Obama Did It
Well Obama did as I was expecting. His speech was a call to arms in a moral sense. He spoke of sacrifice and hard work, a break from the greed and self-indulgence of the past. His call was to a higher, more selfless purpose. Perhaps Polhill’s words were a fitting example for me to use after all in my previous post.
Much of the new President’s speech depended upon a Christian cultural background. I thought of some of things I have been reminded of by reading Dinesh D’Souza’s book, ‘What’s So Great About Christianity’.
If it were not for Christianity, education for all would have waited far longer, And art, music and architecture would not have had their greatest inspiration.
Regarding freedom of thought and belief, it is Christianity that has shaped Western society. Though the God-dodging-atheist (some would call them ‘Brights’) rage against Christianity, it is Christianity that has brought about the limitations of government stopping at the border where the individual’s conscience starts, that part of a person which belongs to God rather than to the State. It is Christianity they should thank for being able to rage against it as they do.
The equal moral worth of each individual was something Obama spoke about. Again this was a Christianity innovation. It is Christianity that has, down the centuries, insisted on equality in society. And when this has been lost, and some have perverted Christianity to justify their injustice, it has been Christianity that has risen to restore these values. I can not imagine how those black civil-rights marchers of the 50s and 60s must have thought as they listened to Obama’s speech. The joy that these Christian heroes must have felt is beyond me.
All in all then, I enjoyed the speech. It will be interesting to see what follows it.