Faith and Country. Those two words can stir up more emotion, debate, and misunderstanding than perhaps any other words. Wars are fought and lives are lost because of these two words. It has been that way since the beginning of time.
In our new enlightened, modern, and sophisticated age, there is a solution to these deadly words. The cry is getting louder every day. Eliminate them! The question is asked “How can such deadly words can be of a value to anyone?” Would it not be easier to forget about beliefs and to lose national identities for the betterment of human kind? There are many out there that see the abandonment of these two words as the magical solution to the world’s problems. There is, after all, no denying the fact that these two words kill.
Perhaps, our new enlightened views are blinding us from the real question. While our President is apologizing to the nations for us being American and unbelievers question the necessity of faith, I cannot help but wonder what the world would look like without these words. My question for those who would argue against these words is this: If they are so unimportant to us as a society, as humans, then why have we been so willing to defend these unimportant words with our lives for centuries? If there was really no meaning behind our dedication to our faith and our country, why would it matter? The very fact that we are willing to die for these two words demands that we study them with more respect. It is human nature to protect our valuables, and no valuable is more cherished by more people across cultures and continents than their faith and county. To undervalue these words is to undervalue what makes us human.
I am an American and I am a Christian. Many would say that by proclaiming this fact I am being insensitive to other faiths and to citizens of other countries. But it is my deep commitment to my faith and my country that allows me to empathize with people of other faiths and other nations. It is reasonable for me to understand and respect the fact that if I feel strongly about my faith and country, that others would feel the same about their faith and their country.
The problem is that our ability to freely and openly identify ourselves, our beliefs, and our values is being challenged at an unprecedented rate. I refuse to be ashamed of my faith and my country. I refuse to believe that the absence of these words will create a better society. Does this make me closed-minded and biased? To some it does, but if you think about it, who is more closed minded? The person that chooses to take a stand for a specific belief or the person who denies all belief? We must open our eyes. We are not the biased ones. We know what we believe and we recognize the value of our beliefs. The bias is not found in our faith and country: it is found in those that, because they do not understand or believe, think that they have the right to tell us that our cherished values do not matter.
I invite you to take a journey with me through this blog. Let us regain our passion for what matters most in life. Let us not be ashamed of who we are or what we believe. As it stands, we still have the right as Americans to identify ourselves, but if we fear those that would take this right away, if we hide in the shadows or think for a moment that our silence will make the naysayers go away, think again. Our way of life and the ways of life for all Americans, perhaps for the modern world in general, is at stake. This is not a battle of sticks and swords, mind you. This is a battle of men and women like you who are willing to take action, to lead by example, and to step out and say that if our leaders will not represent us, then we will run for office. We will become the new leaders. Why? Because we understand the value of Faith and Country.
