I present the following:
On March 30, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the following proclamation:
By the President of the United States of America.
A Proclamation.
Whereas, the Senate of the United States, devoutly recognizing the Supreme Authority and just Government of Almighty God, in all the affairs of men and of nations, has, by a resolution, requested the President to designate and set apart a day for National prayer and humiliation.
And whereas it is the duty of nations as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions, in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.
And, insomuch as we know that, by His divine law, nations like individuals are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world, may we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war, which now desolates the land, may be but a punishment, inflicted upon us, for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole People? We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!
It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.
Now, therefore, in compliance with the request, and fully concurring in the views of the Senate, I do, by this my proclamation, designate and set apart Thursday, the 30th. day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting and prayer. And I do hereby request all the People to abstain, on that day, from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite, at their several places of public worship and their respective homes, in keeping the day holy to the Lord, and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties proper to that solemn occasion.
All this being done, in sincerity and truth, let us then rest humbly in the hope authorized by the Divine teachings, that the united cry of the Nation will be heard on high, and answered with blessings, no less than the pardon of our national sins, and the restoration of our now divided and suffering Country, to its former happy condition of unity and peace.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty seventh.
By the President: Abraham Lincoln
I find it extremely difficult to fathom the collective belief today that our founding fathers were atheists and that God was not an integral part of their direction and governance. He even goes so far as to blame the division in the country on everyone becoming "too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!" Sure doesn't sound like atheism to me.
Obama has been compared to Abraham Lincoln - perhaps he should be emulating him a little bit more.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
A Rock In The Stream
I began this blog only yesterday with trepidation that I would run out of real topics to discuss regarding saving America from its current leadership. My fears were unfounded because, as long as Obama is seated as the President, I can rely on him to give me plenty to discuss.
"Obama Ends Bush-Era National Prayer Day Service at White House." I spoke yesterday of pebbles --- they've grown to good-sized rocks now.
Once again, in and of itself this might seem fairly benign. It can be viewed as political wrangling because the headline implies it was Bush's proclamation. It actually began with Harry Truman, Ronald Reagan made it a permanent occasion and, under Bush, the day was a political event, confirming a conviction that religion was a core tenet of Republican politics.
Okay, so it was a political move, right? Not so fast. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said, "I think the president understands, in his own life and in his family's life, the role that prayer plays." That's a very vague statement that does nothing to indicate what faith our sitting president actually supports. Name a past President who kept his beliefs hidden? Didn't think so. He portrays himself as someone who wants to support everyone, and he does so by not standing up for what he truly believes. Or, perhaps he is but just can't state yet what he is standing for? Now that's a scary thought people. Everything about his presidency up to this point seems more of a global posturing than any real vision. Sorry, got sidetracked.
Still okay? Well, couple that comment with his inaugural address where he became the first president to embrace atheists..."For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus and non-believers." He placed these 5 groups on equal footing, but not all of these groups founded the country.
If you build a house, you welcome your friends and family inside, but that doesn't mean they all get equal credit for building the house. Our Founding Fathers welcomed EVERYONE who wished to move here for religious and governmental freedom --- that meant everyone who embraced their ideals of FREEDOM of religion, FREEDOM from an overbearing government, and FREEDOM to achieve their dreams. They accommodated any who shared these beliefs...they didn't sell out on their own. The other side was that when the British threatened their VISION of America, they fought and defeated this threat, and they did so with the proclamation that this nation, under God, will not be under the rule of those who would dictate our religious freedoms.
One more pebble to clarify this rock he's thrown in the river can be found in the supportive statement from David Silverman, the national spokesman for the organization American Atheists. "It's not his job to tell people to pray. We are very happy he did away with the George W. Bush-era celebrations and party, but we wish he wouldn't do it at all."
No, it's not his job to tell people what to do (although his administration seems pretty comfortable with it), but it is his job to lead. Granted, I guess he is leading with this proclamation, but leading in entirely the wrong direction. Has anyone bothered to wonder why Obama keeps making these religious moves? During the campaign he claimed to be Christian, yet he seems very much a persecutor of the Christian faith while raising up other faiths (and non-faiths). What person doesn't support and defend their own beliefs? I think him proclaiming to be Christian was a lie and a political move only.
Sorry non-believers, but this country was founded on faith in God and religious freedoms. You can cite a very small minority of agnostics among the framers of our Constitution, but the majority of them were not only Christians but were very knowledgeable, influential theologians who even wrote and published the first Bibles in America. That's fact, not supposition. They openly defended our country based on following God.
I cannot stand quietly by while the "spirit and intent" of our Constitution is stripped of the very foundation on which it was built. The spirit and intent of the separation of church and state was not meant to keep God out of governmental decisions, but rather to keep government out of religious choice. The two primary reasons the Pilgrims sailed the ocean to come here were (1) Religious freedom and (2) Freedom from an overbearing goverment.
Perhaps my next task should be to read the Constitution and count the number of times God is cited. One thing I'm pretty sure of though - our forefathers didn't count how many times they used His name, because it came very naturally.
"Obama Ends Bush-Era National Prayer Day Service at White House." I spoke yesterday of pebbles --- they've grown to good-sized rocks now.
Once again, in and of itself this might seem fairly benign. It can be viewed as political wrangling because the headline implies it was Bush's proclamation. It actually began with Harry Truman, Ronald Reagan made it a permanent occasion and, under Bush, the day was a political event, confirming a conviction that religion was a core tenet of Republican politics.
Okay, so it was a political move, right? Not so fast. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said, "I think the president understands, in his own life and in his family's life, the role that prayer plays." That's a very vague statement that does nothing to indicate what faith our sitting president actually supports. Name a past President who kept his beliefs hidden? Didn't think so. He portrays himself as someone who wants to support everyone, and he does so by not standing up for what he truly believes. Or, perhaps he is but just can't state yet what he is standing for? Now that's a scary thought people. Everything about his presidency up to this point seems more of a global posturing than any real vision. Sorry, got sidetracked.
Still okay? Well, couple that comment with his inaugural address where he became the first president to embrace atheists..."For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus and non-believers." He placed these 5 groups on equal footing, but not all of these groups founded the country.
If you build a house, you welcome your friends and family inside, but that doesn't mean they all get equal credit for building the house. Our Founding Fathers welcomed EVERYONE who wished to move here for religious and governmental freedom --- that meant everyone who embraced their ideals of FREEDOM of religion, FREEDOM from an overbearing government, and FREEDOM to achieve their dreams. They accommodated any who shared these beliefs...they didn't sell out on their own. The other side was that when the British threatened their VISION of America, they fought and defeated this threat, and they did so with the proclamation that this nation, under God, will not be under the rule of those who would dictate our religious freedoms.
One more pebble to clarify this rock he's thrown in the river can be found in the supportive statement from David Silverman, the national spokesman for the organization American Atheists. "It's not his job to tell people to pray. We are very happy he did away with the George W. Bush-era celebrations and party, but we wish he wouldn't do it at all."
No, it's not his job to tell people what to do (although his administration seems pretty comfortable with it), but it is his job to lead. Granted, I guess he is leading with this proclamation, but leading in entirely the wrong direction. Has anyone bothered to wonder why Obama keeps making these religious moves? During the campaign he claimed to be Christian, yet he seems very much a persecutor of the Christian faith while raising up other faiths (and non-faiths). What person doesn't support and defend their own beliefs? I think him proclaiming to be Christian was a lie and a political move only.
Sorry non-believers, but this country was founded on faith in God and religious freedoms. You can cite a very small minority of agnostics among the framers of our Constitution, but the majority of them were not only Christians but were very knowledgeable, influential theologians who even wrote and published the first Bibles in America. That's fact, not supposition. They openly defended our country based on following God.
I cannot stand quietly by while the "spirit and intent" of our Constitution is stripped of the very foundation on which it was built. The spirit and intent of the separation of church and state was not meant to keep God out of governmental decisions, but rather to keep government out of religious choice. The two primary reasons the Pilgrims sailed the ocean to come here were (1) Religious freedom and (2) Freedom from an overbearing goverment.
Perhaps my next task should be to read the Constitution and count the number of times God is cited. One thing I'm pretty sure of though - our forefathers didn't count how many times they used His name, because it came very naturally.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Why I'm Doing This....
Before the Presidential Campaign began, I seriously considered voting for Obama even though I am a registered Republican. Very early into the campaign, inconsistencies caused me to question his loyalties and abilities to lead this great nation. I found myself rationalizing the troubling "little" things that were causing me pause, but quickly came to realize the "little" things were much larger than they appeared, like the view in the passenger-side mirror on my car.
I decided I could not vote for him, and told friends and family that each of these "little pebbles" alone didn't mean much, but that enough pebbles thrown in the stream will change the course of the river forever.
What are these "pebbles" of which I speak? The "which faith" pebble, the "where was he born" pebble, the "ACORN" pebble, the "Jeremiah Wright" pebble, the "transparency, but I don't disclose anything" pebble, the "bow to Saudi" pebble, the "don't wear the lapel flag" pebble, the "I'll negotiate with anyone" pebble, the "Joe the Plumber comment" pebble, the "governmental disassociation with God" pebble --- need I continue?
If you look back over the past 3 years, the "pebbles" look far more ominous than if you've disregarded each one along the way. Remember that theoretical science project of how to boil a frog? Similar to that, each of these "pebbles" raises the political water temperature a degree, and one degree is essentially unnoticeable. What I'm encouraging is for Americans to take a look at the thermostat rather than trust the present feel of the water. Let's zoom out to the larger picture and see (1) Where we started, (2) Where we are, (3) Where we're heading, and (4) What the final destination looks like if we allow the course to change.
I decided I could not vote for him, and told friends and family that each of these "little pebbles" alone didn't mean much, but that enough pebbles thrown in the stream will change the course of the river forever.
What are these "pebbles" of which I speak? The "which faith" pebble, the "where was he born" pebble, the "ACORN" pebble, the "Jeremiah Wright" pebble, the "transparency, but I don't disclose anything" pebble, the "bow to Saudi" pebble, the "don't wear the lapel flag" pebble, the "I'll negotiate with anyone" pebble, the "Joe the Plumber comment" pebble, the "governmental disassociation with God" pebble --- need I continue?
If you look back over the past 3 years, the "pebbles" look far more ominous than if you've disregarded each one along the way. Remember that theoretical science project of how to boil a frog? Similar to that, each of these "pebbles" raises the political water temperature a degree, and one degree is essentially unnoticeable. What I'm encouraging is for Americans to take a look at the thermostat rather than trust the present feel of the water. Let's zoom out to the larger picture and see (1) Where we started, (2) Where we are, (3) Where we're heading, and (4) What the final destination looks like if we allow the course to change.
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