Does America Have a Christian Foundation?

A growing concept in today's culture is that America is a secular nation, with no room for a public Christian faith. One argument for this is that some of our founding fathers were not Christian. Thomas Jefferson is one example of this, as one of his quotes is, "In every country and every age, the priest has been hostile to Liberty." 

Though it is true Thomas Jefferson had no religious affiliation, he did believe in God. And he might not have liked priests, but he still acknowledged that they should be allowed for the sake of religious freedom. In his document, "Virginia Declaration of Religious Freedom," he very clearly states some points which demolish the "secular America" argument:

1. "God has created the mind free."

2. Civil rights have no dependence on our religious beliefs.

3. Civil leaders should not intrude their power into religious ideas except when those ideas break out into overt actions undermining peace and order. 

In point one, he says that because God has created the mind free, a person should be able to believe and practice what they believe is the truth.

Secondly, our rights and responsibilities should have no bearing on our religious beliefs, says Jefferson. Just because one may be Catholic or Hindu should not determine whether or not he/she gets different rights than another person. 

The final point is that civil leaders should not interfere with religious ideas and practices except when they erupt into a disturbance of peace. For instance, if a group of Catholics decided to block all the streets in New York and demand people to become Catholic, the authorities would be able to stop this activity because it undermines order. Yet they have no power to stop Catholics promoting the common good, e.g. going to Mass, peaceful and unobtrusive protests, or evangelical work. 

So, though Jefferson himself didn't have a religion, he saw clearly that free practice of it was essential to liberty and the common good. 

Another argument for a secular America is that God is not mentioned in the Constitution. First of all, God is mentioned in the Declaration of Independence. Additionally, the Bill of Rights guarantee religious freedom. As if this isn't enough, nearly all of the early Americans were deeply religious, and so I think that God wasn't mentioned in the Constitution because there was no need. In other words, it was assumed that He was a crucial part to America and freedom. And just because He wasn't mentioned in this particular document, how does that justify banning all mention of Him from public life?

Thus it can be clearly seen that America and her founding fathers had a strong base of religious freedom. So why are we trying to stamp out public displays of the Ten Commandments, "Merry Christmas" signs, and other witnesses to faith? 

References: 

Virginia Declaration of Independence: http://www.vahistorical.org/collections-and-resources/virginia-history-explorer/thomas-jefferson

Constitution: http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/freedom/constitution/text.html

Declaration of Independence: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/

declaration_transcript.html

Authentic Christian Movies? Really?

            Earlier this month, Thor:  The Dark World, Gravity, and Captain Phillips were released.  Coming in December is the second installment in the Hobbit series titled The Desolation of Smaug.  These movies are widely popular (assuming The Desolation of Smaug meets expectations) especially in the various genres they represent.

            With great movies like these, it is difficult to venture much further out of the range of action-packed, fantasy-filled, sci-fi, drama genres.  However, there is much more out there to see, especially, the newest Christian movies.

            Honestly, Christian movies tend to get a bad rap.  The lack of funds and professional actors contribute to this, but a larger concern is that once people see the word "Christian" associated with movies, it is usually automatically downgraded.  The loss of traditional values in society has certainly contributed to this, but another reason, encountered in my own life, is the assumption that all Christian movies are going to be sappy, feel-good flicks.

            But the latest Christian movies have embarked on a journey to change all that.  Beginning with The Passion of the Christ in 2004, Hollywood and independent movie-makers have taken a sudden interest in the Christian genre, breaking onto the scene with dramatic, real, and powerful films.

            Even movies that aren't classified as Christian, such as the exceedingly popular musical Les Miserables, have deep Christian undertones.  This leads to speculation:  why would a society that has tried to rid itself of traditional values even want such a thing?

            Offering my personal opinion, I find it is because every human heart searches for the authentic and realness of life.  These films don't just show the happiness of Christians.  They show the struggles, sadness, anger, frustration, and joy and peace of Christians.  Real people. And audiences are attracted to this, the solidness and truth displayed in the movies.

            This is exactly what a morality-starved society needs (and desperately wants, even if it doesn't know it).  We all need to see examples of people triumphing over their sins and struggles with the help of God's grace.  Only then will we be able to see that it is possible to overcome our own as well.

Click here to see this week's post's inspiration!

Below are trailers for excellent and inspiring Christian movies.  Please feel free to leave comments and reviews about the movies!

Could Having Crucifixes in Every Classroom Lessen Their Impact?

Recently I encountered a rather thought provoking question on an exam. The true or false question read, "It is possible that having crucifixes in all classrooms at the University of Mary could lessen the impact of the powerful symbol of Christian salvation." This caught me by surprise, since I took it to mean that it would lessen the meaning of Christian salvation.

Its also an argument for not having crucifixes in every room, which I disagreed with because then that is saying there should be less witness to faith, and less expression of it. This could then apply to other things like Christian shirts, personal crucifixes, or even churches.

But upon discussing it with my teacher, he made a distinction between the meaning of the crucifix and the symbol of the crucifix. The meaning of the crucifix is its message of salvation for everyone. But the symbol of it is its ability to point to another reality, which is the message of salvation. So, the question on the exam was simply stating that if someone sees a crucifix in every room, they could get so used to it that it no longer has any effect on them. For example, if someone wears a neon pink shirt, people notice it on the first day, but on the 10th day that someone wears it, people are used to it and may not even think about it.

This question then seems acceptable, but useless. For instance, seeing my teacher every day of the week could lessen the power they have of making me think to do my homework. Still, this question is worth pondering and certainly made me think. Maybe next time we look at a crucifix we should not take it for granted, but instead realize and think about how Christ died on a cross for us.

Why is Relativism Wrong?

            Relativism is "the philosophical position that all points of view are equally valid, and that all truth is relative to the individual," according to CARM, the Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry.  Today, relativism has become a sort of Religion of Tolerance and is applauded as a pinnacle of kindness and justice.  While Christianity is the main group that appears to be suffering from it, everyone is at risk from this infectious system.

            There are three different types of relativism, according to CARM.  Cognitive relativism is when no truth is more valid than another and there is no objective standard of truth.  Moral/Ethical relativism is when any and all morals are relative to the group within which they are created.  Situational relativism occurs when ethics, or notions of right and wrong, are dependent upon the situation.

            The first proof of why relativism is not only wrong but completely illogical is that the statement, "there is no such thing as absolute truth," refutes itself.  If that simple sentence were in fact true, it would have just proven itself wrong because that statement in itself would have to be a truth.

            Another common declaration for advancing the Age of Tolerance is, "well, that's true for you, but not true for me."  The statement is lacking in logic.  In a very basic example, two plus two equals five.  My mom told me this and I believe it with all my heart and so that makes it true.  Would people say, "Yeah, that's cool, you can believe what you want"?  I'm inclined to think that they would correct me.  No one who has ever passed an elementary math course would let me go around saying that two plus two equals five.  Because it doesn't.

            The word "tolerance" has been twisted and contorted to the point where it simply means nothing's wrong and everything's right and if you disagree, you're intolerant.  According to RealLifeCatholic.com, in a blog post by popular youth speaker Chris Stefanick, "a disagreement needs to occur for tolerance to even be possible. You don’t tolerate a beautiful sunny day. You tolerate a cold rainy day."  Disagreement does not mean there is intolerance; it simply means that the person disagrees.  I don't like cold, rainy days, but I deal with them.  Acknowledging that there is a difference is the first step toward tolerance.

            But what can be done if we stop saying that everyone is okay just believing what he or she wants to believe?  The first thing to realize is that there has to be absolute truth.  Logically, absolute truth cannot not exist.  Then, one must work to find that truth, keeping in mind that, while truth exists, some will not come to accept it.  Thus, the person seeking truth must always exercise patience.

            Why is this important for people of all faiths?  Every human heart, whether they know it or not, searches for truth.  To not actively seek out complete truth and then give it to others is an injustice to all.

Go check out CARM.org for more arguments against relativism!

Sources:  RealLifeCatholic.com

                 CARM.org

Please watch this video for more information about Relativism.  It is a presentation by Chris Stefanick based on his book:  Absolute Relativism.

What Does A Guardian Angel Do?

   

          Angels appear everywhere in our world, from books to Victoria’s Secret advertisements, tattoos to movies.  There are many believers in these mysterious, spiritual beings, but not everybody knows what an angel exactly is.

     The Catholic Church defines angels as pure spiritual creatures of God who have no bodies, cannot die, and are usually not visible.  They have understanding and can convey God’s will and protection to men. (Check out the Catechism of the Catholic Church for more info)

     No matter how we imagine angels, from the smiling cherub with two wings and a shiny halo on a Precious Moments card to the scantily clad beauty with fluffy wings in a magazine ad, they are not human.  Furthermore, humans cannot become angels when we die, but we can become saints!  Whether you believe in them or not, angels are mentioned many times throughout the Bible.  Psalm 91:11-12 says,

“For he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways.  On their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.”

     Angels exist solely to praise God and carry out His will.  God gives every person a guardian angel, a spiritual being that burns with love for Him and serves Him day and night.  We can pray to our guardian angel for ourselves and for others, and with confidence we can know they will bring our love, messages and prayers to those of whom we are thinking.  We must ask our angels, though, because they cannot read our minds.

     A guardian angel is an amazing gift from God to you.  They are always with you and yet still with God, and are sources of His power.  Your guardian angel is waiting for an invitation to pray with you, help you to stay focused on God and to watch over you.  Think of them as a heavenly police force, on duty to protect you and to serve God! (Read the article that inspired this post here)

Guardian Angel Prayer

Angel of God, my guardian dear,

To whom God’s love commits me here,

Ever this day be at my side,

To light and guard, to rule and guide.

Amen.

Losing Faith on College Campuses

Here is our second podcast!  Please listen to the Questions of Faith Blog talk about college students losing their faith:  who, why, and how!

Persecution in the Church

Here is our first podcast!  Please listen to the Questions of Faith Blog talk about persecution, both past and present, in the Catholic and Christian Church.