Peter Marshall senior was someone, as a young Christian, I had the deepest regards for, but I’m not sure I agree with his son on this matter of adding to, or modifying American history curriculum. It sounds too much like the on-going attempt to change the United States from a democracy into a theocracy: in the same manner in which the recent American Patriot’s Bible, (see: “American Patriot’s Bible” Draws Strong Criticism) attempts to do by replacing biblical Christianity with a nationalistic form of Christianity.
He states in the article at the Christian Post, (Texas Debates Adding Religion to U.S. History Curriculum)
“Our children need to know the truth about how our country got started,”
And I agree. But if our children are to be taught the whole truth, then we cannot omit other, not so “Christian” aspects of our Nation’s founding, settling, and early history. Like millions of displaced (or exterminated) Native Americans, or the years in which slavery was accepted as the norm. Many of those who avowed a belief and faith in God, were actively involved in both.
In other words, don’t just paint a partial or distorted picture concerning our history; for like all Nations, some of our historic moments are memorable for the good which occurred, while other moments in our history are memorable for other reasons, not so ‘good’.
You can read the article Here
"If the professed convert distinctly and deliberately declares that he knows the Lord's will but does not mean to attend to it, you are not to pamper his presumption, but it is your duty to assure him that he is not saved. Do not suppose that the Gospel is magnified or God glorified by going to the worldlings and telling them that they may be saved at this moment by simply accepting Christ as their Savior, while they are wedded to their idols, and their hearts are still in love with sin. If I do so I tell them a lie, pervert the Gospel , insult Christ, and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness."
I’m putting the finishing touches on a post very much like this … and based on reading through the “American Patriot’s Bible,” to boot!
We can’t say that we’re honestly loving God’s Word and the US if we don’t actually know them. Efforts like this are rooted in selective reading … and thus not looking at a real picture. People love a myth, not the reality.
Looking forward to reading it Wickle!
So, you’ve had a chance to browse the patriot bible?
Yes i agree, and that is the danger with both the P. Bible and this proposed action in Texas.
This is just a personal opinion, but i think both of these, the American Patriots bible and this movement seeking to add religion to history curriculum’s, is based on fear to some degree–
A certain segment of US society is watching the world grow smaller and America truly becoming what its always claimed to be, a melting pot of many ethnic and religious groups, and they are reacting by denying it has happened.
The problem becomes in their reacting, they become desperate to paint an unfair distorted picture of this nations history, based not on the whole truth but (on) what they ‘want’ the truth to be.
I believe that they BELIEVE if they try hard enough they can convince themselves and everyone else, that America is unique as a “stand alone” Christian nation today, and that everything we [as a nation] has ever done (or will do) is always sanctioned by God because God is always on our side: even that our wars are made ‘holy wars’ because of this belief.
It plays into the idea of US and Manifest Destiny.
I’ve read quotes pulled from the P. Bible, which appear to go to great lengths to prove this.
Wickle,
there is so much to gain when grasping what you said here: “….People love a myth, not the reality….”.
I heard about or read a study done a number of years ago that uncovered the reality behind why people prefer staying in the myth and not the reality. Why do people live in a myth about themself? Because of the comfort the myth gives the soul, the psyche. Reality is just too revealing!
A group of Doctors conducted a survey on one thousand people from all walks of life. They got written permission to access each of these people’s public and private records from their birth certificates forward to the current time of the survey.
Once they compiled the information they had a very clear picture of “who” each person was based on all known records. From these public and private records they worked up an individual profile about each person’s intelligence and then went to each of these people, one thousand people, and asked each one if they wanted to “know” what their particular and personal profile was based on accurate records of each one?
Only ten percent said yes. Their reasons for wanting to know was similar with each case. They wanted to know as much about their weaknesses and strengths to better themselves and become better servants to others.
Ninety percent did not want to know about their strong and weak points or just how intelligent they actually were.
The conclusion was just as you said above. That is, ninety percent of Americans would rather not know about who they “really” are but would rather live in an imagination of who they “really” are. In other words, the myth is more desirable for 90% of us than the Truth about us!
Isn’t that interesting?
Maybe this is what Jesus was getting at when we read what He said here:
Joh 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Joh 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
Joh 3:19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
Joh 3:20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
Joh 3:21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
amen Michael amen. Excellent point!
Yes, Polycarp sent me his copy of the APB. He didnt’ want it in his house, but wanted to make sure that it went to someone who wouldn’t fall for its lies and omissions.
If you’d like to see it, I’d be willing to send it along to you, too. You belong to that same category, methinks.
Ah, that’s nice of you Wickle, but i wouldn’t want you to go to all that trouble.
I do hope you’ll post some excerpts from it.
There was a review at amazon.com which you might find of interest: