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Past leaders of the United States often expressed sincere devotion to God and Christian principles -- in contrast to today's marginalization of biblical faith.
The framers of the U.S. Constitution believed that it involved miracles. The author of a book titled Miracle at Philadelphia: The Story of the Constitutional Convention May to September 1787 wrote: "Miracles do not occur at random, nor was it the author of the book who said there was a miracle at Philadelphia in the year 1787. George Washington said it, and James Madison. They used the word in writing to their friends: Washington to Lafayette, Madison to Thomas Jefferson" (Catherine Drinker Bowen, 1986, p. xi).
These and many others among America's past leaders displayed humility before the Creator God of the Bible, realizing their helplessness apart from Him. Abraham Lincoln, one of the giants of American history who served as president during the Civil War of the 1860s, declared, "I do not care whether God is on my side; the important question is whether I am on God's side, for God is always right" (quoted by Erwin Lutzer, Is God On America's Side? The Surprising Answer and How It Affects Our Future, 2008, p. 72).
Yet times have changed. Many leaders today are often reticent to openly proclaim trust in God except in carefully nuanced rhetoric-or they are openly hostile to biblical values. This is part and parcel with the decline of the culture.
What is the United States like in the 21st century? One writer lamented a decade ago: "We laugh at God's law. Literally. Tune in virtually any TV or cable channel, and see how long you can listen until somebody mocks what God has said is good.
"The more pointed the mockery gets, the more raucous the laughter. Chastity, fidelity, and heterosexuality are targets of derision. God's name can still be mentioned on TV and in the movies, but it's far more likely to be heard (even on the news) in a blasphemous context than any other way" (Joel Belz, "Where Is God?" World, Oct. 5, 2002). And the situation has worsened since this was written.
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