What do you think of Ben Carson's statement - “It is time to bring God back into our country” ?

2015-10-20T06:40:08-04:00

http://www.westernjournalism.com/ben-carson-just-called-on-every-christian-in-america-to-do-this-and-it-shouldnt-be-ignored/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=ConservativeHeadlinesEmail&utm_campaign=PM1&utm_content=2015-10-19

Ben Carson Just Called On Every Christian In America To Do THIS, And It Shouldn't Be Ignored

The former neurosurgeon used his own...

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Oct 20 at 2015 6:41 AM

2015-10-20T06:41:36-04:00

Which one? Who gets to choose? Will Ahura Mazda suffice? How about Quetzalcouatl?

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Oct 20 at 2015 6:53 AM

2015-10-20T06:53:01-04:00

Let the backlash begin. It's pretty sad that we as a country have become so polarized around the use of the word "God" and the concept of religion. That being said, despite personal convictions, you can't just blurt that out and expect everyone to be OK with it.

Response by SSG Michael Hartsfield made Oct 20 at 2015 7:26 AM

2015-10-20T07:26:04-04:00

I feel that this a historically ignorant statement by Ben Carson, as one of the main reasons for the creation of the United States was to have a government not influenced by the church. Also, to caveat what others have said, under which God would OUR nation follow? I like Quetzalcoatl as well

Response by SGT David T. made Oct 20 at 2015 7:50 AM

2015-10-20T07:50:30-04:00

I have no issues with him and his personal journey of faith. What I have issues with is injecting religion into government regardless of what religion it is. Most people in our country would not want to see Sharia law injected into our government but on the flip side in order to prevent that we need to keep all other religions including Christianity out of government as well. At the time of the nation's founding there were several different religious groups. In order to keep the peace between them, the founders came up with the idea of separating religion from government. I have no problem with people in government being religious it is when they impose those beliefs into their official duties that I have an issue with.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 20 at 2015 8:11 AM

2015-10-20T08:11:00-04:00

... let us just pray about this ... :)

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 20 at 2015 9:22 AM

2015-10-20T09:22:21-04:00

(Urge to comment stronger than knowledge of the futility therein...drags soapbox)

Mr. Carson won't be the nominee-Let's get that straight. I could list three very clear reasons why not, but that would delve into topics not appropriate to this site. That said, I believe the reasons he isn't capable of being nominated ride hand in hand with the reasons the current President was elected to not one, but two terms, despite the numerous Americans seemingly displeased with the policies of his Administration.

This moment was unavoidable...the United States was founded over two centuries ago by men who took it for granted that the controlling interest would always be Christian. It had been for more than a thousand years before them, and they had no evidence that would change. "Christian" civilization had halted Islamic expansion...converted the pagan cultures of Europe...conquered the native tribes of North and South America (or were obviously soon to complete that task). They wrote laws dividing faith and governance because they wanted to avoid the continued conflict between competing Christian denominations...they never considered "other" faiths.

Now, we live in a country, and larger world, where "Christians" are no longer the dominant voice. Islam is growing in influence, Judaism has evolved into less a faith, and more an ethnicity (here at least), and even Christendom is divided between so many sects and doctrines, it cannot claim any sort of cohesion. There is about as much difference between an Orthodox Christian in Russia, and a Presbyterian in Connecticut, as there is between a Frizbee and a baseball.

"Separation of Church and State" works only when the laws enacted by a non-religious government do not threaten the principles or doctrines of people of faith. When they do, people of faith are forced to choose between loyalties to nation or faith. When the governing faith bodies those believers belong to abandon their own doctrine...those individuals are forced to further choose between faith and their understanding of God. We're living in a time when many American Christians feel that their nation, and the faith organizations they belong to, are choosing human and political values, over the laws of God.

That's not a good situation.

If we're moving slowly towards a country where placing one's beliefs in a singular, ultimate divine authority becomes "treasonous"...God help us all. Personally, I don't think we are-yet. I think Christians need to remind themselves of the fact that Christ Himself came into a world that was dominated by a pagan emperors; some of whom required their subjects to consider them "gods' by law. Even in that world, Christians held positions of power, led the military, and expanded their influence peaceably. Yes, many were imprisoned or killed for their beliefs...but eventually, the decadent, self-serving nature, and corrupting influence of these practices collapsed an empire...and if this isn't the "end" we Christians believe will someday come...such a system will eventually implode on itself as well.

However, non-Christian Americans could do worse than espouse some of "our" beliefs. Christianity...what Christ truly taught, compels people to show kindness to their enemies, charity to the needy, peace in the face of persecution. It instructs its followers to live lives of devotion to a moral code that encourages responsibility, integrity and loyalty. Christians living the example of Christ will give before they take-love before they hate-forgive before they punish. Some of America's greatest heroes were people who put their faith ahead of all other principles-from Washington and Adams to Alvin York and Hal Moore.

Admittedly, Christians have a lot of work to do getting back to their own roots. We've supplanted the message of the Sermon on the Mount for the "prosperity" doctrine of opportunistic church leadership. We've inculcated post-modern notions of superiority into a faith that was born in the impoverished hamlets along the Jordan River. We've incorrectly mistaken our own provenance as a nation with the identity of our faith.

I wouldn't question the beliefs of my "neo-pagan" friends; however, their faith seem less about actual belief, than about an idealism of natural law. The agnostics and atheists I know seem compelled by a need for facts...and I can appreciate the difficulty in accepting such wide-ranging truths merely by faith. I realize many Muslims are people of peace who share much of my sentiment...but I cannot avoid the comparisons between a humble carpenter who gave His life for all mankind, and a prophet whose teachings split his own followers and ushered in centuries of bloodshed leading to the very day. My faith teaches me that the Jews are God's chosen, and that it is a great sin and mistake to condemn them...but I also realize the great divide between our views of the new contract between mankind and God. All that said, I see no logical reason why in a free society, all cannot live and work in cooperation.

To my mind, that requires us to recognize the individual right (and responsibility) of choice. We cannot use law to enact cultural change-only to govern how it may harm...We cannot claim as "prejudice" all instances of disagreement or rejection of those choices. We cannot strive to remove choice by seeking any and all causality other than free will. We have to be mature enough to realize some aspects of life are public, some private...and some too divisive to be brought into court-rooms and political debate.

Response by SGT William Howell made Oct 20 at 2015 9:38 AM

2015-10-20T09:38:47-04:00

Going to go with the US is pretty screwed up right now. Can't see what it would hurt to have people with a few more morals running around.

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Oct 20 at 2015 12:10 PM

2015-10-20T12:10:35-04:00

I agree...

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Oct 20 at 2015 12:20 PM

2015-10-20T12:20:29-04:00

I have no issues with what he said...except the fact that God never left. And to think otherwise is mistaken provided you even believe in a higher deity. But how would Mr. Carson and those of the evangelical side of the coin feel if someone said we need to bring Allah back into America? Would there be backlash over that? Or Budda? I fully support religious freedom, but you cannot place one religion over another yet claim to be open minded and caring to all. And that is a serious problem America is dealing with. There should be NO link to a religion and any form of government. You believe, I believe, we move on together, not you believe and your God is better than mine and if you choose not to follow my "God" then you're not as American as I am. "ONE Nation under GOD (doesn't specify WHO's God), indivisible with justice for all.

Response by SPC David S. made Oct 20 at 2015 2:32 PM

2015-10-20T14:32:31-04:00

While I think he is pandering to the Christian vote I get where he's going with this. It's not so much about the religion as reinforcing the moral baseline.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 21 at 2015 8:12 AM

2015-10-21T08:12:44-04:00

SP5 Mark Kuzinski I would agree that we need to do something, the morale fiber of this country seems to be in crisis.

When one starts talking about religion or God, I have to ask which one? Who gets to choose and are the rest of us forced to follow?

I think we need to return to the idea of personal responsibility. Choices have consequences and own up to the choices you make.

Response by TSgt Donnie Meaders made Nov 10 at 2015 4:53 PM

2015-11-10T16:53:24-05:00

Considering this nation was founded on belief in a Creator and our system of government was designed around that premise, God is, has always been, and should always be a part of our country. Ironically, these beliefs follow the golden rule and if people would just live by that simple ideal, most of the rest of the problems would go away. Our money and government buildings are not inscribed or printed with "In God We Trust" by accident.

Response by SFC Kelly Fuerhoff made Jul 27 at 2017 12:56 PM

2017-07-27T12:56:45-04:00

Why can't "god" get into the country? I would think an omnipotent being that controls all would have no problem inserting itself into any country.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 23 at 2020 3:26 PM

2020-01-23T15:26:14-05:00

There has to be a common set of morals laid out for everyone, including atheists, can abide by. Even the Ten Commandments have values that can't be denied, just because someone isn't religious.

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here." - Patrick Henry

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Jan 23 at 2020 5:16 PM

2020-01-23T17:16:52-05:00

That's a good question. Dr. Carson is a devout Christian and it's safe to assume that his statement bears a certain bias. That's not to say it should be summarily dismissed. Indeed, his sentiment seems to echo one offered long, long ago.
Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
– John Adams
I believe that Adams and Carson would agree (if they met) that morality is founded in religion. Furthermore, I believe that the morality that they would find most acceptable is founded in the Judeo-Christian ethos.
To be clear, I agree with Adams, but may or may not with Carson.
The Constitution was made for a free people, people allowed to make their own decisions and take responsibility for them. Almost everyone wants freedom, but many don't want to take responsibility. Even those who claim to be religious have difficulty with the responsibility side of the equation. To be fair, I've met many atheists who love freedom and take responsibility for their actions and their decisions. They are practicing the Judeo-Christian ethos without subscribing to a Judeo-Christian religious practice or acceptance of a supreme being. The simple fact is that they have been acculturated to this ethos through immersion in a Judeo-Christian community whether or not they belong to any church. The Judeo-Christian ethos permeates the American culture.
You should be able to see by now why a I agree with Adams but not with Carson. Still, I believe that Dr. Carson is on to something.
Once upon a time immigrants came to America to be American. They allowed themselves to be assimilated. Indeed, they worked hard at it. And, if they failed to succeed, their children were completely assimilated once they wandered outside their homes and communities.
Many of today's immigrants resist assimilation. In fact, they want America to adapt to them, to transform itself into the homes that these immigrants left. This is especially true of Muslims. Whereas other immigrant communities held fast to their diet and costume, even their language, they adopted and adapted to Constitutional government and law. Muslims insist that we not only respect Sharia, but also conform to it though it is an anathema to Constitutional law. Thus, I'm not sure that embracing "God" as they define a supreme being, would achieve Dr. Carson's vision.
I will agree with Dr. Carson insofar as God should not be excluded from our culture. Freedom of religion has been perverted to freedom from religion to suave the injured egos of atheists who hid in the closet throughout many generations. I don't see how allowing them to step all over the religious rights and sensibilities of Christians is going to compensate for the generations that Christians stepped all over theirs.
Until I see Congress attempting to establish an official religion, I don't see any cause of action. Let us all practice religion, whatever that religion may or may not be, or abstain as we so choose, and respect the religious choices of all others. If the Muslims or any other religious community refuses to abide by this simple agreement, then they must lose their protected status.

Response by Maj John Bell made Jan 23 at 2020 7:02 PM

2020-01-23T19:02:11-05:00

As long as he does not think our government and our country are one and the same, I could not agree more.

Response by LCDR Joshua Gillespie made Jan 24 at 2020 4:30 PM

2020-01-24T16:30:54-05:00

I'm a Christian. That means that as far as I'm concerned, all mankind; Americans, Europeans, Asians, Africans, Arabs, Jews, Hispanics, Russians, Ukrainians, Republicans, Democrats, Communists, "Lefties", "Right Wingers"...you name it...are ALL creations of, and subject to the will of God. I believe that there is an afterlife, and that that same God, through the sacrifice of His physical embodiment on earth as Christ...offers eternal salvation to any and all who seek it. I believe part of my obligations to God, resultant of having accepted that salvation...is to tell others about it, and try to live in such a way that they too may accept it of their own free will.

That's on me.

I'm also a citizen of the United States of America; a nation that guarantees religious freedom to all, regardless of which religion (if any) they subscribe to. As such, I willingly accept that those who believe I am wrong, are equally protected from imprisonment, fines, denial of franchise, censorship, etc. , etc. I believe that given the realities, this is the "best" we can hope for in terms of preserving our freedom of thought. I sincerely hope we do not sway so far to one direction that this becomes nothing but a memory. I do NOT believe that protection extends beyond the authority of human beings within this lifetime.

That's on them.

Naturally, I believe that if as a nation, we turned to God for help, avowing our obedience, loyalty, and devotion...we would benefit from it. Honestly, I have no hope that we will ever do so. We want what we want; we want "proof" before we give up what gives us pleasure, simplifies complex questions, or exempts us from guilt or worry. In that sense, I pray that God continues to show not only our nation, but all countries, mercy.

Response by Cpl Henry Busby made Jul 8 at 2020 11:35 AM

2020-07-08T11:35:28-04:00

All of that is well and good but first one has to accept God into their hearts and lives. It doesn't matter what others may or may not do, if you don't have a personal relationship with God.

"But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. For each one will bear his own load." Gal 6: 4,5

So many of the world's battles, even during Biblical times have been fought over religion. Let us each worship as we are led by the scriptures. Another galvanizing statement is about "Putting prayer back in schools." I personally directed my children toward God, the Bible and its teachings, as well as, prayer. No one can stop anyone from praying because it is a personal conversation between you and God. Politicians use it as a bludgeon. "They want to stop you from praying!" I ask, how can anyone do that?

I pray while going for my run in the mornings. I pray while driving to work. I pray while taking a shower. Don't get me wrong, I'm using this as an example because I don't pray constantly, but I do pray anytime I want to. But some want public prayer as though that makes a difference as to the quality of one's prayers. We must remember that Jesus did not advocate public prayer.

Mathew 6: 5 - 8 clearly admonishes;

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

A personal relationship with our God is much more valuable than all the condemnations that our so called leaders proclaim. As a Christian, which by definition means; "A follower of Christ", I try to defer to the words of Jesus and his apostles. Just how I view my spirituality.