U.S. Facing Identity Crisis
A commentary by Larry Walker
United Church of God pastor, Bend and Medford, Oregon
In my neighborhood vandalizing mailboxes is a way
of stealing the identity of homeowners. Identity theft from unlocked
mailboxes, a relatively new form of crime, is often devastating to its
victims. And it also is difficult to deal with.
Identity crises are not limited to individuals. Nations may also suffer
from identity crises that portend catastrophic consequences.
The United States is a prime example. The U. S. Supreme Court recently
agreed to hear cases regarding a Ten Commandments monument in a park
surrounding the Texas Capitol and a Mercer County courthouse display
of the Ten Commandments as a legal document in the state of Kentucky.
Plaintiffs' attorneys argue that these are offensive, unwarranted intrusions
that represent unconstitutional governmental attempts to establish religion.
One attorney stated that the Ten Commandments are "enormously
divisive." Ironically, there is a measure of truth in this statement.
They are divisive because they are very definitive—defining morality
by specific prohibitions of sinful behavior.
Paul explains the reason in Romans 8:7, "Because the carnal mind
is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed
can be." The New Living Translation paraphrases, "For the sinful
nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it
never will."
This hostility is at the root of the current court cases, which are
part of a larger identity crisis regarding morality. What is sought is
not freedom of religion, but freedom from religion,
which ironically amounts to religious oppression by denying the freedom
to express religious convictions.
But are Ten Commandments displays appropriate on governmental property?
Justice Scalia of the Supreme Court has referred to the Ten Commandments
as, "a symbol of the fact that government derives its authority
from God" and thus "an appropriate symbol to put on government
grounds." This reflects the views of America's founders.
Ten Commandments displays on public property spring from America's
national heritage, not from isolated demands of religious extremists.
They are displayed in numerous governmental locations, including the
Supreme Court building where the current cases are being considered.
References to God appear in America's pledge of allegiance (which
has also been challenged) and on its dollar bills. And sessions of Congress
open with prayer.
Attempting to remove these monuments, displays and other religious
customs is a serious threat to America's national identity. Some
warn that if its history is rewritten, the nation's future may
change as well. A completely different set of values will shape its laws
and public policy.
Individual identity is also threatened, not only in America but around
the world, by attempts to redefine the institutions of marriage and family.
Sexual identity has become distorted by sex-change operations and many
forms of bizarre behavior. Some look forward to the time when "marriage" can
be available under virtually any circumstances. One woman recently expressed
a desire to "march down the aisle … hand in paw" with
her Great Dane. Sadly, hers is undoubtedly not an isolated case.
History is replete with examples of civilizations that perished as
result of losing their identity. Other nations and cultures have survived
for millennia, largely because they have retained their identity. A prime
example is the modern nation of Israel, descendants of the ancient nation
of Judah. The Jewish religion is well known for its traditions that celebrate
the unique identity of the Jewish people and acknowledge the biblical
roots of their history.
God gave the ancient nation of Israel the weekly Sabbath and annual
Holy Days to remind them and their children of their identity (Ezekiel
20:19-20). He also instituted a theocracy based on the Ten Commandments
and other laws (Deuteronomy 4:13-14) to preserve their national and individual
identity and freedoms.
Sadly, wholesale neglect of these customs led to tragic results including
civil war, division into two separate nations and finally national captivity.
Although the Jewish people have retained their identity, the northern
Kingdom of Israel became lost to history and is often referred to as "the
Lost Ten Tribes."
The good news is that when Jesus Christ returns to establish the Kingdom
of God on earth, the law of God will be restored to its rightful position
as the core of the government and morality for all nations, resulting
in a happy, peaceful way of life for all (Isaiah 2:1-4).
 For
an enlightening explanation of how and why the American people—along
with the nations of the former British Commonwealth—came to have
so many of the commandments of God as the foundation of their national
identity and way of life, I encourage you to request or download now
your free copy of our booklet: The
United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy.
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