Many of us remember the days when we did not lock our doors and actually left our bicycle in the front yard without concerns about it being taken/stolen. We had few fears, other than possibly communism and the Russians. We referred to one another as “Americans” without hyphens. Lawyers were “Attorneys” and were “Officers of the Court”. Judges were “Jurists”, and the “Guardians of Justice.” Doctors were physicians, and served the “patient” and were samaritans. Cops were “policemen” and represented “Law and Order” and were respected for their authority. The military was respected and honored, and were the “Guardians of Freedom.” Our elders were respected and treated kindly and courteously because of their experience, knowledge, and wisdom. Kindness and civility were the rule, and not the exceptions!
The “press” and all news media outlets reported only on verifiable facts, and made no judgments or provided no opinions. Many remember those countries, which had a controlled or biased media and press outlets, that crafted and shaped public opinion to insure that the controlling party, king, dictator, emperor, or other person or group were viewed favorably in spite of the facts or truth about the “authority” in power. Such a complicit or biased media was viewed as one of the greatest fears to a free society and a properly informed populace. In many ways, what we witness today presents such a significant fear to freedom in America.
On Wednesday, July the 4th, our country celebrated its 242nd birthday. This date recognizes and memorializes the date when the Declaration of Independence was signed and executed by many of our great country’s founders. In the beginning of this great document, the writers, and those who supported its precise language, acknowledged their belief in, and recognition of, God, and the blessings which this Creator had bestowed upon them, their families, and this aspiring new nation.
These founders realized and acknowledged that their freedom from the oppressive king of England was a blessing and a gift, bestowed upon them by their Creator. They stated that the rights, duties, responsibilities and privileges which they enjoyed were not controlled by a king, monarch, dictator, or governmental regime, but were bestowed upon them from God. These outstanding leaders of their time, had such great faith that they knew that only God could have permitted and granted their bounty and blessings. They did not have the personal arrogance or pride to think that they were the determinant of their own destiny. They knew that only with the grace of God, can we be granted the virtues required to overcome the vices and temptations which challenge us in our life each and every day. They knew that the Creator and “author” of life granted life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and that “man,” who might think of himself as a “deity,” was merely the “created” or creature of God.
A quick refresher of the key language used in this document will quickly show their clear and unequivocal understanding that God’s hand was at work in the formation, survival, and success of this experiment in self-governance that we know as the United States of America. A careful look and inspection of the wording in this document clearly indicates the personal, moral , and religious beliefs that each man held, and their firm faith in, acknowledgement of, and “dependence upon,” the “Creator,” “Nature’s God,” the “Supreme Judge of the World,” and “Divine Providence.” Each of these men fully respected the fact that their destiny was not to be determined wholly by their own actions, but was truly “dependent” upon the “will and grace of God.” Each had a level of humility to fully appreciate the fact that God, as the Creator, was the one to whom “thanks and praise” should always be provided, and that the extraordinary bounty which they enjoyed was due to this Creator, and not their own efforts or actions alone. Interestingly enough, the founders of our country believed that Divine Providence was the reason for their coming to the New World to secure and protect the “unalienable rights” endowed by their Creator, stated as “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”. Our modern day denial of the presence and impact of our Creator in our lives is not only tragic, but also full of sinful pride.
Many “claim” to be more enlightened and progressive, and some believe that all of the “human” innovation and current science has made us so much better and smarter than our forefathers. Human life remains as the greatest gift from the Creator, and therefore respect and appreciation for human life and human existence, and the dignity of man, are fundamental and required by all including any properly constituted government. With that said, human life should be protected from conception to natural death.
The American currency today reminds us, in no uncertain terms, that: “In God We Trust.”
Hopefully, the leaders of today will return to the beliefs of old, and remove the restrictions on all Americans from the public and private expressions of their faith in God, and their recognition that all of mankind is subject to the judgment of a final arbiter in all matters, namely, our God and Creator. A nation founded upon Judeo-Christian values should not tolerate the exclusion or removal of God from the daily lives of Americans, nor should they tolerate any governmental threat to the active practice of, and beliefs expressed by, one’s religion (freedom of religion) in this great nation.
May we return to the practice of prayer, meditation, recognition, and acknowledgment of our God, and more importantly, express our thanks and gratitude to Him, for the centuries of blessings granted to, and received by the United States of America.
As millions of Americans host family gatherings or other public and private events to celebrate the birthday of America, tens of thousands of other Americans will be working to provide needed and valuable services to insure that our freedoms and choices are protected, and that the quality of life and the American lifestyle can be maintained in this country for all. Please remember our law enforcement, firemen, and intelligence services personnel who are charged with the duty to protect us from harm each and every day. Remember our first responders, medical and emergency services professionals and ordained clergy as they remain on call as needed. Also, please remember to fully, and unequivocally, support all of the men and women of our country’s armed forces located throughout the world and pray for their safe return to their families.
May we reflect on the lyrics of the great American hymn, “America the Beautiful,” as we sing and remember: “America, America, God shed His grace on thee, and crown Thy good, with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea…”
Finally, the belief and the recognition of the presence of God in the lives of men and women, pre-dates this country and its founding. In fact, the great psalmist wrote clearly and cautioned each of us, as follows:
“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.
For He knows how we are formed, remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like the grass; he blossoms like a flower in the field.
A wind sweeps over it and it is gone; its place knows it no more.
But the Lord’s mercy is from age to age, toward those who fear Him.
His salvation is for the children’s children of those who keep His covenant, and remember to carry out His precepts.
The Lord has set His throne in heaven; His dominion extends over all.”
Happy Birthday, America! ... and please “Thank, God!” ... every day and every moment that you can!
J.H. Campbell, Jr.
jcampbell@campbellccs.com