tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post1112016425951692788..comments2024-03-28T10:44:30.518-06:00Comments on American Creation: Should We Devote Ourselves to God on Independence Day?Brad Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17669677047039491864noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-61445050232679216512011-07-06T12:36:28.357-06:002011-07-06T12:36:28.357-06:00"...and urging Americans to worship God on Ju...<i>"...and urging Americans to worship God on July 4."</i><br /><br />Just a small technical quibble. Adams was not urging his fellow Americans to do anything. He was expressing a personal moment of exuberance in a July 3, 1776 private letter to his wife, Abigail. To the best of my knowledge he didn't count on the letter to become public in his lifetime.<br /><br />And technically, at the time, he would have been expressing his hopes for an outcome not yet decided - his fellow rebellious British colonial citizens still had a war to wage and win.jimmiraybobnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-82486070215262781672011-07-06T06:27:53.753-06:002011-07-06T06:27:53.753-06:00,
So, here it is:
it's certainly appropriate ...,<br />So, here it is: <br /><i>it's certainly appropriate for us today to speak out for the rights of people to practice their own faith (<b>or no faith at all</b>).</i> (My emphasis. Seems reasonable to me.)<br /><br /><i>Nevertheless, the Founders would likely contest any assertion that the United States achieved independence purely on its own efforts. And, with respect, so should we. America had help in its struggle for independence. And, no, I'm not referring to the French!</i> But, how many would have contributed their success of the Jehovah Bod of the Christian Bible? It seems obvious to me that Founders--like George Washington--used words like providence--so that the audience could apply his own meaning to it whether Trinitarian, Unitarian, or just plain Theist. It was common political speak of the day.<br />.<br />So, should we be forced to all act according to some denominational "should"?<br />.<br />I don't think Brian would want that.<br />.<br />.<br />.Phil Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06756814849309388483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-58397974045922613832011-07-05T08:56:01.936-06:002011-07-05T08:56:01.936-06:00Loved it, Brian. I've missed you on this site...Loved it, Brian. I've missed you on this site!Brad Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17669677047039491864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-28957499865747007442011-07-05T06:23:50.942-06:002011-07-05T06:23:50.942-06:00Washington: “The Hand of providence has been so co...Washington: “The Hand of providence has been so conspicuous in all this ...”<br /><br />Personally I like it when American Christians say “God is on our side.” It goes back to the Romans, who would credit a military victory to one of the gods. When Constantine included the Christian God as a deity responsible for one of his victories, the Christians were overjoyed. A new muscular Christianity was born.<br /><br />This <i>cosmic theistic rhetoric</i> has gone out of fashion. I love the scene in Patton requests a prayer for battle! When General Boykin said “my God is bigger than his God” he got an “amen” from me. That's the kind of muscular Christian that protects our nation. I have no problem with such rhetoric.Jason Pappashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18233796281520274898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-10521218826716880632011-07-04T13:37:21.072-06:002011-07-04T13:37:21.072-06:00Gordon Wood agrees.
http://www.tnr.com/article/po...Gordon Wood agrees.<br /><br />http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/91247/july-fourth-declaration-independence-dayTom Van Dykehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07121072404143877596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-22884419406747794982011-07-04T12:52:50.341-06:002011-07-04T12:52:50.341-06:00If parades, sports, guns and bonfires are “solemn ...If parades, sports, guns and bonfires are “solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty” count me in ... especially if his cousin Sam is supplying the libations. Happy 4th to all!Jason Pappashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18233796281520274898noreply@blogger.com