The American Dream

It is astounding to me that when tragedy strikes on American soil, we as a united people shout "Why God why? God help us! Where was God when this happened?"  It has been unsettling to me as a follower of Christ and child of our wonderful God to listen to the blame cast upon our Savior for not delivering us from calamity.  When will WE, as a united people step up and make a change?

Initially, The American Dream was to build a nation founded on Biblical principals with God at the center of freedom.  Our Founding Fathers, men of faith, clearly stated this in the Declaration of Independence:

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

In plain terms, The United States of America was formed as a symbol of peace, prosperity and freedom so long as we kept God at the center of our dealings.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

America was created to be a place in which we were free to worship our wonderful Creator.  A nation that would welcome men, women and children seeking to escape tyranny, persecution and terror.

That said, when tragedy strikes, as a people, we wonder "Where is God? Why didn't God do something?"  We blame God for letting this happen, but we as a people have banned God from the public sector.

Only 5 short years after establishing the Declaration of Independence, the people demanded a clause be put in, also known as the First Amendment.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

Instead of our country focusing on one God, THE God, we allowed for religion to overtake our newly formed nation. We opened the door, wide, for idolatry, paganism, atheism and a wealth of other religion into our "free country".

We have slowly begun removing God from the public sector and society. Some, but not all, Freedom of Religion Laws passed through Congress based on The First Amendment are outlined below:

1962: prayer was removed from public schools
1963: Bible readings were banned from public schools
1980: the 10 commandments were removed from public areas
1992: members of the clergy were banned from speaking at public high school graduations
2000: starting football games with prayer was banned
The pledge of allegiance is now optional

In the place of God, our society has been infiltrated by many false gods. Some of these gods may consist of, but are not limited to:

• Food
• Substances (drugs, alcohol, nicotine)
• Mental illnesses (bipolar disease, schizophrenia)
• Pornography
• Money

Dream with me for a moment... What if our country went back to its roots? Imagine a nation governed by the 10 commandments, not the 10 amendments.

1. No other gods before me-- but we have freedom of religion (allowing false gods)
2. No idols-- porn, sex, violence, drugs, alcohol, money, etc run rampant today
3. Don't take the name of the Lord in vain-- OMG! (we forget who HE is)
4. Remember the Sabbath (take a day to rest)-- yeah right "there's too much to do!"
5. Honor your mother and father-- but they are so "old school"; they don't know how things are today
6. Do not kill-- But wait, we have the right to bear arms. hmmm....
7. Don't commit adultery-- Media says it's okay though; actors/actresses in the movies are having sex outside of marriage
8. Do not steal-- but I'll never be able to afford that, and I deserve it!
9. Be honest-- oh, but that won't get me anywhere in life. I have to look out for number #1
10. Don't covet- but what I have isn't good enough. I want bigger, better, faster, shinier...

It is almost comical when something catastrophic like Columbine, 9/11 or the Aurora Shooting happens and we ask "where is God?"  Well, people, He is right here waiting.  Waiting for us to turn back to Him.  He promised many years ago to never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5)  But have we done the same in return?

The time is now.  Before it's too late, we need to come together and repent of our wrongs.  "God, deliver us!"  We should be welcoming Him back into society, not shutting Him out more.  Our country is in a serious healing crisis; an epidemic of evil, if you will.  It is my hope and prayer that we will become more proactive instead of reactive.

We are flawed in thinking that we don't have any power over what's happening in society.  So often, we operate out of fear.  God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. ~2 Timothy 1:7  So, let's go make a change! To quote Nicole C. Mullen, "Can I get a witness?!"

"Hope. It is more powerful than fear." ~ President Snow of the Hunger Games
"If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten." ~ Anthony Robbins

A revival is awakening! Let's not be left out.