A quick review of the motivations, mission, and message of the Founding Fathers reveals a stark truth — America’s form of governance was designed specifically for a nation with Christian values.

That reality is most surely validated in the design of our governance model. The morality, standards and structures therein are clearly derived from a Biblical point of reference. 

Take a moment to ponder the most common first names of the average American. Although immigration is altering the equation, most of us are sporting a moniker plucked directly out of the Bible. That’s not incidental — it marks our heritage.

Our laws — however imperfectly applied — are administered by a system of justice framed in values — truth, impartiality, equality, due process, peer judgment, and consequence —– that are uniquely symmetrical and firmly entrenched in Biblical teachings.

Importantly, take a look at the 13 colonies that founded our nation. One version or another of Christianity was locked into their charters as central to their creation and future intent.

For the better part of 200 years, this faith-based system has carried us to extraordinary heights of prosperity, achievement and constructive impact.

Lest one feel the need to pull the “separation of church and state” card, please note there is a decided difference in freedom of religion and freedom from religion. Historically we’ve embraced faith to ground our citizens — not micro-manage or dominate them.

America is also a rare country, Christian though we may be, that allows and even supports other religions in being a part of our distinctive nation-building experience.

Internationally, a matching model for such is found in Israel’s willingness to allow other religions to practice in Jerusalem. No one in history who’s ruled over Jerusalem has done that in a similarly generous fashion.

Try openly practicing your Christian beliefs in dogmatic Muslim countries. Witness the persecution of Christians by communist China. Both highlight the rarity of our willingness to allow broad competition within our borders.

But therein lies a growing problem.

There is a vast parade of people with a different world view willing to exploit our nation’s generous Christian spirit.

Thus, we find ourselves in a situation where our constitutional system of governance is at risk because our culture is no longer supported by people who believe in the thing necessary to sustaining that system — spiritual faith — and, more specifically, Christian spiritual faith.

Witness Somalian immigrants — legal or otherwise — who, rather than support their new home, have broadly chose to exploit, misuse, and condemn it.  

Even those whose American heritage stretches back generationally are increasingly willing to discard the values that got us here in exchange for “new and improve” fantasies of governmental utopia.

That’s a big deal.

It’s a big deal because time and experience tell us, no matter the promises, fantasies and bold exaltations, that there is nothing better waiting in the wings.

Witness the broadening indifference to the rule of law; enthusiasm for stacking and abusing our judiciary; indifference to spending money we do not have on social programs that do not work; and relentless passion for entitlement to things we do not earn.

Most all of these track to the seductive siren of socialism.

Socialism is, after all, the effort to walk away from worshipping a higher spiritual authority that retains dominion over us in preference for idolizing an earthly governance model with similar dominion — dissimilar grace.

That temptation is working. 

It is working so well that it is toss-up as to whether this race to the bottom will prevail in America.

Although it may be hard to imagine, there is an easy way to predict this landing. If we continue to walk away from the spiritual faith that got us here, we will lose the glue that keeps our Republic together.

It will be replaced with other binders — greed, power, control — that will assure descent.

History tells us that trusting in the things of man — minus the guidance, assistance, and blessings of God — has never been a smart play.

Perhaps you’ve noticed that smart isn’t taking the lead in today’s America?

May one suggest that this and other cultural regressions can be traced to an increasing devotion to government as a form of idolatry?

That’s not sexy — it’s silly.

Don’t be silly.

America’s beacon was not fashioned out of the fickle self-serving hands of man.

It was crafted out of the hearts, minds, bodies, and spirits of a nation of people who dedicated themselves to a faith grounded in a solemn promise — “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone”

There are a lot of stones out there.