Fyodor Dostoyevsky ---a Russian novelist and philosopher of the mid-1800's thought a constitution would only enslave the people.

Okay Russia, as the saying goes, "How's that working for ya?"

But, he also thought a Christian nation would solve everything.

"How's that working for us?"

Well, it did seem to work ...even surviving many near disastrous times, but now I'd question whether we are a Christian nation.

A Christian nation, I would think, would not mean that everyone is a Christian ...but that the nation be founded upon Christian principles, and still attempt to adhere to those basic principles.

Now, I know the countless comments that often soon follow.  We are told how some of our forefathers weren't exactly Christian, didn't exactly follow consistent values in their personal lives, and perhaps had some very different views than those we espouse to them.

Well, my answer to that is the same I would give, and have given ...to my children.  I never flippantly said, "Do as I say, not as I do."  But, in all honesty, there are things I have done in my life that I don't want to be a standard for generations to come.  

We all learn and have regrets ...yet, in spite of that, we want to teach our children the right things ...not the correct report of what we've necessarily done, but what we would want them to do as a result of our experience and learning.  Yes, we did much wrong ...but we did much right also.  We should be able to learn from both.

So, in spite of the fact that those who've gone before us missed the mark and had many failures, not always doing all the right stuff ...it is still good to attempt to keep to a standard more lofty than any of us.

If there's anything we celebrate ...it's our freedom, and we want more of it.

But, speaking of ingenuity, innovation ...and add to it ideology, we are not to invent a whole new way of looking at life.

Sure, we can take a small idea and build upon it ...in some ways, that drive to improve things has made us what we are today. It's called the free market system, and just up until a few years ago we have looked at it as a good thing. But, ideas have to be mostly good to have good society.

We celebrate Independence Day, or the 4th of July as it is more popularly known as ...but we should not be totally independent, especially from God.

Another person who lived in the 1800's was Ambrose Bierce. He fought in many battles during the Civil War ...and some of his heroics included rescuing a wounded comrade while under fire. He was very brave and very intelligent, yet his view on life did not seem inclusive of any eternal benefit to him.  He viewed prayer as: Asking that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf of a single petitioner confessed as unworthy.  And he viewed faith as: Belief without evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge about things without parallel.

Looking at prayer, I don't ask that the laws of the universe be annulled ...as the laws are actually not parameters which God must work within, but rather the workings of the universe that God has set up as constants.  We call them laws, but they are actually allowances that create an order to our benefit ...as God constantly cares for us.  I don't expect God to stop the planetary motions or for gravity to no longer function. I like to know the sun will appear every morning, and that we will not suddenly float up into space.  Though sometimes our thoughts do float up there.

And as faith goes, I believe there is way more evidence that God exists than any evidence that anyone can put forth that He doesn't.  And I admit that I don't have much knowledge, but I value wisdom more.  It appears to me that one does better to admit not knowing much ...than to try to make it all up, while all the time ignoring the one source by which we could obtain what we really need.

Those who fail to embrace the truth, seem too often to desperately cling to another 'I' ...inaccuracies. 

So, what is meant by building on good ideas??

In a book I read, entitled, edgar allen, by John Neufeld ...it says, " ...God is everywhere, and you can only hope to understand Him by seeing where He is and where He isn't." Talking of his mother, "She thinks that where He isn't is often more interesting, and  tells us more about Him and His ways, than where He is."

So, there are those who attempt to improve our character ...yet, without God's guidance, how would we define improvement? 

Some times things have to grow before you can tell what they are. When I was young, we had a vegetable garden, and through experience I can now tell more about plants and seeds ...but, when I was young, it often took seeing the fruit before I really knew. 

The Bible says, "By their fruits you will know them."

Yet, when we are told the wrong things ---and sadly, the lines between right & wrong are becoming more blurred ---then it may take longer for the wrong to be revealed.  Sometimes it reaches absurd levels before people realize it, and often it has already done most of its damage.

In 1999, Jack Kevorkian was sentenced to prison.  Some called him 'Dr. Death' ...others felt he was humane.

The Hippocratic Oath includes the following:

I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone.

I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and similarly I will not give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion.

But I will preserve the purity of my life and my arts.

It was not only Jack, but countless other Doctors ...many performing abortions.  Now, in other countries they are adding the perceived quality of life as one of their criteria ...to those who are already born, yet still not old enough to speak. And you will see the progression gets even worse than that. (http://evilisrealnotjustaframeofmind.blogspot.com/) ---Don't add to the 'I's ...Ignorance or beyond to ...Insanity.

Yes, medical Doctors join those who would want them to disavow their Hippocratic Oath in favor of a hypocritical one.