Tyranny of Tolerance
America was to be defined across the world as a nation of people exercising their freedom to choose to voluntarily serve God without fearing the government. Our constitution as written allows America to be that nation our founders envisioned.
Many have argued that our Constitution is a “Godless document” and refer to it as “secular.” While this could be weakly defended if the defense was based solely on specific references to God or lack thereof; the facts cannot be denied. Our framers consensus was that religious expression is best left up to the individual, remember, they left religious tyranny in England. Additionally, it was assumed that any person holding elected office at the federal level would have already served at the state level and undergone a thorough vetting process and found to be a person of high moral standing and a believer in the Creator. If one reads their state constitution, it is clear that belief in God or The Creator is very important. Our framers never imagined that an unbeliever would get past the vetting at a local level and hold federal elected office.
Unfortunately, today too many Americans do not consider a candidate’s moral conduct a relevant qualification to hold public office. Too often the voters are seduced by the prospect of either lower taxes or receiving a handout via a government program. One side banters about saving the taxpayer money while the other side offers handouts to willing voters. This has led to Godless men and women holding office and headlines that include; “Nativity Scenes Banned in the Public Square,” “Ten Commandments Taken Down,” “Prayer Prohibited,” and “Salvation Army Defunded.” We are facing a serious problem in America with a federal government that has lost site of its purpose. The Declaration of Independence states; “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.-Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”
Today we live under the heavy hand of a power hungry federal government whose appetite for more power is like that of an addict. We the people no longer wield the upper hand of authority, rather we live day to day making sure we do not upset the federal government and put ourselves at risk. We have become so politically correct that we have lost sight of our purpose as citizens. If you notice now, many public officials refer to us as “residents” rather than citizens. A minor insignificant shift you might say, well, to me it is the same as being a homeowner versus a renter. A homeowner has property rights that the renter does not enjoy or deserve. We are American citizens and we deserve a government that recognizes our rights as citizens and understands that it is subject or our will. Constitutional authority belongs to us and the government serves at our pleasure not the other way around.
We started out a nation seeking freedom of religion; now we are led by men and women seeking freedom from religion. We began our nation as a people governed by a government empowered by the people and by the consent of the people; now we the people cower at the thought of dealing with a government so big and powerful, and capable of ruining our lives if we dare cross it. Perhaps now the headlines make more sense. We have traveled down a path that has led a once free nation to a crossroads. We stand here unable to move forward, but having to decide to turn in one direction or the other.
If America is to continue to be governed by our constitution, it must turn back toward God. Samuel Adams once said “Our constitution was made for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” On the other hand, if America is going to make a conscious decision to move away from God, you will hear more about leaders referring to International Law and introducing European standards. When this decision is made, a dramatic shift will occur.
I believe America still has a chance, I believe however that the Church holds the key. It is time for America’s spiritual leaders to stand up and lead America back to our Judeo Christian roots. It is time for America to seek the favor of God and put an end to the secular progressive agenda that has had a chance but proven to be unfruitful. The Bible says “Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.” Godly leaders must rise up and lead us to our place of blessing and freedom. America can once again truly be “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” “One nation under God.”
