Posted on 09/20/2001 7:28:28 AM PDT by LibertyGirl77
God is back.
It is not that He ever really left, of course, but that the people of this country have been trying to stuff Him into the confines of our nations Churches for so long. For years, Americans from across the political spectrum have been nothing short of frantic in their endeavors to make Him invisible to the general public.
But ever since last Tuesday, God is suddenly welcome again. Our President, who is a believer in Jesus Christ, not only declared last Friday a "National Day of Prayer and Remembrance," but has asked American citizens to pause two or three times a day to pray for our country.
Marquee signs in front of Cities Halls, McDonalds, and even strip clubs across the country proclaim things like "God Bless America," "God Save America," and "Pray for America" right alongside their usual messages of "Car Tax Due 10/5," "Happy Meal $2.99," and "XXX! Girls! XXX!" Residents of neighborhoods that used to be cold and detached urban enclaves are now meeting at intersections every evening to wave flags, sing patriotic hymns, hold hands, light candles, and yes -- pray.
Through all of this apparent revival, the ACLU has been sufficiently quiet to make me wonder for a moment if we might have lost them, too, in the horror of last Tuesday. Dont get me wrong -- Gods newfound popularity is encouraging to me. In the aftermath of last Tuesdays attacks, people are learning what many of us knew all along -- God is a source of comfort and strength to those who seek Him.
Many pundits of both the published and armchair variety soundly derided comments made last week by television evangelists Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell. Their statements were, without a doubt, some of the most callous and ill-timed I have heard come from the mouths of professing Christians. However, their words would not have cut so deeply had they not contained elements of truth.
Americans have a tendency to think of themselves as righteous by default. We live in a country that has, on the whole, a pretty decent populace. People are nice to each other here; that is, we dont usually throw bombs at each others children or poison each others drinking water. We emblazon our currency with "In God We Trust," and pledge allegiance to the flag that represents "one nation under God." We stay home from work on Christmas, and toss our extra change in cans for the Salvation Army.
When we are nasty, it is in civilized ways: we write ranting missives to the local news editor, stage toothless boycotts of major corporations, and sue anyone who makes us uncomfortable or angry. Sure, a few Americans might fly off the handle now and then and murder their kids or shoot a bunch of classmates, but they are the rare exceptions to the general rule that Americans are Good People who have God on their side (assuming there is a God).
The problem with this world view is that we arent nice. We routinely sacrifice our unborn children on the altar of convenience. We try to chase God out of the public view in the name of tolerance. We convince ourselves that God doesnt exist, or if He does, He isnt listening.
Then September 11th happens.
Suddenly, were on speaking terms with God again. No one seems to be wondering if, after years of our pushing Him away, He still wants to talk to us. We just assume Hes like a lonely, abandoned lover, patiently waiting for us to come back to Him.
Well, the joyous, indescribably amazing truth is that He is. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, "[If] My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." If we want America to have God on her side, then what we need to do is act like it.
I dont know if last Tuesdays attack was a judgment of God, or an act of Satan, or just a bunch of tragically misguided maniacs perpetrating heinous evil. What I do know is that God can use even the most evil of people and their demented acts for His good. As the nation looks heavenward, expect heaven to respond -- abundantly. From the miraculous few survivors at the World Trade Center to the outpouring of help we are receiving from even the unlikeliest of nations, God answers in a million ways, each day, as long as we keep asking.
Please, America...dont stop asking.
Agreed.
Are we really so weak that we need laws to protect us from other people's opinions? I don't think we should be passing laws to prevent people from feeling uncomfortable.
You are correct, there is no right to not be offended. I strongly support religious liberty. It is an unalienable right.
If I pray to God right in front of you, how are you really damaged?
Unless you are a government official 'on the clock', I wouldn't be damaged at all. Please feel free to pray in front of me or anyone else.
Laws prohibiting free expression of Christian beliefs (they don't usually affect anyone else) are basically thought control.
Again I agree. But then prayers initiated and led by public school teachers are also a form of thought control.
No one is saying the government has to help Jesus.
This is where I strongly disagree. There is most certainly a very strong movement to entangle government with religion. Why is Pat Robinson so popular? Right here on this thread there are people advocating government lead prayer in schools. Go ask AndyPappy.
Just a question...
Is anyone here suggesting that people would not pray unless the GOVERNMENT called them to prayer?
I've never understood the mentality of people who gain great joy from being called to prayer by an "authority".
When I saw the title, my first reaction was "He never left." hehe, I was delighted to see that point made in the second sentence of this wonderful post.
Thank you so much.
Thanks for changing the subject. You're the one who wants to force me and mine to join you in prayer.
I wasn't talking about the flag.
Right. Tell me how requiring prayer to YOUR idea
of god in public schools will make this situation better.
I'm not aware of anyone who wants to "force" you to pray, as if that were possible. They want the freedom to pray for themselves. The fact that you find other people praying offensive is your problem.
At the same time, let me suggest to you that the evil within the hearts of those in this nation who perform and support the murder of some one million babies each year through abortion, is no different than the evil that murdered thousands at the World Trade Center.
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