Independence Day. Freedom. Flags. Fireworks. BBQ’s. Camping. Picnics. Family gatherings. Town celebrations.
Words synonymous with the 4th of July and yet so NON-synonymous.
What does Independence Day really represent?
Freedom, obviously. But freedom from what?
Originally it was freedom from England and the Queen. That freedom brought us religious freedom. It bought us a democracy where we the people make our decisions.
Just how much have those freedoms changed since Independence Day?
Back in the day, school started each morning with a prayer and The Pledge of Allegiance. I wonder how many schools even say The Pledge of Allegiance daily now. No public schools are allowed to lead corporate prayer daily, so I’m pretty sure I know how many do that.
Not that long ago the Ten Commandments were staples in our courthouses and our schools. We have effectively removed them now, too.
Our money says “In God We Trust”. That’s a pretty big statement to put on our national coinage. Not that it’s gone unnoticed. Individuals are working to remove that saying from our coinage.
To date our pledge still says, “One nation under God”, but individuals are working to change that too.
We can all say that Independence means something different to each of us. To some of us our religious freedoms are important. To others it is our freedom of speech. Some of us are concerned with our right to bear arms. Yet each of us need to ask ourselves just what Independence means to us.
As a Christian who is very conservative, I feel like my rights are under attack daily by individuals that can’t tolerate my beliefs. Does that make their rights more important than mine? Can our rights be equal yet different? Are we willing to stand up for what we believe in no matter what?
I have a dream to see revival across our nation. I want to see prayer and Bible study break out where it isn’t currently allowed. I want to be amazed when our country turns back to God…the individual important enough to be named countless times in our government documents, pledges, and coinage.
Carrie Ann Tripp 