the supreme power. It is up to the individual to obey the rule. When everyone in the republic obeys the rule, we will have a national morality. I'm thinking that is what heaven is. I also don't think you will ever find it on earth. They only way to find that place is by following the rule. Simple enough, right?