A Lost Nation Under God

A Lost Nation Under God

Today, in our modern society, we the people of America have lost touch with our patriotic sense. We no longer value or respect the day when our fathers set forth and created this nation. Instead we find ourselves cursing and criticizing the beliefs of humanity, and competing in a game of social status. We lust for fame and wealth purely for the satisfaction to oneself, demoralizing our nation from what it was built upon. Materialism plays an important role in the causes of recession, tax increases, and the upcoming prevalence of oil dollars. The American logic of patriotism has been altered throughout the centuries, and the value of God and his purities have been stripped away from our nation. In my opinion and through my own words I intend to give reasoning for such a statement. Using examples to support my claim, I aim to shed some light on the loss of America's patriotism. There is a common saying that states, "money is the root of all evil", and through the course of this essay I am determined to prove it.

The saying originated from the New Testament, "For the love of money is the root of all evil." (Timothy 6:10). Prior to the scripture the passage states how the rich will fall into temptation, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which in return will be the destruction and perdition of man. The Bible holds the truth to the spirit, which I believe is a key element to American values. Religion was the foundation for America in the 17th century, when people migrated from Europe to escape religious persecution. Because of the elimination of God and his word, our nation and economy suffers. In our society it is okay to have the phrase "In God We Trust" on the dollar bill, but we are not allowed to speak his name in our schools. Over the past decade there have been numerous accounts of school shootings and school related deaths, in high-schools, colleges and even middle schools across the nation. This is a prime example of what type of negative feelings can develop when you shut out the virtue of God. Not only do children and young adults experience the repercussions, but the Icon of America as well. Money is a negative influence on the economy, we raise our children teaching them that only money can give them happiness and success. When we should inform them of how and where this country started and that hard work, patience and the love of God is the path to true morality.

The things we own and posses are what define us as individuals. Whether it is religion or a million dollars these possessions speak for us even when our mouths are closed. In the story The Things They Carried, by Tim O'Brien, he emphasizes throughout the story the belongings of each character and how it defines them as a person. Now even though these characters didn't live in the exact world that we live in today, they still instilled in them a sense of pride and belonging. In the story there was one distinctive character named Kiowa, he was an Indian descendent and was at war fighting for his country. What he carried with him didn't shock me, but it made sense when defining who he was and his lifestyle. A man raised in Oklahoma City, who was spiritually enlightened and used his beliefs to cope with his fears and the reality of the Vietnam War. He carried a copy of the New Testament Bible, using it as a pillow when they would retire each night. He among all the other characters was the only one whom had a descriptive religious background, and he stuck out among them all. His character is what offset him from the others, the things he carried represented his outlook