Following God's Law Would Help America Solve its Divisiveness

 

There seemed to be more respect for people of opposing views, and a general view that all people were inherently endowed to rights bestowed upon them by God. 

 

Whether it be an opposing politician, an activist against your cause, or an immigrant from a land that was not so safe, everyone appeared to have this view that if you chose to be an American, that you were fighting for a just cause to make America greater and the people around you better.

 

And, during this period of time, religiosity was far higher. 

 

After 1967, there has been an overall decline in Christian belief, but belief in the Christian God saw an uptick from 1976 until 1994, and then once again this overall belief dropped further and further down until the present-day where we often see numbers at only around 55 percent of Americans believing in the Christian God.

 

It is no doubt then, that as American Christian identity has dropped, so too have American morals and the way Americans treat one another.

 

We went from presidential debates where then former Vice President Walter Mondale laughed at a joke from President Ronald Reagan (1984) to the 2016 debates where then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton could not list a good quality of future President Donald Trump. We went from then Senator John McCain defending future President Barack Obama to the 2020 election where both candidates took every accusation against their opponent, true or false, often exaggerated, and magnified it. The difference in religiousity from 2008 to the present-day has seen the greatest drop in belief of the Christian God during this overall decline. 

 

When looking at the immigration and abortion debates for example, Americans have grown to become so partisan-aligned on these issues to the point that America went from these issues being split down the line with then Democratic Senator Joe Biden being publicly against abortion in the 1980s to then future President Ronald Reagan and then future Vice President George H.W. Bush being open to immigration in the 1980s and supporting the rights and plight of refugees from war-torn nations south of the US borders, to now there being a lot less Republicans close to the Catholic teachings on immigration, and even far less Democrats being pro-life. 

 

In the lead up to the 1980 election, both Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush were asked a question pertaining to illegal immigration. President George H.W. Bush responding by calling them "really honorable, decent, family loving people" who are "good people, strong people, and part of my family", and future President Reagan stated "why don't we work out some recognition of our mutual problems and make it possible for them to come here legally with a work permit, and while they are working here and earning here, they pay taxes here, and when they want to go back, they can go back, and open the borders both ways by understanding their problems. This is the only safety valve they [Mexico] have right now with their unemployment that probably keeps the lid from blowing off down there, and I think we could have a fine relationship."

 

If Americans tried to solve issues in a more Christian manner like this, working for friendship, alliances, and the common good, Americans would have a better nation and a better world. 

 

And Americans believe this too. 72 percent of American adults believe that America is heading in the wrong moral direction and 68 percent of American adults believe it would be better if Americans prayed for one another. 

 

However, if Americans keep abandoning their religion, how are they going to pray for one another and to whom are they going to pray?

 

Only 63 percent of Americans look toward their religious beliefs as their moral guidance, and the ones that do, often fail to apply their religious beliefs, or ignore the fact that they are supposed to believe and practice certain virtues held dear to their religion that they themselves dislike, hence the reason there are pro-choice Catholics.

 

Imagine an America where Christians actually followed what their Faith preached? 

 

The fact is not that America cannot heal, but the fact is that America needs their common unity back behind their religion. And they truly need to put their religion first, by treating other people how they would want to be treated. Discussions over taxes may never be solved, but surely discussions over what to teach children should not become as radical as it has in Florida for example.

 

There are many debates to be had about "border security", "bodily autonomy", and other topics that pertain to our religious viewpoints like marriage, but in the end, Americans would be better off if they chose to support families and followed their Faith. What would God do in these situations is the questions they should be asking. And furthermore, they should treat their opponents as Jesus treated those who crucified him, by asking God to forgive them "for they know not what they do." 

 

Americans can change the trajectory of their nation if they once again embrace God's laws, even on topics they may not fully agree with God's plans on. It is best to have guiding principles, and even if there will remain instances of non-Christian laws and policies, it is best to remember we are never called to hate one another, rather we are called to dislike the sins of one another. Free will exists and we will make mistakes and have to accept others will too. We just must try to become a beacon, ourselves, for God.

 

Heaven will never be fully on Earth, but America was better off when it was working toward this impossible goal.