I began reading this book today. I have not made it very far into the book but I was impressed upon by the discussion about order and how it is vital to our beings. Order is deemed even more important than food and shelter in this book. In some ways, I would have to agree. Maybe it is not more important, but I see it on the same plane as food and shelter. As stated in the book, "If our souls are disordered, we fall into abnormality, unable to control our impulses." So basically, it appears that this "order," is what seperates us from the animal kingdom.
So my question is, how do we maintain order? My answer is two part, but one answer is...through government. If basic laws (I am talking Bill of Rights here) are mandated, then order is maintained. But what about an overabundance of laws? My argument is that this creates chaos. So a simple set of laws basic enough for everyday people without law degress to understand is what enables us to be free enough to lives our lives, without infringing on the rights of others. Jefferson* was an advocate of the verbage of laws to be simple enough for the commom man to understand. Look at the interpretation needed today in regards to the laws and bills passed....this does not create order. It creates confusion. I do not know where the book is going on this, but this is where my mind went upon reading about order. I will let you know further insight I receive from my readings!
As a side note, the second answer to my above question is through the righteousness of the people. A corrupt people, no matter how strict and elaborate the laws, cannot be governed.
*"I thought it would be useful...to reform the style of the later British statutes and of our own acts of assembly, which from their verbosity, their endless tautologies, their involutions of case within case and parenthesis, and their multiplied efforts at certainty by saids and aforesaids, by ors and by ands, to make them more plain, are really rendered more perplexed and incomprehensible, not only to common readers but to the lawyers themselves." Thomas Jefferson (in autobiography by Bergh)
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
The Majesty of God's Law
This month I had the great honor of reading The Majesty of God's Law by Cleon Skousen. And did I learn from this book.
Many people do not know this, but the Founders researched politics, history, philosophy, and past governments while determining how the U.S. government should be set up. They got 34% of their ideas from the Bible. So, for the people that say that the Founders were athiest, or that they did not think that religion was an important part of our country, those people are dead wrong.
This book begins with an overview of where the founders got their information. It then begins with the ancient Israelites and how the 10 Conmmandments/Law of Moses are the basis of our government. He also goes in depth into the Greek and Roman civilizations and the philosophies of many of them. He progresses trough the Dark Ages, and what happened with the loss of the Gospel of Christ caused by Augustine and many others. He discusses the Anglo-Saxons and the fact that they are likely a remnant of the lost tribes. Thomas Jefferson did immense research on the Anglo Saxons and that is where a lot of his ideas come from. There are many other philosophers whose ideas were considered and included in the set up of the U.S. government. John Locke, Cicero, Hume, Aristotle, to name a few. Skousen also details what worked and didn't work with the early pilgrms (i.e. socialism), and finally arrives to the events immediately preceding the Declaration of Independance and the war with Britian.
This is a very brief summary of the book, and all in all, does not even come near to doing the book justice. I learned so much from this book and beyond reaffirming my belief that the United States was blessed by the hand of Providence, it has also rekindled my interest in the Bible which I plan to read really soon.
Many people do not know this, but the Founders researched politics, history, philosophy, and past governments while determining how the U.S. government should be set up. They got 34% of their ideas from the Bible. So, for the people that say that the Founders were athiest, or that they did not think that religion was an important part of our country, those people are dead wrong.
This book begins with an overview of where the founders got their information. It then begins with the ancient Israelites and how the 10 Conmmandments/Law of Moses are the basis of our government. He also goes in depth into the Greek and Roman civilizations and the philosophies of many of them. He progresses trough the Dark Ages, and what happened with the loss of the Gospel of Christ caused by Augustine and many others. He discusses the Anglo-Saxons and the fact that they are likely a remnant of the lost tribes. Thomas Jefferson did immense research on the Anglo Saxons and that is where a lot of his ideas come from. There are many other philosophers whose ideas were considered and included in the set up of the U.S. government. John Locke, Cicero, Hume, Aristotle, to name a few. Skousen also details what worked and didn't work with the early pilgrms (i.e. socialism), and finally arrives to the events immediately preceding the Declaration of Independance and the war with Britian.
This is a very brief summary of the book, and all in all, does not even come near to doing the book justice. I learned so much from this book and beyond reaffirming my belief that the United States was blessed by the hand of Providence, it has also rekindled my interest in the Bible which I plan to read really soon.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Welcome
This blog exits for the sole purpose of educating the common person in regards to the history of our country and reminding one of the significance of Providence with regards to this great nation and us as individuals. It is also a journal of sorts to assist me with remembering what I learn and being able to assimilate and combine it with other knowledge that I have acquired over the course of my readings. Through the use of quotes from founding fathers, scripture, historians, philosophers, and other experts, I intend to share what I learn from my readings about the beacon of light this country is to other nations and peoples in this world. I also hope that my postings help others understand our government and how it was intended to operate in order to ensure the freedoms and liberties of the people stay intact.
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