Sunday, October 31, 2010 "General Principles"

Sunday, October 31, 2010

"General Principles"

Let's began this week by looking at the definition of Principle:

Principle
PRIN'CIPLE, n. [L. principium, beginning.]
1. In a general sense, the cause, source or origin of any thing; that from which a thing proceeds; as the principle of motion; the principles of action.
5. Ground; foundation; that which supports an assertion, an action, or a series of actions or of reasoning. On what principle can this be affirmed or denied? He justifies his proceedings on the principle of expedience or necessity. He reasons on sound principles.
6. A general truth; a law comprehending many subordinate truths; as the principles of morality, of law, of government, &c.So in dealing with the principles of the Founding Fathers, we are looking at (the cause, source or origin, foundation, support, general truth upon which their thoughts and actions were based when formation of this great nation began.

I realize that many of you will accuse people like me of rewriting history to fit my own religious ideas and imply that we would want to impose our religious rules on you. I am truly sorry that you have formed this view, for you certainly have misunderstood. I don’t want to impose anything upon you except the idea of freedom that has purchased the greatest experience in human history.

This human experience that we have been so blessed to know has it’s roots grounded in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You may not like that and you are welcome to argue that you know a better way. Make you argument and offer you evidence, but please don’t erase our history and the faith of those before us.

I know some at this point may want to begin an argument with me, so lets quickly remove me from the picture and go directly to the source, to the time of the event.

“The general Principles, on which the Fathers Achieved Independence, were the only Principles in which that beautiful Assembly of young Gentlemen could Unite, and these Principles only could be intended by them in their Address, or by me in my Answer. And what were these general Principles? I answer, the general Principles of Christianity, in which all those Sects were united: And the general Principles of English and American Liberty, in which all those young Men United, and which had United all Parties in America, in Majorities sufficient to assert and maintain her Independence.

Now I will avow, that I then believed, and now believe, that those general Principles of Christianity, are as eternal and immutable, as the Existence and Attributes of God; and that those Principles of Liberty, are as unalterable as human Nature and our terrestrial, mundane System. I could therefore safely say, consistently with all my then and present Information, that I believed they would never make Discoveries in contradiction to these general Principles.” - - - - John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, June 28th, 1813.

I am afraid your argument will have to be directed toward Mr. John Adams and not myself. You see, I am faced with the dilemma. Am I to believe one that tells me we are a nation founded on the principles of separation of Church and State? Or am I to believe Mr. Adams when he said we are a nation founded on the principles of Christianity? As for me, I think I will go with Mr. Adams view.

May God bless each of you,
David