In the last blog, we looked at the “why” behind the outlined values of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in The Declaration of Independence. In this article, we’re celebrating the foundational right to life as an American.
I know what you’re thinking...
"If our Founding Fathers could see the atrocities occurring these days with Planned Parenthood and the controversy surrounding the organization, the Roe v. Wade court case in 1973 and if they knew that over 50 million unborn babies had been killed in America in the last 40 years alone, they would roll over in their graves!"
In spite of the embarrassing disregard for life that some Americans now have, it is still a fundamental right, not only as an American, but a gift and right given to us by God. God is the Creator of all life, and as Scripture says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” (Psalm 139:13)
At birth, babies in America automatically become U.S. citizens, which gives them the rights, protection and freedom that all other Americans enjoy. The right to live extends beyond this however. Think about the judicial system we have in place where people go to trial for hurting or killing another; this right doesn’t exist in many parts of the world. Think about those at the mercy of Sharia law, where people are disowned, abused, murdered for any kind of wrongdoing or suspected issues, and the offender keeps on living as if nothing ever happened. Think about the trials in recent years that have held our nation captive to the television…. Jon-Benet Ramsey, O.J. Simpson, Casey Anthony.
We grieve over lost lives, even those of people we have never known.
Why do we still pause for moments of silence at 9:59am and 10:28am on September 11th every year? Why do we groan when we realize one day we’ll have to try to explain what happened that day to generations who will only read about it in textbooks and never saw 9/11 happen before their eyes? Because life is valuable and it’s precious. We are blessed in America to have public heroes in our law enforcement, our firefighters, our paramedics, whose very calling rely on protecting and saving lives. Our military works tirelessly, day and night, here and abroad, to guard the value of life and the quality of life that Americans are privileged to have.
If you think about it a different way, we as Americans have the right to live the way we want to live, to make a “living,” to find ways to savor the richness of life and to maximize the days we have. Why do you think the anti-aging industry rakes in over $2 billion dollars a year in the United States, and drugs like Viagra and Cialis are as commonplace on TV as commercials for a Big Mac? Because life in America is valuable, and Americans want to prolong their quality of life and feel alive regardless of age.
Life is valuable. The value that comes from life depends on what we make of it and how we respond to our circumstances, to those around us. We can live as full or as terrible of a life as we choose. And that’s the beauty of living in America. We get to CHOOSE life.
“The value of life lies not in the length of days, but in the use we make of them… Whether you find satisfaction in life depends not on your tale of years, but on your will.” – Michel de Montaigne
