The Need To Restore Morality In America

"The only foundation for a useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments." So proclaimed Benjamin Rush, one of the Founders of the United States and found in his work "On the Mode of Education Proper in a Republic" written in 1806.

Rush and the other Founders of this nation, despite today's pronouncements by the Progressives, were believers in God, Providence, religion and the need to adhere to religious and moral principles. Today we and most importantly our children are told that such things as religion and morals are passe. That is not the case and indeed following the godless, unethical and immoral Progressives may be the reason we are in the shape we are in today in our great nation.

There are those within our country who are pointing out that until we restore our morality we will remain a nation unable to solve our problems. If we do not get right with our God, our difficulties will continue and the leading issue is the matter of on demand abortion. This horrible practice is going to cause God to turn a deaf ear to our concerns. Given that we have now achieved the death of some 50 million innocents, would we blame Him for no longer listening.

Like the Founders and many of the inhabitants, I believe that the creation of our nation was not an accident. Prior to the arrival of the Europeans, North America was inhabited by American Indians who lived a hunter/gatherer life style that was nomadic. Starting in the 17th century we find everything from the religiously persecuted to the ne'er do well coming to North America from western Europe. From these immigrants came those who caused the revolutionary changes in America. At their very core was the belief that God and morality were important to the success of their endeavors. Indeed with the gaining of freedom from England, the Founders called on communities to erect schools based on religious tenets in order that the children become virtuous individuals. That, due to a misinterpretation of a letter written by Thomas Jefferson, is not longer the case in our public schools.

If you are a virtuous person you know it is important to your salvation. As the old joke goes it was the ten commandments not the ten suggestions and the Old Testament in particular sees God reminding us constantly who was responsible for getting us to a good point in our life. Indeed in Deuteronomy 5, Moses cautions his people to "do as the Lord, your God, has commanded you, not turning to the right or left...."

We have become a people who constantly talk about "the gray" of a matter and extenuating circumstances. We are told that there is more to an issue and that it isn't a "black and white" or "good or evil" world as though that causes one to be less compassionate. I would argue that the virtuous one will have more compassion then one who claims to be compassionate and throws the pregnant teenager under the knife for her abortion. There now, its all over go home and have a happy life.

Abortion is just one example of how we have lost our way and become a people with a fading morality. Drugs, alcohol, gambling all the old and new vices rear their ugly heads today and our children are constantly exposed to people acting badly. When they get into trouble we wonder why it happened with few of us pointing the finger in the proper direction because we have a million reasons to avoid taking responsibility for their actions.

At a time of the year when we celebrate the birth of our Saviour, let us remember how those who have gone before us had such faith in Him for the direction of their lives. I ask of you that you go back to those men who gave us the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Read those documents and read what those enlightened men, guided my the Almighty, had to say about the grace of Divine Providence in their lives. Rest assured neither they or their world was perfect but I believe they were more confident in their path and more resolute in their ideas and convictions then we are today.