On the basis of historical facts no one can legitimately dispute the Bible and the Christian religion giving rise to a Christian Western Civilization wherein the best of the arts and sciences began to flourish is the basis for the founding of America as a Christian nation beginning with those early Pilgrims for the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith. There is no disputing the finest charitable organizations in the world given to serving humankind have their basis in the Christian religion, and one need not be a Christian to acknowledge these facts and own their debt to the Bible and the Christian religion for these things.

However, to acknowledge the historical significance of the Bible and Jesus quite obviously should not divorce the mind from reason, nor ignore the facts of human nature being such as to emphasize Emerson’s remark that men like George Washington leave no class. Reading the New Testament narrative of Jesus and the early beginnings of the Church one can only shake their heads over how far those naming the name of Christ could have descended from a promising beginning into the Dark Ages.

But despite the twists and turns of the Christian religion, even the most heinous crimes being committed in the name of Jesus at one time or another, the burning of heretics and other cruelties of great notoriety in history men like Luther would arise to confront these things and the benefits of the Christian religion once becoming civilized far outweigh the negatives. Without the Christian religion and the Bible one might well imagine the enormous loss to the world, and there might well have never been an England or America upholding and advancing the finest benefits of Christianity in literature and education, the arts and sciences, in charitable works, benefits none profiting from would exchange for those of Islam for example.

The many years I gave to the study of the Bible were years well spent, such a study leading to other areas like history, geography, languages, cultures and mythologies of ancient civilizations and so much more. It was in such a manner I acquired a personal library of some 5,000 volumes dedicated to such studies and it was for this reason Theology became known as the Queen of the Sciences while Philosophy remained the King of Disciplines. The two were joined since those like Copernicus and Newton were a product of both, as have the best of thinkers throughout the history of Western Civilization realizing one cannot separate science entirely from the spiritual which alone accounts for life. Science gives us understanding about much of our physical world, but offers nothing as an explanation for life or its origin, cannot tell us what animates at birth and departs at death.

Here in America we enjoy the greatest freedom to express ideas that often conflict with the majority opinion; and this freedom of such dissent we owe to the Founding Fathers who built into our government the right to dissent. But it is regrettable that political correctness shouts down what is often the majority opinion of We the People the great majority expressing a belief in Christianity in some form, but the MSM often crediting the opinion of minorities having far greater weight than they do in fact. It seems politicians are far more given to such minority opinions than the will of We the People. And in just such manner do the Bible and Christianity suffer attack from the minuscule minority that would denigrate all those who credit our debt as a nation to the Bible and Christianity for our being the freest and most powerful nation in the world.

But to repeat, one need not be a Christian as defined by any one belief system to acknowledge this fact of America’s history; though for the sake of intellectual honesty one must separate what one believes from what one knows as empirical fact. And it is here in the matter of beliefs as opposed to facts we find so many schisms often setting otherwise good people against one another. And here as elsewhere the cautionary word should be exercising discretion when pronouncing beliefs, and there is no room for bullies in a sharing of differing beliefs and I refuse to be cowed by bullies of any kind or provide them a forum to attack me. They are free to write and speak as they will elsewhere.

While I may not share the belief of some that lighting candles for the departed is of any benefit I welcome the thoughtfulness of those who do believe such a thing, but the best of such people are not going to attempt to force their belief in the efficacy of such a thing on me. When someone tells me they will pray for me, I don’t try to disabuse them of the notion but express my gratitude for their thoughtfulness.

One would think the goodness of people ought to eventually overcome the evil that men do. But such is not the case. And because this is not the case, but the facts are a history of humankind being one of evil ever in the ascendancy I give myself over to often thinking and writing about the cause of this, and the Bible is a primary source on the subject notwithstanding The Great Books and The Great Conversation.

And so I do resort to metaphysical speculation about the reason there are monsters in our midst in the guise of human beings, monsters without conscience preying on women and children, monsters without conscience perpetrating the most fiendish of acts against the most defenseless of victims like children. And while only a belief, I believe war of some kind in the heavens is visited upon the earth, that the world being Satan’s domain offers a plausible explanation for hell on earth with a history of conflict and no end in sight. And what can possibly account for human beings believing the murder of the innocent that simply do not believe the way you do is glorifying to any other deity but Satan?

But to even give a voice to such expressions of belief or disbelief is one of the benefits of living in America, an America founded on the Bible and the Christian religion that despite my heterodox beliefs and the fact I don’t belong to or attend any church I give thanks and I am duly appreciative. And even for those that disagree they can be thankful they were not born in Iran, but are the beneficiaries of the Bible and Christianity.

Yes, regardless the belief system hypocrisy abounds. But to attempt to discredit the good of the Bible and the Christian religion with all the benefits accruing is to ignore the facts and refuse to give credit where credit is due.