I can't help but wonder what the founding fathers would think of America today. We're a beacon of freedom to which hundreds and thousands have come to seek prosperity. Generations of us cannot imagine living elsewhere. We have a unique role in the world. I'd think that they would be down-right proud of some of our progress.

But they would tell us that we're too lazy in reguards to keeping tabs on our government. We have failed to recognize that we just can't live our lives and ignore politics. It was Horatio Bunce, a farmer, who told Congressman Davy Crockett that the money in the American treasury was not his to give away as he pleases. Today there isn't a Horatio Bunce or a congressman like Davy Crockett who would listen.

If our patriotic duty was confined to simply voting, we'd have fewer freedoms. For the love of our country, we must root out, boot out, vote out, and get out corruption at every level of government. For if money and power corrupt, where else would be a better place to start? Voicing our opinion isn't limited to voting, our voice has more power than that. We have the right to assemble and make our voices heart through protesting.

We must be more careful in the teaching of our history and translation of our constitution, lest we loose any rights or worse, their intended meanings. We must treat each other with the dignity and respect we expect others to treat us with.

"Republic. I like the sound of the word. It means people can live free, talk free, go or come, buy or sell, be drunk or sober, however they choose. Some words give you a feeling. Republic is one of those words that makes me tight in the throat - the same tightness a man gets when his baby takes his first step or his first baby shaves and makes his first sound as a man. Some words can give you a feeling that makes your heart warm. Republic is one of those words." - Davy Crockett as portrayed by John Wayne in The Alamo.

I'm just thinking about The Berlin Wall. They're celebrating that it's been twenty years since it fell. Twenty years and our own president can't carve even an hour of his scedule to remark on Germany's progress. The Berlin Wall was the ultimate symbol. It seperated two sets of ideas and killed 136 people who tried and failed to cross it. But it couldn't stand forever.

Once again, ideas seperate us. In this economy, no two people or political parties agree about the best way to move forward. We stand opposed to doing nothing or anything drastic. Each of us think our own side is best without reguard for the other or any other points of view. The diagnosis of our problem was given nearly a century ago:

"Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Convention.

If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it.
We are now far into the fifth year, since a policy was initiated, with the avowed object, and confident promise, of putting an end to slavery agitation.
Under the operation of that policy, that agitation has not only, not ceased, but has constantly augmented.
In my opinion, it will not cease, until a crisis shall have been reached, and passed.
"A house divided against itself cannot stand."
I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.
I do not expect the Union to be dissolved -- I do not expect the house to fall -- but I do expect it will cease to be divided.
It will become all one thing or all the other.
Either the opponents of slavery, will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become alike lawful in all the States, old as well as new -- North as well as South.
Have we no tendency to the latter condition?
Let any one who doubts, carefully contemplate that now almost complete legal combination -- piece of machinery so to speak -- compounded of the Nebraska doctrine, and the Dred Scott decision. Let him consider not only what work the machinery is adapted to do, and how well adapted; but also, let him study the history of its construction, and trace, if he can, or rather fail, if he can, to trace the evidence of design and concert of action, among its chief architects, from the beginning.
But, so far, Congress only, had acted; and an indorsement by the people, real or apparent, was indispensable, to save the point already gained, and give chance for more..."
- Abraham Lincoln's "A House Divided" speech

Germany would not be what it is today if it's division had been healed by the other side. America would not be what it is today if it's division had been healed by the other side. What will we be tomorrow if our division is healed by the right side? the wrong side? Ideas are a funny thing. On paper, America was the strangest idea there ever was. What ideas, on paper, will make certain America's future is a brilliant as it's past? What ideas will morph America into an unrecognizable entity? Could you tell the difference?

A house divided, a country divided, a government divided, and a people divided cannot and will not stand for long. So while our president can't remark on Germany's progress, I will. Our 'Cash for Clunkers' was loosely based on a German program. They have the strongest Gross Domestic Product of all European countries. Not bad for a country smaller than Texas. Most importantly, Germany is united to ensure its future will be a bright one. I'm sorry to say that America is not. Most of us will be caught unaware when we come to realize what Abraham Lincoln meant, we will be all one thing or all the other and we don't know how to ensure our future because we have not studdied our past.

Go and read John 15 - 17 and count for me how many times the word world appears. I arrived at thirty, depending on your preferred translation. In these three chapters Jesus has much to say about the Christians relationship with the world.

In John 15, we're told that the world isn't particularly fond of Christians because it doesn't recognize them as members of the country club.

In John 16, we learn that the world doesn't like the idea of being shown where it went wrong or the fact that it'll have to deal with the consequences. But it will be neccessary for Jesus to return to the father. It'll be a time of great sadness among the disciples and celebration for the world.

In John 17, Jesus prays. He prays for his glorification. He prays for his disciples and their protection against the evil one. He prays for everybody who will believe as a result of the disciples' message. Jesus prayed for you. He prayed for unity among all believers.

Can a Christian live in the world but not be of the world? Will a Christian have to eventually chose sides?

John 3:16-21, "16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.""

We know from this scripture that Jesus isn't here to condemn the world, but several chapters later he is here point out the world's guilt. How can a person be saved if they know not the danger they are on the brink of? The only thing I'm certain of is that the rift between the world and it's Christians will eventually grow too large to straddle and I'm not fond of the idea of ending up on the wrong stide.