There are several references to God and religion in the following text which might be offensive to certain segments of our great society. Continue at your own risk.
Wednesday was a slow day business wise, the rains fell both on the believer and the non-believer equally, giving me a chance to read and reflect on some issues and ideas I’ve had in my mind; how to properly present my thoughts and not give away the fact that I’m not scholarly and waited until I had grey hair on my chin before digging into the history of our nation. I’ve read some significant ideas regarding the soul of our country through the words of Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and others as they explained the integrity necessary for the “great experiment” to work, this experiment in self government. I came away with an appreciation for what each individual citizen has been afforded as a direct result of the founding fathers and the council given to us by them.
Today I read over the State of the Union Address as given by President George W. Bush last night and printed in archived format in any number of locations on the internet. I came away with the feeling that “punches were pulled” to avoid saying anything of real importance that might further ruffle the feathers of the “loyal opposition”. It was not a great speech because it lacked commitment, a requirement that induces the general citizenry to accomplish difficult tasks with a healthy regard for hardships that are associated with overcoming great trials.
I then read the blogs of several individuals and found that I was not alone, that Tuesday’s was a milk toast speech at best, vague and without “spirit”, for lack of a better term. I was looking for electricity and found only static charges randomly placed so that those in the audience who wanted to appear supportive could applaud while those in opposition could exhale loudly in disgust.
It became apparent that what was missing was a “line drawn in the sand”, a means of identifying those who had the courage and the stamina to call themselves Americans and make it painfully clear who were traitors to our common cause. President Bush has nothing to loose by calling his adversaries cowards and traitors since he’s not eligible for a third term; why is he dancing around with those who are aiding the enemy by their actions? Who or what is the enemy; that might be important to know.
It’s time to offend and identify those who are intent on destroying America and all that it was intended to become by comparing today’s leaders with those of the past. I’ll start with some quotes you may or may not be familiar with.
Many are familiar with George Washington’s first inaugural address; more especially with his acknowledgement that God has his hand in our success as shown in the last paragraph:
“Having thus imparted to you my sentiments as they have been awakened by the occasion which brings us together, I shall take my present leave; but not without resorting once more to the benign Parent of the Human Race in humble supplication that, since He has been pleased to favor the American people with opportunities for deliberating in perfect tranquility, and dispositions for deciding with unparalleled unanimity on a form of government for the security of their union and the advancement of their happiness, so His divine blessing may be equally conspicuous in the enlargedI have read many inaugural address speeches and State of the Union addresses and have come to realize that as the calendar moves forward over these many years that reference to God drops off considerably. I wonder why that is?
views, the temperate consultations, and the wise measures on which the success of this Government must depend.”
Ezra Taft Benson, former Secretary of Agriculture under President Eisenhower and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints wrote, “A Witness and a Warning”, archived in the Ensign, Nov. 1979, and also “Our Divine Constitution,” Ensign, Nov. 1987.
“Isaiah foresaw the time when a marvelous work and a wonder would come forth among men. Isaiah also predicted there would be those who would “seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us?” He saw the time when the work shall say of him that made it, “He made me not” (Isa. 29:15–16).”
“It is well to ask, what system established secret works of darkness to overthrow nations by violent revolution? Who blasphemously proclaimed the atheistic doctrine that God made us not? Satan works through human agents. We need only look to some of the ignoble characters in human history who were contemporary to the restoration of the gospel to discover fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. I refer to the infamous founders of Communism and others who follow in their tradition.”
“Communism introduced into the world a substitute for true religion. It is a counterfeit of the gospel plan. The false prophets of Communism predict a utopian society. This, they proclaim, will only be brought about as capitalism and free enterprise are overthrown, private property abolished, the family as a social unit eliminated, all classes abolished, all governments overthrown, and a communal ownership of property in a classless, stateless society established.”
I ask you to study the changes that have come about in our country over the past fifty or so years, those which have altered the intent of the founding fathers; specifically in the area of man’s relationship with the Creator and the workings of government as far as interfering with individual accomplishments. Are we to remain a country of strong individuals deeply rooted in our Christian faith and dependent on the blessings from Heaven or have we altered our course based on that point in time where the Supreme Court ruled the term “separation of church and state” as a means of removing our national dependence on God in order to bring to pass some other form of dependence? The current agenda leads us down the garden path toward pure Communism and is at the tip of nearly every court battle waged by the ACLU and yet we who are aware of this lack either the courage or the intestinal fortitude to stand up and be heard.
“Today, we are in a battle for the bodies and souls of man. It is a battle between two opposing systems: freedom and slavery, Christ and anti-Christ. The struggle is more momentous than a decade ago, yet today the conventional wisdom says, “You must learn to live with Communism and to give up your ideas about national sovereignty.” Tell that to the millions—yes, the scores of millions—who have met death or imprisonment under the tyranny of Communism! Such would be the death knell of freedom and all we hold dear. God must ever have a free people to prosper His work and bring about Zion.”
There is a wonderfully rich website, http://members.tripod.com/~candst/toc.htm , which has quite a bit of historical data and references to individual cases brought before the Supreme Court, the purpose of the suits and explanations as to why the court ruled in such a way. Be prepared to read for several hours as the content is rather lengthy. Another website which has excellent information, (linked via the title bar), contains talks given by leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints specifically associated with the key words, “Land of the Free” which I inserted into the search engine on the Church’s official website, www.lds.org .
I haven’t brought up political parties, at least not yet. I have reservations about defining any large group such as Republicans or Democrats as either for or against Communism in its many varied forms; however, let me make one observation that might be useful. Government programs which force individuals to part with property through taxation in order to secure items for yet another individual are not, nor have they ever been a part of that plan instituted and fought for by our founding fathers or by the God mentioned in our most precious documents. The key word is “Force”, not to be confused with voluntary compliance or donations which are found in the heart of those who profess to be Christians. Ezra Taft Benson continued his warning by restating what had been said by earlier leaders of the Church:
“On 3 July 1936, the First Presidency published this warning to Church members:
“Communism is not a political party nor a political plan under the Constitution; it is a system of government that is the opposite of our Constitutional government.
{… }
“Since Communism, established, would destroy our American Constitutional government, to support Communism is treasonable to our free institutions, and no patriotic American citizen may become either a Communist or supporter of Communism”. (emphasis added)
{…}
“The truth is, we have to a great extent accommodated ourselves to Communism—and we have permitted ourselves to become encircled by its tentacles. Though we give lip service to the Monroe Doctrine, this has not prevented Cuba from becoming a Soviet military base, ninety miles off our coastline, nor has it prevented the takeover of Nicaragua in Central America, the surrender of the Panama Canal, or the infiltration by enemy agents within our American borders.”
One way to avoid being called a traitor by virtue of supporting Communism is to alter the language so that Communism is not recognized simply because it’s called something different; perhaps, Progressive Government? A rose by any other name is still a rose; isn’t that the line?
Originally taxes were intended to obtain monies for the support of national defense, to pay off outstanding debts, expansion into new territories and to provide a means of establishing the infrastructure necessary to accomplish the building of a strong nation. I read the second inaugural address given by Thomas Jefferson where he apologized and itemized the reasons for each and every tax imposed upon the electorate and promised to eliminate unnecessary offices and positions to reduce the tax burden. ( As an observation this is nearly 180 degrees from our present governmental policy of creating positions to be filled and paid with tax monies for social programs directed toward specially designed segments of society based on arbitrary or whimsical lunacy) Jefferson closed his comments as follows:
“Contemplating the union of sentiment now manifested so generally as auguring harmony and happiness to our future course, I offer to our country sincere congratulations. With those, too, not yet rallied to the same point the disposition to do so is gaining strength; facts are piercing through the veil drawn over them, and our doubting brethren will at length see that the mass of their fellow-citizens with whom they can not yet resolve to act as to principles and measures, think as they think and desire what they desire; that our wish as well as theirs is that the public efforts may be directed honestly to the public good, that peace be cultivated, civil and religious liberty unassailed, law and order preserved, equality of rights maintained, and that state of property, equal or unequal, which results to every man from his own industry or that of his father's. When satisfied of these views it is not in human nature that they should not approve and support them. In the meantime let us cherish them with patient affection, let us do them justice, and more than justice, in all competitions of interest; and we need not doubt that truth, reason, and their own interests will at length prevail, will gather them into the fold of their country, and will complete that entire union of opinion which gives to a nation the blessing of harmony and the benefit of all its strength.Thomas Jefferson acknowledged the importance of individual property rights without governmentally forced redistribution of wealth whereby other individuals would profit. He then provided his explanation as to the bounteous blessings bestowed by the hand of God, never once implying that our course as a nation can be anything other than by God’s guidance. The idea of acknowledging God’s hand in our affairs has become a thorn in the side of the agnostics or atheists among us; those who’s lack of faith has been tolerated because of our all inclusive Constitution have turned tolerance around to mean intolerance of those who profess faith; and it only took a couple of hundred years of judicial intervention to corrupt the original intent of the document.
I shall now enter on the duties to which my fellow-citizens have again called me, and shall proceed in the spirit of those principles which they have approved. I fear not that any motives of interest may lead me astray; I am sensible of no passion which could seduce me knowingly from the path of justice, but the weaknesses of human nature and the limits of my own understanding will produce errors of judgment sometimes injurious to your interests. I shall need, therefore, all the indulgence which I have heretofore experienced from my constituents; the want of it will certainly not lessen with increasing years. I shall need, too, the favor of that Being in whose hands we are, who led our fathers, as Israel of old, from their native land and planted them in a country flowing with all the necessaries and comforts of life; who has covered our infancy with His providence and our riper years with His wisdom and power, and to whose goodness I ask you to join in supplications with me that He will so enlighten the minds of your servants, guide their councils, and prosper their measures that whatsoever they do shall result in your good, and shall secure to you the peace, friendship, and approbation of all nations.” (emphasis added)
Which of our current elected leaders conform to these beliefs? Are there any among us in positions of power, elected officials who would preach the advantages of wealth redistribution as a means of equaling out the necessary assets so that there be no poor among us? The plucking of heart strings covers a multitude of lies as long as such leveling process is carried out under the varied forms of forced payment through taxation; in other words, “Communism isn’t as bad as all that folks; you’re taxes are helping those in need.”
Who is it that is a traitor to all that is sacred to America, our God given inalienable rights of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness? Who are those who would have us believe that local governmental agencies have unrestricted powers of eminent domain, the power to declare which individuals have more rights to property ownership than others, to declare arbitrarily the common good, to declare as derelict in order to accomplish that which should be brought about through the free market place? Who among our elected and appointed leaders are pushing for entitlement programs based on previous ethnic or racial discrimination as a means of equaling the playing field rather than acknowledging individual efforts or accomplishments? These are the tyrants who would have us believe that they are more suited to determine who is deserving of entitlements or who should provide the funding for those entitlements. These are the supporters of Communism within our own borders, the wolves in sheep’s clothing if you will. Many have called it “progressive” government to avoid its true name, Communism. Without identifying those who would destroy a way of life, an experiment in self government with divine approval from on God Himself, then we are electing liars and thugs, traitors and tyrants intent on following Satan’s plan. Now that’s a line in the sand!
This will be my entry for the next Carnival of Liberty.
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