Change in Values

{photo credit}

I have an interesting American literature class this semester.  "Interesting" refers to the various things we discuss in class and not necessarily the material we cover.  Anyway, we've been reading about Benjamin Franklin and some of the founding fathers of our country.  My professor flashed these questions up on the screen and had us answer them:

How important to contemporary America are the ideals of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness?  Have we lost sight of them?  Or are they still elements in our society?

Those are interesting questions to ponder.  After all, our country was founded on those ideas, and the American people did cling to them as rights that they were entitled to.  However, I came to the conclusion that while America still says that she values these things, they're really only valued on the surface.

It is my belief that those terms and ideas are now defined by the government where once they were defined by the people.  There is so much regulation on everything now, including the Patriot Act of modern day America. Sure, it was put into action under the guise of "We're doing this for the good and protection of the American people" when really, how many American people care to be spied on?  Isn't that kind of infringing on our Liberty just a little bit?

My point is that, yes, I do think that America has lost sight of those ideals.  We say that we still operate on the rights of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, but they aren't necessarily the driving force behind our actions anymore.  The main drive is now whatever whims the government may have.

There's also the issue of how we as Christians define those rights and how much power we think the government should have, but that's another discussion entirely.  :)

Anyway, food for thought...