In the one elementary school (at the time) in my hometown, we began every day with Chapel. And yes, it was a public school. ‘Chapel,’ included school announcements, a Bible reading, a prayer, and everyone standing with our hands over our hearts to recite the pledge of allegiance to the US flag. In unison we recited, “One nation under God.” It wasn’t THAT long ago, folks. Really.
Then, high school happened. I don’t recall a daily pledge, but there were flags in the rooms. There was no Chapel, but the principal made daily announcements over the “loud speaker” and someone read a scripture and a prayer. We usually addressed our teachers politely and with respect . . . the way most of us were taught at home. Incidentally, our parents grew up with the teachers, if you catch my drift.
By my senior year, the school staff was changing, and morning scriptures were replaced by ‘positive thoughts’ for the day. Occasionally a student read some sort of poem-spiritualistic thingy; a meditation that ended with, “Amen.” Students, at times, dared to pop off/disrespect teachers, administrators, and other authorities. “The times, they were a changin’.” Folks began to challenge the ‘establishment’, you see, and that was becoming ‘cool.’ It got worse.
“God is dead!” became the popular mantra. Religion was on its way out, and only practiced by old people or those “who need that sort of thing.” ‘Jesus freaks’ were just weird. Streaking was in. It kept changing.
Leaping forward, look where we are now! Christians regularly derided. Contempt for law and law enforcement is the rage. An alarming number of lawmakers have become the chief lawbreakers. They demand privileges we, the non-elected, will never have. They don’t lie, but often misspeak. The news media has no shame. Especially when they quote ‘facts!’ I cannot believe I’m writing these words: some lawmakers want to make it legal to kill human babies AFTER birth! Citizens pledge allegiance to the hatred of our country’s flag and anthem. Senators and Congress members denigrate the country who made it possible for them to be in leadership. Go figure.
One of those “evil founders,” of America, John Adams, recorded the caveat for us 220+ years ago in an address to the Massachusetts Militia. Christians—yea all citizens—should listen! So much truth recorded in this tiny excerpt. Will we listen? "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."
Any wonder why the outcry now swells to change our Constitution?
© Copyright July 2019, Gary Landerfelt, MyPericope.com
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