To some Americans freedom of religion, as implied in our Constitution (First Amendment) means freedom FROM religion. The AAA (American Association of Atheists) is making a serious effort to remove God from every aspect of our culture. School prayers are somehow unconstitutional. In spite of the "freedom of speech" (First Amendment) it is now against the law to speak aloud to God. Although we have the right to "peaceably assemble" (First Amendment again) we can no longer assemble on public (government) property to pray to or worship our Creator. We can hardly wait to see this applied in censoring the American Press (Freedom of the Press - First Amendment) who seem to be abetting these efforts to destroy Christianity from among us.
The American left seem to be bent on casting off all constraints inherited from our Christian culture. Marriage and the family as God would have it, are to be thrown out the window (or under the bus). The language of the Psalmist (Psalms two) comes to mind. "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us" (Psalms 2:1-3). The High and the Mighty have indeed set themselves against God and his Anointed (Christ). The people, too, seem to desire to cast off all cords of restraint. Today too many have rejected the counsel or righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel (Romans 1:16-18).
In colonial America church attendance every Sunday, was not only expected but required by the authorities (government). In our flight from the constraints of Christianity, perhaps it would be well to remember our religious roots. In the South, it is still generally true that anyone who is anybody still attends church regularly. The unchurched are the equivalent of the great unwashed. If America is truly interested in returning to "the faith of our fathers" today, perhaps we need to look to source of this faith - that is the New Testament.
The writer of Hebrews (Hebrews 10:22-25) makes several admonitions that are appropriate:
1. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering. Verse 23
2. Let us provoke one another unto love and to good works. Verse 2
3. Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is. Verse 25
Yes, regular church attendance IS a part of being a Christian. It was considered true in colonial America. It was true in the first century. It must become true in the twenty first century, if we are to be truly Christians (John 3:5).
Dale I. Royal, Elk City OK
