“We have forgotten the gracious hand which has preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our hearts that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving Grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.”

What's new?

Wow! Praise be, these founding fathers really got it. Unfortunately, we conservatives are now fighting desparately to keep it. Rock on.

Just one man's statement that I happen to agree with. Freedom, liberty, law, justice and the source there of are waning in a land of the prideful ignorant, vain claiming superior wisdom.

After studying Lincoln and his actions, I have a difficult time reading what he said without thinking of it as nothing more than deceitfully contrived rhetoric.

Keith, I hope you know that Lincoln was NOT a founding father.The South had every right to secede and wanted to. If it had been allowed to do that, the bloodiest war in history would have been avoided.

Thank God for Presidents that can use the English language, and for Illinois who gives them to us. Lincoln, Adlai Stevenson, and Barack Obama.

It is interesting that Lincoln, in a letter to Judge J. A. Wakefield in 1862, wrote: "My earlier views of the unsoundness of the Christian Scheme of salvation and the human origin of the scriptures have become clearer and stronger with advancing years, and I see no reason for thinking I shall ever change them." Mary Todd Lincoln, speaking of the Bible, confirmed that "Mr. Lincoln had no hope and no faith in the usual acceptance of those words." It is also known that Lincoln's favorite authors were the heretics Thomas Paine and Voltaire. Among many of his sayings re religion were these: "Friends, I agree with you in Providence; but I believe in the Providence of the most men, the largest purse, and the longest cannon." And finally, "It will not do to investigate the subject of religion too closely, as it is apt to lead to infidelity."

The meek shall inherit the earth. Successful people have the bad habit of coming to believe that they are the best, brightest, most knowledgeable and of forgetting that they are not all knowing and that every move they make is not perfect. They engage in the hubris of pride, whether it is in finance or foreign policy. They forget that there are natural laws that exist and will continue to exist no matter how much they try to manipulate them or wish them away. In the end it always leads to disaster. Look around you now. We are living in a disaster which I am sure will be made worse by the coming government solutions. Will the "Obamessiah" save us? Hubris would be his middle name if it weren't for that name which cannot be spoken.

Ken, spoken very well, Dick, we know that Lincoln backed into history with a good guy facade (actually having done some good), when in fact . . . . Lincoln's public persona vs. private opinions appeared more like Dr. Jekyll and Mr drunken French expositor Thomas Paine. You are usually articulate at explaining your position but, what were you saying while here shooting the messenger? Were you trying to debase Jesus' teaching in general by comparing such with the hypocritical rambling of a self interest promoting politician?

We have become to reliant on a myth and not enough on science - if we gave our attention to all living creatures this world would truly be blessed until then we remain ten feet from the cave and stuck in the industrial revolution unable to take that second giant leap.

How aptly spoken. If we didn't know these words came from the 19th century, we surely would have ascribed them to a 21st century thinker. We have become too proud, and that is our downfall, as it has been the downfall of those who've gone before. What's hopeful is the opportunity we have to change, and it begins with individual will. Each person must make a commitment to acknowledge God, to admit their own failure, to subscribe to the principles in the Bible as being the measure of all truth. I pray we will change, but the hearts of men are deceitful, wicked, and proud, who would rather go to hell and bring others than bend their knees now at their own volition. Each one has the opportunity to be saved by God through Jesus Christ. Why would anyone reject such an offer for fleeting pleasures and destructive sin .... Men loved darkness rather than light ... because their deeds were evil ... and they were controlled by fear.

I hate how every one thinks Obama is the saviour, he is not, he is a man. And like every man he will make mistakes. But the left wing media will still make him out to be super man. I feel we need to get back to the basics of this country. It was founded a Christian nation, and now we have people fighting to take God out of everything. We all need to pray for our new president even if we disagree with him. I found it very troubling how Americans gave so much disrespect to Bush. It was awful. God was the base of this country, so let's bring him back.

Spielberg is making a new film "Lincoln" - interesting though how it was in preproduction before Obama's candidacy. Then, with O's inauguration, Media made a connection between them too. Even Obama's speeches begin with words (or sounds) that automatically associate with Lincoln's famous speeches (i.e. O: Four years ago; L: Fore score and seven years ago), etc. But, you can't just take the 'image' of the man and leave out the God which made him Abraham Lincoln. But, we shall see what surprises the future has..

For any person to believe that Obama is a blessing from the Almightly God and thinks he's a Christian knows nothing of the Bible (AV1611). Like Israel, God gave them what they wanted and they paid a price for it. But America is too vain in its thoughts to care. They believe that the sun will never set on America. So did England. Where are all of it's commonwealths today? Some call it an error in Jesus' Word that America is not in His Word, but God declared from the beginning the end. Therefore proving as always that the Bible (AV1611) is the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God. How true--"too proud to pray to the God that made us." Ponder that while you still can.

I believe America was great because God is Great and when America turns from God it loses Gods blessings and protection.....America will go from being great to being a nation of garbage.. " A nation without God is a nation without a conscious " When America ceases to be a Christian nation it will cease to be a free nation .. A nation whose Lord and King blessed them with God given rights , no longer is its leaders looking to the Word,but the world, God built this nation and its goverment ..the goverment did not build a people God did,,and when a goverment takes leave of God it is corrupt and will soon destory what was established based on prayer and Gods Holy Word..