Lost America; the Depletion of Religion
By:
Tiffoney Greene
Lost America; the Depletion of Religion
Lost America; the Depletion of Religion and the effects we see from it. America is loosing the religious structure and diminishing in moral standards, in which we were founded upon. The effects from the religious breakdown are sending our country into a dark seeded immoral whirl wind, in which, there is no recovery. Our laws were based on the laws; in which God gave us to follow, however, the threat of God being removed and stripped from America is prevalent in today’s society. George Washington once stated that no nation can prevail without a ‘Religious foundation’. Our Judaism and Christianity religious heritage was the underlined structure for American’s laws and moral standards.
. Psalms 35 was used as a prayer, for the first Act of Congress, September 7,1774. However, the general public does not realize, there were many different religions in America at that time. But it was the Christian / Judaism Regions, in which this country was formed from. Members of congress debated over which prayer to us for the First Act of Congress and it was Tomas Jefferson who insisted that Psalms 35 be read. When the book from Psalms was read that day, it was read before an assortment of religions but everyone had the same effect from the prayer regardless of their religion. It was reported that there was not a dry eye in the building after Psalms 35 was read. It was at that time, that the Christian / Judaism religion put it’s thumb print on our heritage. Later, when Tomas Jefferson completed the Declaration on Independence, the members of congress refused to sign it, until God was mentioned two more times. There are four names in the declaration of independence that are references to God, they are: The Creator, Author, The Judge and Divine Providence. Our fore-fathers realized the importance of God and religious structure, as well as, implemented the belief of God in our heritage. We were founded as “One nation under God” and we are becoming a nation without God.
George Washington, fore-seen and spoke about the loss of interest in American heritage and the depletion of moral standards in generations to come. This statement was made in his Farewell speech. Novack, (2006) stated, “Every generation can throw it away. Every generation must reflect and choose.” It seems that our generation is choosing to strip God from what is his.
We can see the depletion of the importance of religion; starting with the separation of church and state. Although, the church was considered top priority by our fore-fathers, however; today’s perception of church lacks dedication and priority. The separation of church and state has opened the gates, to an immoral God stripping flood, which has caused damage on our society. The removal of the Ten Commandments from courthouses was an indescribable blow to the religious community .When the founders of this country wrote and implemented America’s laws, they were influenced and a reference from the Christian/ Judaism religion. The Ten Commandments is the inspiration behind our laws today. Our forefather believed in the importance of religious structure and incorporated that belief into our laws, as well as America’s moral standards. The Christian/ Judaism religion was the backbone in this countries formation and it provided us with the guidelines we needed in-order to have a moral society.
The same laws our fore-fathers made, in reference to the laws God made for us, in-turn was used to remove the Ten Commandments. In my opinion, our founders did not write our laws and reference God; only to have him stripped from us at a later date Although, the founders of this country realized the importance of religious structure, as well as, took actions in-order to protect it, however; it was the scrutiny and the misinterpretation of the First Amendment that allowed for the separation of the church and state ruling to happen.. Dreisbach. (2006) stated, “We should care because the wall is all too often used to separate religion from public life, thereby promoting a religion that is essentially private and a state that is strictly secular. This would have alarmed the founders because how they viewed religion.” The First Amendment was constructed in-order to protect our founding Religion and preserve Americas religious structure. However, the First Amendment is being used out of context in which it was written, in-order to strip God and our Religious heritage from America.
Loconte (2004) stated,” We have a largely Christian culture that honors the God-given worth of every individual.”
Our religious standards and beliefs affect our everyday walk. The founders of this country, through their belief in God, paved a honorable and just road for us to follow. Overlooking the discrepancy of time, our moral and standards are still the same. It is our decision whether to up-hold Gods laws and our fore-fathers plan of moral living, which has been set before us.
Family values in America has been constantly depleting over the years. It seems that the reduction in church attendance has affected the family unit. Religious influence helps to straighten the inter circle of the family and provide structure. Years ago, when church attendance was a priority and religious dedication was prevalent in society; the family unit was stronger. Today, religious dedication is not prevalent in society, thus, making the family unit weaker and lacking in values. Divorce rates are high and childhood delinquencies are extremely common. Children are being raised in daycares instead of at home with their mothers and America is infected with the “Deadbeat Dad Syndrome.” These are just mere examples of the decaying circle in which holds the family together.
When I was a little girl, I can remember always praying in school; before class started. We prayed in school and it instills in us the honor and dedication, in which we need as adults. Now, prayer has been taken out of school we can see the problems that has come from it. Teachers get no respect from their students unless they come from religious home and children are carrying guns to school. It was a darkened day in history when prayer was taken out of school. They took God out and let the devil in. It is our children that are under attach and influenced with the devilish deeds, in which breeds in public schools. Years ago, when prayer was in school we learned at a young age to love and respect. Now days, children respect no one and I question whether they are truly able to love.
Locone (2004) stated, “Freedom is not doing what we want; freedom is doing after reflection, what we know we ought to do.” In today’s society, people are more worried about being “politically correct” instead of really standing up for what is right and just. The lack of honor and moral virtue in this country is unimaginable. On one hand, we sit back and while our God given heritage is being stripped from us and on the other; the we expect homosexuality into our society. We know it is wrong but we except it. Politician no longer stand for moral virtue and honor. They are strictly vote driven and could careless about the dissipation of religious structure in America. However, it was religion that made this country strong.
The misuse of the First Amendment is very bothersome to me. The thought, in which, our military troops can not pray, in the name of Jesus; is very disturbing to me. Military Chaplin’s can longer pray with the troops and say out loud, “in the name of Jesus.” All of these young boys going to fight in a war, in which we should not be in; I might add and are unable to pray out loud in the Name of Jesus.
Imagine you are a young boy out of high school and you joined the military in-order to fight for the country you love. Suddenly, with out notice you are awakened during the night with the news of your departure. Knowing you will be fighting on the frontline by morning, shaken and scared you get dressed, as your hands shake uncountable at the attempt of tying the military issued steal toe boots. You look around knowing this could be the last time all of your friends will be alive and together. While, looking and etching all of their faces into your mind an uncontrollable urge to pray to your lord and savior has engulfs every fiber of your being. Now, on one knee praying for protection for you and your friends but you can not finish the prayer in the name of Jesus. For the most part, the name refrain is to keep other religions from being offended. Different cultures and religions make this country great; however, we should stand true to our heritage and the religion that made this country strong.
I sit with wonder how long can this country can function without the fundamentals of religious structure. Our for-fathers recognized the vital role, in which God and religion provided in the achievement of this countries success. As we clearly see, when we take God out we let the Devil in. This is prevalent in the continuing elimination of religious structure, as well as; religious references to God. It is due to the misinterpretation of the First Amendment that has allowed for the God stripping uproar to happen and it is wrong.
All we have to do is look around in our everyday lives, in-order to realize the depletion in religious structure, as well as the moral standards, in which we Americans pride ourselves on. Our entertainment contains sexuality, murders, adultery, obscene immoral acts and we welcome it every time the television is on. Divorce rates are at an all time high, church attendance are at a all time low and the amount of murders committed by children are appalling.
Until we have honorable trustworthy men and women to stand on the hill and proclaim our right to religious heritage, in which this country was founded upon. Nothing will change. We have to think outside the box and be willing to be politically incorrect, in-order for the issues to change. If we let them take God out of this country; who do you think will be welcomed in? There are debates whether to take, “In God we Trust,” of our money. This is just another plan in the diminishment of our religious heritage. The misuse of the First Amendment has allowed the judicial system to make attacks on America’s foundation. If we allow for the strikes against our founding foundation to happen, soon, the structure in which we know it will cave in causing religious destruction. As foundations to all things, it has to be cared for and mended or we fall in the path of destruction. America’s religious foundation is a stake; our religious heritage is at risk and in the path of elimination.
We as American need to stand up; for what is right and just. No longer, do we need to turn a blind eye to the diminishment of our God given heritage. How long can this nation endure with out religious structure? Are we permitting the denial of God, by not standing up for what is right?
References:
Novak, M. (2006, November 6). Faith and the American: Illustrating Religion’s Influence. Retrieved June 17,2007 from The Heritage Foundation.
http://www.heritage.org
Loconte, J. (2005, September 26). Why Religious Values Support American values.
Retrieved June 17,2007 from The Heritage Foundation.
http://www.heritage.org/
Dreisbach, D. (2006 June 23). The Mythical "Wall of Separation": How a Misused Metaphor Changed Church–State Law, Policy, and Discourse.
Retrieved June 17,2007 from the Heritage Foundation.
http://www.heritage.org/
Novak, M. (2006, November 6). Faith and the American: Illustrating Religion’s Influence. Retrieved June 17,2007 from The Heritage Foundation.
http://www.heritage.org
Novak looked deep into our religious foundation; while, explaining our Judaism and Christianity roots.
Thank you,
Tiffoney Greene
1470 River Run Rd
Selma nc 27576
919-325-5196
‘
‘
