Some thoughts about our country as Christmas and the new year approach.
In his Farewell Address to the nation in 1796, America’s departing first president, George Washington, observed: “It is substantially true that virtue or morality is a necessary spring to popular government.”
And what is the basis upon which we define morality?
Washington answers, “reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”
Per our first president, for a democracy to function properly, it must be guided by moral principles. And the guidelines and rules by which we define what is moral are framed by principles of the Bible.
This is not exactly what we have going on today.
Rather than our democracy following prior moral principles, our moral principles now are defined by our democracy. What we deem to be moral — good and evil, right and wrong — now arrives to us not from heaven but from Hollywood.
Consider how, over the last 20 years, our idea of what is morally acceptable has changed.
Twenty-two years ago, in 2001, per Gallup polling, the following percentages of Americans viewed these activities as “morally acceptable”: gay/lesbian relations: 40%; birth to unwed mother: 45%; polygamy: 7%; suicide: 13%; pornography: 30%.
In the latest survey in 2022, following are the percentages calling these same activities “morally acceptable”: gay/lesbian relations: 71%; birth to unwed mother: 70%; polygamy: 23%; suicide: 22%; pornography: 41%.
What exactly happened over 22 years that, on average, the percentage saying each morally sensitive area is morally acceptable has more than doubled?
One thing that has happened is that the percentage of Americans that think the Bible is relevant to their life has dramatically dropped.
Per Gallup, the percentage saying that religion is “very important” in their life has dropped from 70% in 1965 to 49% in 2021.
The percentage saying they attended church in the last seven days has dropped from 49% in 1960 to 29% in 2021.
Certainly contributing to this is a long series of court decisions in which interpretations of the First Amendment have been more about purging religion from our public spaces than about protecting religious liberty.
The 1962 decision banning prayer in public schools was just the opening salvo producing our reality today in which traditional values and morality are gone from the instruction our children receive in public schools. Those values have been replaced by the secular humanism of the far left.
It is very popular to think about public policy in terms of the social agenda and the economic agenda, as if these are two separate worlds. But they’re not. As religion declines, government grows.
Perhaps George Washington’s point that a moral and virtuous culture enables popular government can be best understood in that a free society cannot function when individuals cannot govern themselves through personal responsibility.
Tens of trillions have been spent on anti-poverty programs with practically zero impact. Substantial research shows that what really combats recurring poverty is the so-called “success sequence.” Those who finish high school, do not have children before marriage and work overwhelmingly move out of poverty.
Government and politics have become our new religion, despite their dismal track record of success in improving the human condition.
The Penn Wharton Budget model, an economic research group at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business, projects now that by 2050, our national debt will be 225% of our GDP.
A national culture increasingly rooted in falsehoods is spending itself into oblivion and bankruptcy.
How about we Americans who still pray direct our prayers that in the upcoming year we see a revival of truth in our nation? Let’s pray that all our citizens see that the only path to freedom is each embracing eternal truths that enable all of us to successfully govern our own lives.
Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly television show “Cure America with Star Parker.”
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Excellent article.
We STAND and FIGHT for OUR COUNTRY.
IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY and OUR HOME.
The UNITED STATES of AMERICA is WORTH FIGHTING FOR.
SHE IS THE GREATEST NATION IN THE WORLD.
And I will be damned if I will let DICTATOR Beijing biden DESTROY her.
TOO MANY SHED BLOOD AND DIED FOR OUR FREEDOM AND U.S. CONSTITUTION. WE OWE EVERYTHING TO THOSE THAT LAID IT ON THE LINE WITH THEIR LIVES FOR FREEDOM AND PROSPERITY.
WE FIGHT AND WIN.
Here’s an idea, stop letting massively rich people pay little to no taxes. That should help.
How can you claim you “love America” if you exploit every loophole possible to pay no taxes. Disgusting
To Star Parker , Great article ; identifying what is off track, which you brought out in the article, is the first step to getting the Nation back on track .Those of us who realize it takes courage and a sense of responsibility to keep the gears of government meshing properly , need to keep in mind the spirit of what you wrote in the last sentence of the article ” Let’s pray that all our citizens see that the only path to freedom is each embracing eternal truths that enable all of us to successfully govern our own lives.”
There is plenty to be done, at all levels, with trust and faith in God I believe that this country can and will make the necessary course corrections that will lead in the right direction, towards a destination where principles of honor , honesty, integrity, courage and loyalty are respected . That destination is the future of the country.
In the spirit of everything that encourages good character, good citizenship, respect for law and the will of God, respect for life and freedom.
How do we get our nation back on track? First start with election integrity. Our government has gotten so bloated, there is absolutely no accountability for reckless spending and both sides are responsible for this debacle. Lifetime career politicians and bureaucrats are so entrenched, it’s no wonder it’s just the same dog and pony show with fake outrage and empty promises. Elections bear this out. The irony is that the only ones getting the raw deal are the ones paying the taxes. As Margaret Thatcher once said “the problem with socialism is you’ll eventually run out of other peoples money.” We used to be a republic but this is how our nation’s finances are run. Taxpayers are getting nothing in return but are being duped giving handouts to other countries and illegals who have learned to take and have no skin in the game.
With a lot of help from God. People do not seem willing to do it themselves.
Star Parker, thanks for a great article. Well said!
And where are our elected representatives on this issue?Are they speaking out about this very issue? Do they want a United States of America to exist as a free nation?
First, we have to elect President Trump again. No he’s not perfect and sometimes talks too much but he loves our great nation and the people. Then we need to stand beside him for every stride and destroy the democrat party and democrats once and for all. Scorched earth! Democrats are not just the opposition they are an enemy to our country and try to destroy the country, morality and faith our great nation was founded upon.
We no longer have a moral compass. That compass starts with the family unit. Depravity starts with the education system and the new Democrat party.
I completely agree that declining morality is the major variable in the equation. The problem is that the government, especially the federal government, is comprised largely of people with ZERO morality, ethics or character…NONE…ZIPPO! They say that one in twenty-five people have no conscience whatsoever. Most of them must be in dc. The dc sewer attracts the worst of the worst. It’s been a long, LONG time since it’s been a government of the people, by the people and for the people. It’s now nothing but a MASSIVE crime syndicate…period. Politicians will NEVER fix this country…guaranteed. We the People can’t fix it…the power of the people has been usurped by the unconstitutional syndicate that calls itself the government. We have reached a point in this maelstrom of evil that only God can help us now, if that is his will. I pray it is.
Amen!
My family fought in every war. Worked with military intelligence and discovered our soldiers were lab test rats.
My uncle on his deathbed revealed what he was told to never tell.
He was one of the soldiers who stood in White Desert Sands when the atom bomb was tested on them.
As a military brat we all took the same shots to live out of the USA.
So done with greedy billionaire business demoncraps.
Hanging is too good for all of them.
Glad Elon is revealing all of their crimes against our people.
1- stop electing Democrats to office. 2- ignore the main stream media. Get the truth from AMAC. Newsmax, Daily Wire, brietbart, OANN.
This nation is turning its back on God. He will remember that. And he will turn his back on this nation. This nation is done
First and foremost we are a Constitutional Republic not a Democracy. A Constitutional Republic is owned and ran by “we the people” and we get our freedoms from God. All Democracies are run by dictators or communist rulers. If we want to keep our Freedoms we must remove the treasonous politicians currently lining their pockets who no longer serve we the people.
Promiscuity should be included in this, but no one is ever willing to discuss that.
Tough question. Sadly but frequently the crash and burn needs to be extremely severe. I think America and Americans are going to have to go there.
Prayer
Run for office
Local, state, Federal
Change Corp culture
Activist investors in NYSE
‘Name names
Defund if possible
Joe Biden and his administration have NO wisdom. Hopefully, when they are sent packing, we will return to something we use to call normal. Now nothing makes sense. Too, sad!
One way to get our country on track is to keep all Liberal Socialist Marxist Communist Democratics as far away from government as possible and also their accomplices, their co-conspirators the liberal media. The Dems have in the last few years shown their colors as the most anti-American party ever, consistently finding ways to make this country weaker. Does the border come to mine? I am now convinced that the liberal left, social globalists will continue to degrade America until it no longer is the number one power in the world. Their only objective is to make America last and irrelevant.
America, wake up, your country is being destroyed by these slime balls in real-time, and it will not be here long before are way of life will be gone!!!! 2024 cannot get here soon enough.
Elect NO Democrats to public office and imprison all RINO’s!
I am one of those Americans who pray regularly for our nation. I am heartbroken and grieved beyond words over what is taking place.
The president of the United States has as much or more influence than any citizen. The first thing that we as voters must do is to elect a president who is a moral person with moral credentials. I’m afraid we at this juncture, are woefully lacking in that regard. Any moral person is most certainly aware that homosexuality, same sex marriage, etc and the like are ruinous to us and our nation.
If anyone is not convinced of the truth of these matters, they only have to read about them in the Lord’s book, the Bible. God not only condems to death (hell) the one who lives that lifestyle, but also anyone who encourages them. THAT ALONE SHOULD GET THEIR ATTENTION.
Senator Josh Hawley had a great video the other day, challenging boys to step up and be real men! If we had more men in the mold of Hawley, Cotton, Paul, Johnson, and Cruz, we might get somewhere! (And primary The Turtle; a useless swamper.)
impeach biden and get rid of the other trash dumos! some one out there has to be lawful everyone can’t be corrupt – someone ask me what has biden done so wrong other than his job! what do you say to these people who don’t have a clue! i went down the list but they don’t buy it i wanted to hit them
Start by shipping liberals out of OUR country!
What is woke? Why do we need a two party system? I’m so confused about what they stand for and what I stand for.
I am not a religious person primarily because I have a weekly treatment at a cancer center and when I see the children suffer from cancer, I have to question why any god would allow such a thing. I still believe the morality decline is a serious problem that needs attention.
Simple, vote democrats and Rinos out of office!
Please stop saying our country is a democracy. It is a constitutional republic.
Gonna be a tough road ahead.
Have taken time to read the posted comments. For what it’s worth here are mine. Look in the mirror that is the person who is responsible! I for whatever reason never went to church, I do believe it God but the attendance at church was not my way, if you don’t take you and your family to church the how to believe in God, (and all that is associated with that belief), is not passed down. I could expound how church attendances is necessary for a sound, family, community, county, state, nation, have neither words, space, or time for that. Our churches are as sick as our nation, ask your self if you go to church, are you led in warship or entertained. Church is not just on Sunday, you carry the message 24/7. For the second amendment,(or the constitution to work), the individual, the family, and the nation must, (must, not should) be moral. In short till I look in the mirror and understand that I am the root of the problem. The cure for our Nation will only come from a just and GODLY people. Not from government.
Here’s how I think the U. S. has deteriorated from the greatness begun by George Washington and our Founding Fathers, through World War II. I agree that the first major deviation from our greatness in the mid-1950s was that a small group of U. S. Supreme Court Justices ignored the concept that real, lasting morality comes from a document, accepted by a large number of people, with a focus on one or two central figures. In the case of Christianity, Judaism, it is Lord God Jehovah, and Jesus Christ (for Christians). Muslims profess to have their morality dictates from the same Jewish and Christian God, but with a different Interpreter (Muhammad). China has two major long-term religions–Buddhism and Confucianism. India has Hinduism. All of these “religions” are documented decrees of both immutable and inviolate moral human behavior whose principles are upheld by the vast majority of the people within specific countries. I contend the U. S. has two major problems that has splintered this country from our recognized singular Christian moral code upheld until the early 1960s. First, the U. S. Federal Court System in general and the Supreme Court in specific began to consider man-made laws and the interpretations by the appellate courts to be void of consideration of non-human established behavior standards. Thus, in 1963 the U. S. Supreme Court banned prayer in school because the justices deemed U. S. law more inviolate than Christianity based morality. The Supreme Court and appellate courts have disregarded the only singularly documented moral code. This, in turn has promoted an education system and national policy that basically says that morality is determined not by a supreme being, but rather by mankind. And now, we begin to see the fallacy of this approach when there is no longer any standard across the U. S. for human behavior. Every local government and many individuals have been taught that their personal standards of and for moral behavior are human-made, with inconsistent definitions and enforcement throughout not just the country but from neighborhood to neighborhood and city to city. And this is perhaps most egregiously demonstrated and practiced in the U. S. Congress and legislative state houses. There is only one correction available to the U. S. to right the course of our country. That is, of course, bring Biblical morality back into political policy and governmental execution by all three branches of government at every level of government.
We get our Country back on track by defeating RINOs, those “Republicans” who have no conservative principles. Voters must choose their representatives on conservative principles.
Patrick Henry: “When a nation forgets it’s God, tyrants soon forge it’s chains.” If one looks back even to the 50’s, the America of today would have been completely unimaginable. “Of the people, For the People, by the People” means nothing. The people vote for the candidate who espouses the most “positive message” makes promises he or she never intends to keep and the people go back to their jobs, raising families, buying the latest car, planning the new house and leaving it in the hands of self serving bureaucrats, and one day wake up and look around at a nation no longer recognizable.
The church has been marginalized, over 60 million unborn citizens have been slaughtered by “choice”; even so many commercials, let alone weekly TV shows, are bordering on filth. Our police are routinely spit on, grocery stores (at least in my town) aren’t even allowed to go after shop lifters…why? Because some ambulance chasing “lawyer” (see maggot) will sue. Once upon a time in a land not far away lawyers weren’t allowed to ply their poison on TV…now about 50% of ads are lawyers. Most if not all the demorats in congress are, you guessed it, lawyers who’ve used the courts to twist and pervert our Constitution, Bill of Rights and the most egregious, the sanctity of life.
Goerge Bush Sr. in his presidential acceptance speech opined: “We must usher in the New World Order.” I saw that speech on TV. Our once strong, proud nation isn’t even mentioned in the end times…she forgot her God.
We are the only nation in history which has had the money to experiment in millions of ways to create a “perfect” society (not union) and we continue to allow the experimenters to experiment
even though they have failed in every attempt. Thus we should accept the fact that our nation
today is as socially perfect as it will ever be. There is NO way to improve us. We are NOW as good as we will ever be. Damn the dissatisfied.
AMAC, I agree with this article except that our country is not a Democracy. It’s a Constitutional Republic. This is no longer taught in school. And if the people of this country don’t turn their hearts back to God we will continue to circle the drain.
Bring God into our hearts, the government ,the school system. Pray to God and repent!! Anything less and we will continue to slip down this slippery slope to destruction!!
Ok, let’s begin with our highly questionable sitting president, I believe every word he spews out of his hypocritical mouth is so divisive that the country has never ever been so divided. His policies are so destructive to our country and our constitution that it’s obvious he’s against our founders principles of capitalism and free speech. Also the past few elections are reminding me of a communist, banana republic. We’re watching tens of millions of illegals walk right into our country and then our current administration is flying them all over our country, and now all the blue cities are complaining about the influx and how to manage this invasion. Our military is woke and our biggest enemies are basically laughing at our country. The younger generation has been completely lied to about our great history and what sacrifices it took to build our republic . The far left has done so much damage and there still on a path to completely ruin our freedoms and our constitutional rights as American citizens. I could keep going but would be here for days, merry Christmas and happy holidays to all of our great and honorable American citizens, hog bless and help us all.
Our education system is POISON
I’m gonna make it simple for you. We (Conservative US citizens) have allowed this crap to go on , until we have, in my summation, reached a ‘point of extremis’. That is the point where you either sh*t or get off the pot!!! We will NOT regain our country by civil means. It has become time to do what our forefathers did in the face of King George’s tyranny. It is time for the Second American Revolution. You can call me a conspiracy theorist all you want. The God’s honest truth is WE HAVE LOST THIS COUNTRY!! If you want it back, GET OFF YOUR A**!!! TYRANNY SHALL RULE, as Good Men sit on their hands. The time to be civil has passed.
I am only one of many opinions voiced here. I’m not a Biblical expert, but I am a Believer in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and as my Lord and Savior. To the world at large, I’m considered a fool for believing there is a God. That’s okay. I know in my heart that God exists and that I am a sinner because I have, and still do, sin, when I fail to live and love as Jesus has commanded. I am a sinner, saved by God’s Grace through Faith and Trusting Jesus who has paid the price for my sins on the cross. Yes, historical Jesus, the only son of Almighty God, did this for me and all who will only believe and turn to Him for forgiveness, will be saved. Trust Him, accept His free gift of eternal life with Him, and live your New Life as best you can with Hope, Faith, and Trust, daily. The world will of non believers will hate you and persecute you, but the prize that lies ahead is abundant in the presence of The Lord for eternity.
Democracies, Constitutional Republics, Communism, or what ever world governments that exist,
will never, ever, realize a perfect existence, without turning to and living by the Lord God’s eternal Truth. God forgive the people of United States of America for having turned our backs on The One Truth we once had.
Politicians can’t help this nation get back on track for they are the ones who put us here in the first place, Republicans
The 1962 banning of prayers in public schools was the start of downward morality in USA. And just take a look at morality of many of the top people that we elect to Congress & that means that voters support this trend. Sixty years ago if a Trump/Billy Bush recording came out….someone would not have gotten 100-votes.
That is right on point. I would add that if you want to know whose to blame, look in the mirror. We have all played a part. Prayer and forgiveness is the only answer.
I wonder if things would not be a little better today if Trump would have completed a peaceful transfer of Constitutional power to Biden on Jan 6, 2021. Trump was the first POTUS in history to stop this tradition.
Well written article
We all say in time if we the stay and do not publicly make our desires known and water for that next election nothing will happen. There Americans that won’t work the are receiving government benefits that are more than there salary was before COVID. I think they are being conditioned see government control. No biggie I get to hang with friends and family.My second issue 80 Thousand New IRS agents that will shoot some one. The under his direct command. That means He can assign 1600 new agents in every state that does not scares me the hell out me Any one look into Hitler’s SS sure seams when the time comes he will have us complyWho ever new violation of our Constitutional member the 1 week lock down for COVID they that FEAR works to ableTo control people.We learned that most of that was not necessary but did it make the power hungry Salivate.If you read this far I ma appear like some nut ton foil wearing.Please take a quick read of.Economics and the Public and Welfare, Financial and economic history of the United States 1914 — 1946.It was written by economist.Its text not charts and numbers. The connections are subtle.Thanks hanging in there..
The far left has taken control of the DemonRat party. They make the Devil proud.
Conservatism and Christian Revival is the only hope we have to Save Our Nation. The Democratic Party is No More, they’re now the Socialist Democrat Party. We are not Socialist, we are not Communist. We must Vote out the Socialist Democrat Party . They are working hard to Bankrupt and Destroy our great nation. We The People must stop them by ballot lest, we find the only way left is by bullet. God forbid, We would find no choice but to throw off the bounds of Tyranny in accordance with our original Declaration. Patriots be aware and beware.