In our Declaration of Independence the by and large very religious members of the Congress of the 13 United States of America wrote:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"
"Ownership of Property" was the original wording for the phrase "pursuit of Happiness" - Property of course would include ones business (farm or shop or trade). That is what helps people be in pursuit of happiness. And this understanding allowed people to pursue ownership of property and business. No longer was one to be subjected by Class or Status one was born into (i.e., Serfdom) It took a period of time before Slavery would be abolished in the New Republic but the sentiment against such was clearly expressed in the Foundational Understandings.
The Congress of the 13 States was declaring Independence from a King and Big Government Empire that had trampled what people of Faith throughout the 13 States regarded as the unalienable rights endowed by the Creator of heaven and earth.
George Washington would reject the formation of "Kingship" as an office in the New Nation and the Bill of Rights (endowed from and by the Creator) were embedded in not only the National Constitution but also in the Constitutions of the States and Commonwealths of the New Nation.
During these days of "Virus Crisis" some (Mainly Governors, Mayors and Politicians of the opposing Political Party) have declared that the "President is Not a King." He is not and though the current President may bluster and exaggerate from time to time he basically has followed a pattern of consulting with everyday people and trying to include a wide spectrum of leaders in formulating positions and actions. Some of his Critics (Opposing Party Governors and Mayors) however have not hesitated to infringe upon basic unalienable rights embedded in the Constitutions of these United States and embedded in the Constitutions of their own respective State Jurisdictions.
Policies have been declared and forcibly put into practice which violate the rights, freedoms and Liberty of Small businesses, Churches and People. There needs to be a reminder that the President is not a King and just so "Governors and Mayors" are not Kings or regional Totalitarian War Lords either.
In the back of our awareness there is the Phrase emphasized by one Political Orientation in particular to the effect that "A Crisis should never be allowed to be wasted." In other words a Crisis should be used as an opportunity to push through a Political Agenda that has nothing to do with the Crisis of the Moment. And so we have seen that particular party attempt and succeed in some measure to add items to legislation intended to help small businesses and People suffering from the closure of the American Economy that are part of an agenda that really has nothing to do with stopping the Pandemic. Actions by some have been a clear attempt to eliminate items guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.
There also is an apparent effort to extend or prolong the shut down of America in various States by some even though it tramples on basic guarantees of the rights, freedoms, and liberties of American People. Those efforts, again, are coming from Governors and Mayors of the Political Party that has emphasized that "no Crisis should be allowed to be wasted."
Let no one forget that one of the "Rules for Radicals" authored by Sol Alinski was the injunction to overwhelm and collapse the System. So if Economic destruction is allowed to continue and to make more and more people dependent upon "Big Government" the system of Freedom and Liberty and Individual rights and Pursuit of happiness is collapsed. Some perhaps want that in fact to happen so that a new Socialist George Orwell 1984 like system can then be Created/ erected as part of a supposed "Global Utopia."
Examples of the effort to totally change our Republic and our Constitution abound - among them are such things as:
- eliminating Voter ID. That would allow ballot harvesting and Illegals voting in elections. Fraud and an overwhelming of the trust in elections would follow.
- eliminating the Electoral College system put in place by our founders which ensures that the Minorities throughout the Country have protection and representation. Such elimination would ensure that a "One Party System" gains control in the Country and that small States and smaller population areas would be shut out.
-Stacking of the Supreme Court so that the Constitution could be totally changed by Judges (legislation by the Courts) into whatever the One Party System might desire.
-Removal of USA Sovereignty and redistribution USA wealth throughout the world so that globalism and Collectivism would prevail and the USA would be reduced to simply one geographical state among many ruled by whoever rules the UN.
-Removal of items from the Bill of Rights beginning with the 2nd Amendment so that the People of the US do not have the means to ensure that the other items in the Bill of Rights remain in effect.
Should leaders of the Churches be silent until its too late as happened in 1930's and 40's Germany? Bonhoeffer and Niemoeller, et al. were a bit too late.
Or should the Churches speak out based upon the Holy Scriptures, which after all were key to the development of the understanding so strongly expressed in the Declaration of Independence of the United 13 States of America and which then were embedded in the Bill of Rights for American Liberty, Freedom, and Pursuit of Happiness not only in the National Constitution but also in the Constitutions of the 13 States and Commonwealths?
This writer believes that the latter should be the orientation of the Churches and Church leaders.