Saturday, July 05, 2008

Fourth of July


Our Fourth of July was enjoyed at home doing a few little housekeeping projects, preparing some traditional holiday food and attacking the to-read stack of books and magazines. With the darkness of night, fireworks lighted the neighborhood sky and we walked the streets to experience their beauty and sounds. What a great way to appreciate the freedom we have to make choices as to how we spend all of our days.

In honor of the day, I once again read some of American Gospel by Jon Meacham. It is one of a number of very interesting books that have been written in recent years about those who are known as the heroes of the American Revolution. The incredible stories of these Founding Fathers have given me a greater appreciation of their commitment to and understanding of human rights. Meacham reminds us that “faith and freedom were inextricably linked from the beginning.” Belief in God was central to the making of this nation, yet faith was a matter of choice. The issues that surround this basic tenet have almost continuously been a source of debate and sometimes misinterpretation. It would seem that in this presidential election year, it would be important for us to untangle the web of misconception about church and state by studying our past and learning what it really means to us today.

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