Quote:
Originally Posted by alwayslearning
I'm not sure how your post relates to this thread. I have been addressing the underlying premise of Cahn's position that at one time we were blessed but we will lose that blessing (or have lost it) and come under judgment if we do not turn back to God as a nation. (An act of faith I would suggest.)
I never said that America is a Christian nation. It's a secular nation purposely designed as such by the Founders. And their influences were the Judeo-Christian, Greco-Roman and European Enlightenment traditions. BTW I'm very comfortable with this. I'm glad they set the nation up this way under these influences. There are only 5 countries I would ever want to live in and America is on the top of the list!
The history of America, like all history, has good and bad interwoven together simultaneously running along the time line. We don't have to hide the bad parts and try to rationalize away with some Christian theory why the bad doesn't matter. It is what it is. The history of America is not "God's blessing poured out card blanche upon her from the beginning and we better watch it or we'll lose it." It's about a bunch of quite smart but seriously flawed guys trying to figure out a way to start a country and each generation taking it from there, making adjustments, making improvements, making mistakes, etc. along the way.
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This is from an email yesterday from Angelica Fazio. This is what I meant about what God may be looking at while you are not. I wonder what your thoughts are on her points about a blessed nation.
I agree with Tom (no forum member) and Jane about the relevance of Cahn's message. As far as the book, "The Harbinger," I purchased it and read it when it first came out. I definitely agree that Cahn is on to something regarding God's judgment of America. Before the book was in print, there was an email going around----apparently initiated by Cahn or someone close to him. To me, that email was even more impressive than the book. It wasn't couched in fictional context, and it actually showed photos of them laying the huge "quarried rock" and planting the fir tree where the sycamore had fallen, etc. It was a bit breathtaking! I have recently searched for that link and been unable to find it. I suppose Cahn had it removed to boost sales of the book. I don't know.
I'm not certain what Tom said about Obama's re-election; however, I suspect his sentiments resemble mine---that short of divine, miraculous intervention, Obama's reelection spells the end of America as we have known it. America as we had known it is already history by now. And this is just the beginning.
I would have posted, but I couldn't find a way to register. I don't have a lot of time to invest in this. However, I agree a whole lot with Carol Garza's comments on the blog. Obviously, Abraham Lincoln thought we (America) had "forgotten God" and turned away from our underpinnings in Him---even at the time Lincoln served. If we want to see the heart of the early patriots, we should look at their songs and what it was that inspired them. "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" was just that: it stated what the heart was of those who were willing to risk their lives to establish this nation. There are fewer more inspirational Christian hymns---as far as fighting for Christ's cause is concerned. (Their doctrine didn't coincide with what the three of us believe. The author was obviously amillenial---and thought they were going to usher in Christ's return and reign through their military victory on earth. "As He (Christ) died to make men holy, let us live to make men free, while God is marching on." etc.
The war cry in the revolutionary was "No king but Jesus!" The second stanza of "My Country 'Tis of Thee" actually is a declaration of them reversing Israel's move of rejecting God for an earthly king. It goes, "Our father's God, to Thee---Author of Liberty--to Thee we sing. Long may our land be bright with freedom's holy light. Protect us by Thy might, great God, OUR KING!" The colonists honestly thought they were reversing the error of Israel of old. That was their position. In addition, the inscription on the "Liberty Bell": "Proclaim liberty throughout the land" was taken from Leviticus 25 and 27 regarding the jubilee of the children of Israel in their 70th year. The footprints of the Christian faith in our governmental documents and historic sites are too numerous to mention. Here's a brief listing of them:
http://www.allabouthistory.org/spiri...uments-faq.htm
Sinners, deceived (possessing slaves but declaring equality of all men), and with doctrinal error----just like the rest of us. However, the concept of God, Christ, and the Bible ranked high in their thoughts. Even those deists could quote Scripture and believed it more than most of our clergy today. The authority of the Word of God was unquestioned. "The Old Deluder Satan Act" was the bases for establishing public education. It stated that, since our laws were based upon the Bible, it was essential for men to be able to read so that they could read their Bibles and keep the magistrates in line. Compare that to our attitude today. I believe it was Robert Charles Winthrop, an 1850 politician, who said we would be ruled "either by the Bible or the bayonet."
As far as contributing to the debate, I'm not sure what I could add. Like Tom, I don't have a lot of time to invest in this sort of thing. I continue to be 125% employed (hence, the amount of time it's taken me to get back to you regarding your email). I'd like to support Cahn's speaking/book in any way possible.