America is an experiment. The experiment is a country of the people with a government that is supposed to be for the people. Today we are losing this dream.
The great experiment focused on opportunity and liberty. The dream focused on an atmosphere of freedom that provided an opportunity for all to experience a fullness of life. The architects of the constitution understood the limitations of mankind. The thought was to establish a government that greased the wheels of innovation and liberty.
This form of government would not control people but rather unleash the creativeness and ingenuity that is found in the individuals of the land. Citizens from all the states and from all walks of life would come together to govern in such a way as to provide an atmosphere where freedom would continue and that opportunity would be for all.
No doubt there have been times when this land has lost its way. There have been times through the history of this great country when the American Experiment was threatened. At these times we needed strong leadership to renew this great vision. Thomas Jefferson once stated what we would need to do when we lost the vision when he noted “let us hasten to retrace our steps and to regain the road which alone leads to peace, liberty, and safety” (In his First Inaugural Address).
There is a difference today. This difference has developed over a number of years. The Great Experiment depended on a few things that now are eroding. The first is that individual rights are derived from a Creator. The second was the limitations of mankind. Abuse of power is a human fault illustrated frequently over the centuries. Thus a system of checks and balances was established. We need to ask ourselves what is the core issue that is causing this erosion?
The call for reform and all the struggling is because we have forgotten God. We are lost. We are at a crossroads and we need to return to God. But alas I do know whether we have the fortitude to do so. I agree with Thomas Jefferson when he stated “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever.” I too tremble. Think of the words of George Washington “The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained.“
Calvin Coolidge gave a warning when he wrote “The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country.” Ronald Regan warned “Without God there is no virtue because there is no prompting of the conscience … without God there is a coarsening of the society; without God democracy will not and cannot long endure … If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a Nation gone under.”
John F. Kennedy recognized the need for God when he stated “The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.” John Adams agreed when he stated “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. “
My proposal to all this talk of reform and all the struggles we are having in our country is simple – we have forgotten God. What are some of the evidences of this lapse in memory? Over the next few days we will outline a few of the evidences. In the meantime the call and challenge is for us to return to a country of the people and for the people. To do this requires a heart return to God only then will we be able to experience the success of the Great American Experiment – If we do not the Great American Experiment will die a slow death.
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