A Birthday Worth Celebrating

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
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, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Georgia:
   Button Gwinnett
   Lyman Hall
   George Walton
North Carolina:
   William Hooper
   Joseph Hewes
   John Penn
South Carolina:
   Edward Rutledge
   Thomas Heyward, Jr.
   Thomas Lynch, Jr.
   Arthur Middleton
Massachusetts:
  John Hancock
  Samuel Adams
  John Adams
  Robert Treat Paine
  Elbridge Gerry
Maryland:
  Samuel Chase
  William Paca
  Thomas Stone
  Charles Carroll
Virginia:
  George Wythe
  Richard Henry Lee
  Thomas Jefferson
  Benjamin Harrison
  Thomas Nelson, Jr.
  Francis Lightfoot Lee
  Carter Braxton
Pennsylvania:
   Robert Morris
   Benjamin Rush
   Benjamin Franklin
   John Morton
   George Clymer
   James Smith
   George Taylor
   James Wilson
   George Ross
Delaware:
   Caesar Rodney
   George Read
   Thomas McKean
New York:
   William Floyd
   Philip Livingston
   Francis Lewis
   Lewis Morris
New Jersey:
   Richard Stockton
   John Witherspoon
   Francis Hopkinson
   John Hart
   Abraham Clark
New Hampshire:
   Josiah Bartlett
   William Whipple
   Matthew Thornton
Rhode Island:
   Stephen Hopkins
   William Ellery
Connecticut:
   Roger Sherman
   Samuel Huntington
   William Williams
   Oliver Wolcott

Remembering 9/11

Like many of you, I spent a lot of time this weekend watching 9/11 memorials and tributes.  Auburn University and the band did a fantastic job yesterday morning honoring the victims of 9/11 in it's pregame program. It has been difficult to see the images and hear some of the stories.  It's also been refreshing to hear some of the stories of heroism at Ground Zero and the Pentagon again that remind us that as Americans we have a kindred spirit to help our neighbors.  That's one of the beautiful thing about being an American.  Most of us are very patriotic and when you hurt one of us, all are affected.

9/11 will probably go down as the major defining moment of my generation.  My grandfather's generation had Pearl Harbor that ushered in a patriotic fervor and involved them in a global war against tyranny.  This will be our "Pearl Harbor" with a few major exceptions.  For one, the technology and media coverage that ensued immediately following the first attack will preserve forever the images of people jumping to their death, of the gaping holes in the tower, and of the horrors of watching them fall floor by floor in front of our eyes.  Just like Pearl Harbor in my grandparent's generation, everyone in this generation will remember vividly where they were and how they felt on September 11th.  My family and I were in Hilton Head, South Carolina on a beach vacation.  Our oldest son was just shy of 2 years old and our second son was seven months old.  My wife and Nathan were in the pool for an early morning swim and I was surfing the Internet for information about MSU football when someone posted on a message board that an airplane had hit the World Trade Center.  I turned on the TV and became entranced by the moment.

9/11 is a moment that still invokes fear.  It is a moment that brings us face-to-face with our own frailty.  It is a reminder that as much as we like to believe we have sovereignty of our lives, we are ultimately in the hands of someone else.  Here are some other lessons I have learned in the wake of 9/11.

1.  This world and the United States of America is not my "home" - Don't mistake this for anti-patriotism.  I am as proud to be an American as Lee Greenwood.  I cry every time I hear that song played at the laser show at Stone Mountain.  However, earth and the US are just a temporary residence for me while inhabiting an earthly body.  Scripture says that the believer is an "alien and stranger" here on earth.  While I love baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Ford (ok, I know it's supposed to be Chevrolet, but I'm a Ford man), I also hold loosely to my allegiance to any earthly kingdom.  For me, there is one "king" and he is "King of Kings".  I enjoy the earthly benefits of a democracy while I live in the reality of a theocracy.  One day I will enjoy for eternity the benefits of my heavenly citizenship.  In the meantime, I had the privilege of living in a great country and enjoying the benefits of religious freedom.

2. Our fears and vulnerabilities are not enough to motivate us towards true repentance - Think about the weeks after September 11.  Every church was filled with people looking for answers.  I don't think most churches were ready to deal from a biblical standpoint with what was happening.  Most churches I know of were still very much entrenched in the "felt-needs" and "seeker-sensitive" models that tried to comfort fears, but didn't hold out the hope of the gospel and how 9/11 should drive us to our need and dependency on the gospel.  Most of us saw the numerical influx as great for business, but it didn't last.  Why?  Because fear is a bad motivator for true repentance.  This is why I don't believe the Judgment House mentality works all that well.  I understand and embrace showing people the realities of sin and judgment, but scare tactics into heaven, in my experience, don't last.  True repentance has to start with the gospel by showing that our sin is a violation of God's character and not just a ticket into hell.  When people are afraid, that is a great time to take them not to the realities of hell, but to the sufficiency of God our refuge. 

3.  Despite our attempts in America at pluralism, 9/11 is a sure indicator that all religious faiths are not equally valid - I have no beef with Muslims except that I think their faith claim is false.  It breaks my heart that millions of people around the world believe a religious ideology that claims an exclusive path into Paradise apart from Jesus Christ.  I certainly don't think all or most Muslims are terrorist extremists who want to kill Americans.  I think the terrorists that planned and executed the 9/11 attacks were motivated more by political ideology than true religious ideology.  I also don't even come close to thinking that America is a "Christian nation" and that makes us a target for religious extremists.  However, at it's core, the September 11 attacks come from centuries of conflict that date back to a very unwise move by Abraham thousands of years ago.  The disaster of 9/11 should show us that while we may try to build a more loving, unified world, opposing truth claims will eventually come into conflict, sometimes with violent ends.

In closing, as an American, my heart breaks and righteous indignation wells up inside me every time I see the images of 9/11.  I am proud and grateful for the thousands of men and women who have fought for our independence and freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq over the last ten years.  I know many who have paid a heavy price to ensure that we are a free nation, that freedom is extended to others, and that crimes like those of 9/11 will be justly punished.  I am so grateful for the men who risked their lives to take down Osama Bin Laden and am glad that his regime is over.  I am thankful that the brutal dictatorship of Saddam Hussein has ended.  However, I know that my ultimate aim is not to see America as the worldwide great hope, but to see Jesus Christ rightly enthroned on this earth as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  When he returns, all justice will be meted out and the righteous will finally proper.

Why one "Mac" guy is very disappointed in Apple...

In this "politically correct" and "tolerant" society, it's not surprising but certainly is disappointing that Apple last week decided to pull the app for the Manhattan Declaration from it's store.  It's another sign in the continuing saga that holding to a gospel-centered, Christian worldview is viewed as "intolerant" and "bigoted" in today's society.  Our culture has shifted rapidly over the last 40 years away from centrally help objective standard.  This is another example of the radical depravity of sin that pervades not just every person, but ultimately can pervade society.  Our culture, while trying to exalt human dignity and value, exalts humanistic value above all else.  While cloaking itself as upholding the value of individuals, it has created a society where the free exchange of competing ideas is squashed.  As we continue to slide toward Gomorrah, Romans 1:18-32 continues to be a picture not just of our future, but of our present as well.  The gospel presented in Romans is not about being "anti-gay" but instead is summed up in phrase "who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth (18)."

We see that part of the judgment of God is that He gives them over to a "debased mind" that no longer has any ability to determine righteousness or unrighteousness.  This is the natural course of sin.  This is the passive judgment of God where He allows people (and a culture) to see and feel the full effects of their depravity.  This is why it is of paramount importance that we build our churches and ministry upon a strong foundation of the gospel.  This is why we must preach and teach the gospel to ourselves every day.  This is why we must take people away from the issue of homosexuality and back to Genesis 3 where we show them how "original sin" causes us to reject God's word and become our own idols. 

Bottom line, Apple is a "for-profit" company that is more afraid of the backlash and political implications of offending a minority than the implications of offending Christians.  Why?  Because as Christians we will meekly step aside like many times before.  In the meantime, I don't see Apple pulling off podcasts from it's Apple store that bash Christianity, openly call the church "anti-gay", or promote ideas that Christians would find offensive.  Why not?  They would want to promote free and open dialogue of course - except in the case of the Manhattan Declaration app.

Here is a great video done by Chuck Colson about the implications of this decision on our political culture.  There is much more here at stake than just "some Christians being offended."