A Nation's Regress

In a recent poll, it appears that this generation of Americans have a new view about religion, Christianity in particular. They now believe that it is good for them, that America is a Christian nation, but that it should play only a small role in the running of the nation.

America is the only nation in the world to have been formed by Christian men, with Christian foundations for a Christian nation. That it has fallen to only giving their nation's premise a sense of lip service is nothing short of a joke, if not the laughingstock of the world, that a nation could so flatly push off the forces that created it, let it survive, and give it power. For it was this unity that allowed it to pull through many tribulations, from a revolution to civil war.

A look at the annals by Polybius, The Histories, brings us a valuable insight into why Rome, and many other republics, fell: The eponymous "corruption of customs". Rome fell because of the corruption of its constitution.

The problem was similar for America. Its founders knew that a brilliant constitution would not save them from corruption. Rome was one of the greatest constitutions ever known, but it fell. So how could they keep America from falling similarly?

Was it the concept of democracy? Definitely not. Even the great American founder John Adams said that "there was never a democracy that did not commit suicide". Definitely not a nice way of putting democracy's chances of saving a nation.

Was it humanism and the efforts of man and the constitution? Most certainly not, as it was already proven then, and even more so now, that man left to his own devices would subvert his own system.

Those who created America, however, had a solution to it: They would combine 3 aspects that they believed would save them: Liberty, Virtue and Religion/Faith, three interdependent, interlocking values.

For liberty had to be paired with virtue, so it would not be subverted by the lack thereof, virtue needed faith, for they believed that God was the giver of the absolute moral law, as recorded in the Bible. Also, faith needed liberty. After all, you must be at liberty to do anything, to do anything.

Also, they believed in an unimposed Christianity that would flourish by their faith, and go form strength to strength. They knew all too well that once a religion like theirs became established and imposed, it could all too easily repeat the tragedy of the Crusades, through which, counter-posed to the actual nature of Christianity, was used for conquest, furthering of ambition, and the spilling of enough blood to fill the sea.

Another irony is that this point is sorely missed by skeptics who would question the Christian on such a basis. Possibly because if they argued from a standpoint of historicity it would be tantamount to climbing a steep slope under heavy fire.

It has been said that it is after war that people become disillusioned, that it is during peace time that people become complacent, and that it is when conflicts begin brewing again when these same people will no longer have any more answers, let alone know what to do.

And lo and behold, America has indeed changed. Far from being a nation in which God was fundamental, and the state government is marginal, now the government and the people are fundamental, and God is made second fiddle, or else not included.

And now, the God that the founding fathers believed in is being made to play second fiddle once again, to something a lot more like that of the French during their anarchic revolution: God aside, Power to the People!

And what was the result of the French Revolution? A godless bloodbath, nothing less.

The idea that "we must save ourselves", and the suggestion that there is a better idea, is nothing but a valiant attempt to block out the facts, if modern society reflects anything about our current state.

The world without any moral law (save what we give ourselves), if not fallen enough already, is on a downward spiral towards insanity.

All kinds of sexual inclinations, so long blocked out in America by its Christ-based constitution, are now rampant, accepted, and worst of all, promoted.

The media and pop culture have also been infused with so much secularised thought that it is almost inevitable that even pop groups go on a downspiral (look at the Black Eyed Peas, and see how much "Don't Phunk with My Heart" is such a far cry from "Where is the Love?"

As to the democracy, it was also written by Polybius that,

"When a commonwealth, after warding off many great dangers, has arrived at a high pitch of prosperity and undisputed power ... the manner of life of its citizens will become more extravagant; and that the rivalry for office, and in other spheres of activity, will become fiercer than it ought to be. And as this state of things goes on more and more ... this will prove the beginning of a deterioration."

Sounds like America? It sounds like the world anyway. Worse, Polybius didn't say it all.

The average person does not have to look hard for depravity. Just a quick look on the internet, or a look around his or her school campus would speak volumes already.

Ironically enough, people such as the founding fathers of America such as John Adams, American presidents such as Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan. Even more amusing to note is that we don't see so much of this talk anymore.

People like CS Lewis (Men Without Chests) and Muggeridge, and from Russia, more recently, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, also warned us of the dangers of godlessness and the lack of moral fibre.

And now can America, weakened as it is by the influences of secularisation, pluralisation, among other things, say with confidence: In God We Trust?

Even now, they put their faith instead on the people, a highly volatile authority, and easily swayed by current events, national illusion or disillusionment and by the charisma of men and women who have the proverbial "three inches of immortal tongue", and on secular authority.

The issue of religion however, is left at this : "Yes, religion and God is rather good to change people's moral values, and we think it has been pushed away too much, but we don't want it imposed on us either. And yes, America is a Christian nation...but oh no, no thanks, we don't want God in our politics and our laws, thanks."

It really leaves one to think "What God?"

And why America? Why did I pick them to hit all of a sudden? Because it is the greater tragedy when something at the height of its power falls.

I'm not carthartic though.

Source: http://pewforum.org/docs/index.php?DocID=153