
The reckoning has begun.
On Monday, January 20, 2025, Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. It was a historic day, filled with historic speeches, historic promises, and historic action. Everything about it was just so… historic.
In less than 24 hours, Trump pardoned over 1,500 J6 prisoners, commuted the sentences of Stewart Rhodes (Oath Keepers founder), Enrique Tarrio (Proud Boys leader), and others. He also revoked the security clearance of the 51 “intelligence officials” who blatantly lied to the public, peddling Hunter Biden’s laptop as Russian disinformation during the rigged 2020 election.
On his first day in the Oval Office, Trump also signed executive orders withdrawing the U.S. from the World Health Organization, pulled us out of the Paris Climate Accord, and declared a National Energy Emergency, in order to allow American companies to “drill baby, drill.” On top of this, he declared an emergency over the invasion at our southern border, formally recognized that there are only two genders, revoked EV mandates, gutted DEI, rescinded 78 Executive Orders signed by Biden, and reinstated Schedule F, making it easier to shitcan worthless federal employees.
Oh, and he renamed the “Gulf of Mexico” to the Gulf of America.
That’s not the full list—but it’s not a bad start, right?
As David Strom pointed out, perhaps Trump’s greatest accomplishment with all these schock-and-awe executive orders, is that he has shifted the Overton Window.
Americans cannot help but notice the fact that major changes are happening fast, or the fact that most Americans are absolutely thrilled by these much needed changes.
Trump is delivering on his promises. For all the commentary out there, I think The Epoch Times has a great overview of the myriad policies that have been set in motion. As far as summing up the momentous occasion in a single sentence, I agree with Musk’s comment that Trump’s victory marks a “fork in the road of human civilization.”
And of course, let’s not overlook the hand of Providence:
“I was saved by God to make America Great Again.”
—Donald J. Trump, Inaugural Speech
Whether you believe that statement is true, or not, one cannot blame Donald Trump for believing this way. His life was spared by a millimeter. He overcame unimaginable obstacles and insurmountable odds to ascend again to the Oval Office, and he carries the hopes and dreams of millions of Americans who have been praying for this day.
So much has happened so fast, it all still feels surreal.
For what it’s worth, I actually received an invitation to attend the Inauguration Ceremony, the Inaugural Parade, and the Liberty Ball, but ultimately declined.
It would have been a memorable experience, no doubt, but there was something in me that hesitated—I was still wary of the “hung election and civil war” that had been predicted. I was skeptical that this would be a smooth transition of power. I was on high alert for Leftist agitation, assassination attempts, Antifa rioting, etc.
In short, I didn’t want to risk getting caught up in chaos three-thousand miles away from home, and I knew that nobody was going to miss me. I’m just a peasant.
That said, as the Trump administration abruptly yanks our country back on track, I can’t help but reflect on the many terrible things that did not come to pass over the last year or so. None of the ominous predictions seemed to materialize. No hung election. No civil war. No rioting in the streets. No deep state assassination. No jihadi terror cells unleashing coordinated attacks. No crippling cyberattacks on the grid.
No drone strikes. No nuclear war. No World War III.
Reflecting on this fact, it occurs to me that the vast majority of Americans were never even aware of these threats. They never worried. They never prepared. If any of the worst case scenarios had come to pass, the majority of people would have been caught woefully off guard and thrust into a catastrophic world of hurt.
But that didn’t happen, so let’s get back to reality.
Let’s zoom out.
Fearmongering is a tried and true tactic of psychological warfare, as I am sure you are aware. Not only that, fear inducing headlines have a way of laying grip on the psyche, making them a formidable marketing strategy. It’s clickbait, pure and simple.
It’s not that none of these bad things will ever happen, it’s not that there is no need to be prepared, it’s just that while those of us who are aware of threats are getting prepared, the world keeps turning, and there are all sorts of other bad things that actually are happening, all around the world as we speak.
Of course, I’m not just talking about the human tragedies that transpire on the daily without so much as a murmur among the masses. Murder, rape, arson, child trafficking, and all manner of evils are an embedded aspect of humanity. We can no more expunge these evils from the course of history than we can force everyone, everywhere, to jump on the Trump train and work to Make America Great Again.
These are simple, immutable facts that we must take into account moving forward.
There are evil people doing evil things, and we can’t necessarily stop that from happening. We can, however, prioritize our resistance against this ever-present evil, by calling it out and working together as communities to take out the trash, so to speak. On this note, Trump’s expansion of the federal death penalty may serve as a deterrent to some, but I believe the real work lies in rehabilitating society.
Why are there so many sick and deranged people? Why are so many people so willing to commit heinous crimes against their neighbors? Why are so many people willing to release these criminals back out on the streets, to prey upon more innocent victims?
A strong case can be made that this is all a direct result of the moral degradation of American society. As more and more people have fallen away from religion and faith, forsaking the Golden Rule and mocking Christian principles, it only makes sense that greater degrees of evil would follow.
Indeed, we were warned long ago:
“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.
It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
—John Adams, Founding Father
Tell me then, does this statement imply that we are to be a Christian nation? Are we to infer that our Founding Fathers meant for us to adhere to Judeo-Christian principles, that as Americans we are meant to promulgate religious teachings?
The answer for many people, perhaps a majority, is a firm yes.
What’s interesting about that fact, is that Republicans and Democrats alike flock to church for their weekly dose of moral instruction, which is absolutely a good thing. It’s fascinating that people who hold diametrically opposed political views still finding meaning, value, and moral grounding in their faith and fellowship.
Setting aside the complexity of those mental gymnastics, I want to return to the question: does the fact that both Democrats and Republicans both regularly attend church mean that we are a Christian nation?
Again, I am fully aware that the answer for most in the audience is a hard affirmative—yes, we are a Christian nation—but, as I’ve been digging at the last couple of reports, I believe there is another perspective that we, as a nation, would be wise to consider. Moreover, I believe that it is imperative that we, as individuals, communities, and a nation at large, revisit the founding documents to ascertain whether or not we were founded as, and intended to be, a Christian nation.
As previously articulated, I believe failure to do so would be a perilous mistake, because I believe that religion is being used as a wedge to divide our country. Thus, in order to maintain momentum and stand against the evils of our time, it is critical that we set aside religious bickering and unite in the spirit of freedom.
We cannot ostracize those with different beliefs.
With that stage set, wading deeper into the minds of the men who so brilliantly fabricated the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States—both documents which rather conspicuously lack any Christian reference—I’d like to pull into the conversation the prescient words of George Washington.
In his farewell address as the first President, he says this:
“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great Pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and citizens.
…
And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that National morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”
The man was a genius, was he not?
Washington echos Adams by emphatically stating religion and morality are “indispensable supports” to political prosperity. To be clear, that’s not the same thing as claiming we are or we are meant to be a Christian nation, but it does drive straight to logic that without religious and moral mooring, society quickly unravels.
Why is that?
Here I think we find an indirect insight.
Washington points to religion and morality as pillars of human happiness.
When someone is unhappy, they are not on their best behavior. They might be angry, jealous, or vengeful, for example. They are less likely to care about others, let alone be compelled to actively participate in civic affairs for the betterment of the community.
This resonates deeply. For many years my personal motto has been “happy people make the world a better place,” and there is no denying that an uplifting fellowship and inspiring message goes a long way toward planting and watering the seeds of personal happiness. Hence, the reason that so many people on the Left and Right still attend church, even though religious observance in general is still in decline.
That said, given the growing percentage of Americans who claim no religious affiliation (over 20%), I think George Washington’s tacit acknowledgement that “morality can be maintained without religion” deserves a closer look.
“…let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that National morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”
Here I believe he is speaking to his fellow theistic and atheistic compatriots, referring to “minds of peculiar structure.” Such peculiar minds may indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion, and may even be able to vigorously deduce this fact from natural law, BUT, “reason and experience” forbid the conclusion or expectation that a national morality can prevail without religious principles.
Put differently, yes, morality can exist without religion—but no, we will not have a morally grounded Republic without religious principles. Why?
What’s he getting at here?
I speculate that the underlying realization is that most people need moral instruction. That is, most people are not of peculiar mind, meaning that most people are not going to lounge around contemplating the finer points of moral philosophy. In other words, most people are not, like Thomas Jefferson, going to rewrite the Bible in order to extract moral principles from the stories contained therein.
Instead, most people will understandably seek wisdom and council from spiritual leaders (the clergy, pastors, etc.), because most people are perpetually looking for answers, precisely because most people are not sure what to believe.
This is human nature. As humans, we all have questions, and we all share a need to make sense of what’s happening in our lives. This is a timeless truth.
With that in mind, many Americans today would probably be shocked to realize that Thomas Jefferson, one of the most beloved Founding Fathers, was quite unequivocally not a Christian. Per his own correspondence, historians note:
“Jefferson rejected the notion of the Trinity and Jesus’ divinity. He rejected Biblical miracles, the resurrection, the atonement, and original sin (believing that God could not fault or condemn all humanity for the sins of others, a gross injustice).”
So tell me: would Thomas Jefferson claim that America is a Christian nation?
More importantly, would Thomas Jefferson, with his explicitly un-Christian beliefs, be welcome in your circle of patriotic friends? Would he be welcome in your church? Would you be willing to sit down and hear him out on his “abiding commitment” to the separation of church of state?
Or would you reflexively reject this man, because his beliefs were so different?
No one in their right mind would question Thomas Jefferson’s love of our country.
He is, in my mind, the quintessential American. He fiercely advocated for uniting our nation on the principles of Nature and Nature’s God, without the religious debate.
As we celebrate the historic nature of Donald Trump’s victory, as we work diligently to get our country back on track, as we strive to reinstitute the constitutional principles that made America the greatest nation on earth, I again, unabashedly, assert the need to refrain from confusing our religious and political missions.
Our national reconciliation is not to any given religion, but instead, to the shared values, enshrined in our founding documents, that ultimately set us free.
As for the religious division… RESIST WE MUST!!
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