One nation under a demigod

"Imagine there's no heaven,

It's easy if you try.

No hell below us

Above us only sky.

Imagine all the people living for today."

John Lennon's song: "Imagine," that there is no God, is becoming more prevalent each day in America. The results may not be as pleasant as the young and naïve Lennon hoped.

Our Founding Fathers knew a strong belief in God was an essential element of our federal republic. Our laws are based on Judeo-Christian values. The Ten Commandments are an integral part of the architecture on the façades of the architecture and monuments of our national capital.

"Upon my arrival in the United States, the religious aspect of the country was the first thing that struck my attention." Alexis De Tocqueville traveled throughout the United States during the 1830s and offered his impression that America's strength came from its moral values. He observed that American's moral values were reinforced by an abundance of local churches in every community throughout the country.

In 2010, the United States has become inhospitable to Christians. In just a few generations, Christmas has gone from a holy holiday to a commercial holiday and now has morphed into the "Holiday Season." The winter solstice celebration, an ancient pagan rite, has been resurrected to remove any connection to Christianity.

The attack on Christianity is pervasive and relentless. Any reference to the religion practiced by 90 percent of Americans is becoming more and more taboo. Even displaying the crèche has become politically incorrect. Prayer, even silent prayer, has become illegal in our public sector including schools. In a more strident assault on Christianity, the ACLU has supported a miniscule minority of atheists' right to proselytize an anti-God message. The campaign that God is a myth on government displays and on billboards is given tolerant status in a nation founded on God.

Kings throughout history often claimed they inherited heavenly powers. Their pretending to be gods to the masses resulted in a self-delusional belief to be one. This exalted attitude often leads to horrific abuse of power. Inhumanity to man is the historical narrative of evil men repressing their own people.

In modern times, dictators have replaced kings. The regime's killing of God in the USSR, China, Nazi Germany, Cuba and Venezuela was a necessary tactic to clear the path for elevating the leader's status. The undermining of God leaves a void to exploit. These totalitarian leaders fill in this vacuum by taking on the trappings of being above the masses.

By the cult figure making demagoguery speech after speech using the appropriate language of his audience, he fools them into believing he will fulfill their personal desires. The cult figure is elevated to god-like status by the uninformed masses.

He dominates the mass media. His portrait is everywhere, from shirts to billboards and is imprinted on the mind of every countryman. They are promised he will achieve all of their aspirations although his primary objective is amassing power.

A mortal, power-grabbing leader has to lie to create the illusion he possesses powers beyond those of a mere mortal. The co-opting or eliminating of traditional beliefs leaves the door open for a demigod to walk through proceeding directly to tyranny.

America, from its inception, has protected its belief system in God through freedom of religion and speech. Our Bill of Rights protects us against losing our freedoms.

We can no longer accept our nation's religious roots being poisoned in front of our children's eyes. The undermining of our history and moral values means our country can rapidly be transformed into a dictatorship with little awareness.

All believers in the Christian roots of our country need to stand up and state we have a constitutional right to practice and voice our beliefs in God in every aspect of our lives. The tolerance of religious thought should certainly be given to the followers of the dominant religion of the country. Our ability to remain a constitutional republic demands and depends on it.

American exceptionalism is nurtured by being "One Nation Under God" not under some demigod.