The Faith Of Our Fathers

~July 2, 1776~ 

"Suppose a nation in some distant region should take the bible for their only law book, and every member shall regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited!  Every member would be obliged in conscience, to temperance, frugality and industry; to justice, kindness and to charity towards his fellow men; and to piety, love and to reverence towards almighty God...what a eutopia, what a paradise this region would be."
~John Adams, 2nd President of the United States~

There have been many attempts in recent years to rewrite our nations history as we know it today.  Although it is not my intent to offend those of the left leaning liberal belief, I fear that I must broach this subject nonetheless.  For today in the United States we still hold true to our beginings.  We remain, for all intents and purposes, a nation long steeped in reverence and faith in God.  Indeed, the words God, honor and country still mean something to those who make these United States their home.  Now, this doesn't mean that there are those who wish to tear down what has been built up over the years.  For I have heard the cries of those whose accusations against my country have included rascism, imperialism and economic slavery.  If all you would do is listen to the evening news, the United States would be akin to Nazi Germany at it very height, crushing all who dared challange her.  Fortunately, our founding fathers were all too aware of the heavy hand of government oppression as they sought to create a nation of their own.  A nation of the people, for the people and by the people.  See, in the 1700's, England was near the height of its prominence on the world stage.  This was a nation which not only boasted the worlds most powerful army and navy, but was a major economic power as well.  Between the late 16th and 19th centuries, this British empire was the dominant nation across the world.  At its height, it was the largest empire in history.  It was against this backdrop that a small band of english colonists sought to create a nation of their own.  A nation void of the dominance and control of the homeland they'd left behind.  A nation where a man could surely enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  At the heart of this desire to be free of the chains of England...was a faith and reverance in God.

"The hope of a christian is inseperable from his faith.  Whoever believes in the devine inspiration of the holy scriptures must hope that the religion of Jesus must prevail throughout the earth.  Never since the foundation of the world have the prospects of mankind been more encouraging to that hope than they appear to be at the present time.  And may the associated distribution of the bible proceed and prosper till the Lord shall have made bare 'His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God' (Issaiah 52:10)"
~John Quincy Adamns, 6th president of the United States of America~

If there would be one thing of which I am certain, it is that belief that our founding fathers of the United States held our heavenly Father in reverence and high standing.  Not only is this reflected in their own personal writings, but in our founding documents as well.  The very notion that our founding fathers would forsake these deeply held beliefs on a whim is unthinkable.  Their faith, although tested, would not be easily shaken.  It was these beliefs, and their own governments suppression of their religious practices, which would eventually lead these men across the sea to a new and unknown home.  They had no desire to give their allegiance to either their government nor the church of England.  For this was not freedom in their eyes...but oppression.  They therefore sought a home where the freedom to worship and express their faith freely would be the unalienable right of every man.  To say that our founding fathers had a deeply seeded faith in God would be a understatement.  It is this very faith of our fathers which we hold so dear today.

"This second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America.  I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great aniversery festival.  It ought to be commemerated, as the day of deliverance, by solem acts of devotion to God Almighty.  It ought to be solomnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever."
~John Adams in a letter to his wife Abigail, on July 3, 1776~

~Scott~