Submitted by Harry Hipps II (published in the Hickory Daily Record on 10/4/2008)
After Sept. 11, we heard a lot about how we failed to connect the dots and see the danger. America is so specialized and compartmentalized that we apparently have little ability to look at our life and society as a whole.
Our politics have become corrupt and dysfunctional, corporations overpay executives and cook the books so few people really know what’s going on. Drugs, divorce, crime and incivility are so common we just tolerate them and keep on going.
I believe the root of almost all of our dilemmas stems from a severe decline, if not collapse, of our moral backbone. We removed prayer from our schools and the 10 Commandments from our courthouses. Few are well versed in the Bible or even read it. Simply mentioning the name of Jesus Christ is enough to invite cries of judgmentalism.
We suffer from poor ethics, greed, lack of compassion and a shortsightedness that focuses on what we can satisfy ourselves with right now, rather than looking out for our common good for the future.
We so completely lack any moral compass that we treat every religion, every law, every idea as equally valid when common sense and experience show that some things are right and some things are wrong, period.
We have nothing to guide us and provide the moral structure we need. The next time we see a crime, crooked politician, or corporate CEO going to jail, connect the dots. Until we get back to One Nation, Under God, we can expect more of the same.
-- Harry Hipps II
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Tuesday, October 7, 2008
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13 comments:
Sorry Harry but I disagree about the praying in school and 10 commandments and all that. Our country is not and has not been a Christian nation no matter what people say. A Democracy is by definition anti-Christian since the people and not God choose the 'king'. Moreover, many of the forefathers were straight-up deists who had no use for Jesus or the supernatural. One example of many is that Thomas Jefferson cut out all the accounts of miracles in his New Testament.
Let's take your logic for a second here and assume the most morally pious societies are the healthiest in the world. Well, those most morally stringent are extremist Muslim. I know that doesn't count since they aren't Christian, but they sure are devoted to prayer, following scripture, ect.
Ok, what about countries with state supported churches like England and Germany? Those countries I'm afraid are quite debauched by our Christian standards.
Lastly, let's look at ancient Israel where Jesus walked around, constantly confronted by the most well-read, upright, religious teachers of his day. Christ made it clear in his interactions with these men, that knowing truth, espousing truth, publicly demanding righteousness was a far, far cry from living truth and righteousness. He even said such people would be sent away from him into eternal fire.
I said all that to argue against the public and forced conformity to Christian principles, and I do so because they are, ironically, un-biblical under the new covenant, and against our founding fathers' principles. However, I admit that you are right. You are right that there has been an erosion of morality in our culture; however, that erosion has come, in my opinion, in the disintegration of the family, not just the nuclear family due to divorce, but also the extended family. Today, lots of people don't live anywhere near where their mothers, fathers, and grandparents live. They move every seven years; they have no vested interest in the school systems. If their school system sucks, they move to another district. See ya. And we try to move away from our problems; problems that take the moral courage of a community to confront and change.
Harry,
You hit the nail on the head!
The majority of our founding fathers were Christians and they insisted on references to God on our currency and most of the legal and Goverment documents. See this; http://www.creationists.org/churchandstate.html Further proof is given by David Barton of Wallbuilders, Inc., 27 of our nation's 56 founding fathers had Christian seminary degrees! Also the October 11, 1782 congressional proclamation that declared Thanksgiving Day a day the nation was to give thanks to God for a variety of blessings.
That is why "In God we Trust" is on our currency. It does not read; "In any deity you care to trust." It must absolutely torment the secularists and atheists to have to read "In God we trust" on our currency every time they pay a bill. "In God we trust" is written proof of our founding father's intentions and their Christianity. Also read President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. It of course references God. I could go on and on but Christians already know this and atheists and secularists can never be convinced! As for Thomas Jefferson, he was an intelligent but immoral man. It is well known that he owned, beat and raped at least two of his female slaves. He has at least one known child and one grandchild who are directly descended from him and one of his slaves. He committed adultery many times over. However, he took his oath of office on the Holy Bible and swore to God to uphold the Office of The Presidency. He would not have done so if he did not believe in God and the union of God and State. Even his letter to the Danbury Baptists supported the protection of religion from the Government. Not vice versa as is stated in secularist circles. It can be seen here as well; www.creationists.org/churchandstate.html
Now look at the U.S. up through the fifties and the early sixties. The nation was in great shape both morally and economically. As kids we could go walk anywhere and ride bikes to our friend's houses without the fear of being kidnapped or sexually molested. We said prayer in school and had Christmas pageants and plays. We learned about God in church and school!
When "free love" and "free your mind with drugs" gripped the nation and the militants started bombing police stations and killing innocent people that was the beginning of the decline of morality in America. Then came the ACLU and the lawyers suing the Government and the schools to remove prayer. That was the end of morality being taught in our school systems. Ask any school teacher who taught before, during, and after the lawsuits started. Roe vs. Wade further decimated morality.
The disintegration of the family is a direct result of the disintegration of morality. ie..
Parents who do not keep their wedding vows to God and each other and end up in divorce. Parents who do not take their children to Church to learn the Ten Commandments and the values of Christianity.( Kids sure can't learn them in school anymore.) Parents who allow their kids to listen to music, play video games, and watch movies and t.v. which depict immoral behavior. Without a moral compass our children will learn their morals and value system from media, t.v., movies, etc. They learn from mom and dad that it is o.k. to ignore your promise to God and your spouse. So they have throw away marriages or babys out of wedlock.
History proves all the above to be correct but as my mom used to say, "some people will argue with a sign post just so they can hear themselves argue." "Don't even try and talk to a fool."
God have mercy on America and please bless us.
"History" is strangely malleable, easily and quickly shaped to the form each argument would have it fit.
P.S. Why is the Illuminati symbol of the all seeing eye on the dollar right there with "in God we trust?"
I do not think we will ever know the entire true meaning of all the symbols on our currency. That is always going to be a mystery. However I agree with Serpico completely. Moral decline is due to lack of Christian morals in the U.S.
Thomas Jefferson and all of our Presidents have taken their oaths of office on The Holy Bible. He was a Christian as were all of our Presidents so far.
No satanist, secularist, or non Christian would ever take the oath on the Holy Bible.
No Christian would take an oath on anything but the Bible.
It remains to be seen if Barack Hussein Obama if elected to the Presidency will take his oath of office on the Bible. He has already taken one oath to Muslim religion when he was younger.
Please watch this with an open mind: http://nicedeb.wordpress.com/2008/10/05/hannitys-americaobama-and-friends-the-history-of-radicalism/
God bless the U.S.A.
The secularists, atheists, and all non-Christians try and claim that Thomas Jefferson was not a Christian and therefore a proponnet of the seperation of church and state. This is a false claim made by the above mentioned groups of people.
Jefferson at many times in his life was a adulteress and committed many sins against his fellow man. Nonetheless, Jefferson's presidential acts would, if done today, send the ACLU marching into court. He signed legislation that gave land to Indian missionaries, put chaplains on the government payroll, and provided for the punishment of irreverent soldiers. He also sent Congress an Indian treaty that set aside money for a priest's salary and for the construction of a church.
Most intriguing is the manner in which Jefferson dated an official document. Instead of "in the year of our Lord," Jefferson used the phrase "in the year of our Lord Christ." Christian historian David Barton has the proof – the original document signed by Jefferson on the "eighteenth day of October in the year of our Lord Christ, 1804
Thomas Jefferson was a Christian indeed. He sinned like many of us. He very much supported Christianity and it's marriage to government.
We need to return to the Christian morality that this country was founded upon or we will perish.
Look at Jefferson and his dealings with Muslim Prates in North Africa.
How similar are the Barbary Wars to what is going on today in the Middle East? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Barbary_War
http://www.city-journal.org/html/17_2_urbanities-thomas_jefferson.html
This lead to the Second Barbary War. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Barbary_War
ant.a.,
Are you nuts?
You sound like an atheist and for you to say that many of our fathers "had no use for Jesus" is insane at best.
You are either out right fabricating lies or stretching the truth to fit your beliefs. You offer no conclusive proof nor do you name any of the forefathers other than Thomas Jefferson who as you claim had "no use for Jesus." Jefferson was a Christian and he attended church regularly and made written statements that he did not want a "Government without God."
You claim as most atheists do that he cut parts of the Bible out yet where is this Bible? No one can produce Jefferson's Bible nor any evidence of your claims. That is because it never happened and the evidence does not exist.
It is true that most all of our forefathers and all of our Presidents were Christians.
All of the Atheists and secularists have tried to change history to advance their agendas but the "proof is in the pudding."
Our forefathers swore their oaths on the Bible, used the Bible during meetings, and prayed to God before and after every meeting.
If the forefathers had not wanted religion and particularly God joined with the state then these very intelligent men would not have used or swore allegience on the Bible and to the one and only God that they worshipped.
I am a Christian. I believe in the supremacy of Christ over all other gods, faiths, creeds, etc. My argument is not against religion or God. My argument is against the notion that our country is or can even possibly be "Christian." The definition of Christian is "little Christ". How can a nation, which is not a person, which is comprised of persons not professing Christ be Christian?
There are no Christian principles; indeed, according to Paul, "every prophecy will pass away" (I Cor. 13), which means, even prophetic words uttered on Earth will not last, but Love (God) will remain. Thus, our laws will pass; our laws cannot please God; only people, living according to love and truth can please God.
People, thousands of criminal, evil people have sworn their oath upon the bible, and it has not helped them be good Christians. It has not helped them be honest politicians; it has not helped love the poor, visit the sick, cloth the naked, give food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty. If swearing an oath on a bible makes us Christian, then our Christianity cares nothing, absolutely nothing for Christ's teachings.
I'm sorry. I have not meant to rant. I do not mean to offend anyone. All that have posted here are awesome for caring enough to even discuss this. I would that Christians would focus on Christ's great Commandment (to love God and your neighbor is the essence of the law) and great Commission (preach the good news and make disciples of men). Our commandment, despite our courageous Pilgrims, was to make disciples, not nations, not even laws.
Don't you just love how Christians think they have a lock on morals and that all others are immoral?
Better study the history of that book you rever so much. Try some Bart Ehrman books for a start.
Also, how can conservatives call themselves Christians when they fight against every initiative to help the poor and downtrodden?
A thorough discussion of Ben Franklin, a seminal founding father.
http://www.adherents.com/people/pf/Benjamin_Franklin.html
I find corporations dodging their taxes immoral:
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1249465620080812
ant.a.
You seem to be a decent and reasonable human being and
I agree with you on some points especially the fact that taking an oath on the Bible does not make you a better Christian or a better person.
The point that was made is that beacause our forefathers swore their oaths on the Bible indicates that they were Christians. The fact that they prayed to God, referred to God in writings, and said prayer to God before and after meetings they meant for this nation to be founded on Godly principles.
The fact that our forefathers made a congressional proclamation on October 11, 1782 that declared Thanksgiving Day a day the nation was to give thanks to God for a variety of blessings, is one measure of proof that they wanted no seperation of church and state.
Anonymous,
No one claims that you can not be a good person unless you are a Christian. I believe their are good people who are not Christians however, there is sufficient evidence to support that an over whelming majority of our forefathers were Christians and intended for this country to have Christ in our government.
I am a Christian and I believe that one can only come to live with Christ by accepting Jesus Christ as their personal savior.
If you believe differently then that is of course your right and it is guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution for you to worship any way you want.
I have my beliefs and you have yours and I respect your rights. I and others simply state that this country was founded by a majority of Christian men who wanted Christ in their lives and their government. If a majority of Muslims, Bhuddists, atheists, etc had settled this country and been the forefathers then I would be in the minority for I would still be a Christian. However the majority of people in this country are Christians and that is how the forefathers prayed that this country would be. It may not be evryone's wish or hope but the way the country was founded was on Christian principles.
>>Anonymous said...
Don't you just love how Christians think they have a lock on morals and that all others are immoral?<<
This seems to be a lack of self-esteem issue, because I am wondering why you would even worry about what the people, that you perceive as zealots, think?
I do agree with what Harry says in this article. We have seen a moral decline in the values of our country. I don't really care whether people believe that it is because of a lack of faith based values or not, but the world is going down the tubes.
We now have all of these technological advancements and knowledge that should be making our lives better, but there have been tradeoffs.
We now have a society where people are never satisfied or comfortable with their own existence. They always want what someone else has -- "keeping up with the Joneses."
Until we can find a way for individuals to be comfortable in their own skin and quit coveting and/or buying and/or expecting others to pay for stuff they can't afford, then we are going to as a society continue to deteriorate.
There is no free ride through life. There are and should be consequences to bad decisions and bad behavior.
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