The Rabyd Theologian Looks at the Constitution -- Part 6 -- 'Provide for the Common Defense'

National Defense has always been a big issue for me because a lot of people think as a person of the cloth I should be pacifist or something. I will say this I do not like war. War as I have experienced it from the sidelines is not a good thing. I often hold mother's hands as they watch their sons go fight for their country. The stress is enough to drive the best of us mad and I can absolutely say I do not understand what soldiers go through but I respect them with the highest respect.


Bottom line, I am not a pacifist. War is a part of the Bible from almost the beginning. The people of God found themselves at war from The Law under Moses to the very end when Jerusalem was destroyed. Many times it was the direction of God that they were at war. I am not a pacifist because God and I might add Jesus were not a pacifists.

That said, I understand the need that drove the founding fathers to put this line in as well. A nation that does not have the means or desire to defend itself will not exist for long. We live in a world where everyone is not so nice.

Under that Articles of Confederation 'common defense' really did not exist. There were a lot of states who had their own militias but the Continental Army was a problem. In the end one of the founding fathers chief concerns was to address this problem.

The constitution not only allows for the maintenance of the military -- it requires it. Later when the Bill of Rights was created, there was a need to affirm the militias as well. Thus the Second Amendment that allows any citizen to bear arms and keep them without infringement. Every citizen is constitutional empowered defend this nation if necessary because it is --"We the People"

Memories of 9/11

I am interrupting my series on Revelation for this one because it's 9/11. Nuff Said.

I remember the day very well, like it was yesterday. I had switched my days off to Tuesday from Thursday and after putting the kids on the bus (We were in Greenville at the time -- ages 11,10,7) I was sitting down to relax and have a good day off. I am not normally a news junkie but that day I decided to turn on FOX News. In a few minutes, We were switched to New York because one of the towers was on fire. In a few moments, I watched as the second plane struck the second tower. The rest of my day off I spent in front of the TV. I knew it was terrorism long before anyone confirmed it. That's why I found it laughable when Michael Moore did his move and accused Bush of reacting too slowly. Nobody knew what was going on for a good hour -- even the media.

The real moment came of course was when the towers began to collapse. Then the second one went down. Nothing will be the same.

Lessons:
1) Eliminate threats before they get big -- we have seemed to forgot this one as we have returned to the 'let's talk'. Keep it up and we may see another monument go down.
2) Even though it was a single terrorist organization that did it, many had the capacity -- we seem have not learned this one either. We keep going after one organization and one guy without realizing there are other that could and would do the same thing. My great fear is that once we deal with bin La din and his organization we will back off.
3) Terrorist are at War with Us. We need to be at war with them. Of course we have forgotten this one with the high minded liberal Obama in the White House. it was one of the first things he ended. It would have been like Roosevelt declaring peace with the Nazis in 1943. Dumb.

What a difference eight years makes.

Never Forget 9/11