Monday, November 10, 2008

In God We Trust...at at least we should.

Since 1956, In God We Trust has been our official National Motto. The phrase is actually the nation's first National Motto because E Pluibus Unum was never officially adopted in that capacity, even though the Latin phrase (From many, one) was recognized de facto from the point of being approved by Congress in 1782 for the Great Seal.

Secularist would argue that it wasn't until the hysterics of the McCarthy era that God suddenly became an American thing. The contrast between the godless communist and democracy required the eminence of divinity to offset our vast differences. Good versus evil. Light versus darkness. This was reiterated during the height of the Cold War and personified by the wars symbolic victor at endgame...Ronald Reagan.

Secularist are, of course, dead wrong, and you can take that in a number of ways. Our country didn't just start becoming a nation of God-loving people in the mid-1950's. Some revisionist have tried mighty hard to erase God from our storied past, but to no avail. Making it even more difficult for them is the fact that 82% of American adults believe in God...82%. We are clearly a nation embedded in the belief of a Higher Power regardless of the efforts wielded by the other 18% .

So just how has the National Motto survived in our current socio-political climate dominated by political correctness, the ACLU, and 'Happy Holidays' greetings at your local discount retailer? The motto has survived the same way Proposition 8 passed by a popular vote in one of the most liberal states in America. As a general rule, the public just don't won't to mess with God. Plain and simple. The philosophy live and let live is okay, as long as, you're not dragged into Hell upholding it over the words from the best selling Author of all times.

Yes, a few hard-headed Californians and New Englanders might dabble in the death of the unborn or tear down a few 'misplaced' tablets from Old Testament days, but no way...no how...do they want to take on the Almighty directly. After all, most faux pas can be forgiven when the heart follows the conscience to correctness...but blasphemy? Better play it safe and steer clear of that one...just in case. Besides, they can define 'God' however they want, right? Say, maybe, a grand tree over watching all living things, or how about, the good experiences from all mankind, past to present, culminated to a single moment/entity...or some other made up crap like that.

Let me be the first to say 'Merry Christmas' to each of you as we approach the season. And by all means...pass it on.

2 comments:

Lula! said...

Oh this is GOOD, Tony. You need to be writing this in the Kingsport Times. ('Cause I'm sick of all the liberal letters to the editor they've been posting.)

Good, good, good...

Anonymous said...

Tony - there's an athesit campaign mounting in DC which you should check out - billboards on buses. The slogan reads:

"Don't believe in a god. Be good for goodness sake."

My question when atheists try to be moralists is 'what's the point?'