In a letter to John Adams in 1816 Thomas Jefferson wrote, “A nation united can never be conquered.” As I pondered this statement I kept thinking that our country doesn’t stand a chance in modern times. We are definitely divided on a multitude of social and moral issues that evidently makes our country ripe for being conquered.
There have been some extremely divisive issues in the past. A Civil War would insinuate a fairly high level of disunity from 1861 through 1865. Sentiments about the Vietnam War clearly ran the gamut during the 20 year duration and it can still generate some animated discussions even today. There is no doubt that divisiveness still exists from this conflict even after forty years have elapsed. It then begs the question, what does a “nation united” actually look like and how do we recognize it as such?
It doesn’t require a major war to imply that a country is divided. Actually, war has the potential to bring a nation together against a common enemy. We can look to the immediate aftermath of 9/11/2001 for an example of how this happens. On the other hand, the absence of war does not indicate unity and harmony among the populace. Baltimore and Ferguson quickly highlight the unrest that is present in our major cities. We are obviously a country divided by circumstances of which political pundits disagree. Is it race? Is it poverty? Is it a disconnection between cultures and a lack of shared values and expectations? Is it a combination of these factors plus many others?
I believe it is time to look toward the impact of "Nones." This is the growing group of people who declare no church affiliation. New research released today points to a greater decline in Christianity in the United States. Shared values will subsequently be declining as well. As the institutions which once played a major role in our communities slowly fade into irrelevance and disintegrate, we are left as a society more secular and less grounded than ever before in our nation’s history. There is no longer a system of beliefs and structures which help hold us together. As freedom turns into license and absolute Truth is dismissed, the dictatorship of relativism is placed firmly in control. This becomes a war that will demolish our society more effectively than any of the guns or bombs ever created by man.
A well-orchestrated attempt to diminish religious freedom is already underway. The HHS mandate requires people of faith to violate their principles and their conscience in regard to life issues. Proponents of "same-sex marriage" are doing everything in their power to stomp out any opposition to their cause. Christians are marginalized in the process. Add to these direct assaults on Christianity the increased percentage of people simply walking away from their faith because of apathy and indifference and we see an institution in decline. This does not bode well for our nation.
If one studies the history of our nation and the role Christianity played in its founding, we see a perilous future. The principles of Christianity weren't simply a part of the founding our country; those same principles are necessary for the continuation of our country. A republic form of government must have strong underlying moral principles in place if the republic is going to survive. In America, those principles have been the Christian faith. The decline of the Christian faith in our country is a sledgehammer to the concrete foundation of our Constitutional freedoms. Thomas Jefferson's words should be ringing in our ears as the bell of freedom grows silent and the death knell takes it place.
There have been some extremely divisive issues in the past. A Civil War would insinuate a fairly high level of disunity from 1861 through 1865. Sentiments about the Vietnam War clearly ran the gamut during the 20 year duration and it can still generate some animated discussions even today. There is no doubt that divisiveness still exists from this conflict even after forty years have elapsed. It then begs the question, what does a “nation united” actually look like and how do we recognize it as such?
It doesn’t require a major war to imply that a country is divided. Actually, war has the potential to bring a nation together against a common enemy. We can look to the immediate aftermath of 9/11/2001 for an example of how this happens. On the other hand, the absence of war does not indicate unity and harmony among the populace. Baltimore and Ferguson quickly highlight the unrest that is present in our major cities. We are obviously a country divided by circumstances of which political pundits disagree. Is it race? Is it poverty? Is it a disconnection between cultures and a lack of shared values and expectations? Is it a combination of these factors plus many others?
I believe it is time to look toward the impact of "Nones." This is the growing group of people who declare no church affiliation. New research released today points to a greater decline in Christianity in the United States. Shared values will subsequently be declining as well. As the institutions which once played a major role in our communities slowly fade into irrelevance and disintegrate, we are left as a society more secular and less grounded than ever before in our nation’s history. There is no longer a system of beliefs and structures which help hold us together. As freedom turns into license and absolute Truth is dismissed, the dictatorship of relativism is placed firmly in control. This becomes a war that will demolish our society more effectively than any of the guns or bombs ever created by man.
A well-orchestrated attempt to diminish religious freedom is already underway. The HHS mandate requires people of faith to violate their principles and their conscience in regard to life issues. Proponents of "same-sex marriage" are doing everything in their power to stomp out any opposition to their cause. Christians are marginalized in the process. Add to these direct assaults on Christianity the increased percentage of people simply walking away from their faith because of apathy and indifference and we see an institution in decline. This does not bode well for our nation.
If one studies the history of our nation and the role Christianity played in its founding, we see a perilous future. The principles of Christianity weren't simply a part of the founding our country; those same principles are necessary for the continuation of our country. A republic form of government must have strong underlying moral principles in place if the republic is going to survive. In America, those principles have been the Christian faith. The decline of the Christian faith in our country is a sledgehammer to the concrete foundation of our Constitutional freedoms. Thomas Jefferson's words should be ringing in our ears as the bell of freedom grows silent and the death knell takes it place.
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