This article is about foundational thinking. For anything to be successful it has to have foundational logic supporting all that takes place. The Bible and the U.S. Constitution are foundational to the American story and the basis for American exceptionalism. Those are the two foundations I wish to ponder here; the Holy Bible and the U.S. Constitution and the modern implications for both.
There was a recent poll of U.S. Catholics taken that claims most Catholics back same-sex marriage. In an article by Lucy Madison which appeared on March 8, 2013 she states that, "amid growing support for same-sex marriage nationwide, a new poll from Quinnipiac University shows that most Catholics in the U.S. also back same-sex marriage, despite the church's teachings against it."
She goes on to say that, "According to the poll, which surveyed 497 adult Catholics from February 27 - March 4 with a margin of error of +/- 4.4 percent, 54 percent of Catholic voters support same-sex marriage, while 38 percent oppose it. The survey shows a dramatic shift on the subject in the last few years: In a July 2008 poll by Quinnipiac, only 36 percent of Catholic voters said they supported same-sex marriage, while 55 percent opposed it."
She further reports that, "Among 1,944 registered voters surveyed in the same poll, 47 percent supported same-sex marriage and 43 percent opposed it. A December poll asking the same question showed a statistical tie on the issue, at 48 percent in support and 46 percent in opposition."
I'm not all that impressed with polls because they are so easily twisted, but for my readers who are believers - Catholic or otherwise - I think this is worth pondering for a while. It would appear heresy is far more rampant than most realized. It would also appear that religious conviction and public opinion go hand in hand. “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” If that is the case - and it appears that it is - what hope is there to get people to honor a manmade document such as the U.S. Constitution?
Believers are taught to believe that the Bible was inspired by God; someone believers are supposed to be worshiping. Yet, thousands of years of Biblical writings and teaching are being ignored or twisted. If that is the case - and it appears that it is - then one would suppose that there are a great many "believers" who think God lies, or at the very least, doesn't know what he's talking about, or that the writings are solely the works of men; so it can be ignored when any new popular philosophical flavor of the day comes down the pike.
How could such a thing happen in a nation known for its Christian religious foundation? This has happened slowly over a course of decades. This came about because the Bible -and the surrounding history and commentaries aren't taught in the churches - and neither is it done at home. All of which was done regularly in the past. Thousands of years of Biblical writings and teaching are being ignored or twisted.
Neither is the U.S. Constitution studied in the nation's schools nor is it read privately, which is far more easily read and understood than the sixty six books of the Bible. Few have read it; few understand it and few realize what has been lost; leaving one to believe that the second primary foundation to justify the American system has little value to the average citizen because the history behind it is being twisted or ignored. Once again; the Bible and the U.S. Constitution are foundational to the American story and the basis for American exceptionalism. If either one is discarded the great American experiment is finished.
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matt. 7:26
Everyone, believer or non-believer, can see the wisdom in that parable. Everything has an historical foundation, and everything we are told should bear some resemblance to what we see going on in reality. But, it really is incumbent upon us to pay just a “tiny little bit of attention” to what is going on for that to have any meaning in our lives. And from talking to so many people I truly think believers and non-believers alike fear a storm is coming.
There is one more point I would like for everyone to ponder for a while. If one claims to be a believer and yet supports views that are antithetical to their belief system it's called heresy. If one claims to be an American yet works to undermine the U.S. Constitution - what is that called?
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