Bonnie Alba
National Prayer Day - - America, a Christian nation?
By Bonnie Alba
This week millions of Americans will attend public breakfasts-luncheons or evening services across America to honor God. This year's theme is "A Mighty Fortress is our God" from Psalm 91:2, "I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."
It is ironic that, at the same time, our Christian spiritual heritage is being chipped away, little by little, to be remembered no more. Note: On April 14th, a federal appeals court ruled that the National Day of Prayer is legitimate, ordering that a lawsuit (Freedom from Religion Foundation) claiming the event is unconstitutional be dismissed.
Was our nation Christian from the beginning? If so, are we still a Christian nation today?
Many modernists and scholars argue that America was never a Christian nation and was totally secular from the beginning. This is the lie being perpetuated by history revisionists and taught in our public schools today. Those of us who still remember and have studied historic writings know the truth, but our children and grandchildren are taught a revised history. Modern curriculum omits God, His providence and the founders' historical spiritual expression from our nation's establishment.
In 1831, a French statesman-historian, Alexis de Tocqueville, toured America and wrote what is still described as "the most comprehensive and penetrating analysis of the relationship between character and society in America..." A few of his observations:
"Religion in America...must be regarded as the foremost of the political institutions of that country...."
About the innumerable Christian sects existing in the U.S., he noted that... "each sect adores the Deity in its own peculiar manner, but all sects preach the same moral law in the name of God...Moreover, all the sects of the United States are comprised within the great unity of Christianity, and Christian morality is everywhere the same."
"In the United States the sovereign authority is religious,...there is no country in the world where the Christian religion retains a greater influence over the souls of men than in America, and there can be no greater proof of its utility and of its conformity to human nature than that its influence is powerfully felt over the most enlightened and free nation of the earth."
In modern, enlightened America, there is a distinct movement to disinherit our Christian heritage, separating religion from our American character, our national soul, if you will. Organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union and others have effectively influenced the courts and the judiciary eliminating God from public view only to be exhibited on Sabbath days.
Direct and indirect results are obvious in the disintegration of morality and knowledge of God. And we have only to scan the media — newspapers, TV, movies, and internet — to see the depths of depravity to which we have fallen. The rising tsunami of immorality spreading across our nation threatens our liberty, our freedom, our security, and our national soul.
On Patriotism, Tocqueville noted: "Americans combine the notions of Christianity and liberty so intimately in their minds, that it is impossible to make them conceive the one without the other....Christianity is the companion of liberty in all its conflicts — the cradle of its infancy, and the divine source of its claims." Without God, there is no liberty.
We saw America's slumbering patriotism awaken after 9/11 with the explosion of people across our nation falling to their knees, tears streaming, crying out to God. Overnight Old Glory flew from flag poles and the red-white-and-blue graced millions of homes, schools, and workplaces across the country. "God Bless America" was heard and painted on signs hung everywhere. Millions prayed.
Christians have not ceased praying since 9/11 for our leaders, our people and troops, our nation, and for our enemies. We pray for God's Spirit to bring a revival across our land and push back the darkness from those blinded to His Truth. Our spiritual soul is alive and well.
History writers may revise history, atheists may drive Christians into the closet, and people may choose to ignore God. But the strong ties of Christianity and liberty that bound the early settlers, the founding fathers, the people and their reliance on God will not die. Parents and churches, who are the keepers of America's spiritual heritage, will pass it on to future generations.
As we eat together, may our focus be on God, our repentance and His forgiveness, His providence and His continued blessings on our nation.
Pray for America!
© Bonnie Alba
May 5, 2011
This week millions of Americans will attend public breakfasts-luncheons or evening services across America to honor God. This year's theme is "A Mighty Fortress is our God" from Psalm 91:2, "I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."
It is ironic that, at the same time, our Christian spiritual heritage is being chipped away, little by little, to be remembered no more. Note: On April 14th, a federal appeals court ruled that the National Day of Prayer is legitimate, ordering that a lawsuit (Freedom from Religion Foundation) claiming the event is unconstitutional be dismissed.
Was our nation Christian from the beginning? If so, are we still a Christian nation today?
Many modernists and scholars argue that America was never a Christian nation and was totally secular from the beginning. This is the lie being perpetuated by history revisionists and taught in our public schools today. Those of us who still remember and have studied historic writings know the truth, but our children and grandchildren are taught a revised history. Modern curriculum omits God, His providence and the founders' historical spiritual expression from our nation's establishment.
In 1831, a French statesman-historian, Alexis de Tocqueville, toured America and wrote what is still described as "the most comprehensive and penetrating analysis of the relationship between character and society in America..." A few of his observations:
"Religion in America...must be regarded as the foremost of the political institutions of that country...."
About the innumerable Christian sects existing in the U.S., he noted that... "each sect adores the Deity in its own peculiar manner, but all sects preach the same moral law in the name of God...Moreover, all the sects of the United States are comprised within the great unity of Christianity, and Christian morality is everywhere the same."
"In the United States the sovereign authority is religious,...there is no country in the world where the Christian religion retains a greater influence over the souls of men than in America, and there can be no greater proof of its utility and of its conformity to human nature than that its influence is powerfully felt over the most enlightened and free nation of the earth."
In modern, enlightened America, there is a distinct movement to disinherit our Christian heritage, separating religion from our American character, our national soul, if you will. Organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union and others have effectively influenced the courts and the judiciary eliminating God from public view only to be exhibited on Sabbath days.
Direct and indirect results are obvious in the disintegration of morality and knowledge of God. And we have only to scan the media — newspapers, TV, movies, and internet — to see the depths of depravity to which we have fallen. The rising tsunami of immorality spreading across our nation threatens our liberty, our freedom, our security, and our national soul.
On Patriotism, Tocqueville noted: "Americans combine the notions of Christianity and liberty so intimately in their minds, that it is impossible to make them conceive the one without the other....Christianity is the companion of liberty in all its conflicts — the cradle of its infancy, and the divine source of its claims." Without God, there is no liberty.
We saw America's slumbering patriotism awaken after 9/11 with the explosion of people across our nation falling to their knees, tears streaming, crying out to God. Overnight Old Glory flew from flag poles and the red-white-and-blue graced millions of homes, schools, and workplaces across the country. "God Bless America" was heard and painted on signs hung everywhere. Millions prayed.
Christians have not ceased praying since 9/11 for our leaders, our people and troops, our nation, and for our enemies. We pray for God's Spirit to bring a revival across our land and push back the darkness from those blinded to His Truth. Our spiritual soul is alive and well.
History writers may revise history, atheists may drive Christians into the closet, and people may choose to ignore God. But the strong ties of Christianity and liberty that bound the early settlers, the founding fathers, the people and their reliance on God will not die. Parents and churches, who are the keepers of America's spiritual heritage, will pass it on to future generations.
As we eat together, may our focus be on God, our repentance and His forgiveness, His providence and His continued blessings on our nation.
Pray for America!
© Bonnie Alba
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