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Faith, Family, and Freedom

As a Christian and an across-the-board conservative author, I write about a variety of topics: economic freedom, national security, international relations and social issues. My Christian faith informs all areas of my life, and it enables me to share wisdom that is much greater than my own.

As long-time readers of my columns and books know, my biggest passion is to help family members grow stronger in their relationships with each other; to help moms and dads raise children of character; and to provide tips to parents so that our children might understand that they are deeply loved. I also frequently focus on how certain government programs weaken families, how regulations often interfere with the rights of parents, and how parents sometimes unwittingly relinquish to others much of the tremendous influence they have over their own children.

There’s an old saying that many seem to have forgotten. But truer words were never spoken:

“As the family goes, so goes the nation.”

America’s families are fractured like never before, and our country is breaking apart at the seams as a result.

While the Scriptures don’t necessarily give specific policy prescriptions for every issue we face, they do provide very specific principles for how to live as both free people and decent human beings. And these principles for nourishing human interaction apply to each member of the family. God himself created marriage, and the Bible is filled with stories about what makes families thrive and what pits members against each other. If everyone were to perfectly follow the principles given throughout the New Testament, our country would be a slice of “Heaven on Earth” and our homes would only be filled with bliss!

But as my friend Dr. Larry Arnn, the president of Hillsdale College points out, men are not angels. We fail. We rebel. We fail again. We are selfish. Did I mention that we fail?

Our great country’s prescription for federal government was formed through a beautiful document called the Constitution, which recognizes that individuals need a limited government to protect us from others who try to control us or deny our rights. The Constitution protects the God-given rights of individuals, as well as protecting us as a nation from enemies who would destroy us. It allows us to speak freely and to freely choose and exercise our faith, whatever that may be. But the power of the government is finite and limited. In fact, the 10th Amendment specifically says that if the powers aren’t listed in the Constitution itself, then it is left up to the states and individuals to make every other decision about how we will live.

Our government was not designed to usurp the power of moms and dads to raise their children as they see fit. Nor is it empowered to take care of or make decisions for our children (as those who support a “Nanny State” seek to do.) As parents, our job is tough – but it is the most important undertaking of our lives. In fact, the book of Malachi makes clear why God created families: to produce godly children. As I said, that is a tough calling. But our very Constitution allows us to openly and boldly share our faith with our children in word and deed without fear of government intimidation or sanction.

Our great country’s prescription for federal government was formed through a beautiful document called the Constitution, which recognizes that individuals need a limited government to protect us from others who try to control us or deny our rights. The Constitution protects the God-given rights of individuals, as well as protecting us as a nation from enemies who would destroy us. It allows us to speak freely and to freely choose and exercise our faith, whatever that may be. But the power of the government is finite and limited. In fact, the 10th Amendment specifically says that if the powers aren’t listed in the Constitution itself, then it is left up to the states and individuals to make every other decision about how we will live.

Our government was not designed to usurp the power of moms and dads to raise their children as they see fit. Nor is it empowered to take care of or make decisions for our children (as those who support a “Nanny State” seek to do.) As parents, our job is tough – but it is the most important undertaking of our lives. In fact, the book of Malachi makes clear why God created families: to produce godly children. As I said, that is a tough calling. But our very Constitution allows us to openly and boldly share our faith with our children in word and deed without fear of government intimidation or sanction.

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Source: Rebecca Hagelin, http://townhall.com