Live as people who are free, not using your freedom
as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
(1 Peter 2:16 )
As I write this, it is Veteran’s Day, when we remember and
honor all those who have fought and died for the freedom we
enjoy in this country.
And, it’s interesting to note that the Bible passage I’ve posted
above lies imbedded in several paragraphs Peter has written
about submitting to the authorities.
Yes, even though our veterans sacrificed their very lives for
all our freedoms, including freedom of religion, our country
seems to be running headlong toward freedom from
religion.
Even now, a school district in North Carolina has turned
down the gift of posters from the local American Legion
because they say ‘In God We Trust.” The school board fears
raising the ire of atheist organizations—and dealing with the
resulting cost of litigation.
The irony is that those words are the official motto of the
United States of America, adopted by Congress on July 30,
1956—and that’s exactly what the posters say.
And, the motto is not some left-over from the Eisenhower
Administration. In 2006, on the 50th
adoption, the Senate reaffirmed “In God we trust” as the
official national motto. In 2011, the House of Representatives
passed an additional resolution reaffirming “In God we
trust” as the official motto on a 396-9 vote.
Repeated attempts by atheist organizations to have the
words removed from U.S. currency have failed—even when
taken to the Supreme Court.
It’s important to remember that the actual number of
atheists in the United States appears to be about 2%
(according to the World Fact Book), and only a fraction
of those engage in litigation and the kind of vociferous
opposition that garners media attention.
In fact, an atheist web page sites a recent study that found
50% of Americans find atheism “threatening.”
anniversary of its
The good news is that our ultimate freedom is in Christ.
While political wrangling may wage back and forth, Jesus
is the one who died and rose again to ultimately set us free
from sin and death—and that gift of grace is free to all.
Today’s Praise
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of
the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17 )