The Moral Code of America.. God's or Man's?



The Idol of the 21st Century

 America began as a country that was full of promise.  A group of people who gathered under a common cause, and that cause was to worship freely, conduct business freely and limit government to a small role in their lives. 

The reason this worked so well, is that these settlers lived under a code of ethics that was provided by God.  It was called the Holy Bible.  The morals and lessons of the Bible were taught in the home, at work and at school.  There was no Sunday shopping, because every business in town was closed so that the town could go to church. The moral code said, "Remember the Sabbath and keep it Holy."  The Church and a belief in the Almighty was the one common thread that everyone that had immigrated to America had in common.  Right was right, wrong was wrong and there was no grey areas.

The founding fathers were all Christian, but not all of the same religion, and the constitution was written so that freedom to worship God was a basic right.  The separation of Church and State is an invention of those that do not hold God as the center of their lives.  They resent the moral code that being a believer has and instead chose to believe that Government and man should write the moral code. 

So, now a mere 200+ years down the road, we are stuck with a country where you have to be practically ashamed to have faith, unless a disaster happens, then it is alright to pray.  So, why is it that America has become a country of convenient faith?

The shinning city on the hill, that Ronald Reagan describes in many speeches, resembles more the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Men and Government now determine what is right and what is wrong and the old Nike slogan, "If it feels good, do it, " is the code of the day.

Christians who show their faith publicly on a day to day basis are called, "Right Wing, Nut Jobs."  Prayer is no longer a part of our daily school ritual.  Government meetings that begin with a prayer are attacked because of the perceived separation of church and state.  The flag is burned, people build high walls and gated communities to avoid meeting other people.  The pledge of allegiance is almost never recited, and the National Anthem is never sung, unless it is a sporting event and even that is now becoming controversial.  Neighbors do not talk to each other to settle differences, they call the police and then their attorney.  Kids are not allowed to be children, we have to integrate them as adults as soon as possible with sex education.

What is more important, is that the freedom to do any of what used to be done that I described above, is non-existent.  But, it is alright to display murder, bloodshed, immoral behavior publicly without any outcry.  If you do disagree, then again you are a "Right Wing, Nut Job."

The reaction of some is to withdraw from the world.  They control the content and access that they have to world.  They educate their kids in Christian Schools, and attend only sanctioned events from their church.  In short, develop a counter culture.  I believe, that this is just as dangerous as those who choose to participate in the culture of man without concern for their Maker.

I believe that in order to effect change in a society you have to be a part of it.  Jesus and Paul travelled to some of most wicked places on the earth to preach the gospel.  They could have just stayed within their group of disciples. They could have avoided any kind of conflicts.  But instead they chose to confront the world, the wickedness of those living in it and offer comfort and peace of mind.  The result was the spread of Christianity worldwide.

For a Judeo-Christian society, it surprises me that the number of Christians as a percentage of population is as low as it is.  85% of Americans consider themselves Christian, but 99% of Mexicans and 93% of Brazilians do as well.  Where did all of the Christians in America go?

Did they all leave to pursue the "false gods" of money, and a self-worship in their own abilities?  Did they just become "bored" with faith?  Did they begin to worship themselves as a god?  I think, that man began to believe that all he had accomplished was through his own initiatives, not through God, but inspite of God. Evolution and global warming are but a couple of the recent things that has man believing that he is more than God's creation.  Technology and the wonders of science are amazing.  The quest for knowledge is a wonderful gift that God gave man, but we need to always remember who gave us that gift, and in the end who is deserving of thanks.  Amercian exceptionalism, has transformed into Amercian arrogance.  As a people we believe in our own superiority, that we have forgotten the gifts that God has given us and what it means to work hard to develop your own place in the world.  Many believe if they graduate high school that the world owes them a job, a nice house, two cars, flat screen TV's and great vacations.  And many of those same people are ok with the government taking money from those that worked hard to give it to them so that they can have all the things I mentioned above.

To sum up my rant, the moral code that was used to establish America, a faith in God, has been replaced by a code that was written by man.  The result, I believe, is a decline in our way of life and our communities.   There is but one way to restore American to greatness, and that is to restore our moral compass and look to God to guide our way.

Small Town Politics in Indiana

Recently our small town concluded a caucus to select candidates for the fall ballot.  It was fun to watch local candidates speak about their passions and intentions while running for office.  In a small town there is no PAC's, no anonymous donors, no polls, no politics really.  Republican or Democrat, no on really cares at this level, because it is about the person and the job, not the politics.

This year the town has a clear path for November.  The past or the future.   There are three candidates for the council that each have 16 years of experience either past or present on the council and there are three candidates that are either novices or have just served one term.  The town will choose whether they want to relive the past or venture into the future.

The reason for my take on this all?  I am in the last few months of my stint on the council.  Town council positions are like congress, not term limited.  That is why there are so many repeat performers on this year's ballot.  I chose not to run, not because I don't think I can still serve, or that I am burnt out, but because I believe that in order to move forward, leadership has to change.  You have to let each generation's leaders grow, develop and put their ideas forward.  Even in a small town.

I want to say that I am a firm believer that public service should be just that... service.  Not to oneself, but to the community at large.  Many have forgotten this.  Not only at home, but in Washington.  When colleges began to offer political degrees and congressmen and senators began to serve lifetimes in office, it became more about self and less about others.

As our founding fathers would say, political service is the greatest sacrifice that a person could undertake.  You should not profit from your service.  There should be no benefits other than knowing that what you did was for the good of all.  There is no need for retirement package.  No need for fancy perks, special parking spaces, jets or other things that do not involve the business of the people.

Recently, I became aware of the issue of image even in our small town.  One of our candidates recently promoted the need for a new fire truck and the need to issue city bonds to purchase it.  But when it came time to sign the petition for the bond issue, his comment to the petition person was to see him last because he did not want anyone to see his name on the petition as it might hurt his chances in the election.   This comment seriously disappointed me.  This person has always been involved in the city either by volunteer or by election over the years, and I now find out that everything is done by calculation for control and power.   A very disappointing revelation.

So, I guess as much as I thought that small town politics were not about power and control but about service, I guess I am wrong and disappointed in the future for our town and our country.