#159 - Our Fathers' Sorrows

With apologies in advance, but only for having rambling thoughts.

Via Michelle Malkin comes this story of a middle school in Colorado that found themselves listening to a somewhat modified version of the Pledge of Allegiance. A guidance counselor at the school, no doubt having the best of intentions, changed the phrase "one nation, under God" to read "one nation, under your belief system."

Nice out.

The debate about the importance of God to this country is, of course, old news. One can only imagine how the founding fathers must feel. I'm guessing they frequently hang their heads in shame every time we feel a need as a nation to apologize for believing in God.

It's easy - perhaps too easy - to blame the atheists for this. Certainly they made it a battleground when they launched law suits to have God removed from as many public venues as possible. Still, except for a few shining voices, the believers largely let them get away with it.

Political correctness is, in fact, a symptom of a much more ravaging illness. A cancer of such magnitude that it threatens to destroy every quality of life for which our forefathers fought in every war since the Revolution. One of our most basic rights is the right to worship in any way that we may choose, without fear of government interference, and yet we abdicate that right every time we allow some humanist to strike the word "God" from public view.

I suppose, if I were to give atheists the benefit of the doubt, that there may be some genuine offense taken in hearing the name of God invoked in public. Certainly Cain took offense. In fact, he got so tired of hearing it that he destroyed the life of his brother and made himself an outcast for the rest of his existence. But I don't remember hearing about any apology from Adam. "Sorry, Cain. I know we never understood your need to disbelieve in our Creator, and you'll never hear us mention him again." Show me that scripture, and I'll buy into the atheistic argument.

The very amendment that guarantees freedom of speech as well as freedom to worship also implies a right to never have to apologize for having faith in God. Why should we? What is it that seems to be so offensive to so many today?

Probably it is the aspect of personal accountability that galls them. "One nation, under God" implies that this country - rightly - is founded on laws that have their roots in Judeo-Christian tradition. The laws that demand respect of other peoples' civic rights are squarely in synch with revealed law from God himself. We cannot and should not force others to believe in God, but neither should we feel compelled to shut our mouths in public lest we be accused of offending others because of God. Those who would live a life free from personal accountability risk having their freedoms severely curtailed by literally throwing them away. Certain things are still illegal in this country, and living a life without accountability ultimately leads to those illegal acts. Those who somehow manage to escape that accountability in this life will have that much more to account for in the life to come.

There is a basic argument that says that those who don't appreciate this country are free to leave it. I personally have found that argument to be somewhat harsh. I have lived outside the country. I fully recognize the blessing it is to live in this constitutional republic. I know how repressive other governments can be and often are. I suppose there is also a temptation to ask those who feel offended by basic Christian beliefs to simply close their ears, but that argument, too, is harsh.

Most of us who profess belief and faith in a living God feel absolutely no need to apologize for believing the way we do. In fact, it offends us when someone forces us, practically at gunpoint, to close our mouths and worship in silence.

Make no mistake: a revolution awaits. It will come when society has degraded itself sufficiently that the only way to go is up. Life will have become so wearisome that knowledge of a loving God will be a healing balm.

A knowledge for which I will refuse to apologize.