"These are the times that try men's souls." American patriot Thomas Paine, wrote those words to begin his pamphlet The American Crisis, Dec. 19, 1776.
Our founding fathers recognized the fact that certain inalienable rights were not from government but from our Creator. They recognized that it is by our Creator that we enjoy freedom and liberty. America has been put upon from within and without since before we became a nation. History plainly shows that freedom requires vigilance and too often, the ultimate sacrifice of our brothers and sisters.
In 1776 King George was the head of the Church of England, the only religion of the realm. Mr. Paine, under penalty of death, wrote that even our very souls were being tried and the purchase would be with the blood of patriots. Mr. Paine witnessed a (Tory) tavern owner, holding a precious child, saying, "Well! Give me peace in my day," (a reference to the "peace" offered by the British). Paine's response was, "If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace."
Paine went on to write, "God governs the world." He even had the audacity to quote Holy scripture when rallying good men to the cause, when he wrote, "show your faith by your works."
We now have a multitude of disbelievers who are working diligently to completely erase God from our civil discourse and education!
My friends and neighbors, blatant tyranny is very much alive in America. Our government now has firm control of much of our industry and agriculture, including energy, water, education of our children and perhaps our ability to obtain medical care. Our horribly unbalanced form of taxation is an evil distortion from what the founding fathers set forth in Article One, Section Eight of our constitution. It has been usurped by elected "lawmakers" who fancy themselves as brilliant economists while driving the nation into bankruptcy.
Our elected officials, including our president, swear "so help me God" to defend our constitution from enemies both foreign and domestic. A harder look must be taken at those domestic enemies. Our president is richly blessed with eloquent and praiseworthy speech. He has promised to "transform America." We currently have individuals in high government positions, appointed by our current president, who admire the likes of Mao and Che Guevara and who openly admit to being socialists and communists.
We have high-ranking government officials and a multitude of their followers who believe that the wisdom of our founding fathers no longer applies today. Our previous speaker of the house of representatives demanded that "we pass this bill so we can find out what's in it." This nationally televised statement, by a career "law maker," regardless of the subject, qualifies as the stupidest statement ever made by an elected official. Our entire nation should have erupted in revolt. Our nation is indeed being transformed and it is blatantly unconstitutional.
Thomas Paine wrote, "There are persons too who see not the full extent of the evil that threatens them." Our very freedom and liberty are currently under siege. Temper that thought with Paine's words, "Mutual fear is the principle link in the chain of mutual love." I believe this to be a message from our Creator that we must take a stand if our republic is to survive.
In coming weeks, I hope to shine a light of liberty, if you will, on what made America great and how current affairs are in direct conflict to the principles which founded this "Nation Under God."
Patriot Thomas Paine, whose inflammatory words rallied men to arms, refused to back down from the struggle for freedom. His life and the lives of all who signed the Declaration of Independence were dedicated to a free nation. My friends and neighbors, we must understand the fact that our freedom and liberty is in jeopardy, systematically eroded by those who believe that God has no place in government and government has all of the answers. Government does not.
Our trust in our Creator and the steadfast willingness of those who continue to sacrifice their lives for our future have clearly established the price of freedom.
God bless America.
