Many times, this word is used to express what religion a person is affiliated with and that is today’s topic. I have made it clear that I am a christian (a Mormon or a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). I believe that Christ died for my sins and by exercising faith in Him, I can be saved.
Now, I don’t really want to talk about my beliefs; I wanted to say that people who practice their faith and are active in it make for good citizens. They tend to live according to the laws of the nation that they reside in and work to improve their communities. There is one exception that we are seeing today and that is extremists. I don’t want to focus on them, however, I felt I needed to make that note.
In the United States, we have lived for a long time in peace and safety because we have been able to get along because, despite our differences, our faith has taught us to be tolerant and work with others. Today in our society “tolerance” has become a club of minority groups to brow beat and attack others who don’t agree or espouse the same beliefs. Since when did it become an American ideal to attack your neighbor because they are different from you? What happened to our Melting Pot? What happened to being able to hold differing opinions and still coming together to work towards a common goal? What happened to compromise and putting our differences behind us?
Once this nation pulled together to do great things! We went to the moon! We used to lead in peace talks and negotiations. We used to be a country with integrity. American’s once were trusted around the world because our culture was widely seen as honest, courageous, open, and virtuous. We still have many tens of millions of people who live lives of integrity, honor, and virtue because they live their faith. They stand in the breach to fend off the coming destruction and I pray that not only will I … I pray my boys will grow up to stand beside me and then take my place.
“We the people” of faith in this great nation and our God, need to stand up and get involved in your communities and work to improve the candidates and communities we live in. “We the people” need to be active in defending our faith, our values, and our communities. If we don’t set the standard and teach these values to the current and next generation we will lose our beloved United States of America. President Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.” (1)
One thing I have learned by experience and from those who have proved their patriotism with their lives. This nation shines as a lighthouse in the darkness of night and fog of war. People have risked their lives to escape communism and tyranny; they have given their lives so that family members could live in freedom and liberty. My fellow Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, and even those Muslims (that don’t practice Sharia Law); you can work together and build and strengthen the place you live. It will be a hard and long fight. The outcome is literally up in the air and as Ghandi said; “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”
(1) Wikiquote; Ronald Reagan Quotes
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