Ground Shattering In God We Trust Religious Liberty vs Nihilism

There are law enforcement agencies on local levels throughout the United States of America who are increasingly choosing to post "In God We Trust" on their vehicles via decals.  Other venues are also being employed to visually declare allegiance and through who's authority and power we owe all our happiness and life's pursuits.  Many choose to be offended by this and continue to inflict legal action.  However, at the core it is un-American to make this a legal issue or even to legislate against someone using their judgement to recognize that Higher Power.  Not just law enforcement but public officials are also heeding the internal cries of our Forefathers and recognizing that Power this country was literally built upon.

Hear and read this:

To be offended is a choice.  It is not possible to have this condition inflicted upon you.  It is a choice.  Therefore,  to be offended is an inner problem and not external.

"In God We Trust" is charged with breaching the separation of church and state.  However, this is not the case.  I know it because our Founding Fathers have said it.  There are scores of quotes from noted George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and even the controversial James Madison encouraging the acknowledgement of God in all things especially where government is concerned.

May I offer a quote from George Washington:

"Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."

Because "to be offended" is a self-reflective decision I don't want to delve too deep into how proclaiming the belief in God does not establish for the state a religion.  Nothing I say will convince the offended otherwise.  What I will say is a comment that piggybacks on the highly important quote from Thomas Jefferson.  Referring to the Virginia Act of Religious Freedom he states:

“Where the preamble declares, that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed, by inserting the word “Jesus Christ” so that it should read, “a departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our religion”; the insertion was rejected by a great majority, in proof that they meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and the Mohometan, the Hindoo, and Infidel of every denomination.”

What this epic quote tells us is that even the authors of our most revered national documents intended to impress upon the people, and their ongoing posterity, the importance of recognizing God. Yet, they took steps to not capsulize who God was. This is key!! They knew it was important for the pursuit of happiness, the continuing order of a people and the humility of a liberty-given people to be anchored in that Higher Power - however you believe that Higher Power to be! You can believe God to be spirit. You can believe God to be corporeal. You can believe in the Trinity. You can believe in three separate and distinct members of the Godhead. You can believe that God is blue (yes, this is an established belief especially in south Asia). You can be more modern and believe that God is a flower or even a shoe. Our Founders did not force a given outline of who God was. That was inspired so as to ensure true liberty for all Americans to worship as they see fit.

Since I love George Washington let me offer another quote of his from 1782 to a protestant church in Kingston:

“Convinced that our Religious Liberties were as essential as our Civil my endeavors have never been wanting to encourage and promote the one, while I have been contending for the other…”

I will say this though you may never see it ever as plainly as I will state here.  I say this being an avid student of the Founding Fathers of the United States.  

It is my belief that you cannot truly effectively govern in this country, as was intended by our Fathers, without a basic principle belief in something greater than you - something to whom you are accountable to.  

That statement alone should draw some ire but I stand by it.

In my observations of government, and the men and women who've held posts within, it is evident that without this basic ideal to live by it is next to impossible to govern a people equally.  When your accountability only goes as far as the nameplate on your door it is inevitable that temporal or carnal agendas will intercede in the discharge of your authority and power.  You will begin to not see "the people", but instead live your days as a respecter of persons.  That's just the way it is.  Period.

What manner of man ought we to be?  As Americans, what principles should we live by?  Many things have come into play that have brought our people into a state of apathy and nihilism.  No longer do we burden ourselves with the "good of the people."  Instead and often for favor of voting blocks, we succor and diaper select groups.  Little by little, when the majority becomes disenfranchised chaos and disorder ensues.  From within we cleft and divide often with harsh and bitter walls.  

When this happens the silent yet powerful shame occurs:  The value of life is diminished.  

People begin to focus on personal agendas, entitlements and the things that make them "offended."  They seek not for hard work unto happiness.  In fact, they see no benefit in work at all.  They forsake all effort in accountability and a belief in God - hence the plague of any people called nihilism.  

"In God We Trust" draws contention from those hearts that have been divinely touched by that statement, but will not acknowledge or admit to it.  Were it not so there would be no contention.  In this simple phrase breathes the living outreach of our Founding Fathers.  In this simple phrase lives the secret to happiness - that being religious liberty.  

I offer you another quote from me that will also harden hearts against me.

Liberty is not a right nor is it something you are entitled to.  Liberty cannot be legislated but can be trampled.  Liberty is a privileged path toward happiness.  Liberties are the venues and bounds given for a people to experience wider fields of choices - as they begin to view on our trek.  Liberty is the most powerful gift to ensure personal and family happiness, yet is the most fragile unto utter loss when broken.

Liberty is what dusts us when the banner waves.  It cannot be seen, yet is true and real nonetheless.  It values and magnifies life in all its stages.  Hence, when a people flirt with nihilism we forsake liberty.  When we forsake liberty - amen to the people.

Instead of shunning the proclamation of "In God We Trust", let us first look inward at why we may be offended.  Change comes from within first before we can have a hope of it changing a people.  However, when we try to change a people when we personally feel no accountability toward something greater we surely cause harm to that people and nation.

This is all food for thought and I challenge anyone who may be offended to first look inward at what may be wrong.  The golden rule I live by is that when you point the finger, there is always three pointed back at you.