What’s happened to our moral compass? When did we lose our sense of direction? The assertion that this country as not based on Judeo-Christian values is simply not true.
Consider the phrase “In God We Trust.” It clearly indicates that this country trusts and bases our very existence on a Higher Power: that was the intent, anyway. Try as we might to deny it, we cannot survive without something, a code, to guide us
It seems apparent that the founders of this country knew that without a solid foundation we would be like a rudderless ship in the ocean at the mercy of the prevailing winds. Something tells me that these foresighted people envisioned our modern age and somehow knew what we would face. They didn’t necessarily know the date or time, but they knew that we would face this crisis of direction and division and that our only hope would be a strong moral compass: that being our trust in that Higher Power. I believe that the founders were well schooled in world history. They understood it. They learned from it. They applied it as they created this country. It’s truly amazing how immutable the truth really is.
Our reliance on a Higher Power is an honest admission that we cannot exist on our own and that we must be accountable to it for our moral direction since we lack the character to go it alone. Much like the compass needle, our belief in this power points us in the moral and correct direction figuratively and literally. Since we find it effortless to misdirect each other for personal gain we need something to keep us honest. Our current events are a powerful example. We are divided on every point including our need for a moral compass. We take every opportunity to interpret events to support our agendas and to rationalize our need for control i.e. power. We abandon the need for moral direction so that our actions can be rationalized, thus justified. We vehemently deny our need for external moral direction and example, insisting that we have the answer and know where to and how to handle every situation when in fact, it is our own selfishness and greed that drives and deceives us. “Don’t worry, trust me, I’ve got this…” should be the slogan for the past 100 years of our wandering through the liberals’ dessert.
Allegations of corruption in every facet of government are hourly occurrences as we watch the parade. Few ask what would make these people abandon morality and propriety to support a political cause? Have we forsaken our honor and national pride for personal gain? When the Department of Justice (DoJ) faces allegations of impropriety for attempts to affect a presidential election, we are in big trouble. Consider, that the people pay to administer our legal system, abandoned their jobs to impact an election. More insinuations about bribes to impact this same election are page-one news for the past several months. Winning supplants ethics and morals, and certainly what is best for the country in total. People are battling to gain their “rights” blaming the other side for denying them. Everyone wants something that the others have because of their presupposed entitlements. It amounts to an un-civil war.
We search for direction from within and discover that we can delude ourselves as easily as each other because we lack the character to make a just decision without this moral compass. We needed an example to form the basis for our foundation. We called our foundation The Constitution of the United States. Now rather than looking to a higher power for this example, we create a complex legal system to regulate our society. We hire people to administer these laws to ensure that they are followed and who in turn invented a judicial system to regulate their fair application. Since we’ve taken the responsibility to monitor and administer the application of these laws we have removed fairness and replaced it with passionate rationalizing. There is no real justice in the system, simply interpreted and biased application. We chose when and how to apply the law based on factors that should have no bearing but that create more inequity where there should be total harmony. If we seek a dispassionate system, we require a much simpler and more overarching principle that eliminates arbitrary application of that law. We forgot that the people we hired are exactly like us and without this moral compass we will continue to devolve.
We seem to gravitate toward a lazy approach to morality. If there is leeway we opt for the path of least resistance or the way that allows us to avoid the difficult decisions. Our narcissism allows us to believe that these laws are for other people and that they do not apply to us, or that we are above these rules and laws. Our primary example here is our own government who operate with impunity in every situation. We observe that money buys you immunity. Billionaires and Wall Street moguls cheat people out of trillions of dollars and go unpunished. Rather than a simple, equitable, and moral system, we have one with multiple levels of exclusions and rationalizations. We’ve proven that financial wealth is the most power avoidance tool available. If a law is a good law, it applies to everyone equally or it applies to no one. This is the truth.
The big question seems to be, why not? “Everyone else does it so why shouldn’t I?” Hopefully, we all know the answer, but that’s in question as well. Without a firm moral foundation, we are in trouble. There are fewer places teaching morality. Common Core education seems to be the replacement. Interestingly, what I glean from Common Core curriculum is basically indoctrination for Socialism. (Socialism topic for another post.) I observe that Common Core is the final step toward the demise of our democratic-republic and the beginnings of the New Socialist States of America (NSSA).
It doesn’t matter what you call this higher power. It is not based on the religious constructs of man that were created to control each other. We could not apply a simple precept like “Be excellent to each other.” (Yes, this is an interpretation of many various writings but the concept is correct, and a favorite quote from a movie.) It is not based on a book, inspired or not. It’s the concept that should guide us; one that we follow willingly. If we follow our moral compass and treat each other fairly and with respect we will coexist in harmony. When we violate this, we have what we have today, a world full of hate and distrust, full of territorial and theological wars. We extend this enmity to everything in our lives from our president to each other. We would have friends based on common ideologies rather than mutual respect for free thought and dissimilar opinions. We simply cannot agree to disagree. Moreover, we cannot seem to allow or celebrate our rights to a differing opinion. It is if we are in competition to build armies of like-minded followers for the impending skirmish. Life is not a competition it is cooperation and coexistence. If you need a prime example, look at what we’ve done to our planet, and to each other in the process of societal growth. The indigenous people of North America lived in relative harmony with their surroundings. We called them uncivilized barbarians… Right again, European Conquerors! These invaders taught us to conquer our environment to learn to live in harmony with it.
The most difficult step in turning this around is recognizing that we are not perfect and that we cannot do this alone. A simple review of world history will bear this out. Mankind has been at war since they began recording their activities. It is obvious that we cannot be trusted to our own devices yet we keep denying our need for direction. In almost every instance the human race is vindictive and incredibly cruel. We celebrate the failures of others hoping to obscure and lessen our own shortcomings. Rather than creating a free environment of individual belief we insist that our way is the best and only way. We use whatever means available to justify and rationalize our choice. We insist that others believe our way to allay our insecurities. If they do not follow our lead, they are not a friend, but a foe.
Our liberal approach to this morality has allowed people with selfish agendas to dictate limits on our expression of our expression of personal beliefs. The removal of prayer from public events, especially schools is a great example. It’s not enough to offer personal options to not participate, we have to ban it altogether. We bring legal action to remove “In God We Trust” from our currency and other documents because Atheists don’t like the word, God. Banning the Confederate Flag is another example. A group of people decided that this flag reminded them of historical years of oppression so these flags are how banned even though none of the people was alive during this time. Why should I be required to pass a drug screen to work for a living, but not be required to pass that same process to obtain welfare? We bend to the sympathies the loudest group. So, rather than serve the best interests of the country, we ban a flag; a piece of colored cloth. We remove the 10 Commandments from government buildings because it reminds us of our moral obligation to each other and that higher power. Now, rumor has it we are editing/changing textbooks to modify/eliminate objectionable language and references. I wonder who these authorities are? Who makes this decision? I can only guess that they have a very liberal agenda.
We are a rudderless ship at the mercy of the winds.
The right answer in all of this is respect; for each other and our freedom to believe as we want. I don’t need anyone to tell me what is right or wrong if we have a solid moral compass to follow. I learned that from my parents, at school, and in church. I don’t need the government to decide what I can or cannot, should or should believe. I learned this as I grew and matured, as I studied and learned. Sadly, there are children and adults that have never been taught or maybe never learned these lessons. They seem comfortable with their ignorance, using it as a license for their choices. Ignorance of the law, used to hold true. I don’t think this is true in our society.
As I said earlier, I do not suggest that we involve religion. I agree with the separation of church and state. This is the most appropriate association. I do, however, feel that we need a foundation based on morality and equity for all citizens. If you chose not to follow a moral and ethical code, you can exercise your freedom to live elsewhere. Your freedom extends as far as living the way you choose, not in telling me that I must follow what you believe. That’s where we are today. There are people that insist that their freedom extends into my life. This liberal attitude does not fit the Constitution of this country, nor does it fit a moral and ethical code of conduct. It does not fit my idea of America.
Being liberal is a personal decision, not a political position. Our Constitution allows us the right to act as we please as long as there is no negative impact or harm to anyone else, and as long as we take responsibility for that decision or action. Why then do we need laws to redistribute wealth to the less fortunate? If I am moved by their plight, I can simply support them as an individual person. It does not need to be a political position. This is my position on every other point of contention we face. We are free to support any cause that we fancy. We can support them as we like. We don’t need laws are congressional mandates to dictate and regulate our giving.
Our compassion and morality should govern our actions, not our government.
December 14, 2017
~ The Author ~
Charles R. Dickens was born in 1951, is a veteran of the Vietnam, for which he volunteered, and the great-great grandson of the noted author, whose name he shares.
He is a fiercely proud American, who still believes this is the greatest country on the planet, with which we’ve lost control and certainly our direction. He grew up in moderate financial surrounding; were not rich by any stretch, but didn’t go hungry – his incredibly hard working father saw to that. As most from that era, he learned about life from his father, whose story would take too long to tell, other than to say that, he is also a fiercely proud American; a WWII and Korean war, veteran Marine.
Charlie was educated in the parochial system which, demanded that you actually learn something, and have capability to retain it before you advance. He attended several universities in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree, and chased the goose further to a master’s, and has retained some very definite ideas about education in this country.
In addition, Charlie is a professional (struggling) blues guitar and vocalist – a musician. This is his therapy career. Nothing brings him as much joy as playing music, and he wishes that he could make a living at it… maybe some day!
That’s Charlie… a proud, opinionated, and passionate American.
Mr. Dickens can be reached for comment at CRD@amalgamatedheavy.com