Remember Why They Died

The Bible, in the book of 1st Corinthians, refers to being "spiritually-minded."  Romans 8 tells us that we can know "life and peace."

In 1st John 4, we are reminded that there are spirits about which we should be aware. It states:
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,
3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

On this day after Memorial Day, we can take a moment to thank the Lord for our great country and for the millions who have sacrificed their lives for the founding principles that we once embraced - principles that are consistent with the Scriptures, reflecting a devotion to God and to one another as Americans.

=>But, this rich heritage has somehow been lost on certain authoritarian types who are intent on scrubbing the practice of religion from our public life.  Case-in-point: the National Park Service, for the second straight year, announced it would no longer allow a religious Memorial Day event to take place on public land, in a national cemetery in Virginia.  In response, according to the First Liberty website, "First Liberty and the international law firm McGuireWoods LLP sent a letter to National Park Service officials at the Poplar Grove National Cemetery in Petersburg, Virginia."  

The letter said, in part, "The Supreme Court has recognized that restrictions on religious expression often violate the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment…The NPS’s prohibition of the Knights’ Memorial Day service due to its religious nature is not merely unlawful content-based discrimination on speech—it is textbook viewpoint discrimination, which is per se unconstitutional.”

The First Liberty website notes that the National Park Service referenced "...a new policy that designates 'religious services' as prohibited 'demonstrations.'  Last week, First Liberty, on behalf of the Knights, filed a federal lawsuit against the National Park Service seeking legal relief. And, on Thursday, it was announced in a First Liberty press release that the Knights could hold their Memorial Day service.

One of the leading perpetrators in eliminating the religious freedom that is guaranteed by the First Amendment, that brave Americans have died for, is the Freedom From Religion Foundation.  The Washington Stand published a disturbing article recently, stating:

While FFRF’s eyes are currently set on demanding that the Birmingham Police Department “end coercive staff prayer,” the group is celebrating another win in their book. An elementary school in rural Florida was forced to disband its Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) club after being accused of indoctrinating children into religion by FFRF. The FCA chapter included a small group of fifth grade students.

The article notes that in the FFRF's demand letter:

The sole elementary school in the small town of Jasper was accused of “alienating” and “excluding” non-religious families, as well as violating “students’ First Amendment rights by organizing, leading, and promoting a religious club.”

Interestingly enough, Liberty Counsel has defended Child Evangelism Fellowship numerous times against attempts to shut these Christian clubs down in elementary schools. The organization's website notes:

In June 2001, the U.S. Supreme Court in Good News Club v. Milford Central School ruled that public schools violate the First Amendment by not providing equal access and equal treatment to Christian clubs when the school has opened the forum to secular clubs.

However, various public schools will attempt to discriminate against and deny the Good News Clubs access to campus facilities on an equal basis while allowing other similar non-religious organizations.

Joseph Backholm is a senior fellow at Family Research Council, and stated in the Washington Stand article:

“In general, the FFRF is a bully organization that leverages people’s ignorance of their freedoms against them,” he said. “This is far from the first time someone has tried to force a religious organization out of a school, but the First Amendment has, does, and hopefully always will be acknowledged as protecting those rights.”

But, Backholm encourages Christians not to respond in fear, stating: “The last thing Christians should ever be is afraid...There have always been sectarian conflicts in the U.S., but fortunately they have been less serious than in most other parts of the world because respecting the conscience of others has long been an American value. Yes, it’s being threatened by a dogmatic and highly intolerant form of secularism, but relatively speaking we have much to be grateful for.”

There is much for which to be thankful as Americans, and on this day following Memorial Day and in this season leading up to Independence Day, we can reflect on our nation's rich history, a history in which the hand of God is inextricably woven.  And, we can be thankful for those who have served to gain and maintain our freedoms. 

We can also recognize that we are involved in a spiritual battle, and our great Commander and King who leads us gives us the strength and other heavenly resources to boldly proclaim His truth and to stand against the enemy of our souls.  The Washington Stand article said that Joseph Backholm of FRC "...warned that Christians live 'on a spiritual battlefield." He encouraged those with a faith to stand firm, as 'any public testimony to the gospel will illicit some kind of response,' but that Christians should be "comfortable" with that.

There are those who are hostile toward faith and/or ignorant of the law who wish to silence the witness of people of faith.  But, we can continue to trust in the Lord, reliant on Him, and emboldened by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.