I recently heard a report that a new directive has been issued regarding military funerals conducted at national cemeteries.  The new directive states that the words "God" and "Jesus" are not to be used at these funerals.  What have we come to in the United States of America when the mere use of these words constitute the establishment of religion in the mind of some people?  It is clear that there is a concerted effort to secularize all public life in our society.  The first amendment was meant to protect churches from government intrusion.  In fact, at the time, there were several states that had official state sponsored churches.  The non-establishment clause in the first amendment only applied to the Federal government so that there would be no national church.  Now the non-establishment clause has been reinterpreted to mean that government should protect society from church.

We have forgotten our Biblical roots.  We are attempting to rewrite history and purge our collective memory of the fact that this country was founded on Biblical principals.  The secularization of America is destroying our society by degrading our sense of morality and leaving us with no foundation for truth.  Moral relativism and the rise of tolerance as the pinnacle of all goodness is leaving us morally bankrupt and without any clear direction as a society.  It's anything goes unless my freedom diminishes the freedom of someone more valued or something more protected in society.  That's no freedom at all.  "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.  But do not use your freedom to indulge in the flesh (sin); rather, serve one another humbly in love." (Galatians 5:13)  There is ultimate truth and our ignorance of it does not make it less truthful.  If something is true, it is true no matter what someone wants to claim to the contrary.  If I believe a lie, it merely means that I am deceived and do not know the truth.

We have forgotten God.  Let us take a lesson from the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah.  Jeremiah 3:21 says, "A cry is heard on the barren heights, the weeping and pleading of the people of Israel, because they have perverted their ways and have forgotten the LORD their God."  Let us not repeat their mistake.  The good news is found in verse 22:  "'Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding.'"  This is the statement of God.  The response of the Israelites:  "'Yes, we will come to you, for you are the LORD our God.'"  May we never forget who we are and why we have been so marvelously blessed.  Let us remember the LORD our God.

Alan L. Thomas <><