Using an adage from my East Texas roots, America has more problems than we can shake a stick at.  Politicians, activists, pundits, celebrities, academia, business executives, and some preachers all are advancing their solutions or recommendations.  Sadly, virtually all of them fail to see the real problem and address the superficial. 

Granted, the problem is creating havoc and causing incredible trauma and pain but failing to see the root of the problem is to ensure that the problem never goes away.  In fact, it is almost a guarantee that it will worsen as we put band-aids on cancers, hoping our emotional reaction will cure the disease.  I wish it would, but it will not.

I saw a release from the Gun Violence Archive that stated that thus far in 2022 there have been 254 mass murders in America.  They define mass murder as any time there are at least 4 people killed or wounded, not including the shooter.  The problem with those statistics is their inclusion of the entire gamut of gun deaths.  They lump the gang-related shootings, drive-by shootings, and domestic outbursts of violence. 

The issue of shootings in schools, shopping malls, churches, and synagogues is the focus of the current ‘bi-partisan’, as it is being labeled, legislation coming down the pike.  Senator John Cornyn has attempted to insist that he and his cohorts compromised with each side giving up something to get something.  I still have not found what the Left gave up, but maybe it will surface as we go forward.

I have contended for a very long time that the problem is not the tool, implement, or weapon used it is in the person.  It is a problem in the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual state of the person.  But it goes far beyond that and cannot be simply declared that it is a mental health issue.  It is, in my view, a societal issue that is somewhat unique to America. 

If you accept the number of countries now existing in the world, based on the United Nations registry, there are 195.  If you do a bit of research, you will quickly surmise that there is no developed nation on the planet where there are as many mass killings are there are in America.  That is disturbing or should be.  If that is the truth, then it begs the question, Why?

In the tiny nation of Israel where people live under a constant threat of terrorism and the population is well-armed, needfully so they have about one-tenth as many shootings, per capita as we do in the United States.  That should scream that the problem is not the guns, but the individuals who opt to use them destructively.  That will fall on deaf ears, but it validates my contention that the gun is the superficial problem, not the root cause. 

I will not address the gangs or drug cartels and their violence because those are not a picture of the root problem.  What I desire to address is when seemingly ordinary citizens go berserk and commit the heinous act of mass murder.  Is there a common thread?  What could be the root cause?  Is there anything identifiable in their lives or in society that we can discover?  If there are common threads that identify root causes and uncover a societal and personal problem is there a solution? 

If the issue is societal or the mental state of the individual, then all the Red Flag Laws and gun bans, or restrictions will not alleviate that issue.  The idea that if we make guns illegal then there will be a reduction in gun violence is ludicrous.  We only have to review the statistics from those cities and states where the most stringent gun laws are in place to see that there is no reduction and often an increase.  Criminals will not abide by the laws and stripping the law-abiding of their ability for self-defense will exacerbate the problem.  It will cause the real problem to grow.

When I grew up in rural East Texas in the late 40s through the late-60s we did not have the problems we are facing today.  We had guns and in fact, it was unusual to see a pickup truck without a gun rack and a loaded rifle on display.  There were disputes, even fights, but seldom did anyone run to get the gun and kill somebody.  There was a different societal attitude and atmosphere.

I believe that we began to shift negatively in a very pronounced way during the Great Society of Lyndon B. Johnson.  His policies dismantled more Black families and homes than virtually anything previous.  The overt action to render God anathema in the public added to our societal problem.  We began to turn inward and ceased socializing with our neighbors and as the technological age began to burst into full bloom, video games, smartphones, and computers replaced personal interaction, and the mental state shifted inviting fear, paranoia, and anti-social behavior.

I read that in many European, Asian, and Latin American countries people live in communities.  In fact, it is reported that in cities it is not uncommon to find multiple generations living under the same roof.  They socialize not just on holidays and special occasions but daily.  They talk to each other. They meet on the streets and communicate.  Today, in America we tend to be laser-focused and ignore everyone and everything around us.  We cast a leery eye on anyone seeking to socialize. 

There are parts of this world where people will, at a certain time of the day, put on their best outfits and head to the streets to visit with their fellow townspeople.  When I grew up, we had the time or took the time to visit with our neighbors and it was not uncommon to see groups gathered socializing.  We knew our neighbors and what was going on in their lives. Today, many have no clue who their neighbors are and live isolated and insulated lives.

When we ceased interacting with each other and turned the focus inward, we opened the door for the problem we have today.  We created a virtual powder keg waiting to erupt and from time to time, it does.  The problem is the human heart and mind, not the gun, knife, baseball bat, or fist.  It is us not the inanimate object.

America was once called and aspired to be a melting pot where immigrants from various countries, ethnicities, religions and ideological views assimilated into the ethos of America.  Today we are far more like a salad than a melting pot.  Immigrants come but are not assimilated and remain distinctively the same as they were.  With the failure to assimilate, the disaster of the Johnson era, the polarization of society (fueled by politicians), and the horrifying number of people using antidepressants in America we can see the real problem.

I would include the fluidity of our society where few stay on the same job for more than 3-5 years and move frequently no long roots are being planted in communities.  Families are separated and the influence of parents and grandparents is lost to the influence of the educational system, television, and technology. 

Someone said, “Europeans work to live, but Americans live to work.”  We have almost no contact with our neighbors, know little of what is happening in our communities, and church attendance is increasingly infrequent.  Children stay home and play video games where the objective is to shoot quickly and eliminate as many bad characters as possible.  Abortion has devalued human life and we are a lonely people.

God made us to be social creatures and we need each other.  If a person is isolated and lonely and is subjected to high stress or develops mental and emotional problems in our society, there is no balm found in the community.  The problem festers and peace of mind dissipates.  Something can trigger them and push them over the brink resulting in their obtaining a weapon and committing horrendous acts of violence.

The problem has only one solution – GOD!  If we would return to God and find a way to remove our walls and interact with family, friends, neighbors and take a lesson from other countries on community socialization we would move rapidly toward a solution.  Banning guns and more drugs will not solve the problem.  It is a heart and mind problem and until we realize that we will continue to put band-aids on cancers and see the problem grow worse only frustrating everyone more.

God bless you and God bless America

I am disturbed by the level of vitriol and open or hidden suggestions to target those who disagree with the agenda of toxic liberalism.  This is coming from the White House, Congress, Radio and Television Personalities, Hollywood, and Activists.  It is deemed acceptable if it is being advanced by those on the Left but if those on the right say anything negative, they are deemed racists, bigots, xenophobic, homophobic, and domestic terrorists. 

We watched Hollywood personalities hold a fake head of Donald Trump covered in blood and others staged a shot to his head.  We have watched and listened to the diatribe over the reversal of Roe v Wade and the misinformation, hate-engendering rhetoric, and outright lies are stirring the pot.  This is by design and if the American public does not draw a line in the sand and say, No More, we will see an increase in violence.

I believe that those seeking the New World Order, Liberal World Order, or Globalism are seeking to manipulate the masses in a sinister plot to destroy America.  You may disagree, but that is what I see.  Tragically, some individuals have been groomed and conditioned to respond to the rhetoric like Pavlov’s dogs and the stirred pot pushes them over the edge.  The sickening reality is that those manipulated souls who have lost touch with reality and any fiber of morality believe they are good soldiers for the cause and doing mankind a service.

We have watched mass shootings in the past but two of the more recent are evidence of the danger of the rhetoric of hate that is commonplace today.  We have a system of government, and a constitution and even if one disagrees with the rulings of the Supreme Court there is no cause or justification for violence or stirring the pot that produces violence.

Just before the shooting in Illinois, by the alleged shooter, Robert Crimo III, the rhetoric and diatribe of hate were being spewed forth prolifically.  Hatred for America was prevalent and many on the Left were dropping the “F” Bomb regarding the 4^th of July Celebration.  The hysteria of the SCOTUS ruling on Roe was a signal that the end of humanity had arrived and without protest including violence women would be sent into the dark ages.  That was and is a lie and anyone with an IQ higher than freezing on the Fahrenheit scale should know that. 

When the President, Vice President, members of Congress, the Media, and celebrities are allowed to stir the pot with almost no push back we have to know that violence is going to be the result.  Sadly, I believe that they know that and are hoping for incidents like Uvalde and Highland Park, Illinois disaster.  It allows them to fan the flames of fear in millions and fuels their quest to strip the law-abiding of their inalienable rights with the 2^nd Amendment being a primary target.

Neither of those mass murder incidents was the fault of the weapon of choice used by the shooters.  But, alas, some in the media, the mayor of that community, and others are insisting that they used ‘automatic weapons.’  No, they used semi-automatic weapons. Those guns were not assault weapons, although they look similar to military weapons, they do not function the same.  The red flags in both cases were sufficient to prevent either of them from acquiring firearms.  The Laws are not working and now we are to believe that additional laws will effectively end gun violence.  Don’t step in the Unicorn poop, please.

The alleged shooter in Illinois dubbed himself ‘nom de rapper’ or Awake the Rapper.  His “Out of This World” rhymes included: falling to pieces, I puzzled my thesis, My thinking’s corrupted, I just wanna sleep.  He had videos on YouTube, now taken down, depicting a shootout with the police.  He displayed a poster of Lee Harvey Oswald.  Those are just a few of the indicators that there might be some mental and/or emotional issues present.

He attempted suicide in 2019 and threatened to “kill everyone” where he lived.  The police reported that they confiscated sixteen knives, a sword, and a dagger following that threat.  Is that not a Red Flag that should have triggered existing Laws to hamper his ability to purchase a firearm? 

Some of his classmates acknowledged that they saw a lot of Red Flags and one said, “everybody knew he was off.”  But not triggers to prompt anyone to pay attention, right?  If we encourage, “See Something, Say Something” and nothing is done when that transpires, what’s the point?  What will more laws do? 

In Illinois, they have Firearms Ownership Identification requirements, and this individual was able to purchase the weapons alleged used even after two (2) mental health-related incidents with the HP police.  One of the requirements is that the purchaser has not been a patient in a mental institution or any part of a medical facility for treatment within the past 5 years.  The system failed on that one.  Additionally, the purchaser must not have been adjudicated by a court as a mental defective or ordered by a court, board, or authorized entity to in-patient or out-patient mental health treatment. 

I cannot verify it, but it is being reported that he had ties to the Democratic Socialists of America as indicated by the tattoo on his neck.  There are apparent connections to progressive socialists, Antifa, and the occult.  His social network and lifestyle all indicate that likelihood.  If this is true, how did everyone miss it, and why are none of the media types and politicians acknowledging those issues?  It would not fit the narrative and therefore he must be painted as a MAGA supporter and a White Supremacist if possible. 

He made fun of Donald Trump and his followers on social media, therefore it is highly unlikely that he was even remotely a conservative Trump supporter.  Back to the police encounters and it is known that the Police flagged him as a ‘clear and present danger’ in 2019.  How then did he clear four (4) background checks?  If the laws, we have now, and background checks are that ineffective how will more produce the desired result of ending gun violence? 

Due to what appears a lack of being forthcoming by the parents and other family members he was able to slide through the system and fall through the cracks.  Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart has filed charges against Crimo III and immediately pushed for gun controls. Control laws that are already on the books in his state.  Illinois has some of the most stringent gun laws and red flag laws in America and yet, none of them worked to prevent the alleged shooter from obtaining firearms.  The Illinois Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) is in place so that only people with a FOID card can legally possess a firearm.  The shooter had one, but the Illinois State Police previously insisted he did not have one to revoke.  Which is it?

With the stirring of the pot like the rhetoric of the mayor of Highland Park saying that our nation is ‘enslaved’ to guns’ and calling for a nationwide ban, we should see where this is going.  Banning firearms will not remove guns from the world.  The criminals and those desiring to do criminal acts such as mass murder will still be able to get them.  It will make it more difficult for the law-abiding to protect themselves. 

How, did a young man with such disturbing social media posts, and verifiable history of being a disturbed individual, pass the background checks?  At the end of the day, all of us are responsible to report what we see when it involves mental instability or there are noticeable red flags that the person may be prone to violence.  However, if we do ‘Say Something’ we may be sued, ignored, and even harasses for our being forthcoming. 

I have said before and say again, that the problem is not the firearm!  The root problem is the human heart or mindset of the one using the firearm.   If there is a mental, moral, political, social, or demonic issue, NO LAW will solve the problem. 

I have a novel idea, why don’t we enforce the laws we now have and issue severe punishment to those who violate those gun laws and commit acts of violence?   Rather than politicizing it why not work to deal with the real problem.  If citizens having guns was the problem, there would be few people left alive now.  We are not the problem, evil and mental imbalance in the heart and mind are.

Agree or disagree with me that is your choice.  I believe that if we return to our moral moorings and return to God and stop stirring the pot, we can see a resolution or a move toward one.

God bless you and God bless America!

In a previous blog, I addressed the agenda of forcing America to transition to Green Energy and suggested that the motivation was not simply adherence to the Religion of Climate Change but Control.  I am sure some disagree but that is what I see and although I did not have the time or space to fully address my reasons for my belief, I hope I provided enough for you to engage in your own examination of the matter.

Now, I want to address the incessant and often illogical, but assuredly diabolical agenda to strip us of our Second Amendment Rights and relegate us to total dependence on the ineptitude of the federal government.  If they are successful in banning guns, the law-abiding and mostly peaceful citizens of the great nation will be subjected to the unimaginable danger of criminals, terrorists, and evil people perpetrating their crimes on us.  We will be left defenseless, violating the Constitution, reason, and the Bible.  Yes, I believe and can prove that the Bible affords us the right to self-defense.

Joe Biden and those who are devoted followers of the rabid gun control activist are wrong on virtually every count regarding guns.  They love to label the NRA and all gun owners in America as racists, unfeeling, and the scourge of the earth.  We are less than human to them, and those of us who are combat veterans are deemed potential domestic terrorists and deserving of constant scrutiny. 

Someone recently told me, that America has about 4% of the world’s population but owns 60% of all the guns.  That alone defeats their argument that gun ownership is the problem.  If their numbers are factual or even remotely close, they just admitted that there are millions of us, the vast majority of gun owners, who are neither dangerous nor a threat.  If gun ownership were the problem, total annihilation of the human race would have occurred.  I know this will elicit hateful sneers, but the problem is not the gun it is the person holding it that causes the problem.  Guns are a tool, not a cause!

I weep with those suffering the tragic, needless, and diabolical loss resulting from any mass shooting.  I am incensed beyond words over any murder, but when it is the slaughter of defenseless and innocent children, I am doubly angered.  That extends to the slaughter of innocent lives in the womb.  But, in Uvalde, Oklahoma, New York, Chicago, or any other place, politicizing the tragedy should be unacceptable to all sides. 

I am disturbed that in virtually every mass shooting the first claim is that it is connected to or to be blamed on white supremacy.  In many cases, the shooter was not white and not affiliated with or embracing any conservative philosophy.  Most of them were noticeably disturbed individuals, often growing up without a responsible father’s guidance, and often indoctrinated by some religious ideology or demonstrating overflowing rage and anger at something, someone, or the system itself.

Joe Biden falsely claimed that mass shootings tripled following the 2004 expiration of Congress’ assault-rifle ban.  He predicted that if Congress did not bow at the altar of superficial solutions and adopt the extreme gun control measures of the Left, Americans would “act to turn your outrage into making this issue central to your vote.”  He is right and he is wrong!  If they persist in attempting to strip us of our Second Amendment Rights, it will become a central issue and I would suspect that the millions of law-abiding gun owners will not respond positively to the agenda to disarm Americans.

Joe Biden made an astounding statement that exemplifies the view of the Left.  He said, that “the Second Amendment, like all other rights, is not absolute.”  What?  Wait, Mr. Biden, you believe that our rights our inalienable God-given rights that the founders believed the government had no right to infringe upon are not absolute.  You might want to go back and read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights again.  But then acknowledging the Constitution would be dangerous to your ideology and agenda.

What would be the motive or what has been the motive in every regime in history seeking to implement total gun control?  Tyranny, Despotism, and Dictatorship!  Why would this administration desire to make gun manufacturers liable for what someone did with one of their guns?  The motive seems clear, if they can create enough animosity and financial difficulty for the manufacturers, they can achieve gun control without legislation or an amendment to the Constitution. 

I have a question, if that is reasonable to hold the manufacturers liable for guns, then why not make the pharmaceutical companies liable for their drugs?  Why not make the automobile manufacturers liable for deaths caused by terrorists, intoxicated drivers, or anyone?  Why not make every manufacturer of any every liable?  Of course, it would be ridiculous and illogical to do so for doing so is both unreasonable and would result in no one manufacturing anything.  What would that do?

The red flag laws have holes in them and tragically, too frequently there is ineptitude and lack of communication between agencies tasked with vetting potential buyers.  There is inconsistency in prosecuting criminals using firearms.  I appreciate the desire to keep guns out of the hands of children.  However, if the parents properly trained their children to respect and realize the danger involved in the use of a gun, we would alleviate much of the problem. 

I grew up in a home where there were firearms and at least one of them was loaded, at all times.  There were many reasons for that including self-defense and the need to protect our livestock and animals from predators.  In today’s world, if you have the firearm in the prescribed safe storage, with a trigger lock, and your ammunition in a separate location, it is useless for self-defense.  I guess you could ask the intruder to wait and allow you to adequately prepare.  I am sure the perpetrator would comply demonstrating a sense of fair play, right? 

A complete ban on any class of firearms would exceed the Constitutional constraints.  It is one thing to impose enforceable limits on felons and the mentally ill from carrying a firearm.  It is also reasonable to impose limits on carrying a firearm in some sensitive areas without proper licensing and authorization.  But totally banning firearms has a dangerous possibility and will not achieve the stated objective of saving lives.

Every despot in history that stripped citizens of their guns eventually committed horrendous genocide against citizens in achieving their objective of total control.  The responses of the police (and I support law enforcement) in Uvalde demand acknowledgment of the reality that the response time or lack thereof leaves citizens in danger.  Allowing citizens, the inalienable right to protect themselves ultimately protects them and allows them to attempt to save the lives of others. 

Allowing fear and the sense of compassion to ‘do something’ and allowing guilt to overwhelm our sense of reason will not solve the problem of violence.  I have been blasted by some on both sides of the issue when I insist that there is a solution that does not require a gun ban or confiscation.  That solution is God! That solution is to reinforce the two-parent family unit.  That solution is to reinstate discipline in our society.  That solution is to enforce the current laws on the books.  Allowing our fear and feeling of guilt if we do not ‘do something’ will only create a worse situation rather than providing a solution.

The danger and motive behind Gun Control and Gun Bans by the government are not to protect lives but to eliminate a threat to their desired agenda of Total Control.  If we are not armed, we have little means to resist should they move forward in seizing control.  I hate violence regardless of who initiated it or what tool was used to carry out the assault or murder.  Life is valuable to God and me!  However, if a person is determined to do harm, they should be forced to realize there can be a consequence to their actions.  Disarming the law-abiding will not do that. 

God bless you and God bless America!

I will continue rehearsing our Freedoms, Liberties, Rights, and our Constitutional Republic as established by the Founding Fathers once more time.  I want to present a thought that is deeply rooted in my faith and love of America and the God-given Freedoms and the Republic we have been blessed with. 

I make that statement at the outset so those who find anything religious anathema can tune out and not feel the need to attack and experience the animosity my post will engender.  For those who are Christians, Patriots, and Lovers of Freedom you may or may not agree with what I am going to say.  I hope you will consider my thoughts and then formulate your own view and plan your own actions as we navigate 2022 and the upcoming elections.

I have been, as have millions of others, praying, thinking, searching for answers, and trying to determine the cause of our plight and the best course of action.  As I prayed recently, I sensed in my heart of hearts something that shook me deeply.  It caused me to reflect on my own attitude, what I see in the nation and the world, and what I hear from all sectors of society.  I do not want to become a broken record and be dismissed as an alarmist.  However, I see something incredibly dire, dangerous, and disastrous in the current state of everything in America.

Over 240-plus years ago a group of Patriots, Preachers, and People concluded that there was an encroaching evil that had become an unbearable tyranny.  They determined that it was their mandate for posterity, from a biblical view, and for the sake of Freedom to resist.  That could cost them everything and victory was their only hope of survival.

There were those in the colonies, in all sectors from the secular to the spiritual that believed that compliance and appeasement were the best courses of action.  Some of them adopted that view out of fear.  Some out of a misguided view of biblical mandates.  Some out of a desire to not rock the boat and maintain the status quo thereby not affecting their bottom line and positions of prominence.  They were called loyalists.  Some were loyalists ideological, but many were loyalists because of the aforementioned reasons.

Some of our Founding Fathers and other unnamed and unsung patriots of that era knew in their heart of hearts that if they did not ‘stand in the gap’ and impede the growing tyranny all liberty would be lost.  They knew that they would be forced to comply with governmental mandates that touched every dimension of life.  They feared the governmental overreach of the British Crown would steal all hopes and dreams of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.  The inalienable Rights and Blessings that God had granted to all mankind were being restricted.

They paid taxes but had virtually no voice in the political directions or decisions.  Many came to America with the hope of achieving the dream of Life, Prosperity, and Freedom.  They were feeling the iron fists of power squeezing the life out of those dreams and that was untenable for them.  As Patrick Henry famously declared, “Give me liberty or give me death” became the mantra of those desiring freedom.

Today, we are watching an incredible rise in evil.  I do not believe that the struggle we are now engaged in is political but spiritual.  I do not believe that God is interested in Democrats or Republicans but in right and wrong.  I believe that He is looking at the condition of man and, while we were warned in Scripture of this hour, He is heartbroken that we allowed it to transpire and transpire so rapidly in America. 

It is my conviction that if those who believe in God, are followers of Christ (Christians), do not ‘stand in the gap’ and resist evil this nation and the world will go to hell in a handbasket.  Some would argue that it already has.  I contend that we can turn the tide and achieve a small window of opportunity with a reprieve from the destruction and devastation.  I believe that if the believers, the followers of Christ, and the Church will determine to follow the directive of 2 Chronicles 7:14 and Matthew 6:9-13 and 6:33 we can achieve a victory.

In Ezekiel 22:30 we read that God said, “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.”  What a horrific situation.  Some take that scripture and make God the ogre, but I read it and realize that it is reflective of the heart of our Heavenly Father to Spare Us!  He is not willing that any should be lost and is more willing to forgive than condemn if we will just give Him the opportunity.

I have been sensing as Isaiah the prophet did when he cried out seeing his own condition and that of his nation and heard God ask, “Who will go and who can we send?”  Isaiah said, “Me, LORD.  Me!  I will go, send me!”  I am sensing the Spirit of God calling me and anyone who will heed the call to come out from among them and be separate and become Watchmen on the Wall warning of evil.  He is calling for those who will commit themselves to intercession, not token prayers.  He is calling for those who will become willing to die, if necessary, for His Purposes, and Freedom.  He is calling, are we listening?

If the good does not resist the evil what is to impede the evil from running amok?  If those who believe in moral rightness sit in silence as immorality prevails what is to prevent the spread of that destruction?  If those who believe in personal responsibility and accountability do not step forward and teach, warn, resist, and demonstrate moral rightness what is to impede the purveyors of an anti-God and anti-American philosophy?  If we allow the continued genocide of the unborn (thankfully Roe has been sent back to the states, but abortion still exists), destruction of the two-parent family, entitlement mentality, political correctness, assault on religious freedom, freedom of speech, the right of self-defense, and a myriad of other infringements we will destroy the Republic. 

It is time to move from focusing on political parties to the basic principles of freedom, liberty, and inalienable rights, and return to our moral moorings.  It is time that we devote ourselves to what made America the Free Constitutional Republic where the dream of Life, Liberty, and Happiness was available for all.  It is time that we STAND IN THE GAP and say NO MORE!  We must resist and that may be costly, but it is mandatory.

It is time that those who believe the Bible and in Freedom stand up and demand that the politicians adhere to the Constitution and the Rule of Law.  It is time that we, as a people, return to the moral and ethical foundations that were recognized in our beginning.  It is time that those who believe in God recommit themselves to Him and having done all to stand, stand firm.

God bless you and God bless America!

Let’s continue our review of our Constitutional Freedoms and our Free Constitutional Republic as we celebrate Independence week.   I realize that everyone who reads what I am writing does not ascribe to or embrace the Christian faith.  That cannot deter me from expressing my views on the Constitution, the Bible, God, Morality, Family, and Life.  This article is about Religion, Faith, and our Constitutional protections within the First Amendment of “Religious Freedom.” 

From time to time some people challenge me on this subject and insist that the “Separation of Church and State” prohibits anything of religion from being included in the public square.  I adamantly disagree.  I believe that the Founding Fathers would as well and there is evidence to support my position. 

We should have separation of the Church and the State in the sense that the State NEVER seeks to control or mandate to Religion what it can or cannot believe.  We were given “Freedom of Religion,” and some make that “Freedom from Religion.”   This means, that nothing of the Bible can be visible or included in anything government. 

That idea flies in the face of the actions and writings of the Founding Fathers as well as their frequent inclusion of prayer in public gathers and endeavors.  That position overlooks the documented times they sought the advice and counsel of the clergy before making political decisions.  Why?  Because they recognized that “God is!”  They recognized Him as “Creator.”  They recognized that our Rights are “natural” or “inalienable” coming from Him, not the government.  That is foreign to much thinking in today’s political arena.

Back to my title statement and what I want to address in this article.  Some see the Christian Religion as simply an ideology or an opinion, not a life-changing experience.  I disagree based on my knowledge of the Bible and personal experience.  I know the change that transpired in my life, attitude, language, and actions when I repented of my sins and accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord.  The change was one that people knew without my telling them.  I had people ask, before I said anything, “What has happened to you?”  My experience was transformational.

Anytime the federal government issues edicts that restrict, prohibit, or infringe upon our Religious Freedoms they are wrong constitutionally, biblically, and morally.  I was grateful when under Donald Trump the U.S. State Department launched a global coalition to defend ‘religious freedom.’  

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the establishment of the International Religious Freedom Alliance, a coalition with twenty-seven countries.  Their commitment is to respect the ‘Freedom of Conscience’ and advocate for ‘Religious Freedom.’  That was a great first step that has since been trashed.  I had hoped it would translate into a stronger defense of this Right in America.

I agree with the statement of the CEO of Open Doors, David Curry.  He said: “Civil society has a role to play, government has a role to play in creating environments where people can practice their faith or choose not to practice a faith without fear of pressure, oppression, being imprisoned, being attacked by other groups.  We need civil government to pass the kinds of laws that allow people to change their mind or change their faith if they so choose as an adult to do that, or to decide that they want to be an atheist – I think these are things that civil government has to do.”

Over the past few years, we have frequently been told that America is not a Christian nation.  That was the clear position of former President Barack Obama and seems to be in the mindset of the incoherent Joe Biden.  Mr. Obama devotedly defended Islam but frequently castigated Christianity and spoke disparagingly about Christians calling those of us who supported the Right “bitter clingers.”  He lamented that we were those who clung to our “Bibles and our Guns.”  Imagine that!  We defend two of the basic provisions and guarantees of the American Constitution and we were in the words of Hillary Clinton, “a basket of deplorables.”  Wow!

Being a Christian nation and having our laws and government influenced and impacted by Christianity, the Bible, morality, and religion are often viewed negatively by those who hate us.  A former Supreme Court Justice, David Brewer explained what it meant to be a Christian nation.  His assertions are worthy of consideration and therefore included in this writing.

Justice Brewer said, “[I]n what sense can [America] be called a Christian nation? Not in the sense that Christianity is the established religion or that the people are in any manner compelled to support it. On the contrary, the Constitution specifically provides that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Neither is it, Christian, in the sense that all its citizens are either in fact or name Christians. On the contrary, all religions have free scope within our borders. Numbers of our people profess other religions, and many reject all. Nor is it Christian in the sense that a profession of Christianity is a condition of holding office or otherwise engaging in public service, or essential to recognition either politically or socially. In fact, the government as a legal organization is independent of all religions. Nevertheless, we constantly speak of this republic as a Christian nation – in fact, as the leading Christian nation of the world.”

David Barton of Wall Builders addressed it succinctly.   He said: “So, if being a Christian nation is not based on any of the above criteria, then what makes America a Christian nation? According to Justice Brewer, America was “of all the nations in the world . . . most justly called a Christian nation” because Christianity “has so largely shaped and molded it.”

In America, we have a Republic that has been shaped significantly by the Christian Religion.  I believe that Biblical Christianity has resulted in producing many of our cherished traditions that none of us should desire to be lost.  We have a Republican rather than a Theocratic form of government.  We have institutional separation of church and state as opposed to forced institutional secularization of the church and state.  We have protection for religious toleration and the rights of conscience.  We have a free-market approach to religion ensuring religious diversity and recognition of our right to follow our conscience. 

Although he is often lambasted regarding the Bible and God, Thomas Jefferson was instrumental in establishing weekly Sunday worship services at the U.S. Capitol.  Imagine that!  That continued through the 19^th Century, and he faithfully and regularly attended those services.  He is reported to have braved inclement weather traveling by horseback to attend the Capitol church.  The U.S. Capitol was available for church services because Article I, Section 7 included the Constitutional requirement that forbade federal lawmaking on Sunday.  This was a recognition by our Founders of the Christian Religion’s Sabbath.  Biblically the Sabbath is Saturday but in America, Sunday was and is still often identified as the Sabbath.

Jefferson explained why he wanted the church at the Capitol and attended.  He said, “No nation has ever existed or been governed without religion.  Nor can be.  The Christian religion is the best religion that has been given to man and I, as Chief Magistrate of this nation, am bound to give it the sanction of my example.”  So much for his desire for all things religious to be banned from the public square and federal buildings, etc.

I want all our Inalienable and Constitutional Rights to be protected and protected for everyone!  I want us to return to a condition where the Constitution is respected and honored.  I want elected officials to once again, “Protect and Defend the Constitution.”  I want that even if they disagree with it.  I have been encouraged by President Trump’s defense of our Religious Freedoms and our other Freedoms.

God bless you and God bless America.

As we move past the 4^th of July to the 5th of July, we will continue our consideration of Liberty and Freedom and the Free Constitutional Republic called the United States of America.  All our American liberties, freedoms, and constitutional rights must be protected if we are to survive as a free people and nation. 

Our founding fathers recognized a truth that today’s politicians, bureaucrats, Deep State Statists, and the swamp denizens do not.  The founder’s recognized the sovereignty of God and that our Creator granted to all human beings certain inalienable rights.  Those in today’s political climate appear to believe they are the conveyors of rights, privileges, freedoms, and liberties.

When the idea was advanced and adopted that our founders and the framers of the American Constitution desired all things of God and the Bible to be banned from the public sector, we began the rapid descent toward the abyss of a freedom-less society.  Our founders clearly wanted to prevent the federal government from having the ability to establish a State Church but did not desire God’s banishment from the public sector.  I have addressed that so many times, I will not delve deeply into it again.

The problems we face in America cannot be solved or resolved by governmental edicts, laws, mandates, or injunctions.  At the root of the problem is the deficiency and depravity of the human heart. Until the human heart is transformed the problem will persist.  The bentness toward evil will prevail and human envy, hate, bias, bigotry, and greed will prevail until we deal with the heart issue.  As long as the heart remains unregenerate and lacks the needed transformation covetousness will drive wedges between people and we will have the chaos we now see.  It will not remain static but will escalate to the point that either martial law will be invoked, or a bloody war will ensue.

One of the freedoms that helps to protect all the other freedoms is embodied in the First Amendment.  I believe that without Freedom of Speech we will find ourselves censored and silenced by the ruling powers.  However, beyond Freedom of Speech, we must maintain our Freedom of Religion, or we will succumb to the baser nature of the human heart and that will not bode well for America or anyone in this republic.  When it becomes every man for himself, it will be an unlivable world.

The current administration, following the lead of their national party, continues to take positions on religious freedom that is so restrictive following one’s faith and core convictions become impossible within the construct of the law.  They have repeatedly refused to defend those following the Christian faith but defended the followers of religions other than the Judeo-Christian faith.

In December 2020, the Trump administration’s Department of Justice accused the University of Vermont Medical Center of an egregious violation of religious freedom.  Eric Dreiband, the assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division, called the hospital’s treatment of forcing a nurse to assist in an abortion against her core religious convictions.  He argued, rightly I believe, the kind of hospital’s treatment of the nurse, “the kind of indecent coercion [that] violates everything this country stands for.”  The Biden administration dropped the lawsuit.  

Drieband argued, “Federal law protects health care providers from having to choose between their job and participation in what they sincerely believe is the taking of an innocent life.  Coercing people to perform abortions violates the law, and the U.S. Department of Justice will not stand for this shocking and outrageous attack against the right of all people in this free country to follow their conscience.” 

The current administration supports the liberal ideological position that religious freedoms can be infringed upon if they are in disagreement with the adopted liberal views on abortion or when life begins.  Just as Obama and Biden denied and denied the religious freedom and rights of the Little Sisters of the Poor, this administration supports forcing people of the Christian faith to abandon their convictions and follow the governmental edicts.  That places our religious freedom in grave danger for this is only the crack in the door and will open pandora’s box if allowed to continue. 

When any party or politician takes a position that reveals they are willing to sacrifice religious freedom on the altar of political correctness we are all in danger.  The idea being conveyed is that the agenda and goal of the followers of this toxic liberal philosophy are that religious freedom is secondary to their demand for universal recognition and acceptance of their views on abortion, homosexuality, marriage, gender, and a myriad of other matters affecting or conflicting with the Bible and one’s faith. 

They insist they are defending rights, but how do you defend rights by trampling on the inalienable rights defined in our Constitution?  The present push to adopt Critical Race Theory in our schools, make it a crime to be a white male who does not bow at the altar of political correctness or things of that nature.  The demand for abortion at will, gender blending, and transgenderism allow what can be considered nothing short of pedophilia with drag queens addressing our children and demonstrating their views. 

Those along with a myriad of other issues all anathema to the Christian faith are threatening freedom.  If our religious freedom is stripped from us and pastors and those choosing to follow their faith will become criminals in the eyes of the state.  If our religious freedoms are infringed what will prevent them from infringing upon all our rights?

I believe that it is to the advantage of every society to embrace the fear of God.  You may vehemently disagree, that is your choice.  I want you to be free to believe or not believe, but I want to be given that same freedom.  I read about a non-religious mother complaining about her seven-year-olds best friend would not stop talking to him about the Bible and stories about Jesus.  She said, “I do not want him to be religious.  I want him to learn that you should be a good person and do the right thing because it is the right thing to do, not because God will punish you if you do not.”

Might I suggest that Christian parents want their children to be good people too!  They want them to do the right thing because it is the right thing to do.  They also realize that motivation by God not judgment is the ideal.  However, most of them also understand that there is a healthy societal benefit from fearing God with reverential awe.

I have read some psychologists of international repute and esteemed as being knowledgeable speak of the ‘Stages of Psychosocial Development.’  They contend that when a child is in a certain early developmental stage, he understands that something is wrong only if he gets punished for it.  I know that will not sit well with the non-punishment crowd, but I concur and so does the Bible. 

The Bible says that the “Fear of God is the beginning of knowledge and/or wisdom.” [Proverbs 9:10].  What happens in a society where people are never disciplined and forced to face the reality that choices have consequences?  One of the reasons we have such a lack of respect for those in authority, teachers, police, or parents is easily traceable to the lack of discipline in childhood.  If a person never learns to do the right thing or what is right, they will violate the law and violate other people’s rights and property.

Many accept the idea that the police and our judicial system are designed to deal with the recalcitrant and those violators will end up punished and behind bars. Yet, those same people reject the idea that there is to be a healthy and reverential fear of God.  Some people do not do what is right simply because it is right. 

Christianity embraces the biblical view that one should do the right thing because it is the right thing to do.  The Bible, in my view, teaches two types of valid repentance.  The ideal would be that when one does wrong, they are genuinely sorry for having committed that transgression because they realize it is wrong and they love God.  They realize they have wounded the heart of their loving creator.  The other which is less than perfect is one is repentant because they fear punishment.

Even the best of people sometimes displays missing pieces in their moral compass.  They will feel bad and have genuine remorse when they violate the moral principles residing in their hearts.  Some may realize they have violated those moral principles but because in their minds everybody is doing it and the fear of God is a missing element, they feel remorse. 

If we remove all religious freedoms and banish moral absolutes, we will find ourselves in a world where the ideal is unattainable (people doing right because it is right).  We will find ourselves in a society where there is no fear of any punishment but man’s laws and only then if caught.  The conscience will no longer play a role in the development of society.  If we lose our consciousness of God and eternity, we are in danger of a world in such chaos none are safe, and no rights will be maintained. 

Thank you for allowing me to ramble but I hope I have conveyed the reality that All Freedoms must be protected, and we need to begin with the Freedom of Religion.

God bless you and God bless America!

Let us continue our look at Freedom and Liberty in America!  Freedom and Liberty are commodities that we appear to be losing to the nefarious patróns of government.  I wholly ascribe to the philosophy and view that was embraced in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.  I embrace the view stated in our Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.  I believe in the declarations of the Word of God, the Bible, that God loves everyone!  He does not endorse the behavior of everyone, nor does He excuse sin and wrong attitudes, but His Love is unconditional, unlike ours.

Therefore, I believe that unless everyone is afforded Freedom including, Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, and the Right to Self-Defense, we have lost our purpose and our republic.  I believe that “all were created equal and endowed with inalienable rights from our Creator, Jehovah God.”  I believe that everyone has the right to life unimpeded by the federal government or nefarious political power brokers. 

I believe that everyone, including the unborn in the womb, has the constitutionally protected right to L-I-F-E. That means they must be allowed to be birthed and either raised by loving parents or allowed to be adopted by those desiring children.  Murdering them is not an option!  I believe that everyone has the right to pursue Happiness and that the government must be kept limited. We have gone from not being able to define what a woman is to knowing exactly what a woman is due to the SCOTUS decision on abortion. The paranoia, lies, fears, and spreading of disinformation and misinformation are rampant.

We have drifted light-years from Limited Government as a position or condition.  Therefore, I say, “Either it is Freedom for All or it is Freedom from None!”  We have our elections and then we must endure the decisions of those elected or the installed politicians and bureaucrats and deal with the ideologies they pursue.  We are forced to deal with and sometimes we must endure their governmental edicts.  They expect us to follow their mandates without resistance or question.  We have limited options as to how we are going to combat any nefarious infringements upon our liberties, freedoms, and inalienable rights.

Our 3^rd President, Thomas Jefferson’s expressed view is one to which I ascribe.  He said in a letter to James Madison in 1787, “I own that I am not a friend of a very energetic government. It is always oppressive.”   I deeply appreciate the sentiments of Benjamin Franklin as published in Emblematical Representations in 1774.  He said, “The ordaining laws in favor of one part of the nation, to the prejudice and oppression of another, is certainly the most erroneous and mistaken policy.  An equal dispensation of protection, rights, privileges, and advantages, is what every part is entitled to, and ought to enjoy.”

I also acknowledge the wisdom and warning in the words of James Madison in Federalist 48, 1788.  He said, “It will not be denied that power is an encroaching nature and that it ought to be effectually restrained from passing the limits assigned to it.”  Then, the incredibly wise words of James Wilson, published in ‘Of the Study of the Law of the United States, 1790.’  He said, “Without liberty, law loses its nature and its name, and becomes oppression.  Without law, liberty also loses its nature and its name, and become licentiousness.”  There must be a balance and reason for us to maintain the balance of power in our federal government. 

The world we now live in is a politically charged world that has embraced a climate of political correctness and is stifling the freedom of speech, thought, and religious beliefs of many.  The censorship by major internet players, social media outlets, and even Congress and the Courts is destroying the American spirit that propelled us to the greatness that produced one of if not the greatest republic on the planet. 

I will never forget that former President Barack Obama declared that American exceptionalism was a myth and proceeded to voice his anti-American worldview and sentiments in an apology tour of the world.  America was deemed to be founded on faulty principles and had become great on the backs of the oppressed. 

The demand for Freedom of expression and the right to protest by various segments of society is deemed a constitutional right. All the while repressing and censoring those holding conservative, Christian, and Constitutional Originalist. That condition is destroying us.  Freedom must be granted to all citizens, or none can be free. 

The objective view and desire of our founders were that everyone would enjoy those rights that were deemed God-given and therefore inalienable and untouchable by the federal government.  Politicians over the past one hundred years have demonstrated a political view that government is paramount, and we the people are secondary.  That limits freedom for some and ultimately endangers freedom for all.

If we desire to maintain our freedom and the constitutional guarantees our Founders provided, it is imperative that we actively engage in a measure of peaceful political activism.  What I mean is we must regularly, thoughtfully, factually, and consistently apply pressure on all elected officials to follow the Constitution not the preferences of any group of citizens. 

The Framers of our American Constitution exhibited incredible restraint and foresight.  They understood that for America to thrive and survive as a republic it must have more than a powerful central government.  They understood that an elected official was not immune from embracing tyrannical desires and views.  They understood that those individuals were mere human beings, not angels, and therefore subject to corruption and were not infallible. 

Those wise men attempted to fence in the political ruling class and divide governmental authority.  They gave Congress “19” and only nineteen specific powers that largely concerned taxation, coining money, and spending it on “the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States.”  Simply, Congress’s job was to keep America safe not become a totalitarian oligarchy that envisioned itself as a virtual god with unlimited powers.

The Constitution specifies that any powers not enumerated for the federal government were to be understood as belonging to the individual states and ultimately belonging to the citizens.  They sought to ensure that the republic would never be converted from “a limited government into an unlimited one.” 

Few politicians in Washington believe that or even understand that.  They demonstrate by their actions, legislation, and regulations that they believe their powers are unlimited.  They seem to believe that we the people should be eternally grateful for the tidbits they toss our way.  They have failed to remember that the United States of America is a republic established to operate as a Limited Government.  It is time that we remind them, all of them, Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and any other segment of that fact.

The elections of 2020 are over, and the elections of 2022 are upon us.  The Republic needs her patriots to rise and engage in a measure of political activism to counter the activism of the toxic liberal worldview that desires the fundamental transformation of this nation. 

The only questions are can we do that without formal organization and delegated activities?  Can we achieve that as individual citizens or will we be forced to form a coalition of Freedom Loving Patriots who are willing to die for Freedom if required?  Can we pressure the elected oligarchs enough to cause them to fear losing the next election to elicit a change in their mindset and proper governance?  Time will tell and our efforts will dictate the outcome.

I am committed to praying for the nation as much as I was and maybe even more than before the election.  America needs the guidance of the Almighty and we need to return to our moral moorings as a people.  We have been a great nation and still are, but we can be greater only if we will draw a line in the sand and demand Constitutional governance.  Will you join me?

God bless you and God bless America!