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Share The SolutionReal men love Jesus. That
is the solution. Period. This Page Last Updated 08/10/2014
Not an NRA Member? Shame on you! We would not even be having this conversation on the topic of gun rights in America if it wasn't for the hard work and dedication of the National Rifle Association. You say that you don't have the money??? An Associate Membership (no magazine) is just $10.00 per year, that's less than three cents (-$0.03) each day. Before you do anything else, do your duty and support the NRA through your membership. JOIN THE NRA TODAY. You can save $10.00 on a regular annual membership by using the link I've just provided, making it just $25.00. JOIN TODAY. Bookmarked Subjects On This Page:
The owner, author, publisher and founder of www.SaveTheGuns.com is a descendent of William Brewster who was the pastor and religious leader of the Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620. It seems as though some of the preacher's blood still runs in my veins. This page does sound a little preachy but maybe that is what we need today. The freedom of choice that was bought by the sacrifices of the founders of the United States is being taken for granted today. Your freedom to choose your lifestyle should be constrained by moral and religious values. Sure, we have freedom and personal liberty in the United States, but it does not mean that you have no higher responsibility to the American people to make good choices. The level of freedom and personal liberty that is enjoyed by all Americans, must be constrained by religious and moral values. Freedom, without moral values can be a very dangerous combination. Let me quote, "We have no
government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled
by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and
religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any
other." Identifying the causes and factors regarding violent armed criminal activity should be the first step in determining what the solutions should be. It's my sincere belief that the most major problems in the United States in this regard are the following two:
The United States ranks 8th in the world in rates of firearm homicide per 100,000 citizens. We are behind the following countries in firearm related homicides:
When one thinks of Benjamin Franklin, one conjures up images of an older bespectacled gentleman flying a kite in a thunderstorm, perhaps the image of an inventor or publisher who participated in the American Revolutionary War period and a patriot in every sense of the word. But who would have guessed that he single-handedly would have written the prescription for what ails America in the twenty first century? "Educate your children to self-control, to the habit of holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies subject to an upright and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future and crimes from society." Are You Ready To Spend Some Time Reading Today? What are the real solutions to correcting the problems that America is facing today? The best place to start such a pursuit is to identify the problems so we know how best to approach the subject. I have placed below seventeen subjects that I believe play a prominent role in the solutions to the problems that we face in America as it relates to firearm freedom and the course that the United States in on. Feel free to send me feedback on this page. I know this is a huge page, but I didn't feel like breaking it up into chunks, so bear with me, I have a lot to say. "America is like
a healthy body and its resistance is threefold: its patriotism, its morality,
and its spiritual life. If we can undermine these three areas, America
will collapse from within." “[F]athers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” (Paul of Tarsus) If you don't know who Paul of Tarsus is and you consider yourself to be an average American family man, you're making part of my point in writing this page. The problems are many faceted and complex, but I believe the most critical problem in America today is immorality and the apparent abandonment of traditional family and religious values. When I speak of the destruction of the American family, what I really mean is that there are too many fathers of children who have abandoned their families. I am not going to beat around the bush here. This entire Web site is totally based on the truth as best as I know it. Non-existent Dads are to blame for a large portion of America's ills. The typical family in America is now dysfunctional in some way. Many of them are simply dysfunctional in that the mother and father of the children are not married and living under the same roof as the kids. As I previously mentioned, the biggest problem is dysfunctional families who raised children without biblically-based, religious and moral values, who are raising children under even a higher level of dysfunction. "The group consisting of mother, father and child
is the main educational agency of mankind." God intended the family structure to consist of a mother, father and their children. The erroneous notion that a woman does not need a man to raise a child is nonsense. God knows best... Former Vice-President Dan Quayle was right, Murphy Brown was wrong. Thank you Dan for standing up for what you thought was right. These statistics are really alarming: 90% of runaway and homeless children had no father in the home. 85% of all youths in prison cells right now grew up with no Dad in the home. 85% of all children with some degree of behavioral disorders had no father in the home while young. 80% of all convicted rapists had no father in the home to guide them in true religious morality. 75% of all drug-addicted adolescents come from fatherless homes. The average American child gets only 37 seconds of fatherly interaction each day. Most experts agree that the first seven (7) years of a child's life are the most important to proper social, emotional, intellectual and spiritual growth. In these first seven (7) years, the average American child receives just 28 hours of fatherly interaction. That is shameful and wholly inadequate...what will you do to change??? "It
should be your care, therefore, and mine, to elevate the minds of our children
and exalt their courage; to accelerate and animate their industry and activity;
to excite in them an habitual contempt of meanness, abhorrence of injustice and
inhumanity, and an ambition to excel in every capacity, faculty, and
virtue. If we suffer their minds to grovel and creep in infancy, they will
grovel all their lives." Focusing our energy trying to control possession of firearms is simply a useless and futile diversion from the central aspects of the real problems we must face and we must face these problems soon. These problems developed slowly over generations and it will take generations to reverse as well. "Religion in a Family is at once its brightest Ornament and its best Security." Why are fathers leaving the home? I believe that the answer to this question is quite simple. They feel dissatisfied. God designed a Christian, Bible based marriage to be satisfying to the soul. A secular, non-Christian, non-religious marriage will not satisfy the soul. Marriage does have a manual... The Bible. Get yours above today, just type 'Bibles' into the Amazon.com search box at the top of the page. "Good
government generally begins in the family, and if the moral character of a
people once degenerate, their political character must soon follow." Fathers are responsible for the proper discipline of children. This job was largely shoveled off to the wife (mother of the children) because of the Industrial Revolution that took the father out of the home for most of the week. Now today, when an alarmingly high number of fathers don't even live in the same household as their children, this lack of proper discipline and moral guidance is reaping misery across the nation and indeed the rest of the world. This is not merely my opinion, the Bible says so as well. Check out: Genesis 18:19 "Children
should be educated and instructed in the principles of freedom." The "separation of church and state" I never cease to be amazed at the number of people who believe that the term "separation of church and state" can easily be found in the founding documents of the United States of America. The term "separation of church and state" was first written into American jurisprudence in 1947. The attack on Christianity began in deadly earnest with several Supreme Court decisions beginning in 1947 with Everson v Board of Education (330 USC 1, 18) and McCollum v Board of Education (333 USC 203) in 1948. The Founding Fathers never intended for the First Amendment's freedom of religion clause to take prayer out of the public scene. They would be horrified at how this part of the Bill of Rights has been corrupted. To give you an example of what I'm talking about, let's take a quick look at Article II and Article III of the Massachusetts State Constitution in blue text as follows: Article II. It is the right as well as the duty of all men in society, publicly, and at stated seasons to worship the Supreme Being, the great Creator and Preserver of the universe. And no subject shall be hurt, molested, or restrained, in his person, liberty, or estate, for worshipping God in the manner and season most agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience; or for his religious profession or sentiments; provided he doth not disturb the public peace, or obstruct others in their religious worship. If you take the above quotation from the Massachusetts State Constitution that speaks about how essential it is for the "...public worship of God" and compare it to today where you can't even place a manger scene on public property at Christmas, you can very clearly see how far we have strayed off the path that was set forth for us by the Founding Fathers. The term "separation of church and state" was mentioned by Thomas Jefferson in 1802 in a letter to a group of Baptists from Danbury, Connecticut. He was responding to a letter he had previously received from the Danbury Baptists. They were a minority denomination and were subjected to persecution for their beliefs. They feared that if the government were to adopt a state religion, as it had done in England, that their minority views would be trampled, and they themselves subject to further persecution. Jefferson wrote his letter to them to reassure them that they would remain free to worship as they wished, without needing to fear government interference in their religious beliefs or practices. Thomas Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptists is transcribed here below in blue text:
It's important to note that Thomas Jefferson did not propose or entertain the notion that religious expression should be eradicated from government or kept away from public expression. He was merely assuring the Danbury Baptists that there would never be an official government-run and government regulated religion where minority sects could be persecuted, fined or somehow punished for their beliefs. Some people who clearly don't know the truth behind Thomas Jefferson's thoughts on this matter, think that Jefferson intended all religious expression emanating from government sources or displayed on government property should be prohibited. Jefferson NEVER uttered such a belief. He thought, along with most of the Founding Fathers, that there should never be an official state church as they had in England at the time. In England, the Anglican Church of England was an official state religion. It was financed and regulated by the English Crown. Those who worshipped outside of the Anglican Church of England were called separatists. The Pilgrims, who left England for Holland and then later for America, were seeking religious freedom from such a state religion that constantly persecuted them to the point that they had to worship in secret. Jefferson was merely assuring the Danbury Baptists in the above letter that that would not happen here with the newly formed United States of America. Oh America, how far have we strayed from the path? But are we truly lost yet? Can we relocate the true path? The path really isn't that far away. We need to look into America's past, then determine what changes were good and which were bad, then choose the good. Clearly identifying one of the problems for us, is this quote from a Greek Sophist from the fifth century B.C.. "Man is the measure of all
things. Truth is merely opinion, and, therefore even morality is
relative." Morality is not relative. God's rules and God's standards don't change. There is such as thing as moral absolutes. The future of America revolves around our ability to adhere to the moral absolutes found in the Ten Commandments of God. They are called the Ten Commandments, not the Ten Suggestions. "We have staked
the whole future of American civilization not upon the power of
government. Far from it. We have staked the future of all our
political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern
ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God." Please forgive me, I am a bit emotional about this and I can ramble, but I'll try not to. If everyone tried not to break the Ten Commandments Of God, we would have a much better place to live. We would be the absolute envy of the world. Nearly every household in the United States has a Bible in it. Take it out and read Exodus 20 to your family tonight and absorb its true meaning. God knows what is best for us. "It is the
eternal struggle between these two principles -- right and wrong --
throughout the world. They are the two principles that have stood
face to face from the beginning of time..." The truth is that too many American youth are consciously doing things that they know to be morally wrong. Firearms have nothing to do with violent criminal acts whatsoever. It is the all important moral compass of America's youth that is off kilter and not pointed North. Too often I look around and clearly see that the nation's moral compass is not functioning correctly. Our moral compass that compels us to do right things and not wrong things is out of calibration or perhaps even non-existent in some dysfunctional families.
"To
educate a man in mind, and not in morals, is to educate a menace to
society." I believe that largely, the answers to most of America's problems can be found, if we would simply look back into our own history. We should closely examine how things were when America was truly a great nation. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't live anywhere else, this is the best nation that ever existed, but we can do so much better. We always seem to feel a need to place the blame for a school shooting, workplace violence or street crime on something. Let's put the blame right where it belongs, in our nation's mirror. Should we blame firearms for murder, matches for arson or knives for rape? Perhaps we can even blame pencils or keyboards for misspelled words? Maybe forks and spoons for obesity... You get my point I'm sure. Of course not...but could it have been...
The time has come for us to take a long, cold, hard look in the mirror and STOP LOOKING TOWARD CONGRESS TO HELP US WITH OUR SELF-CONTROL PROBLEMS. Congressmen are among the most unlawful and immoral professionals among us. Another major problem that we face is the unwillingness of people to get involved in their own neighborhoods. Many of us, don't even have a clue what our neighbor's name is. Please take time to visit the Lighthouse Movement Web site at http://www.lighthousemovement.com. Yet another problem is our unwillingness to accept the consequences of our own immorality. Instead, we allow government to restrict our freedom in an effort to artificially improve our social condition. We seem to be pursuing material gain, wealth and pleasure while we let our children raise themselves. We force them to glean their morals and values from their peers, daycare workers and the entertainment industry. Our children hold the key to the future of America. Yet American children get six hundred times (600X) more interaction with the television than they do with their own dads. When will we start meeting our children's needs. There is an entire generation of children in America that are crying out for change, but are we listening? We need men, I mean real men, to get involved and start making a difference one family at a time. The path that America is on should be changed and it can only be changed one family at a time, by men who really care what their lives will mean after they're dead. "It matters not
how a man dies, but how he lives." We cry out about violence, bloodshed and sex in the entertainment industry, but still go see the latest "Hannibal The Cannibal" movie, the latest R rated trash or the latest drug movie. We buy the latest and greatest shoot'em up video games for our children, then wonder how they get so violent... Who can blame Hollywood, when we Americans are throwing billions of dollars at them? The answer is staring back at us from the mirror, take a look... We are comfortable with the latest Supreme Court ruling on the separation of Church and State, but wonder why our children don't obey the Ten Commandments of God. Why do we seek God's help after the tragedy instead of seeking His guidance beforehand? We disagree about the removing of the Ten Commandments of God from our nation's public places, but only complain about it to our family members over a cup of coffee. We gladly accept that cheap forty dollar ($20) VCR or stereo from an acquaintance of a co-worker, that you know was probably stolen, but we shake our collective heads when home break-ins are on the rise in our neighborhood. Hypocrisy, pure hypocrisy Freedom and personal liberty should not be abridged because of the immoral, unlawful and uncivil actions of a miniscule segment of the population, but that is exactly what today's federal and state governments appear to be doing. We're losing our own freedom and liberty because as a nation, we no longer conduct ourselves according to the traditional values of America's past. We have strayed too far from the path set before us by the Founding Fathers. We have all said "They've got to do something." I assume that "they" means the government. The real answer lies in not "they", but rather "we" have to do something. We elect government officials and tell them to do something about drug abuse, do something about robbery, do something about aggravated assaults, do something about murder. And then the government officials feel the public pressure and do whatever is in their power to help solve the problem. The trouble with that approach lies in the fact that nobody can legislate a populace into conducting their lives within the framework of moral, religious and family values. Furthermore, the government can only pass laws that are within their power. Laws that include regulating, restricting and diminishing personal liberty and freedom. Our own state and federal lawmakers simply strike out at freedom to solve our problems. Man, is this frustrating for the man who conducts himself and his family properly and lawfully at all times. The true answer lies within each one of us. The answer is that we as individuals must refine our character. We must pursue truth and real justice. We should depend upon our God's ability to help us change ourselves. We have to strive for a better America by getting involved. We desperately need to get back to the America who not only respected the Ten Commandments of God, but actually knew all ten of them. I believe that our primary duty (aside from our families) as honest, upright and involved citizens of the United States, is to elect good, moral, honest and hardworking people to state governorships, congress and our state legislatures. To protect freedom and not diminish it, we must do a better job at electing our own government. "When you become
entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be
impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers, "just
men who will rule in the fear of God." The preservation of [our]
government depends on the faithful discharge of this Duty; if the citizens
neglect their Duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will
soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for
selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to
execute the Laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and
the rights of the citizen will be violated or disregarded. If [our]
government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because
the citizens neglect the Divine Commands, and elect bad men to make and
administer the Laws." Congress and the legislatures of the fifty (50) states must begin to develop policies that punish repeated criminal use of firearms and not mere possession of firearms by lawful, honest and upright Citizens. Here is my recipe:
If my recipe for stopping violence committed with firearms was implemented, just as I have written it above, crime committed with firearms will disappear from the United States. We simply must begin focusing upon violent criminals who choose firearms to commit a crime with. Nothing else will work, except keeping them in prison and away from the general public. C'mon, let's go, who will be the first legislator or Congressman to put this in a bill? I don't even need any credit for saving the nation... We MUST pass 'Three strikes and you're out' legislation on a nation-wide basis. If anyone commits three violent criminal acts or at least three felonies, that person should remain in prison until the day they pass away and never see the light of day. In May 2008, a violent felon killed a Philadelphia, PA police officer during the commission of bank robbery. The violent felon had a VERY extensive criminal record. This felon had already committed four (4) previous armed robberies and had enough sentenced prison time to remain in prison until the year 2036. However, he got out of prison in 2006, which was an incomprehensible thirty (30) years early. THIS HAS TO STOP AND STOP NOW! PROPER PUNISHMENT FOR VIOLENT OFFENDERS WHO CHOOSE FIREARMS IS THE KEY! The answers that we seek in this arena is to support such programs as Project I.C.E. and Project Exile, which focus upon violent criminals who choose firearms to commit crime with. I HAVE SAID IT BEFORE, BUT IT BEARS REPEATING AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE, EACH STATE DESPERATELY NEEDS TO ENACT HABITUAL OFFENDER LEGISLATION SUCH AS "THREE STRIKES AND YOU'RE OUT". FURTHER RESTRICTIONS ON GUN OWNERSHIP WILL BE IGNORED BY THE VIOLENT AND OBEYED BY THE LAWFUL. WAKE UP!!! So what's next? What else should we be doing besides proper punishment that would actually affect the mindset of the violent felonious thug? The next step would be to look at the ACTUAL sources that they use to obtain firearms. Gun ownership for the felon has been unlawful since at least 1968. So where are they getting them and how to do get laser-focused on those sources? See Where Do Felons Get Their Guns Anyway? The reason we have a colossal drug problem in America is because of the immense demand from "normal everyday people". If each young person, utterly and completely refused to use illegal drugs, even once, the problem would evaporate as soon as the current population of abusers dies off. DON'T TRY DRUGS...EVER, IT'S NOT WORTH THE RISK. The casual, one day a week drug user who says they are not hurting anyone, is where most of the illegal drug demand comes from. The massive amount of casual users are responsible for the thousands of drug related deaths each year that result from within the illegal narcotics supply chain. The casual, once a week, drug user, is perpetuating a colossal nationwide demand for illegal drugs. The casual illegal drug user bears the responsibility for the more than 50,000 deaths each year due to the drug supply chain, drug turf wars, drug gang killings and law enforcement deaths all over the world. The casual user is also supporting international terrorism, whether they know it or not. The largest exporter of opiates is Afghanistan and the Islamic extremist terrorist groups that have control over the distribution chain. If you're into narcotics, you're likely supporting terrorist activities, whether you mean to or not doesn't matter. Mrs. Reagan had it right...JUST SAY NO TO DRUGS.
But I will tell you where the real problem exists: It is the casual user, who accepts illegal drugs, who has friends who use illegal drugs, who just wants a little bit, maybe once a week. That is the central problem in the "War On Drugs", because there are so many of you. The pure hypocrisy of the anti-gun advocate who casually uses illegal drugs is simply maddening to me. The vast majority of deaths where firearms are used in the United States is related to illegal drugs in one way or another and the casual drug user must bear the responsibility for each of those young people's families having to bury a child. Sometimes the truth hurts doesn't it?
The Ten Commandments of God that can be found in the Bible are the true answer to changing life in America and around the world. "We have staked
the whole future of American civilization not upon the power of
government. Far from it. We have staked the future of all our
political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern
ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."
The Ten Commandments of God Exodus 20 (NIV) 1. And God spoke all these words: It is a real shame that these Ten Commandments are not being taught in school. Literally hundreds of millions of children have never been taught these basic rules of life. 1.) You shall have no other Gods before me. 2.) You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything... 3.) You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. 4.) Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 5.) Honor your father and your mother. 6.) You shall not murder. 7.) You shall not commit adultery. 8.) You shall not steal. 9.) You shall not give false testimony. 10.) You shall not covet your neighbor's house, wife, servants or anything that belongs to your neighbor. Make no mistake about it... the reason for the condition of this country and the rest of the world for that matter is that the Ten Commandments of God are being broken and trampled upon by man. It is far past time to take God and His word seriously. Visualize for just a moment, that the world's population just made a decision to obey the Ten Commandments...what would life be like? How would it change? The Ten Commandments are etched in bronze and in stone in Washington D.C., but cannot be taught in public school?? Can somebody say the word hypocrisy for me? Many many people ignore God's Commandments and take Him for granted. As the famous bumper sticker goes... "Those who plan to seek God in the eleventh hour sometimes die at 10:30." Put on the Full Armor Of God when you go about your daily life. EPHESIANS 6:10-18 NIV 10. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
We have to return America back to the days when it was ok for a neighbor to scold your children for misbehaving. A time when neighbors were addressed by a title like Mr. or Sir and not by their first names. We must revert to the days when families ate together at least five days a week. A time when a family being raised by a single mom was a rare and unusual thing. We have to go back to the days when teachers were revered and given the utmost in respect. Today, nearly 12% of high school teachers have been threatened with physical assault. That was not the case just 15 years ago. "But Marc", you say, "how can I change America. I am just one person in a very large country. What affect can I have? People are not going to change. It is just going to get worse and worse. Just wait until today's generation of children start having families in 12 years." Wait just a minute, I would say. I never asked you to take on such a burden, did I? No single person, no civic group, no state legislature, no single United States Congressmen or President is going to change things either. However, every single person that resides here can elevate their conduct, improve their character, and change their behavior for the good. We all know the difference between right and wrong, between immoral choices and ethical choices. Guidelines for making these choices can be found in the Bible. (Read it!!!) There would be a drastic drop in the robbery and burglary rates if the average person was not willing to accept that $40.00 video cassette recorder or car stereo that you know was stolen. "The
great man does not think
beforehand of his words that they
may be sincere, nor of his actions
that they may be resolute -- he
simply speaks and does what is
right." The incidence of drug abuse would come to a screeching halt if the young person refused to sacrifice their body's well being and not give in to peer pressure. If the upcoming generation would just refuse to use illegal drugs even once, they would change America. Without the public demand for harmful drugs, the problem would evaporate into thin air. Mrs. Reagan had it right..."Just Say No." Like I said a little while ago, this is a battle that wages on within each one of us. A battle between good and evil. A battle that MUST be won by the good side. I fear that if this battle is not won, and the hearts and minds of the people are not changed, we will see the end of this free republic within 30 years.
I believe that in God's plan for us, He made a void within each one of us. When we were, as the Bible puts it, 'fearfully and wonderfully made' He placed an emptiness in our souls that longs to be filled and yearns to be satisfied. This void yearns for spiritual things. This emptiness prompts us to search for satisfaction and fulfillment. It is an empty space within our souls that longs to be filled with the things of God. It is what He created in us, to naturally get us to long for a relationship with Him and to seek Him. Only the Holy Spirit and a relationship with Jesus Christ can aptly fill this emptiness that we search for. However, it seems like more and more often, people are trying to fill this emptiness with things like over indulgence in alcohol, illegal drugs and street narcotics, obsessive gambling, pornography and perverse sexual behavior. Some people seek thrills like extreme sports, dangerous mountain climbing, skydiving, hoarding money and gaining riches and much more. Everyone is yearning to fill that part of them that remains unsatisfied. These things will NOT fill the emptiness and longing that we feel. The temporary fulfillment or excitement that we sometimes experience from these activities will fade away quickly, leaving us feeling empty, unfulfilled and perhaps even guilty and filthy. The emptiness can only be satisfied with the Holy Spirit and the full knowledge of Jesus Christ. The emptiness can only be satisfied by being born again. Seek Him and His righteousness. There you will find fulfillment and satisfaction beyond your wildest dreams. What does being "born again" mean? John 3:3-8 NIV 3. In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. " The very foundation of the Christian doctrine of being born again has been a mystery to many who profess to be believers and followers of Christ. But it really need not be a mystery at all. It is the process of becoming 'saved'. It is the moment when you fully accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross as full and complete payment for your sins, so that you can be free enough of sin to be allowed into the very presence of God Himself. You must be born of the Spirit of God. John Wesley (1703-1791) was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian. In one of his many famous sermons he explain it much better than I could:
"Marc, I have heard about the ABCs of salvation before and I want to know what it means." Knowing that your sins of the past have been forgiven and that you are ready for heaven is as easy and simple as the three following steps: Admit that you have sinned in the past. Everyone has sinned and comes short of the Glory of God. Romans 3:22-24 NIV 22. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,
Believe in Jesus Christ. John 3:16 NIV 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jesus came here to teach us how to live and also to become a holy and atoning sacrifice for sin. In the Old Testament days, animals like doves, bulls, goats and lambs were slain on the alter for forgiveness of sins. Jesus Christ was the Lamb of God and the final necessary sacrifice. The high priests in the old testament would have to spend days cleansing themselves of sin and sacrifice various animals for the forgiveness of sins so that they could approach the Spirit of God which resided in the temple. They would tie the ankles of the high priest as he entered this special part of the temple called the holy of holies, so that if he died immediately once entering the presence of God, they could pull him back out without having to enter it themselves. God and sin cannot coexist in the same place and time. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross brought all of this to a halt and He became the lasting and final sacrifice for remission of sins.
Confess and leave your sin behind you. 1 John 1:9 NIV 9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Once you have become "born again", you will no longer have a taste for your old ways. You will have put on the "new self". You will find that the sinful things you used to do, now and repugnant to you and you will find yourself shunning them. Colossians 3:9, 10 NIV 9. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices The sins of your past will be forgotten and will not be remembered by God. The Holy Spirit will come and live within you and be a part of your soul. A strong feeling inside of you will tell you the difference between right and wrong. The lines between right and wrong will no longer be blurred for you. Admit It is as easy as ABC. If you would like to pray with someone about your decision to become born again and model yourself after Jesus Christ.
Many people would say that being poor and having an insufficient family income is a cause of crime. I say that is a total cop-out. There are plenty of families living below the poverty level that are upstanding, respectable and moral in their conduct and character. The liberal, left wing and feel-good Democrats would have America believe that the "availability of firearms" is the reason that our crime rate is higher than it should be. I say that firearms have been around since about the year 1245 A.D. and they are no more a cause of crime now than they were then. Every time a crime is committed, every time a drug is swallowed, smoked or injected, every time an innocent person is harmed, there MUST have been a choice made to do something they know is wrong. Every rape, robbery, aggravated assault and murder begins with making a choice that the perpetrator knows is wrong. That is really it, isn't it? Too many Americans are choosing to do things they know to be wrong. There are far too many shameless and licentious choices being made. Some would say that racism plays a part in the problems that we face today in America. To a point, I agree with that. However, let me say what I think about racism. It makes absolutely and entirely no difference to me what country someone's family originated from. I refuse to place judgment on someone's character and integrity because of the church, synagogue or temple in which they worship either. It makes no difference whatsoever to me how much pigment (Melanin) is in someone's skin. I evaluate someone's character by what they do, what they say, their intelligence and how they have chosen to conduct their lives and lead their families. For a person to pass judgment on another person simply because of the level of pigment in their skin is very shallow, petty and small-minded. In fact, I call on the United States Government to be a leader in eliminating racism in America. The United States Government can take a large leap in abolishing racism by not including race on the 2010 census. NOBODY should get special or unique treatment because of the color of their skin. In fact, the major "leaders" in the "black community", such as Louis Farrakhan, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton and their ilk are much more racist than most people. Let me quote Martin Luther King Jr. twice: "I Have a
Dream" speech Dr. King said: "I have a dream that my four children
will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of
their skin but by the content of their character."
"The whirlwinds
of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright
day of justice emerges. But there is something that I must say to my people who
stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the
process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds.
Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of
bitterness and hatred." The colorblindness that he dreamt about in America has been replaced with color preference efforts such as racial quotas, affirmative action and in some circles, hatred of the other races. I contend that the most racist people in America are the ones that are on the front lines of supposedly fighting it. In the above quotation, Mr. King said "Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred." Somebody should tell this to Louis Farrakhan who makes a living off of wrongfulness, bitterness and hatred. The American that happens to have more melanin in their skin, otherwise known as an "African-American", must be empowered with the knowledge that they alone are responsible for their own success and happiness. The small part of the African-American community who blames their social and economic condition upon the amount of melanin in their epidermis, is being misled by the Jesse Jacksons, Al Sharptons and Louis Farrakhans of America. The individual American citizen is solely responsible for their own financial, family and social conditions. No government agency is going to sweep into their homes, fix their family relationships, get them to church, get their kid's school grades up, get their kids to behave themselves and keep narcotics and alcohol abuse out of their homes. It makes no difference whatsoever how much pigment is found in the upper layers of the individual's skin. When young African-American youths hear the words of "black leaders", blaming their social and economic conditions on the "white man", they are doing great harm to their young and impressionable minds. They walk away believing that they cannot succeed because of the color of their skin and that's where the real tragedy lies. If I was to have the ear of every African American youth in the United States, I would tell them a few very specific things.
The tragic and cowardly terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, brought us all closer together. For a while, we were all just Americans. Let's not get back to "normal". Let us all just be Americans again... Yes, of course slavery was wrong. In the 1860's, more than 622,000 Americans died in the Civil War to change that. Yes, slavery in America created a long lasting injury to our country. But that was then and this is now. There is nothing we can do about the wrongs of America's past. But slavery ended more than one hundred forty (140) years ago. Just simply get over it, pick yourselves up and make the biggest difference in America that you possibly can while you are still walking on God's green earth. Every single day, each of us should try to make an effort to get closer to Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream of having everyone simply judged by their own character and conduct. I believe that efforts like Affirmative Action and racial quotas, both in the workplace and in college admissions run contrary to the vision of Martin Luther King Jr.. Every American should be evaluated by the content of their individual character and their morality and abilities. The pigment in one's skin should not play a role in anybody's judgment of another or in the opportunities afforded to them. Yes, racism was a big problem, but today racism is being perpetuated by those who are most vocal in fighting against it. The real struggle lies in improving character, integrity, morality and righteousness and not seeking to blame social and economic conditions upon skin color. A very large percentage of murders in the United States consists of Americans of African heritage, killing other Americans of African heritage. A huge part of big city murders are gang-related, where adolescents kill adolescents, repaying violence for violence. Martin Luther King Jr. has the answer. "The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending
spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it... Through violence you
may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate.... Returning violence for
violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out hate;
only love can do that." Where Do Felons Get Their Guns Anyway? Let me make this very misunderstood point quite clear: If state and federal lawmakers can come up with legislation to charge previously convicted violent criminals with a felony with an irrevocable long prison term for even making an attempt to procure a firearm, it would receive widespread support by the law-abiding gun owning community. Let me make another point very clear: Laws that regulate the possession and sale of firearms, only apply to purchases made at a legal and licensed retail outlet. Can you imagine an illegal drug dealer asking one of his addicts for his firearm permit, when he tries to buy drugs with a stolen gun? How ridiculous!!! How about a gun-running unlicensed and illegal black-market firearm dealer? Would they provide a means for a comprehensive background check while making a sale? How absurd!!! All 25,000+ local, state and federal gun control laws affect only those who obey the law and purchase firearms through properly licensed retailers or through some other lawful and honest means. Most Second Amendment supporters who aren't absolutists believe that violent felons, the criminally insane and the mentally incompetent should not have free and unencumbered access to firearms at retail. I quite frankly am not a Second Amendment absolutist. I don't believe that previously convicted felons, career criminals, rapists, drug addicts, thugs and the mentally incompetent should have free access to firearms at retail. I have found over my many years of working to preserve the integrity of the Second Amendment that those who support gun control legislation are really decent, caring and involved individuals that want to do something about crime, but in actuality, don't have a single clue what they're talking about or how to go about it. The misinformation and sometimes downright lies coming from the anti-gunners greatly influence these caring people who don't know anything about firearms, lawful gun owners or how felons actually obtain their firearms. Most law-abiding gun owners want something to be done about the violent felon's access to firearms, but at the same time, we want to be left alone and unaffected. I believe we can divide and conquer gun control supporters by continually stating the following statistics. Here's the truth, as plain as I can make it. These statistics come from the United States Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics. Source: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/fuo.pdf (Table 9) This study is fifteen pages long and I cannot possibly include all the different statistics in this one section of this Web page. You simply wouldn't be interested enough to read it all anyway. So I have decided to use current inmates in State prisons who are in prison and were in possession of a firearm during their current offense, who were recidivist offenders. Unfortunately this particular set of statistics was done for 1997 and is almost twelve years old, but it likely has not changed very much. If you're following along in the study, once again, I'm using Table 9.
So to briefly recap the actual sources of firearms that were used during the commission of a crime by recidivist felons in State prison, 42.4% of them got their guns off the street or some other illegal source. 39.2% of them obtained the guns they used from their friends or family members, who presumably knew they were already felons. 11.4% of the convicted felons in State prisons bought or traded for the gun they used in some type or form of retail outlet and the remaining 6.9% were either unknown or did not comprise a source category that was high enough to be listed. So let's see here:
Prevent your guns from being used to murder someone. Ten point nine percent (10.9%) of firearms used to commit a crime come from burglaries and thefts from both homes and retailers. More than 1/10 of all guns used in crime come from burglaries and we should do everything possible to make certain our firearms do not end up being used to rob or murder our fellow citizens and neighbors. So, with these statistics in mind, how can we keep guns from getting into the hands of criminals who are prone to violent behavior? How can we curtail the actual sources of crime guns, affect the criminal mind, leave the honest gun owner out of the loop and support the intention of the Second Amendment? A quite simple three-prong effort will suffice nicely.
This effort of mine will leave law abiding gun owners totally out of the loop
and will gain the full support of concerned gun owners and NRA members
everywhere. We clearly need to add at least five (5) years onto a home burglary charge per firearm if a gun was stolen during the home burglary. Often you'll hear this type of penalty referred to as a 'firearm enhancement'. Such firearm enhancements can be the most effective tool in affecting the mind of the violence-prone felon. Adding a non-negotiable prison term of five (5) years for each firearm stolen in a theft or burglary will make the thugs think twice before taking that gun they found in your bedroom. Criminals
will use guns less often if just brandishing one, will cost them ten (10) years
of freedom if they choose to commit a violent crime with it. Additionally
criminals will steal firearms from a home less often if taking one unlawfully
from a private residence or gun dealer would add
five (5) years onto a prison sentence for the burglary itself.
Specifically punishing criminals for stealing, possessing, brandishing and
shooting firearms is the right answer. Further burdening the honest gun
owner is never going to accomplish anything. These penalties should be severe enough that someone would refrain from giving a firearm to his/her own brother or sister if he/she had been convicted of a crime in the past and could likely intend on using the gun to commit a crime. 13.5% of the firearms actually used during the commission of a crime are purchased or traded from a friend or family member of the felon who is already aware of his status of being a felon. 17.9% of the guns used during the commission of a violent crime are borrowed or even rented from a friend or family member who again is aware of him/her being a felon. The largest source, 22.8%, or more than 1/5th of all guns used during the commission of a crime, come from drug dealers or totally unregulated on-the-street sales. These sources need to have the focus and attention of legislators. They should not be focusing upon firearm possession, sales, transfers, transportation and carry in general that would include honest, upstanding and law abiding citizens who have chosen to exercise their constitutional rights to own and carry arms under the Second Amendment. 3.) Make licensed firearm retailers require and confirm at least two (2) accepted methods of identification in order the thwart the criminal's attempts at falsifying documents at the time of sale. There should be no substitute for positive identification during the purchase of a firearm. The National Instant Check System (NICS) is used in every state that does not require a permit to purchase a firearm at retail. Any attempt to fraudulently purchase a firearm at retail through a straw purchase or false identification or lying about felony status, should be punished appropriately and enforced. So between NICS, some state required permits to purchase and positive identification of the purchaser, sales to felons at retail should be nearly eliminated. There are perhaps one percent (1%) or less of BATFE licensed (FFL) firearm dealers who do not follow firearm sale guidelines or keep good records of firearm sales. This very small portion of firearm retailers should be punished appropriately. A three pronged approach such as this, that completely leaves the law abiding gun owner alone is best. I have never been an absolutist in defending the right to keep and bear arms. It's my opinion that the violent felon, the criminally insane and the mentally incompetent should not have lawful access to firearms at retail. But it's also my position that the law abiding, honest and upright firearm owner should never be harassed or unnecessarily inconvenienced in the name of reducing acts of violent crime. The Quotes
Listen to these people. The following people have advice for us today. With the wisdom that these people had, it is no surprise to me that they were able to change the world. The answers to the questions posed by the ills of modern day society can be found in America's past. Please take time to read these quotes. Most of the men below were either Founding Fathers of the United States, or played major roles in the development of freedom and religion in America. "A
wholesome regard for the
memory of the great men
of long ago is the best
assurance to a people of
a continuation of great
men to come, who shall
be able to instruct, to
lead, and to inspire. A
people who worship at the shrine of
true greatness will
themselves be truly
great." I know it will take a while to read them, but believe me, it took even longer to compile them. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed researching and publishing them. You may copy them, forward them, print them, post them or otherwise use them any way you wish. Just please don't misquote them. Copy them as they stand. If you use them in a publication of any sort, please place www.SaveTheGuns.com somewhere in your article as a reference. Enjoy... "Religion,
morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of
mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged."
"Respect for
religion must be reestablished, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of
public officials must be curtailed, assistance to foreign lands must be stopped
or we shall bankrupt ourselves. The people should be forced to work and
not depend on the government for subsistence."
"If you pursue
evil with pleasure, the pleasure passes away and the evil remains; if you pursue
good with labor, the labor passes away but the good remains."
"Our task and
our duty must be to do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with our God, for
we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill and the eyes of all are
upon us."
"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 eternally
life."
"Christ is the
only, the true, the living way of access to God."
"Give up
yourselves therefore to Him, [God] with a cordial confidence, and the great work
of life is done."
"To commit our children to the care of irreligious people is to
commit lambs to the superintendency of wolves."
"The chief Thing
that is aimed at in this College is to teach and engage the Children to know God
in Jesus Christ, and to love and serve Him, in all Sobriety, Godliness, and
Righteousness of Life, with a perfect Heart, and a willing Mind."
"Religion and morality are necessary to good government, good order, and good laws, for "when the righteous are in authority the people
rejoice" [Proverbs 29:2]."
"It's the duty
of all nations to acknowledge the providence of almighty God, to obey His will,
to be grateful for his benefits and to humbly implore his protection and his
favor."
"We have therefore to resolve to conquer or die: Our won Country's
Honor, all call upon us for vigorous and
manly exertion, and if we
now shamefully fail, we shall become infamous to the whole world.
Let us therefore rely upon the goodness of the
cause, and the aid of the
Supreme Being, in whose hands
victory is, to animate and encourage us to great and noble Actions."
"There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and
pursue it
steadily."
"It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible."
"Tomorrow being the day set apart by the Honorable Congress for public Thanksgiving and Praise; and duty calling us devoutly to express our grateful acknowledgements to God for the manifold blessings he has granted us, the General... earnestly exhorts, all officers and soldiers, whose absence is not indispensably necessary, to attend with reverence the solemnities of the
day."
"And now,
Almighty Father, if it is Thy holy will that we shall obtain a place and name
among the nations of the earth, grant that we may be enabled to show our
gratitude for Thy goodness by our endeavors to fear and obey Thee. Bless us with
Thy wisdom in our counsels, success in battle, and let all our victories be
tempered with humanity. Endow, also, our enemies with enlightened minds, that
they become sensible of their injustice, and willing to restore our liberty and
peace. Grant the petition of Thy servant, for the sake of Him whom Thou hast
called Thy beloved Son; nevertheless, not my will, but Thine be done."
"O most Glorious
God, in Jesus Christ my merciful and loving Father, I acknowledge and confess my
guilt, in the weak and imperfect performance of the duties of this day. I
have called on Thee for pardon and forgiveness of sins... Let me live
according to those holy rules which Thou hast this day prescribed in Thy holy
word; make me to know what is acceptable in Thy sight."
"Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
"Your
love of liberty -- your
respect for the laws --
your habits of industry
-- and your practice of
the moral and religious
obligations, are the
strongest claims to
national and individual
happiness."
"It would be
peculiarly improper to omit, in this first official act, my fervent
supplications to that Almighty Being who rules over the universe, who presides
in the councils of nations, and whose providential aids can supply every human
defect...No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand
which conducts the affairs of men more than those of the United States."
"[T]rue religion
affords to government its surest support."
"To
the distinguished Character of Patriot, it should be our highest Glory to add
the more distinguished Character of Christian. The signal Instances of
providential Goodness which we have experienced and which have now almost
crowned our labours with complete Success, demand from us in a peculiar manner
the warmest returns of Gratitude and Piety to the Supreme Author of all
Good."
"Reason and
experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in the
exclusion of religious principle…"
"Of all the
dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and
morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of
patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness,
these firmest prop of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician,
equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could
not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply
be asked: Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the
sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of
investigation in courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge in the
supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be
conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure,
reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can
prevail in exclusion of religious principle... Observe good faith and justice
toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all. Religion and morality
enjoin this conduct; and can it be that good policy does not equally enjoin
it?"
"[W]e ought to
be no less persuaded that the propitious [favorable] smiles of heaven can never
be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right
which Heaven itself has ordained."
"The
General hopes and trusts
that every officer and
man will endeavor so to
live as becomes a
Christian soldier
defending the dearest
rights and liberties of
his country."
"You
do well to learn our
arts and ways of life,
and above all, the
religion of Jesus
Christ. These will make
you a greater and
happier people than you
are. Congress will do
everything they can to
assist you in this wise
intention."
"May the father
of all mercies scatter light, and not darkness, upon our paths, and make us in
all our several vocations useful here, and in His own due time and way
everlastingly happy."
"The moment the idea is
admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the laws
of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice
to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence.
If 'Thou shalt not
covet' and 'Thou shalt not steal' were not commandments of Heaven,
they must be made inviolable precepts in every society before it
can be civilized or made free."
"My custom is,
to read four or five chapters [of the Bible] every morning immediately after
rising from my bed. It employs about an hour of my time. It is
essential, my son, in order that you may go through life with comfort to
yourself, and usefulness to your fellow-creatures, that you should form and
adopt certain rules or principles, for the government of your own conduct and
temper."
"Without religion this world would be something not fit to be mentioned in polite company, I mean hell."
"The
highest glory of the American Revolution was this: That it connected in one
dissoluble bond the principles of Christianity with the principles of civil
government." "I have thought proper to recommend, and I do hereby recommend accordingly, that Thursday, the 25th day of April next, be observed throughout the United States of America as a day of solemn humiliation, fasting, and prayer; that the citizens on that day abstain as far as may be from their secular occupations, devote the time to the sacred duties of religion in public and in private; that they call to mind our numerous offenses against the Most High God, confess them before Him with the sincerest penitence, implore His pardoning mercy, through the Great Mediator and Redeemer, for our past transgressions, and that through the grace of His Holy Spirit we may be disposed and enabled to yield a more suitable obedience to His righteous requisitions in time to come; that He would interpose to arrest the progress of that impiety and licentiousness in principle and practice so offensive to Himself and so ruinous to mankind; that He would make us deeply sensible that "righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people;" that He would turn us from our transgressions and turn His displeasure from us; that He would withhold us from unreasonable discontent, from disunion, faction, sedition, and insurrection; that He would preserve our country from the desolating sword; that He would save our cities and towns from a repetition of those awful pestilential visitations under which they have lately suffered so severely, and that the health of our inhabitants generally may be precious in His sight; that He would favor us with fruitful seasons and so bless the labors of the husbandman as that there may be food in abundance for man and beast; that He would prosper our commerce, manufactures, and fisheries, and give success to the people in all their lawful industry and enterprise; that He would smile on our colleges, academies, schools, and seminaries of learning, and make them nurseries of sound science, morals, and religion; that He would bless all magistrates, from the highest to the lowest, give them the true spirit of their station, make them a terror to evil doers and a praise to them that do well; that He would preside over the councils of the nation at this critical period, enlighten them to a just discernment of the public interest, and save them from mistake, division, and discord; that He would make succeed our preparations for defense and bless our armaments by land and by sea; that He would put an end to the effusion of human blood and the accumulation of human misery among the contending nations of the earth by disposing them to justice, to equity, to benevolence, and to peace; and that He would extend the blessings of knowledge, of true liberty, and of pure and undefiled religion throughout the world." Presidential proclamation of a national day of fasting and prayer (6 March 1799)
"It should be your care, therefore, and mine, to elevate the minds of our children and exalt their courage; to accelerate and animate their industry and activity; to excite in them an habitual contempt of meanness, abhorrence of injustice and inhumanity, and an ambition to excel in every capacity, faculty, and
virtue."
"Let them revere
nothing but religion, morality and liberty."
"And
may that Being who is supreme over all, the Patron of Order, the Fountain of
Justice, and the Protector in all ages of the world of virtuous liberty,
continue His blessing upon this nation and its Government and give it all
possible success and duration consistent with the ends of His providence."
"We have no
government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled
by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge and licentiousness
would break the
strongest cords of our
Constitution, as a whale
goes through a net.
Our Constitution was made only for a moral and
religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any
other."
"Remember,
democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There
never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide."
"The
general principles on
which the fathers
achieved independence,
were ... the general
principles of
Christianity, in which
all those sects were
united, and the general
principles of English
and American liberty, in
which all those young
men united, and which
had united all parties
in America, in
majorities sufficient to
assert and maintain her
independence. Now
I will avow, that I then
believed and now believe
that those general
principles of
Christianity are as
eternal and immutable as
the existence and
attributes of God; and
that those principles of
liberty are as
unalterable as human
nature and our
terrestrial, mundane
system."
"Human
nature itself is
evermore an advocate for
liberty. There is also
in human nature a
resentment of injury,
and indignation against
wrong. A love of truth
and a veneration of
virtue. These amiable
passions, are the
"latent
spark"... If the
people are capable of
understanding, seeing
and feeling the
differences between true
and false, right and
wrong, virtue and vice,
to what better principle
can the friends of
mankind apply than to
the sense of this
difference?"
"Statesmen, my
dear Sir, may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is religion and morality
alone, which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely
stand. The only foundation of a free Constitution is pure virtue, and if
this cannot be inspired into our People in a greater Measure than they have it
now, they may change their rulers and the forms of government, but they will not
obtain a lasting liberty." "When we say God is a spirit, we know what we mean, as well as we do when we say that the pyramids of Egypt are matter. Let us be content, therefore, to believe him to be a spirit, that is, an essence that we know nothing of, in which originally and necessarily reside all energy, all power, all capacity, all activity, all wisdom, all goodness." John Adams (1735-1826) Second President of the United States. Letter to Thomas Jefferson (17 January 1820)
"We think ourselves possessed, or, at least, we boast that we are so, of liberty of conscience on all subjects, and of the right of free inquiry and private judgment in all cases, and yet how far are we from these exalted privileges in fact! There exists, I believe, throughout the whole Christian world, a law which makes it blasphemy to deny or doubt the divine inspiration of all the books of the Old and New Testaments, from Genesis to Revelations. In most countries of Europe it is punished by fire at the stake, or the rack, or the wheel.
In England itself it is punished by boring through the tongue with a red-hot poker.
In America it is not better; even in our own Massachusetts, which I believe, upon the whole, is as temperate and moderate in religious zeal as most of the States, a law was made in the latter end of the last century, repealing the cruel punishments of the former laws, but substituting fine and imprisonment upon all those blasphemers upon any book of the Old Testament or New.
Now, what free inquiry, when a writer must surely encounter the risk of fine or imprisonment for adducing any argument for investigating into the divine authority of those books? Who would run the risk of translating Dupuis?
But I cannot enlarge upon this subject, though I have it much at heart.
I think such laws a great embarrassment, great obstructions to the improvement of the human mind.
Books that cannot bear examination, certainly ought not to be established as divine inspiration by penal laws.
It is true, few persons appear desirous to put such laws in execution, and it is also true that some few persons are hardy enough to venture to depart from them.
But as long as they continue in force as laws, the human mind must make an awkward and clumsy progress in its investigations.
I wish they were repealed. The substance and essence of Christianity, as I understand it, is eternal and unchangeable, and will bear examination forever, but it has been mixed with extraneous ingredients, which I think will not bear examination, and they ought to be separated. Adieu."
"The practice of
morality being necessary for the well being of society, He [God] has taken care
to impress its precepts so indelibly on our hearts that they shall not be
effaced by the subtleties of our brain. We all agree in the obligation of the
moral precepts of Jesus and nowhere will they be found delivered in greater
purity than in his discourses."
"The
God who gave us life,
gave us liberty at the
same time: the hand of
force may destroy, but
cannot disjoin
them."
"[My
views on Christianity]
are the result of a life
of inquiry &
reflection, and very
different from that
anti-Christian system
imputed to me by those
who know nothing of my
opinions. To the
corruptions of
Christianity I am indeed
opposed; but not to the
genuine precepts of
Jesus himself. I am a
Christian, in the only
sense he wished any one
to be; sincerely
attached to his
doctrines, in preference
to all others; ascribing
to himself every human
excellence; &
believing he never
claimed any other."
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
"My God, how
little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of
and which no other people on earth have ever enjoyed."
"Say nothing of my religion.
It is known to God and myself alone.
Its evidence before the world is to be sought in my life: if it has been honest and dutiful to society the religion which has regulated it cannot be a bad one."
"God, who gave
us life, gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we
remove from them a conviction these liberties are a gift of God? Indeed, I
tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and His justice cannot
sleep forever."
"Nothing
can be more exactly and
seriously true than what
is there [the very words
only of Jesus] stated;
that but a short time
elapsed after the death
of the great reformer of
the Jewish religion,
before his principles
were departed from by
those who professed to
be his special servants,
and perverted into an
engine for enslaving
mankind, and
aggrandising their
oppressors in Church and
State; that the purest
system of morals ever
before preached to man,
has been adulterated and
sophisticated by
artificial
constructions, into a
mere contrivance to
filch wealth and power
to themselves; that
rational men not being
able to swallow their
impious heresies, in
order to force them down
their throats, they
raise the hue and cry of
infidelity, while
themselves are the
greatest obstacles to
the advancement of the
real doctrines of Jesus,
and do in fact
constitute the real
Anti-Christ."
"The
truth is that the
greatest enemies to the
doctrines of Jesus are
those calling themselves
the expositors of them,
who have perverted them
for the structure of a
system of fancy
absolutely
incomprehensible, and
without any foundation
in his genuine words.
And the day will come
when the mystical
generation of Jesus, by
the supreme being as his
father in the womb of a
virgin will be classed
with the fable of the
generation of Minerva in
the brain of Jupiter.
But we may hope that the
dawn of reason and
freedom of thought in
these United States will
do away with all this
artificial scaffolding,
and restore to us the
primitive and genuine
doctrines of this the
most venerated reformer
of human errors."
"The precepts of
philosophy, and of the Hebrew code, laid hold of actions only. He [Jesus] pushed His scrutinies into the
heart of man; erected his tribunal in the region of his thoughts and purified
the waters at the fountain head."
"Jesus embraced
with charity and philanthropy our neighbors, our countrymen, and the whole
family of mankind. They confined themselves to actions; he pressed his
sentiments into the region of our thoughts, and called for purity at the
fountainhead." <<Webmaster's Note: Even though Thomas Jefferson might not be considered a born-again Christian evangelist, he very clearly believed in God and even more so believed that morality and religion played essential roles in all of humanity. He also clearly believed that the true words of Jesus Christ were extremely important to observe.>>
"The belief in a
God all Powerful, wise and good, is so essential to the moral order of the world
and to the happiness of man, that arguments which enforce it cannot be drawn
from too many sources."
"No people ought
to feel greater obligations to celebrate the goodness of the Great Disposer of
events and the Destiny of Nations than the people of the United States…And to
the same Divine Author of every good and perfect gift we are indebted for all
those privileges and advantages, religious as well as civil, which are so richly
enjoyed in this favored land."
"In
these my confidence will under every difficulty be best placed, next to that
which we have all been encouraged to feel in the guardianship and guidance of
that Almighty Being whose power regulates the destiny of nations, whose
blessings have been so conspicuously dispensed to this rising Republic, and to
whom we are bound to address our devout gratitude for the past, as well as our
fervent supplications and best hopes for the future."
"The
aim of every political
constitution is, or
ought to be, first to
obtain for rulers men
who possess most wisdom
to discern, and most
virtue to pursue, the
common good of the
society; and in the next
place, to take the most
effectual precautions
for keeping them
virtuous whilst they
continue to hold their
public trust."
"We have staked
the whole future of American civilization not upon the power of
government. Far from it. We have staked the future of all our
political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern
ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."
"We
hold it for a
fundamental and
undeniable truth, that
religion, or the duty we
owe our Creator and the
manner of discharging
it, can be directed only
by reason and
conviction, not by force
or violence. The
religion then of every
man must be left to the
conviction and
conscience of every man;
and it is the right of
every man to exercise it
as these may
dictate. This
right is in its nature
an unalienable
right."
"Has it [government] any
solid foundation? Any chief cornerstone...? I think it is an everlasting
foundation in the unchangeable will of God, the author of Nature whose laws
never vary...Government...is by no means an arbitrary thing depending merely on
compact or human will for its existence... The power of God Almighty is the only
power that can properly and strictly be called supreme and absolute. In the
order of nature immediately under him comes the power of a simple democracy, or
the power of the whole over the world...[God is] the only Monarch in the
universe who has a clear and undisputable right to absolute power because He is
the only one who is omniscient as well as omnipotent... The sum of my argument
is of God, that the administrators of it were originally the whole people."
"A general dissolution of the principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy... While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but once they lose their virtue, they will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader... If virtue and knowledge are diffused among the people, they will never be enslaved.
This will be their great security."
"Our unalterable resolution would be to be free.
They have attempted to subdue us by force, but God be
praised!, in vain.
Their arts may be more dangerous
than their arms. Let us then ... under
God trust our cause to our swords."
"No
people will tamely
surrender their
Liberties, nor can any
be easily subdued, when
knowledge is diffused
and Virtue is preserved.
On the Contrary, when
People are universally
ignorant, and debauched
in their Manners, they
will sink under their
own weight without the
Aid of foreign
Invaders."
"Religion in a Family is at once its brightest Ornament and its best Security."
"Religion and good morals are the only solid foundation of public liberty and happiness."
"After
all, virtue is the surest means of securing the public liberty. I hope you will
improve the golden opportunity of restoring the ancient purity of principles and
manners in our country.
Every thing that we do, or ought to esteem valuable, depends upon it.
For
freedom or slavery, says an admired writer, will prevail in a country according
as the disposition and manners of the inhabitants render them fit for the one or
the other."
"He who is void
of virtuous attachments in private life is, or very soon will be, void of all
regard for his country. There is seldom an instance of a man guilty of betraying
his country, who had not before lost the feeling of moral obligations in his
private connections."
"He
therefore is the truest
friend to the liberty of
his country who tries
most to promote its
virtue, and who, so far
as his power and
influence extend, will
not suffer a man to be
chosen into any office
of power and trust who
is not a wise and
virtuous man...
The sum of all is, if we
would most truly enjoy
this gift of Heaven, let
us become a virtuous
people."
"I conjure you,
by all that is dear, by all that is honorable, by all that is sacred, not only
that ye pray but that ye act."
"You...are placed by Providence in the post of honor, because it is the post of danger... The eyes not only of North America and the whole British Empire, but of all Europe, are upon you. Let us be, therefore, altogether solicitous that no disorderly behavior, nothing unbecoming our character as Americans, as citizens and Christians, be justly chargeable to us."
"I
have the most animating
confidence that the
present noble struggle
for liberty will
terminate gloriously for
America…Let us humbly
commit our righteous
cause to the great Lord
of the Universe, who
loveth righteousness and
hates iniquity…Let us
joyfully leave our
concerns in the hands of
Him who raiseth up and
pulleth down the empires
and kingdoms of the
world as He
pleases."
"In
circumstances dark as
these, it becomes us as
men and Christians to
reflect…All confidence
must be withheld from
the means we use and
respond only on that God
who rules in the armies
of Heaven and without
whose blessing the best
of human councils are
but foolishness and all
created power
vanity…and that
America may soon behold
a gracious interposition
of Heaven."
"And have we now
forgotten that powerful Friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need His
assistance?...[W]ithout His concurring aid...we ourselves shall become a
reproach and a byword down to future ages."
"[O]nly a
virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious,
they have more need of masters."
"Corruptissima
re publica plurimae
leges."
"(The more corrupt
the state, the more
numerous the
laws.)"
"Wish not so much to live long as to live well."
"Work
as if you were to live 100 Years, Pray as if you were to die To-morrow."
"We need God to
be our friend and our ally. We need to keep God's concurring aid. If
a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable an empire
can rise without His aid? We've been assured in the sacred writings that
'except the Lord keep the city, they labor in vain that build it.'"
"A
Bible and a newspaper in
every house, a good
school in every
district, all studied
and appreciated as they
merit, are the principle
support of virtue,
morality, and civil
liberty."
"He who shall
introduce into public affairs the principles of Christianity, will change the
face of the world."
"Educate your children to self-control, to the habit of holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies subject to an upright and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future and crimes from society."
"Freedom is not
a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws
of God and nature."
"If you wouldst live long, live well, for folly and wickedness shorten life."
"How
many observe Christ's birthday! How
few, his precepts! O! ‘tis easier to keep Holidays than
Commandments."
"Search others for their virtues, thyself for thy vices."
"Posterity, you
will never know what it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I
hope you will make good use of it."
"The law given from Sinai was a civil and municipal as well as a moral and religious code ... laws essential to the existence of men in society."
"Why is it next
to the birthday of the Savior of the world, your most joyous and most venerated
festival returns on this day, the Fourth Of July? It is because the
Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation
of the Redeemer's mission on earth and laid the cornerstone of human government
upon the first precepts of Christianity."
"Three points of
doctrine, the belief of which forms the foundation of all morality. The first is
the existence of a God; the second is the immortality of the human soul; and the
third is a future state of rewards and punishments. Suppose it is possible for a
man to disbelieve either of these articles of faith and that man will have no
conscience, he will have no other law than that of the tiger or the shark; the
laws of man may bind him in chains or may put him to death, but they never can
make him wise, virtuous, or happy."
"Doctor, I wish
you to observe how real and beneficial the religion of Christ is to a man about
to die. This is all the inheritance I can give to my dear family.
The religion of Christ can give them one which can make them rich indeed."
"There is a just
God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to
fight our battles for us."
"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 this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity and freedom of worship here.”
"The great
pillars of all government and of social life …[are] virtue, morality, and
religion. This is the armor, my friend, and this alone, that renders us
invincible."
"[T]he
law…dictated by God himself is, of course, superior in obligation to any
other. It is binding over all the globe, in all countries, and at all times.
No
human laws are of any validity if contrary to this."
"Providence has
given to us the choice of our rulers, and it is the duty as well as the interest
of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers."
"No human society has ever been able to maintain both order and freedom, both cohesiveness and liberty apart from the moral precepts of the Christian religion... Should our republic ever forget this fundamental precept of governance this great experiment will then be surely doomed."
"The Bible is the best of all books, for it is the word of God and teaches us the way to be happy in this world and in the next.
Continue therefore to read it and to regulate your life by its
precepts."
"Providence
punishes national sins with national calamities."
"No
free government, or the
blessings of liberty,
can be preserved to any
people, but by a firm
adherence to justice,
moderation, temperance,
frugality and virtue,
and by frequent
recurrence to
fundamental
principles."
"The
only foundation for... a
republic is to be laid
in Religion.
Without this there can
be no virtue, and
without virtue there can
be no liberty, and
liberty is the object
and life of all
republican
governments."
"I do not believe that the Constitution was the offspring of inspiration, but I am perfectly satisfied that the Union of the States in its form and adoption is as much the work of a
Divine Providence as any of the miracles recorded in the Old and New Testaments"
"When you become
entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be
impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers, "just
men who will rule in the fear of God." The preservation of [our]
government depends on the faithful discharge of this Duty; if the citizens
neglect their Duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will
soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for
selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to
execute the Laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and
the rights of the citizen will be violated or disregarded. If [our]
government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because
the citizens neglect the Divine Commands, and elect bad men to make and
administer the Laws."
"In
selecting men for
office, let principle be
your guide. Regard not
the particular sect or
denomination of the
candidate -- look at his
character. It is alleged
by men of loose
principles, or defective
views of the subject,
that religion and
morality are not
necessary or important
qualifications for
political stations. But
the scriptures teach a
different doctrine. They
direct that rulers
should be men who rule
in the fear of God, men
of truth, hating
covetousness. It is to
the neglect of this rule
that we must ascribe the
multiplied frauds,
breaches of trust,
speculations and
embezzlements of public
property which astonish
even ourselves; which
tarnish the character of
our country and which
disgrace our government.
When a citizen gives his
vote to a man of known
immorality, he abuses
his civic
responsibility; he not
only sacrifices his own
responsibility; he
sacrifices not only his
own interest, but that
of his neighbor; he
betrays the interest of
his country."
"The moral
principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of
all our civil constitutions and laws. All the miseries and evils which men
suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery, and war,
proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the
Bible."
"The
Bible is the book upon which this Republic rests."
"What is liberty without...virtue?
It is...madness, without
restraint."
"Among
a people generally
corrupt liberty cannot
long exist."
"What ever disunites man from God, also disunites man from man."
"If we will not be governed by God, we must be governed by tyrants."
"Our
ancestors established
their system of
government on morality
and religious
sentiment. Moral
habits, they believed,
cannot safely be trusted
on any other foundation
than religious
principle, not any
government secure which
is not supported by
moral habits....
Whatever makes men good
Christians, makes them
good citizens."
"Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I
understand the greatness and the genius of America . . . America is good.
And if America ever ceases to be
good, America will cease to be
great."
"The Americans,
combine the notions of Christianity and of liberty so intimately in their minds,
that it is impossible to make them conceive the one without the other."
"[Religion] is
more needed in democratic republics than in any others. How is it possible
that society should escape destruction if the moral tie be not strengthened in
proportion as the political tie is relaxed? And what can be done with a
people which is its own master, if it be not submission to the Divinity?"
"I am
nothing. Truth is everything."
"My concern is
not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for
God is always right."
"Our reliance is
in the love of liberty which God has planted in us. Our defense is in the spirit
which prized liberty as the heritage of all men, in all lands everywhere. Destroy this spirit and you have planted the seeds of despotism at your own
doors. Familiarize yourselves with the chains of bondage and you prepare your
own limbs to wear them. Accustomed to trample on the rights of others, you have
lost the genius of your own independence and become the fit subjects of the
first cunning tyrant who rises among you."
"At what point
should we expect the approach of danger? By what means are we to fortify
against it? Shall we expect some trans-Atlantic military power to step
across the ocean and crush us? Never. At what point then is the
approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it
cannot and it will not come from abroad. If danger ever reach us, it must
spring up from amongst us. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be
its author and finisher. As a nation of free men, we will live through all
time or die by suicide."
"We have been
the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven; we have been preserved these
many years in peace and in prosperity. We have grown in numbers and wealth
and in power as no other nation ever has, but we have forgotten God. We
have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and
preserving grace, and too proud to pray."
"We have forgotten the gracious hand which has preserved us in peace and
multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our hearts that all these blessings were produced by some
superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and
preserving Grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us."
"It is the duty
of all nations as well as of men to own their dependence on the overruling power
of God and to recognize the sublime truth announced in the Holy Scriptures and
proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose god is the
Lord."
Immorality, dishonesty and corruption seem to have become socially acceptable norms. When something abhorrent occurs, most of America seems to shrug it off or complain about it amongst themselves. Take the time and be an active participant in trying to make America a better place. If everyone did a little, there would be a colossal change for the better. It seems as if the general public believes that each individual can determine for themselves what level of morality they will adhere to. The total lack of moral absolutes is destroying this country from the inside out. There are moral absolutes. There are things that are absolutely right and some that are absolutely wrong. Could it be that the "...approach of danger..." that Abraham Lincoln spoke of is actually the beast of immorality? Is the danger that will destroy this country, our very own unwillingness to constrain ourselves? Think about it... Thank you for reading this entire page. I know it's a lot of reading, but changing the course of America is essential to the survival of human freedom. "It is important
therefore that in these schools the precepts of morality and religion should be
inculcated, and habits of subordination and obedience formed. One of the
greatest blessings which the State can confer upon her children is to instill
into their minds at an early period moral and religious truths. ... Thousands of
unfortunate children are growing up in perfect ignorance of their moral and
religious duties. Their parents equally unfortunate know not how to instruct
them, and have not the opportunity or ability of placing them under the care of
those who could give them instruction. The State, in the warmth of her affection
and solicitude for their welfare, must take charge of those children and place
them in schools where their minds can be enlightened and their hearts can be
trained to virtue." God, guns and guts made the United States of America, the preeminent and most powerful country the world has ever seen.
The World War II generation was the last generation to demonstrate fortitude, bravery and true grit. During World War II, the entire country was aflame with the passion to save America and keep freedom and liberty alive. Now it seems that the abundance, prosperity and safety that we have enjoyed all these years has made us complacent and contented to the point where we are letting freedom and liberty slip through our fingers. Each generation has been called upon to prove to posterity that freedom is never free. America again is being called upon to fight for freedom. This time, the fight does not require battleships, aircraft or tanks. This time, the fight is within each one of us. Yes, the answer can be found within the framework of moral and religious conduct. Our reliance on our own government to control our lives, is at the very heart of this fight. We cannot look for solutions to our social problems from our own government. That mindset will eventually lead to tyranny. We can no longer keep looking to the government for answers to our problems, because the solution to our problems can be found in each of us. Government only has the power to restrict and legislate. We have to find the courage to change ourselves individually. Our own standards of conduct have been declining throughout the last few decades, but God's Word and God's standards DO NOT CHANGE. It is up to us, to realign our standards to where they once were. I believe God wants to bless America again. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV) "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." E-mail a hyperlink of this page to a friend. Click Here.
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John Winthrop
Timothy Dwight
George
Washington
John Adams
Thomas
Jefferson
James Madison
Samuel Adams
John Hancock
Benjamin Franklin
John Quincy Adams
Patrick Henry
John Jay
George Mason
Alexis de Tocqueville
Abraham Lincoln