"I sought for the key to the greatness and genius of America in her harbors...; in her fertile fields and boundless forests; in her rich mines and vast world commerce; in her public school system and institutions of learning. I sought for it in her democratic Congress and in her matchless Constitution.
Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power.
America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great." - (Alexis de Tocqueville - from Democracy in America)
Alexis de Tocqueville was a French statesman and philosopher who toured the United States with Gustave de Beaumont in the 1830s, observing America's culture and institutions. His two-volume work entitled Democracy in America paints a stunning picture of the greatness of our country through the eyes of two Europeans who had never experienced a true democratic republic. de Tocqueville's writings are filled to overflowing with references to America's morality and decidedly Christian basis as being the reason for her greatness.
These two Frenchmen knew, as did our founding fathers, that no government or social system can exist in perpetuity without the guide of moral restraint in the lives of the citizenry. They knew the truth of Proverbs 14:34 which states, "Righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." They saw in America a greatness which was the direct result of a people who believed in moral responsibility and righteous living; indeed, they saw an America that barely exists in 2010. de Tocqueville was correct in his assessment that America would cease to be great if she ceased to be good.
When a nation decides to be free from religion as the U.S. has done, it brings upon itself consequences that were never imagined. It's a nice thought to believe that a society devoid of religious standards is one where all people are tolerant and everyone gets along just fine, but reality bites. Where there is no religious standard of moral conduct, every man is left to fend for himself, and every man then does what he thinks is best regardless of how it affects those around him. As morally bankrupt attitudes invade, and then pervade a society, the inevitable result is social, cultural, and political decay.
Can anyone cite an example in all of word history to the contrary?
What de Tocqueville and Beaumont recognized is that our democracy was held together by the common belief among citizens that each one had the responsibility to live a life or moral righteousness. Such well-known religious principles as honesty, integrity, kindness, charity, and benevolence held together a melting pot of people from different lands and cultures. The common belief in individual liberty as well the principles of decency, justice, and honor held together government institutions which believed their authority was given them by God.
And America was great.
America was to the modern world what Solomon's Israel was to the ancient Middle East. Kings and princes came to our shores as the Queen of Sheba visited Jerusalem, only to depart in awe and wonder at the observation of God's extensive blessing upon our land. I do believe the finest days of our country are in its past, yet I also believe still finer days could be in our future if we returned to what made us great.
Can America survive if her foundational institutions of marriage, family, and community continue down the primrose path of destruction? Can a nation of ever increasing welfare rolls and government dependence ever regain the lost greatness of its "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" ancestors? Will a nation which condones perversion, murder, greed, moral relativism, and humanism exist for more than a few hundred years? No, no, and no.
This once great nation is faltering in her greatness because she is lacking in her goodness. We, as a society, have allowed a small minority of morally bankrupt individuals to set the national agenda since the turn of the 20th century. And now we find ourselves in a free-fall, ever spiraling downward to a most certain destruction. Friends, we MUST return to what's right and good on a personal level. We MUST demand a return to what's right and good on a local, state, and national level. We MUST return to what made us great or greatness will be forever lost in the wasteland of socialism and humanism.
I challenge you this very day to be honest with yourself; be honest about the condition of your own life as well as the nation as a whole. The first step to fixing the problem is admitting the problem exists. Look at your own commitment to goodness and righteousness; examine your own moral standards and ask from where they come; be willing to admit where you have fallen down and determine to bring an end to it. If you need help, seek out a Bible believing church where the truth of God's Word is the yardstick of moral measurement. You can never go wrong when you submit to the Divine Revelation.
The United States can indeed return to the place where Alexis de Tocqueville found her almost two hundred years ago. That is my sincere hope for the country I love; it is my sincere prayer daily. I don't know how long I have left in this life or how long our nation or world has remaining, but I want to be sure to leave a legacy of greatness to my kids and grandkids. So I will strive for goodness and righteousness as long as I live. Will you do your part?
Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power.
America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great." - (Alexis de Tocqueville - from Democracy in America)
Alexis de Tocqueville was a French statesman and philosopher who toured the United States with Gustave de Beaumont in the 1830s, observing America's culture and institutions. His two-volume work entitled Democracy in America paints a stunning picture of the greatness of our country through the eyes of two Europeans who had never experienced a true democratic republic. de Tocqueville's writings are filled to overflowing with references to America's morality and decidedly Christian basis as being the reason for her greatness.
These two Frenchmen knew, as did our founding fathers, that no government or social system can exist in perpetuity without the guide of moral restraint in the lives of the citizenry. They knew the truth of Proverbs 14:34 which states, "Righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." They saw in America a greatness which was the direct result of a people who believed in moral responsibility and righteous living; indeed, they saw an America that barely exists in 2010. de Tocqueville was correct in his assessment that America would cease to be great if she ceased to be good.
When a nation decides to be free from religion as the U.S. has done, it brings upon itself consequences that were never imagined. It's a nice thought to believe that a society devoid of religious standards is one where all people are tolerant and everyone gets along just fine, but reality bites. Where there is no religious standard of moral conduct, every man is left to fend for himself, and every man then does what he thinks is best regardless of how it affects those around him. As morally bankrupt attitudes invade, and then pervade a society, the inevitable result is social, cultural, and political decay.
Can anyone cite an example in all of word history to the contrary?
What de Tocqueville and Beaumont recognized is that our democracy was held together by the common belief among citizens that each one had the responsibility to live a life or moral righteousness. Such well-known religious principles as honesty, integrity, kindness, charity, and benevolence held together a melting pot of people from different lands and cultures. The common belief in individual liberty as well the principles of decency, justice, and honor held together government institutions which believed their authority was given them by God.
And America was great.
America was to the modern world what Solomon's Israel was to the ancient Middle East. Kings and princes came to our shores as the Queen of Sheba visited Jerusalem, only to depart in awe and wonder at the observation of God's extensive blessing upon our land. I do believe the finest days of our country are in its past, yet I also believe still finer days could be in our future if we returned to what made us great.
Can America survive if her foundational institutions of marriage, family, and community continue down the primrose path of destruction? Can a nation of ever increasing welfare rolls and government dependence ever regain the lost greatness of its "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" ancestors? Will a nation which condones perversion, murder, greed, moral relativism, and humanism exist for more than a few hundred years? No, no, and no.
This once great nation is faltering in her greatness because she is lacking in her goodness. We, as a society, have allowed a small minority of morally bankrupt individuals to set the national agenda since the turn of the 20th century. And now we find ourselves in a free-fall, ever spiraling downward to a most certain destruction. Friends, we MUST return to what's right and good on a personal level. We MUST demand a return to what's right and good on a local, state, and national level. We MUST return to what made us great or greatness will be forever lost in the wasteland of socialism and humanism.
I challenge you this very day to be honest with yourself; be honest about the condition of your own life as well as the nation as a whole. The first step to fixing the problem is admitting the problem exists. Look at your own commitment to goodness and righteousness; examine your own moral standards and ask from where they come; be willing to admit where you have fallen down and determine to bring an end to it. If you need help, seek out a Bible believing church where the truth of God's Word is the yardstick of moral measurement. You can never go wrong when you submit to the Divine Revelation.
The United States can indeed return to the place where Alexis de Tocqueville found her almost two hundred years ago. That is my sincere hope for the country I love; it is my sincere prayer daily. I don't know how long I have left in this life or how long our nation or world has remaining, but I want to be sure to leave a legacy of greatness to my kids and grandkids. So I will strive for goodness and righteousness as long as I live. Will you do your part?
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