Why God is still important in our modern society
It has been generally understood that the most important single function of government is to secure and protect the individual freedoms and rights of its citizens. Where do the rights come from? And how can we best secure them?
Thomas Paine, back in the days of the American Revolution said:
“Rights are not gifts from one man to another, nor are they gifts from one class of men to another…It is impossible to discover any origin of rights otherwise than in the origin of man; it consequently follows that rights appertain to man in the right to his existence.”
Thomas Jefferson asked:
“Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these are of the gift of God?
Alexis De Tocqueville a French historian who was in America studying the penal system back in 1831observed in his book “Democracy In America:
“I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodius harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there; in here rich mines and her vast world commerce, and it was not there. Not until I went to the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.”
The history of nations is a cycle:
1. From bondage to spiritual faith
2. From spiritual faith to courage
3. From courage to freedom
4. From freedom to abundance
5. From Abundance to selfishness
6. From selfishness to complacency
7. From complacency to apathy
8. From apathy to fear
9. From fear to dependency
10. From dependency to bondage
I would say we are well on our way to the dependency stage.
What many folks call ‘natural rights’ our founding fathers called ‘inalienable rights’. They believed these rights were ordained by God. And what rights that are ordained by God no man can take away.
If there is no God then our rights are surly derived from man and what man gives he can take away. If this is so then there can be no moral foundation to base our ‘rights’ upon and we live at the whims of man and , especially the better armed men.
In fact, our ‘rights’ then become the fashion of the day, what is popular today is out of fashion tomorrow.
But Jesus said he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Therefore the moral compass will always point true and isn’t subject to the whims of man and or pop-culture.
The greatest gift we have been given by God is the gift of free agency. But free agency is a double edged sword because man can choose to be righteous or wicked, he can choose to resist evil or he can tolerate and appease it, he can choose to be courageous or a coward, choose between charity and greed, and choose between freedom and bondage.
Folks then blame God for the horrors of man. They say “See there is no God because how can God allow such suffering.” God didn’t do it, man did. It is because we are free to choose (free agency) but there are natural consequences to making the wrong choices. If a society or civilization chooses to live the principles of man rather than God, man will suffer; unfortunately even good individuals may suffer.
I cannot prove to you that God exists, nor can anyone prove that he doesn’t.
I can tell you from experience that the ol’ adage “There is no atheist in a fox hole” is true. Once after a particularly furious and brutal firefight, the kind that only by divine intervention you walk a way from. When it was over I looked over at my two teammates one, a devout and self-professed atheist was crouching with his eyes closed, forehead resting on his rifle. I couldn’t hear all that he was saying but I was able to make out quit distinctly, “Thank you God, thank you!”
I have seen some amazing things in my life, marvelous works and wonders, and things that can only be describes as miracles.
What Christianity has taught me is that we need to have conviction, courage, tenacity, understanding, humility, responsibility, and above all faith.
For the sake of argument, suppose there is no God what does the Christian loose? Nothing, but while living he gains a moral compass and inspiration for how he should live his life and more importantly, he can live his life as a freeman. And the world is a better place for it.
If there is a God what does the Atheist have to loose? He’ll have a lot of explaining to do.
It has been generally understood that the most important single function of government is to secure and protect the individual freedoms and rights of its citizens. Where do the rights come from? And how can we best secure them?
Thomas Paine, back in the days of the American Revolution said:
“Rights are not gifts from one man to another, nor are they gifts from one class of men to another…It is impossible to discover any origin of rights otherwise than in the origin of man; it consequently follows that rights appertain to man in the right to his existence.”
Thomas Jefferson asked:
“Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these are of the gift of God?
Alexis De Tocqueville a French historian who was in America studying the penal system back in 1831observed in his book “Democracy In America:
“I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodius harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there; in here rich mines and her vast world commerce, and it was not there. Not until I went to the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.”
The history of nations is a cycle:
1. From bondage to spiritual faith
2. From spiritual faith to courage
3. From courage to freedom
4. From freedom to abundance
5. From Abundance to selfishness
6. From selfishness to complacency
7. From complacency to apathy
8. From apathy to fear
9. From fear to dependency
10. From dependency to bondage
I would say we are well on our way to the dependency stage.
What many folks call ‘natural rights’ our founding fathers called ‘inalienable rights’. They believed these rights were ordained by God. And what rights that are ordained by God no man can take away.
If there is no God then our rights are surly derived from man and what man gives he can take away. If this is so then there can be no moral foundation to base our ‘rights’ upon and we live at the whims of man and , especially the better armed men.
In fact, our ‘rights’ then become the fashion of the day, what is popular today is out of fashion tomorrow.
But Jesus said he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Therefore the moral compass will always point true and isn’t subject to the whims of man and or pop-culture.
The greatest gift we have been given by God is the gift of free agency. But free agency is a double edged sword because man can choose to be righteous or wicked, he can choose to resist evil or he can tolerate and appease it, he can choose to be courageous or a coward, choose between charity and greed, and choose between freedom and bondage.
Folks then blame God for the horrors of man. They say “See there is no God because how can God allow such suffering.” God didn’t do it, man did. It is because we are free to choose (free agency) but there are natural consequences to making the wrong choices. If a society or civilization chooses to live the principles of man rather than God, man will suffer; unfortunately even good individuals may suffer.
I cannot prove to you that God exists, nor can anyone prove that he doesn’t.
I can tell you from experience that the ol’ adage “There is no atheist in a fox hole” is true. Once after a particularly furious and brutal firefight, the kind that only by divine intervention you walk a way from. When it was over I looked over at my two teammates one, a devout and self-professed atheist was crouching with his eyes closed, forehead resting on his rifle. I couldn’t hear all that he was saying but I was able to make out quit distinctly, “Thank you God, thank you!”
I have seen some amazing things in my life, marvelous works and wonders, and things that can only be describes as miracles.
What Christianity has taught me is that we need to have conviction, courage, tenacity, understanding, humility, responsibility, and above all faith.
For the sake of argument, suppose there is no God what does the Christian loose? Nothing, but while living he gains a moral compass and inspiration for how he should live his life and more importantly, he can live his life as a freeman. And the world is a better place for it.
If there is a God what does the Atheist have to loose? He’ll have a lot of explaining to do.
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