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FORSAKEN ROOTS OF AMERICA
Did you know that 52 signers of the Declaration of Independence were Bible Believers and possessed membership in establish religious institutions? The other three all were believers in the Bible as the Divine Truth, the God of scripture and His personal intervention.
This same Congress formed the American Bible Society. Immediately after creating the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress voted to purchase 20,000 copies of scripture for the people of this nation.
Patrick Henry said, “An appeal to arms and the God of hosts is all that is left us. But we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God that presides over the destinies of all nations. The battle sir, is not to the strong alone. Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but give me liberty, or give me death.” Much of the above statement has been deleted from our school text books.
Was Patrick Henry a Christian? The following year, 1779, he wrote this: “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded freedom of worship here.”
Consider these words that Thomas Jefferson wrote on the front of his well-worn Bible: “I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus. I have little doubt that our whole country will soon be rallied to the unity of our Creator and, I hope. to the pure doctrine of Jesus also.”
Was George Washington a Christian? Consider these words from his personal prayer book: “Oh, eternal and everlasting God direct my thoughts, words and work. Wash away my sins in the immaculate blood of the Lamb and purge my sins in the immaculate blood of the Lamb and purge my heart by the Holy Spirit. Daily, frame me more and more in the likeness of thy Son, Jesus Christ. That living in thy fear, and dying in thy favor, I may in Thy appointed time obtain the resurrection of the justified unto eternal life. Bless, O Lord, the whole race of mankind and let the world be filled with the knowledge of Thee and thy Son, Jesus Christ.”
John Adams our second President, who also served as chairman of the American Bible Society, in an address to military leaders said, “We have no government armed with the power capable of contending with human passions, unbridled by morality and true religion. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
Our first Supreme Court Justice, John Jay said, “Providence has given to our people their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest pf our Christian Nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.”
John Quincy Adams, son of John Adams, was the sixth U.S. President. He was also the Chairman of the American Bible Society, which he considered his highest and most important role. On July 4, 1821, President Adams said, “The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: It connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.”
In 1782, the United States Congress voted this resolution: “The Congress of the United States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools.”
Of the first 108 universities founded in America, 106 were distinctly Christian, including the first, Harvard University, chartered in 1636. In original Harvard Student Handbook, rule number 1 was that students seeking entrance must know Latin and Greek so that they could study the scriptures: “Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his life and studies is, to know God and Jesus Christ, which is eternal life. (John 17:3); and therefore to lay Jesus Christ as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning. And seeing the Lord only giveth wisdom, let everyone seriously set himself by prayer in secret to seek it of Him (Proverbs2:3).” For over 100 years, more than 50% of all Harvard graduates were preachers!
It is clear from history that the Bible and the Christian faith were foundational to our educational and judicial system. However, in 1947, there was a radical change of direction for the Supreme Court, ignoring every precedent of Supreme Court ruling for the past 160 years. The Supreme Court ruled in a limited way to affirm a wall of separation between church and state in the public classroom.
This event led to the removing prayer from public schools in 1962. In 1963, the Supreme Court ruled that Bible reading was unconstitutional in the public school system. The court said, “If portions of the New Testament were read without explanation, they could have been psychologically harmful to children.” Bible reading was now unconstitutional, though the Bible was quoted 94 percent of the time by those who wrote our Constitution and shaped our Nation and its system of education, lust ice, and government. In 1965, the courts denied as unconstitutional the right of a student in the public school cafeteria to bow his head and pray audibly for his food. In 1980, Stone vs. Graham outlawed the Ten Commandments in public schools. The Supreme Court said, “If the posted copies of the Ten Commandments were to have any effect at all, it would be to induce school children to read them. And if they read them, mediated upon them, and perhaps venerated and obeyed them, this is not a permissible objective.”
It is not a permissible objective to allow our children to follow the moral principles of the Ten Commandments? James Madison, the primary author of the Constitution of the United States, said this: “We have staked the whole future of our new nation, not upon the power of government; far from it. We have staked the future of all our political constitutions upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments.”
How can God bless a nation that has departed so far from HIM? Most of what you are reading in this article has been erased from our public school text books. Revisionists have rewritten history to remove the truth about our country’s Christian roots.
You are encouraged to share this with others, so that the truth of our nation’s history will be passed on to our children and grandchildren.
INDEED; “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” (Psalms 33:12)
From Pilgrim Tract Society
May 27, 2008
glclair@aol.com
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MEMORIAL DAY
Memorial Day is much more than a three-day weekend that marks the beginning of summer. To many people, especially the nation's thousands of combat veterans, this day, which has a history stretching back all the way to the Civil War, is an important reminder of those who died in the service of their country.
--Via www.history.com
Approximate American Battle Deaths: American Revolution (1775-1783), 4,435; War of 1812 (1812-1815), 2,260; Mexican War (1846-1848), 1,733; Civil War (1861-1865)—Union, 140,414; Confederate, 74.524; Spanish American War (April 25-August 12, 1898), 385; WWI (1914-1918), 53,402; WWII (1939-1945), 291,557; Korean War (1950-1953), 33,741; Viet Nam (1954-1975), 47,424; Persian Gulf (1990-1991), 147; War on Terrorism (Oct. 7, 2001 continuing)—Afghanistan, 450; Iraq, 4000+. (Stats from www.history,com)
Parents would do well to help their children understand something of the real meaning of Memorial Day and to realize that our freedom is not free.
For Christians, there is another memorial day. We observe it weekly, on the first day of the week. (I Cor. 11:23-34; Acts 20:7).
In the national Memorial Day we pay tribute to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice that has made possible, not only our own freedom here, but has also helped to deliver many in other countries from the high hand of tyranny and oppression.
In this weekly Memorial Day we pay tribute to Him “who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age…” Galatians 1:4, “who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil world, according to the will of our God and Father:” ASV
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THE HOLOCAUST:
WHY DID IT HAPPEN?
by Wayne Jackson
Not long ago the Holocaust Memorial Museum was dedicated in Washington, D.C. The museum is supposed to be a reminder of the six million Jews (and others) who were exterminated at the behest of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi henchmen during World War II. Civilized men lament the Holocaust (1933-1945) as one of the darkest eras of modern history. There is, however, almost a conspiracy of historical silence in that few journalists care to reflect upon just why Hitler and his associates perpetrated that infamous evil. What was the motive that fired the lunacy of the Fuhrer's ambitions? The grim truth is, there is a direct connection between the Holocaust and the teachings of Charles Darwin and his dogma of biological evolution.
Beginning with the Writings of Darwin
In 1859 Charles Darwin published his revolutionary book, The Origin of Species. Actually, the full title of the work is: The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or, The Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life. In this book, the author contended that higher levels of biological existence are attained as the strong eliminate the weak in the struggle for survival. Subsequently, Darwin produced yet another work. The Descent of Man (1871), in which he wrote even more explicitly:
With savages, the weak in body or mind are soon eliminated: and those that survive commonly exhibit a vigorous state
of health. We civilized men, on the other hand, do our utmost to check the process of elimination; we build asylums for
the imbecile, the maimed, and the sick; we institute poor laws; and our medical men exert their utmost skill to save the
life of every one to the last moment. There is reason to believe that vaccination has preserved thousands, who from a
weak constitution would formerly have succumbed to small-pox. Thus the weak members of civilized societies propa- gate their kind.No one who has attended to the breeding of domestic animals will doubt that this must be highly injurious
to the race of man [Darwin, 1872, p. 130, emp. added].
Carried Forth by Nietzsche
Darwin's influence was tremendous and his ideas were applied to many areas of life. One of his admirers was Freidrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), a German philosopher. Nietzsche took the famous naturalist's reasoning to what he felt was its logical conclusion: he longed to see the development of a "super race," and he felt that such could be achieved only by the extinction of inferior races and individuals.
Nietzsche was a vigorous opponent of Christian morality, which he knew fostered support for the weak. One historian has written that Nietzsche's cardinal idea was "the notion that natural selection should be permitted to operate unhindered in the case of human beings as it does with plants and animals." However, he believed:
. . . before any such process of natural selection could operate, religious obstacles would have to be removed. Nietzsche
therefore demanded that the moral supremacy of Christianity and Judaism should be overthrown (Burns, 1963, p. 809).
He argued that the preservation of sick and suffering people contributed to the deterioration of the race (Flewelling, 1946, p. 423). In 1888 the German philosopher lapsed into a state of complete insanity,which continued until his death in 1900. (Had his views been practically applied to him, he would have been eliminated at that point.)
Unfortunately, Nietzsche's ideas did not die with him. His views, coupled with the earlier notions of Johann Fichte (1762-1814---who argued that the Germans were a superior race destined to assume leadership of the civilized world---provided the philosophical basis for Hitler's policy which was implemented in the Holocaust.
Culminated in Hitler
Adolf Hitler was born in 1889. His childhood was an unhappy one. Early in life he was undisciplined and rebellious. Hitler fought in the German army during Word War I (1914-1918), and was twice decorated. In 1920 he joined the German Workers' party which eventually evolved into the Nazi party. Adolf Hitler was a skillful manipulator of men and he gradually began to gain power. In 1923 he attempted to incite a revolution. The rebellion was foiled and he was sentenced to five years in prison. While there, Hitler began the composition of his famous book Mein Kampf (My Struggle). In this wretched volume the mad ruler set forth his views regarding the future of Germany. He believed that the German people were the highest species on earth. Germans must be kept pure, he argued, so that German children would be "images of the Lord and not monstrosities halfway between man and ape" (Jenks, 1979, p. 238). He felt that if the Jews were allowed to mingle with the superior species, it would render futile "an evolutionary higher stage of being" (Clark, 1967, p. 115). When Hitler came into full power in the early 1930's, his beliefs were politically and militarily set into motion.
Though one hears precious little about it these days, careful scholars have not altogether ignored the connection between Hitler's holocaustic policies and the evolutionary philosophy which the Fuhrer had adopted. In his monumental work, William Shirer asked:
[W]here did Hitler get his ideas? . . . he had somehow absorbed, as had so many Germans, a weird mixture of the irrespon-
sible megalomanical ideas which erupted from German thinkers during the nineteenth century.
Shirer goes on to mention by name such men as Fichte, Hegel (who inspired Marx and Lenin)), Treitschke, Nietzsche and Richard Wagner, the composer (1960, p. 97).
Hitler almost idolized Nietzsche. He frequently visited the Nietzsche Museum in Weimar "and publicized his veneration for the philosopher by posing for photographs of himself staring in rapture at the bust of the great man" (Shirer, p. 100). It has also been shown that Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919), an evolutionary biologist contemporary with Darwin, was the man who introduced evolutionary concepts into German intellectual life, and thus he significantly helped to shape Hitler's twisted thinking (Morris, 1989, pp. 72-74).
Sir Arthur Keith was one of Great Britain's leading evolutionary anthropologists in the mid-1900's. In one of his popular books he conceded:
The German Fuhrer, as I have consistently maintained, is an evolutionist: he has consciously sought to make the practices
of German conform to the theory of evolution [1947, p. 230].
Dr. Robert E.D. Clark has noted:
Adolf Hitler's mind was captivated by evolutionary teaching---probably since the time he was a boy. Evolutionary ideas---quite undisguised---lie at the basis of all that is worst in Mein Kampf---and in his public speeches [1967, p. 115].
Dr. Edward Simpson, an evolutionary professor of biology at Purdue University, while attempting to weaken the association between Darwinism and the Holocaust, nonetheless confessed:
I don't claim that Darwin and his theory of evolution brought on the holocaust; but I cannot deny that the theory of evolution,
and the atheism it engendered, led to the moral climate that made a holocaust possible [1983, p. 248].
Conclusion
In all the media attention that has been given to the Holocaust over the past several years, this writer has not seem a solitary line from the popular press addressing the philosophical foundation upon which Nazism was based. Why has no consideration been given to the ideological factors that spawned the horrible tragedy of the Holocaust? The answer is simple. Modern journalists are intimidated by and/or enamored with the Darwinean hypothesis. They thus refuse to acknowledge the connection between the seed and the fruit. But the association is historically undeniable. We might do well to reflect upon the words of George Santayana: "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to relive it."
References
Burns, Edward McNall (1963), Western Civilizations---Their History and Their Culture (New York: W.W. Norton Co., 6th Edition).
Clark, Robert E.D. (1967, Darwin: Before and After (Chicago: Moody).
Darwin, Charles (1872), The Descent of Man (New York: Rand, McNally & Co., 2nd Edition).
Flewelling, Ralph Tyler (1946), The Things That Matter Most (New York: The Ronald Press Co.).
Jenks, William A. (1979), "Adolph Hitler," World Book Encyclopedia (Chicago: World Book---Childcraft, International. Inc.), Vol. 9.
Keith, Arthur (1947), Evolution and Ethics (Evolution and Ethics (New York: Putnam).
Morris, Henry M. (1989), The Long War Against God (Grand Rapids: Baker).
Shirer, William L. (1960), The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (New York: Simon & Schuster).
Simpson, Edward (1983), "Another Side to the Evolution Problem," Jewish Press, January 7.
"Investigating Faith, Ethics, And Religious Doctrine"
Merced church of Christ
East Main church of Christ
(from The Restorer, March / April 1998)
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PREJUDICES
by Kerry Sword
In Christ there is no difference between Jew and Greek; bond {slave ESV Edsel} or free; male or female; all are to be one in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:28). Yet with such obvious differences as race, color and background, there sometimes arises prejudices among people. Not long ago in Kiev there was the celebration of victory over Germany. Many photos were placed throughout the city to bring people into remembrance of the atrocities of Hitler. Throughout the Bible we see the hatred that developed between various nations. The Jewish nation was no exception to this. The hatred that the Jews had toward the Samaritans was no secret. When Jesus told the story of what is called the "Parable of the Good Samaritan" there is no doubt, but that some did not like the implications of His message. These extremes of prejudices are just out growths of prejudices that start at some point in a persons life.
What is God's answer to feeling of prejudice that we may develop towards others? First of all, we learn from the Bible that all people, regardless of color, originated from the same ancestor. By blood we are a world wide family. As a family, we have the same Father in heaven. It is believed by some that the differences in color arose by an isolation of certain gene pools. However difficult it is to find the reason for the differences in skin color among people, it is not difficult to see how that people isolated from others through the centuries could develop differently. Yet if we take the time to get to know people of different backgrounds, we may come to discover that they are much like us in many ways.
Another point that we need to consider is that the race differences are a part of God's plan for man. With corruption in the world it was necessary for God to divide people by changing their language at the tower of Babel. This was good in the sense that there would never again be a collective apostasy by the people of the world as in the days of Noah. God also chose a man of great faith through which He could bless the world. To preserve His faith until the Christ should come, God built a barrier around the nation of Israel and the Gentile world. In Ephesians 2:14 we are told that this, "wall of partition" was taken away. It would take a miracle to convince Peter of this fact, but finally he came to the conclusion that, "...God is no respecter of person; but in every nation he that feareth Him and worketh righteousness is acceptable to Him" (cf. Acts 10:34, 35). With God there is no bias towards a person's race, color, wealth or poverty. As Paul declares in Romans 2:11, "There is no respect of persons with God."
Consider the attitude that Jesus expects us to have toward others of a different race or color. He said, "Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so ye also do unto them: for this is the law and the prophets" (Matt. 7:12). This law was not given to the Jewish people alone, but for men of every nation. It is the "golden rule" of how we are to treat others. We do not want others to be prejudiced towards us, but rather show kindness, consideration, fairness and mercy. If this is what we desire from others is it not just that we should show these good attitudes towards others? It is obvious from the words of Jesus that much of our judgment on the last day will be determined by how we have treated others in this life. (cf. Matt. 25:31-46).
May God help us all to see beyond the exterior and observe the spiritual truths of life. When we do, we will rid ourselves from the bondage of prejudice that seeks to destroy our souls. Someone once said, "If we cannot learn to love others of a different color in this world, we will not be given the opportunity to love them in the world to come." Consider these thoughts and examine your attitude toward others.
Merced church of Christ
(from West Visalia Bulletin, August 1996)
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A TIME FOR WAR
by Barry M. Grider
God has ordained three institutions to benefit mankind: the home, the church, and the nation. Each serves a particular role and each functions differently. For example, Jesus said, "But I say unto you, that ye {you Edsel} resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee {you Edsel} on thy {your Edsel} right cheek, turn to him the other also" (Matt. 5:39). This is a kingdom principle. It involves personal relationships and the reaction of the one wronged to the one who has wronged him. However, this principle does not apply to parents and children in the home. If a child "backtalks" his parents, should mom and dad just "turn the other cheek"? Absolutely not! God demands that we correct our children (Prov. 29:17). The use of military force is proper for civil government, however, it is not right for the church to "evangelize" by military force (2 Cor. 10:4).
So while each of the institutions are different, they all serve a unique purpose which is ordained by God. He has principles by which he expects nations to abide. The responsibility of the government is to regulate its own behavior and that of its citizenry in accordance with the principles of the Word of God. "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach unto any people" (Prov. 14:34).
While America suffers with moral decay, I submit our form of government is still the best on earth. Remember, we can still worship God freely, without fear of being persecuted. The terms, liberty, freedom, and justice are synonymous with America. These words are also very biblical. In the year of Jubilee, God told Moses, ". . .proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof. . ." (Lev. 25:11). Paul wrote, "stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. . ." (Gal. 5:1). Listen to the Psalmist, "Justice and judgement are the habitation of thy throne. . ." (Psm. 89:14). For these terms to have been the bedrock of our system of government, our founders must have known something about the Bible.
What ought to be the Christians' attitude toward civil government? Notice the following passage,
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves
damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is
good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil,
be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth
evil. (Rom. 13:1-4).
Verse one: God allows those who sit in positions of authority to do so (Dan. 5:32).
Verse two: When government acts in accordance with what is right I must submit or else I rebel against God.
Verse three: Rulers who abide by God's Principles for the nations, protect the good.
Verse four: Rulers have the right to use force against those who do evil.
Considering the grave conditions of our world today, let us be thankful to live in America and let us support our President and our troops against tyranny, oppression, and terrorism. It is a time to be patriotic, to be prayerful, and to proclaim truth and right through our speech and in our lives.
-Merced Church of Christ
(from The Forest Hill News, April 2003)
April26, 2008
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Consider Magazine is an independent work by Garreth L. Clair
Garreth has over 50 years experience as a preacher, and is currently the preacher for the church that meets at 4840 Cemetery Road, in Hilliard OH.
http://www.cemeteryroadchurchofchrist.org/
Copyright 2005, All Rights Reserved. (Please contact us for permission to reprint.)
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