Sunday, June 26, 2016

Bill Crawford: Without a Creator Can Men Be Created Equal?

Note: Mr. Crawford's column will be a regular feature at JJ

Next week we celebrate our founding fathers’ 1776 decision to declare independence from England. In so doing they laid down the principles that would guide the new nation. Their Declaration of Independence began:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

By 1789 our founding fathers had drafted, and the states ratified, a unique Constitution based on the Declaration’s principles, a Constitution embracing government by the people and designed to forever secure their Creator-endowed rights.

In writing the Declaration, Thomas Jefferson drew heavily from John Locke’s “Second Treatise of Government” wherein the English physician turned political philosopher cited God-made natural law to assert that all men are created equal, the only legitimate governments are those that have the consent of the people, and “no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions.”

Throughout the start-up of the new nation, our founding fathers sought the favor of their Creator. For example, the Continental Congress in 1782 put on the Great Seal of the United States the inscription Annuit Coeptis, meaning he (God) has favored our undertakings. In 1789, George Washington gave his First Inaugural Address, saying therein, “No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than those of the United States.”

Reflect on this heritage. Then, consider where we are today.

Many think our government now rejects the notion of a Creator. Why else, they say, are “God” and “Creator” wiped from school textbooks and religious expressions ousted from public places? How else can biblical concepts of marriage and perversion be upended by a government instituted to secure Creator-endowed rights?

Indeed, it has become politically incorrect to side with the Bible, ironically the holy book most federal officials swear on when they take oaths to uphold the Constitution.

If we allow our government to reject the notion of a Creator, what, then, becomes of the principles underlying our Constitution -- Creator-endowed rights, that all men are “created” equal?

Some say liberty, alone, is a sufficient principle. But, as Locke asserted and Alexis de Tocqueville affirmed, “liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith.” History shows liberty unconstrained by morality decays into indulgence and depravity.

Some say such decay is well underway with our rampant pornography, sex and associated diseases; predatory abuse; epidemic lawlessness and senseless murders; unconstrained greed; and so on.

“I have a dream,” said Martin Luther King, “that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal.’”

Lacking a Creator or creed, we have no up to rise to. This July 4th, pray for our nation.



Crawford is a syndicated columnist from Meridian (crawfolk@gmail.com)

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

At one time people believed the earth was flat. People learned better. We still have a long way to go before everyone finally learns there is no creator of man. It would seem like if a person made it past the third grade they would learn this. Sadly this is not true.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful commentary! Thanks for posting!

Anonymous said...

Is that you Mr. President?

Anonymous said...

Thankfully, our Founding Fathers did not share the position of 1:51.

Other than to demonize, the flat earth reference is irrelevant.

Anonymous said...

All of the things the columnist wrote in the third to last sentence causing the "decay" of the country are things that existed since it's foundation and prior to it, in nations with every kind of ideology. How does the government paying lip service to God mitigate it?

Johnny Weir said...

1:51 PM has just to open their eyes to see that only a creator (GOD) is the only ONE who could possibly put all the physical mechanisms of the universe in its entirety into such a precise manner that the said results points to HIS present.

Anonymous said...

4:41, scientist can make life in a test tube. The rest is just a matter of the strongest survive. Of course that does not happen over night.
In Williamstown, Ky. a man has built an ark. It was his idea to show people how true the bible is by building an ark like Noah. It is the largest timber framed building in the world. Amish built. It holds 30 pairs of animals. I would think Noah's ark would have to be much larger to hold two of every animal. The builder is a young earther. One of those people who think the world is 6,000 years old.
Don't know how he and those who believe like him would think if they knew there are trees older than that.

Anonymous said...

Since the beginning of our nation, people such as Mr. Crawford have been trying to make our government MORE powerful and MORE invasive by aligning it completely with Christianity. Our forefathers knew better. They spent many years prior to 1789 crafting a constitutional framework to include separation of church and state AND a representative democracy. They were conscious of the threat that a majority can impose on a minority view. And so they took extra steps to eradicate the concept of religious toleration from the Constitution and codify religious freedom instead.

Semantics over the government using or not using the term "Creator" is an insignificant factor with respect to public morality, and is only being advanced here by Mr. Crawford as a slow-moving Trojan horse to inject God/religion more broadly into the government. Mr. Crawford...I understand...you are against gay marriage. Our Creator may well have his day to judge us all for our deeds. Until that day, we are governed by contracts and commerce and not YOUR interpretation of the Creator--even if the majority holds your view.

Anonymous said...

5:30 - in the lab?

Did you spend your Father's dad seeking out that one test tube you call Dad?

Anonymous said...

This drivel is going to be a regular column? Jesus Christ.

I got your back 1:51.

Anonymous said...

Wow, just what I wanted to read: a syndicated column by my granddad on "What's wrong with America these days." (HINT: Not enough Jesus!)

No offense, but if I need some bog standard 1980's Focus on the Family talking points, they're on like 5,000 different websites. I think most folks come here for something a little more topical, nuanced, and clever.

Anonymous said...

So anti-religious drivel is nuanced and clever.

Anonymous said...

This guy's column is in the MS Business Journal, and is usually a slanted, left-wing attack on Republicans week after week (not having much to do with business either). I thought they ran this one by mistake.

Anonymous said...

A 6000 year old tree? Whur at? Now if'n you'da claimed the Clarion has contributors older'n that I wouldn'ta spoke up.

Anonymous said...

Disappointing to see this sort of drivel regurgitated here.

Anonymous said...

8:08

Find another blog who's contributors are more aligned with your mindset. Could be uplifting.

Anonymous said...

Every single religion claims to be the real one. All religions are really all the same. Believe as we say or we will destroy you. Sure sounds like a loving creator.

Anonymous said...

9:26

Out of "All religions", pick one.

As Hank puts it "...free your doubtful mind and melt your cold, cold heart".

Find something you can believe in.

Anonymous said...

Some people need to be forced to be a good person, or to make other people think they are. Some people need someone to blame for everything. Some need a crutch. And some need a con to make a living off these people.
Religion fills the bill.

Anonymous said...

I am sorry that Mr. Crawford's education stopped at the Declaration and never included the First Amendment.

Anonymous said...

12:02, many people pick and choose which part of the constitution they have read. Other parts, those parts they disagree with, do not count.
Sort of like the bible. The only parts that matter are the parts they agree with. Some have even gone as far as using another bible that excuses many of the things they do not agree with.

Bill Dees said...

So, which "God" is this Creator? The Christian God, Allah, or perhaps one of the many, many Hindu Gods? How about the 100 or more Aztec Gods? Or the Moche God, The Decapitator? How about all those Greek and Roman Gods and Goddesses? Are they all The Creator? I"m pretty sure the writer is not concerned that the government has disregarded all those other gods. When he writes "God" or "Creator" he means the Christian God. Government recognition of a Christian God as an official symbol would violate the First Amendment.

Anonymous said...

Johnny Weir at 4:41 - Do you still believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy as well?

Anonymous said...

We have too many people who still believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy in the state of Ms. Some have even made their way into politics and are making decisions for the state.
Does anyone really want state leaders that believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy?
Just wait until they learn Mickey Mouse is not a real mouse.

Anonymous said...

You're spewing nonsense about Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. Seems only relative to you.

Your attempt to belittle, and denigrate folks who believe in a deity, THE DEITY, shows the small makeup of your being.

Anonymous said...

12:52, that is your opinion and you have that right. Just like I have the right to think what I do about people who think santa claus, the tooth fairy, mickey mouse, and god are real.

Anonymous said...

In 1971, the Supreme Court decided Lemon v. Kurtzman which created three tests for determining whether a particular government act or policy unconstitutionally promotes religion.

The Lemon test says that in order to be constitutional, a policy must:

Have a non-religious purpose;
Not end up promoting or favoring any set of religious beliefs; and
Not overly involve the government with religion.


Anonymous said...

5:47, don't sound like any politician in Ms. can read. What they are doing will not pass the lemon test. Maybe now they can go back to spending tax money they do not have.

northierthanthou said...

Odd how an argument clearly intended to minimize the significance of the establishment clause could so completely avoid any questions about proper construction of that clause.



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