Going Public

With one hand on the Bible and the other raised toward heaven, the President confirmed his oath of office with the words "so help me God."

Invoking the Almighty, surrounded by family and friends and attested by the world's most powerful dignitaries, President Bush inaugurated his second term as the nation's highest public servant and the leader of the Free World. And for at least a moment in time, America had its priorities ordered correctly -- namely God, family, and country.

While the ceremony and pageantry of our government's orderly transition makes you proud to be an American, destiny will require this great nation also bridge the "cultural divide" that's become so apparent over the last 4-years. By the way, this is a challenge set before us all.

President Bush, for his part, is a principled leader -- cut from the same timber as Teddy Roosevelt or Ronald Reagan, whose bias for action is balanced by a measure of altruism, like few who have served before him. The foreign and domestic challenges of his first-term, and those that will linger throughout his second, require nothing less than the wisdom of Solomon and the patience of Job.

So the question "what will you do next?" isn't so much posed to government, as much as it is to the governed -- the individuals who wear the mantle of "American citizen." President Bush framed our individual challenge this way, "In America's ideal of freedom, the public interest depends on private character--on integrity, and tolerance toward others, and the rule of conscience in our own lives."

So this month we endeavor to keep "first things first" when we first consider what God requires of His people. Then, motivated by fostering greater understanding, we follow-up with an insightful overview of the dynamics that contribute to the "cultural divide" that must be bridged by the nation, within communities, and inside our families. Last, in a fashion reminiscent of JFK and Reagan, we revisit the lofty ideals espoused by President Bush (verbatim) in the 55th Presidential Inaugural Address.

America's destiny must be carried by the collective shoulders of individual citizens like you and me--who draw renewed strength from a vision and purpose bigger than self.

Let's get after it...together.

Roy Tanner



What does God require?

"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Micah 6:8)

In the affairs of men, nothing succeeds like purposeful action, driven by courage of conviction, drawn from a biblical worldview. Revealing the heart of God's law, and summed in a simple formula (as penned by the prophet Micah), the practice of this admonition has carried our republic to heights unknown previously in history.

The Judeo-Christian ethic, when put into practice, has done more to elevate the human experience than any other set of ideals. In God's economy, men and women are created equal, with inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And as manifest in law and order, peace and prosperity, and altruism in the community of nations, the American experience has been a force for good for over two centuries.

However, these self-evident truths must continue to be inculcated individually, passed from one generation to the next, and lived-out (by the power of the Holy Spirit)--to remain faithful to the Almighty's call and the welfare of any people who would live free. Christians in particular, in every dimension of life and sphere of influence, will be held to account for our advocacy and individual contributions to this mission.

With this challenge set before us, let's consider the operative words of this timeless passage...justice, mercy and humility...in light of direction found in relevant excerpts taken from the "Lausanne Covenant." Here we find thought leadership, drawn from across Christendom, for the purpose of accomplishing the commission of Christ in this dispensation of grace. Lord, by your grace may we act with...

Justice (from government)

It is the God-appointed duty of every government to secure conditions of peace, justice and liberty in which the Church may obey God, serve the Lord Jesus Christ, and preach the gospel without interference. We therefore pray for the leaders of nations and call upon them to guarantee freedom of thought and conscience, and freedom to practice and propagate religion in accordance with the will of God and as set forth in The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

We also express our deep concern for all who have been unjustly imprisoned, and especially for those who are suffering for their testimony to the Lord Jesus. We promise to pray and work for their freedom. At the same time we refuse to be intimidated by their fate. God helping us, we too will seek to stand against injustice and to remain faithful to the gospel, whatever the cost. We do not forget the warnings of Jesus that persecution is inevitable.

(Reference: I Tim. 1:1-4, Acts 4:19; 5:29; Col. 3:24; Heb. 13:1-3; Luke 4:18; Gal.5:11; 6:12; Matt. 5:10-12; John 15:18-21)

Mercy (to the world)

To evangelize is to spread the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead according to the Scriptures, and that as the reigning Lord he now offers the forgiveness of sins and the liberating gifts of the Spirit to all who repent and believe. Our Christian presence in the world is indispensable to evangelism, and so is that kind of dialogue whose purpose is to listen sensitively in order to understand.

But evangelism itself is the proclamation of the historical, biblical Christ as Savior and Lord, with a view to persuading people to come to him personally and so be reconciled to God. In issuing the gospel invitation we have no liberty to conceal the cost of discipleship. Jesus still calls all who would follow him to deny themselves, take up their cross, and identify themselves with his new community. The results of evangelism include obedience to Christ, incorporation into his Church and responsible service in the world.

(Reference: I Cor. 15:3,4; Acts 2: 32-39; John 20:21; I Cor. 1:23; II Cor. 4:5; 5:11,20; Luke 14:25-33; Mark 8:34; Acts 2:40,47; Mark 10:43-45)

Humility (throughout Christendom)

The development of strategies for world evangelization calls for imaginative pioneering methods. Under God, the result will be the rise of churches deeply rooted in Christ and closely related to their culture. Culture must always be tested and judged by Scripture. Because men and women are God's creatures, some of their culture is rich in beauty and goodness. Because they are fallen, all of it is tainted with sin and some of it is demonic.

The gospel does not presuppose the superiority of any culture to another, but evaluates all cultures according to its own criteria of truth and righteousness, and insists on moral absolutes in every culture. Missions have all too frequently exported with the gospel an alien culture and churches have sometimes been in bondage to culture rather than to Scripture. Christ's evangelists must humbly seek to empty themselves of all but their personal authenticity in order to become the servants of others, and churches must seek to transform and enrich culture, all for the glory of God.

(Reference: Mark 7:8,9,13; Gen. 4:21,22; I Cor. 9:19-23; Phil. 2:5-7; II Cor. 4:5)

In the 19th-century masterpiece, Democracy in America, political observer Alexis de Tocqueville attributed America's greatness to it's goodness. And when asked why the destinies of North and South America turned-out so differently, a Latin American historian explained "explorers came to our shores seeking gold, but they came yours seeking God."

Till now, that America has been "exceptional" among other nations in world history, is inextricably tied to our heritage of reliance on the Almighty, and our willingness to follow his precepts of justice, mercy, and humility.

May the heart of these principles continue to be applied in this generation of God's people and our leadership--for our good and God's glory.

Roy Tanner



Dark Musings

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools...They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator..(Rom 1:21-22, 25)

What's "true" is best defined as "fidelity to the original." So it follows, that to the extent we remain intellectually honest and faithful to the Origin of truth (John 14:6), we can avoid the folly of...dark musings.

I'm at the stage in life where truth is a settled issue. It's theistic and principle-based, as derived from Scripture, and largely apparent through deduction or the objective results of application. And maybe it's because I spend too much time with people of like mind, that I don't often feel inclined to defend what others should grasp as self-evident truth. But times have changed and our indifference, at a minimum, will lead to the nation's obscurity-- if not its demise.

For example, last month at a Christmas party with friends and family, I was challenged to defend a foreign policy comment I made when my niece used the counterclaim, "America is the terrorist nation!" Apparently, last November's election results didn't sit well with a few at the table, and unfortunately politics drifted into polite conversation. But when "truth" was assailed, and no one else (party to the conversation) spoke-up, I found myself...well, on the defensive. Oh, and by the way, if you haven't already noticed, her assessment of our nation is becoming quite pervasive today.

While I expect to hear irrational statements of this nature from America's enemies, how is it that some (former) allies, several in Democratic party leadership, many in the media, and most in academia also preach such vitriol? Having lived through most of the same history, how can such stark contrasts in assessment exist? And when you're caught off-guard by an outrageous statement that rears a little righteous indignation--how do you respond? This article is intended to provide resources that will help "give voice" to what we know to be true.

Let me first explain that I am neither an apologist for the Bush administration, the Republican Party, or even Western culture for that matter. As a Christian, I am simply a follower of Jesus Christ and as such, decidedly non-political. That said, I have been an active supporter of President Bush and other conservative movements--to the extent that they align with a biblical worldview. Unfortunately, ontologically speaking, my rationale is in the minority these days.

Evangelicals aside, even if President Bush hadn't received over 60 million popular votes, the steady drum beat of liberal opinion castigating the conservative majority, from the courts, the media and academia--probably makes anyone who holds traditional values feel their under siege. What to do? Without attempting to even change minds or compromise convictions, there are two "highly effective" principles we can use to help bridge the ever widening cultural divide--and they both start with how we interface publicly.

First, it's important that we adopt an "abundance" mentality. For example, since most geo-political discussions are posed as zero-sum games (where someone must lose for another to win), try instead to adopt a "win-win" posture, which looks for concurrence on the principles at play. Controlling principles will begin to emerge as you discuss a given situation's problems, implications and needs.

Next, always make a point of disarming opposing views by "seeking first to understand, and then to be understood." In many cases, an irrational assessment dissolves when you ask "why do you hold that opinion?" or "what would you have done differently?" If you'll make an honest attempt to understand an opposing view-point, at a minimum it will reduce the potential for either party becoming defensive.

Given America's rich cultural diversity, we're bound to be exposed to a wide variety of perspectives. Predominantly though, our citizen's orientation will come from "Western" culture. And while people of genuine conviction will differ in terms of how they address challenges, generally they hail from one of three distinct perspectives: 1) conservatives (who look to "preserve" traditional frameworks), 2) progressives or liberals (who seek to "perfect" the frameworks) and 3) anarchists or radicals (who "pull down" frameworks to start over).

Of these groups though, we should be most concerned about the mind-set of the radical left. Not only do we need to understand what motivates their thinking, we must also remain vigilant to counter it. While losing elections to moderate liberals may raise your taxes, losing to the radical left may well cost us the American way of life. According to research, so strong is their disdain for things traditionally American, that they actively conspire to form a Fifth Column that's willing to aid and abet the enemies of the U.S.

Tragically, with nothing positive to contribute, the only thing that unites the diversity of anarchist views is their opposition to the status quo. According to David Horowitz, a life-long civil rights activist, "In the absence of a practical alternative (to capitalism), the revolutionary project is nihilism, the will to destroy without a concept of what to do next. He goes on to state that it's an impossible "utopian vision that provides radicals with the standard judgment that condemns the actually existing world, no matter how decent it may be."

Why? The radical left apparently holds a worldview where mankind is at the center of the universe and the measure of all things. Consequently, with religious fervor they are zealous advocates for a global model of social justice (e.g. communism) that has no place for American supremacy. And because they're decidedly "postmodern" in their outlook, theirs is a life void of absolutes, meaning, and reason.

How did this irrational worldview become so pervasive, and how does it compare to the traditions of Western culture? And in light of such divergent perspectives, how can we find common ground or just get back to a higher level of civility? To provide some additional insight, I've pulled together a brief review of some relevant topics. But before conducting more research, let's keep in mind a couple of admonitions from the apostle Paul:

"Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how to answer every man" (Col. 4:5-6).

And "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor 10:5).

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WESTERN PHILOSOPHY

The term "Western" is usually associated with the cultural tradition that traces its origins to Greek thought and Christian religion. Cornerstones in this tradition are arguably: deductive reasoning, the rule of law, and monotheism. Traditional Western Culture is also said to have been created by three main historical factors: ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, and Judeo-Christianity's spread. As such, it is also known by the term "Judeo-Christian culture."

Based on these and other ideals that some associate with the West, there are many who consider Western values to be universally superior. For example, the author Francis Fukuyama argues that Western values are destined to triumph over the entire world. Fukuyama is best known as the author of The End of History and the Last Man, in which he argues that the progression of human history, as a struggle between ideologies, is largely at an end, with the world settling on democracy after the end of the Cold War.

American government in particular, is a democratic republic where the elected representatives that hold decision power are moderated by a constitution that emphasizes protecting individual liberties and the rights of minorities in society, such as freedom of speech and assembly, freedom of religion, the right to private property and privacy, as well as equality before the law and due process under the rule of law, and many more. Such constitutional rights are guaranteed through various controlled institutions and various statutory laws.

The last formative influence on Western Culture is Christianity. Jesus was certainly the most influential person in human history. His preaching of the Golden Rule, of salvation, redemption and immortality not only affected the lives of people but also the arts, literature, philosophy, and architecture. With the preaching of Christianity came the already existing concept of monotheism. The Bible subsequently became a central piece of Western literature affecting all fields within Western culture; law, philosophy, education, and politics.

Today, with over 2 billion adherents, Christianity continues to grow by geometric proportions, adding an average of 200,000 new conversions per day (which is three times the rate of world population growth, and over twice the growth rate of Islam).

POSTMODERN PHILOSOPHY

Postmodern philosophy is an eclectic and elusive movement characterized by the criticism and analysis of Western philosophy. Charles Murray, a strong critic of postmodernism, defines the term as follows:

"By contemporary intellectual fashion, I am referring to the constellation of views that come to mind when one hears the words multicultural, gender, deconstruct, politically correct, and Dead White Males... Embedded in this mind-set is hostility to the idea that discriminating judgments are appropriate in assessing art and literature, to the idea that hierarchies of value exist, hostility to the idea that an objective truth exists. Postmodernism is the overarching label that is attached to this perspective."

Central to the debate is the role of the concept of "objectivity" and what it means. In the broadest sense, denial of objectivity is held to be the post-modern position, and a hostility towards claims advanced on the basis of objectivity its defining feature. It is this underlying hostility toward the concept of objectivity, evident in many contemporary critical theorists, that is the common point of attack for critics of postmodernism. Many critics characterize postmodernism as an ephemeral phenomenon that cannot be adequately defined simply because, as a philosophy at least, it represents nothing more substantial than a series of disparate conjectures allied only in their distrust of modernism.

THE RISE AND INFLUENCE OF POSTMODERNISM

"Wither is God," he [the madman] cried. "I shall tell you. We have killed him--you and I. All of us are his murderers. But how have we done this? How were we able to drink up the sea? Who gave us the sponge to wipe away the entire horizon?...Are we not straying through an infinite nothing? Do we not feel the breathe of an empty space? ...God is dead...This tremendous event is still on its way, still wandering--it has not yet reached the ears of man."

The strangely prophetic words of Friedrich Nietzsche, written over a hundred years ago, have now reached the "ears of man." In the words of James Sire, "The acknowledgment of the death of God is the beginning of postmodern wisdom." If this were the case however, the beginning of postmodern wisdom, would be the death of wisdom's Source.

Frontline Ministries [1] offers the following observations... Five major philosophical ontologies or worldviews exist. Ontology answers the question, What is reality? Before the modern era the three major ontologies were idealism, naturalism, and realism. Proponents of these three ontologies believe that there is an essential reality. That is, reality can be defined as to its essence and thus objective truth exists. Idealists such as Plato, Augustine, Descartes, Kant, Hegel, and Brightman believed that the essence of reality is immaterial ideas, forms, essences, that transcend the material world which is but a copy or a transient shadow of the really real. Naturalists such as Thales, Hobbes, Newton, Marx, and Sagan believed reality is defined by the natural, sensible world. Realists such as Aristotle and Aquinas believed reality is both material (physical) and immaterial (spiritual).

The modern era witnessed the development of the next two ontologies, pragmatism and existentialism, which believe that no essential reality exists (more specifically that ontology is unnecessary and misguided, respectively) and thus no objective truth. Pragmatists such as James and Dewey believed that reality is what works in empirical (physical) experience. Existentialists such as Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, and Sartre believed that reality is chosen by the individual. That means, basically, that reality is whatever the individual wants it to be. Individuals must create their own meaning because life does not come with any meaning in itself. Premodern thought, governed largely by theism (the worldview centered on God as defining reality), addressed what is there (ontology). Modern thought, governed by Enlightenment naturalism, addressed how to know what is there (epistemology). Postmodern thought, governed by pragmatism and existentialism, addresses how language functions to construct meaning itself.

James Sire summarizes postmodernism as follows: 1) There has been a shift in "first things" from being to knowing to constructing meaning. 2) The truth about the reality is forever hidden from us. All we can do is tell narratives. 3) All narratives mask a play for power, one used as a metanarrative is oppressive. 4) Human beings determine who they are by the language they construct about themselves. 5) Ethics, like knowledge, is a linguistic construct. Social good is whatever society takes it to be. And 6) The cutting edge of culture is literary theory.

Postmodern thought has greatly influenced contemporary culture. The hallmark of postmodern thought is the death of truth. Don Matzat noted, "The only absolute truth that exists in the postmodern mentality is that there is no such thing as absolute truth, and as far as the postmodern scholar is concerned, that is absolutely true. "The self-contradiction is obvious but the postmodernist is not concerned with logic or truth. Everyone has his or her own "truth" and the height of arrogance is to say that one's "truth" is actually the truth."

Nothing frightens the postmodernists more than a "fundamentalist" claim to absolute truth which they view as nothing more than an attempt to oppress those who disagree. So with the rise of postmodernism came ideas such as political correctness, tolerance, moral relativism, multiculturalism, new age spirituality, religious syncretism, empowerment of minorities, denigration of white European males, and homosexual rights. Every area of society has been touched by postmodernism. Health care, literature, education, history, psychotherapy, law, science, and religion are all mutating under its influence.

Because of their claim to an exclusive metanarrative (worldview), conservative, Bible- believing Christians are alone in being exempt from society's tolerance. Christians are not only ignored by the popular culture, they are increasingly singled out for ridicule and outright bashing by the kinder, gentler postmodernists. The postmodernist's "tolerance" masks the reality of an underhanded power play. However, even the Christian church has not escaped the influence of postmodernism.

POSTMODERN INFLUENCES UPON CHRISTIANITY

Universalism - all will be saved regardless of belief in Christ.
Annihilationism - no literal hell; the lost cease to exist.
Mysticism - continuing extra-biblical revelation.
Revivalism - signs & wonders manipulation & the power of suggestion.
Consumerism - meeting "felt needs" for the sake of growth.
Ecumenism - uniting under the banner of unity at the expense of truth.
Syncretism - merging and combining of various religions.
Humanitarianism - social justice or charity work without evangelism.
Activism - culture change through political activism without evangelism. Subjectivism - ethical and theological beliefs are based on personal opinions and/or experiences.
Relativism - truth and morals are different for each culture and individual.
Pluralism - celebrating diversity without conformity to biblical truth.
Pragmatism - "How to" sermons rather than expository or doctrinal.

Ultimately, this ideology is propagated by the counterfeit prince of this world and his minions--by design. All things considered, you and I are not so much at odds with family, friends or even the world system, as much as we're engaged in spiritual warfare. And I'm reminded that "but by grace, there go I." While victory over sin and death was won at Calvary, the battle for individual hearts and minds still rages today. But in appropriating and applying what's true, God will work through us to...help set others free (John 8:32).

CHRISTIAN SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Independent of any cultural bias, if we were to start with a blank sheet and take Christianity at its word (as a credible authority), what model of social justice would we espouse? Well, as stated in the Lausanne Covenant, "We affirm that God is both the Creator and the Judge of all men. We therefore should share his concern for justice and reconciliation throughout human society and for the liberation of men and women from every kind of oppression. Because men and women are made in the image of God, every person, regardless of race, religion, color, culture, class, sex or age, has an intrinsic dignity because of which he or she should be respected and served, not exploited. Here too we express penitence both for our neglect and for having sometimes regarded evangelism and social concern as mutually exclusive.

Although reconciliation with other people is not reconciliation with God, nor is social action evangelism, nor is political liberation salvation, nevertheless we affirm that evangelism and socio-political involvement are both part of our Christian duty. For both are necessary expressions of our doctrines of God and man, our love for our neighbor and our obedience to Jesus Christ. The message of salvation implies also a message of judgment upon every form of alienation, oppression and discrimination, and we should not be afraid to denounce evil and injustice wherever they exist. When people receive Christ they are born again into his kingdom and must seek not only to exhibit but also to spread its righteousness in the midst of an unrighteous world. The salvation we claim should be transforming us in the totality of our personal and social responsibilities. In summary, faith without works is dead.

(Reference: Acts 17:26,31; Gen. 18:25; Isa. 1:17; Psa. 45:7; Gen. 1:26,27; Jas. 3:9; Lev. 19:18; Luke 6:27,35; Jas. 2:14-26; Joh. 3:3,5; Matt. 5:20; 6:33; II Cor. 3:18; Jas. 2:20)"

Some Closing Thoughts...

I believe the Lord will hold us accountable for the opportunities we've had to serve as a witness to our generation--especially to our children. And although it's reassuring to tell each other that our kids have been raised in a Christian home...that they're active in Christian youth groups...or even attending Christian schools...it's you and I who are still responsible for their spiritual nurturing and the values formation necessary for equipping the next generation of adults.

It's part of "minding your business." And by the way, mankind's welfare is our business. We're to both talk and walk the walk as individuals, as leaders of households, and within our sphere of influence. To paraphrase Goethe, if we each kept our front-porch clean, the whole world would be clean. So, let's be mindful of what we can set in motion (individually) with our lives. And because God supplies what He demands, provided we're faithful to obey--the results are left to Him.

As temples of the Holy Spirit, Christians remain humanity's last best hope to reach a world in spiritual darkness, and by His grace we will prevail. I've read the Book. I know how it ends...and it's glorious (Rev. 21). But until that day, let's stay vigilant and persevere by remembering who we are and why we're here (Luke 19:11-27).

We're called to serve as light bearers to our generation--illuminating the folly of...dark musings.

"You are the light of the world...let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matt. 5:14, 16 NIV)

Roy Tanner

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[1] Massimo Lorenzini, "The Church's Need for Polemics in the Postmodern World," Frontline Ministries www.frontlinemin.org/polemics.asp

RECOMMENDED READING...

Unholy Alliance
Though strange bedfellows, America's liberals and radical Muslims stand on suspiciously similar ground in refusing to condemn Islamists terrorism, in criticizing America and the West, and in opposing efforts to export capitalism and democracy. As a former Leftist radical, Horowitz is perfectly placed to diagnose, and denounce the hypocrisy and danger of the American Left in Unholy Alliance.

Let Freedom Ring
In Let Freedom Ring, Sean Hannity offers a survey of the world -- politically, socially, and culturally. Devoting special attention to 9/11, the war on terror, and the continuing threat we face at home and abroad, he makes clear that the greatest challenge we have to overcome may not be an attack from overseas, but the slow compromising of our national character. Filled with the common sense commentary and passionate argument, Let Freedom Ring is an urgent call to arms--for, as Hannity warns, "We are engaged in a war of ideas. And civilization is at stake."

Culture shift
How do you share God's Word with people who are trapped in humanism, self-indulgence, and moral relativity? In Culture Shift: Communicating God's Truth to Our Changing World, David Henderson explains how you can make the gospel relevant to modern Americans. You'll learn why and how our culture has changed in the past few decades, and how to share the timeless message of Christ using language and ideas that your neighbors understand.

The 55th Inaugural Address

Vice President Cheney, Mr. Chief Justice, President Carter, President Bush, President Clinton, members of the United States Congress, reverend clergy, distinguished guests, fellow citizens:

On this day, prescribed by law and marked by ceremony, we celebrate the durable wisdom of our Constitution, and recall the deep commitments that unite our country. I am grateful for the honor of this hour, mindful of the consequential times in which we live, and determined to fulfill the oath that I have sworn and you have witnessed.

At this second gathering, our duties are defined not by the words I use, but by the history we have seen together. For a half a century, America defended our own freedom by standing watch on distant borders. After the shipwreck of communism came years of relative quiet, years of repose, years of sabbatical and then there came a day of fire.

We have seen our vulnerability and we have seen its deepest source. For as long as whole regions of the world simmer in resentment and tyranny — prone to ideologies that feed hatred and excuse murder — violence will gather, and multiply in destructive power, and cross the most defended borders, and raise a mortal threat. There is only one force of history that can break the reign of hatred and resentment, and expose the pretensions of tyrants, and reward the hopes of the decent and tolerant, and that is the force of human freedom.

We are led, by events and common sense, to one conclusion: The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands. The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world.

America's vital interests and our deepest beliefs are now one. From the day of our founding, we have proclaimed that every man and woman on this earth has rights, and dignity, and matchless value, because they bear the image of the maker of heaven and earth. Across the generations, we have proclaimed the imperative of self-government, because no one is fit to be a master, and no one deserves to be a slave. Advancing these ideals is the mission that created our nation. It is the honorable achievement of our fathers. Now it is the urgent requirement of our nation's security, and the calling of our time.

So it is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world.

This is not primarily the task of arms, though we will defend ourselves and our friends by force of arms when necessary. Freedom, by its nature, must be chosen, and defended by citizens, and sustained by the rule of law and the protection of minorities. And when the soul of a nation finally speaks, the institutions that arise may reflect customs and traditions very different from our own. America will not impose our own style of government on the unwilling. Our goal instead is to help others find their own voice, attain their own freedom, and make their own way.

The great objective of ending tyranny is the concentrated work of generations. The difficulty of the task is no excuse for avoiding it. America's influence is not unlimited, but fortunately for the oppressed, America's influence is considerable, and we will use it confidently in freedom's cause.

My most solemn duty is to protect this nation and its people from further attacks and emerging threats. Some have unwisely chosen to test America's resolve, and have found it firm.

We will persistently clarify the choice before every ruler and every nation: The moral choice between oppression, which is always wrong, and freedom, which is eternally right. America will not pretend that jailed dissidents prefer their chains, or that women welcome humiliation and servitude, or that any human being aspires to live at the mercy of bullies.

We will encourage reform in other governments by making clear that success in our relations will require the decent treatment of their own people. America's belief in human dignity will guide our policies, yet rights must be more than the grudging concessions of dictators; they are secured by free dissent and the participation of the governed. In the long run, there is no justice without freedom, and there can be no human rights without human liberty.

Some, I know, have questioned the global appeal of liberty though this time in history, four decades defined by the swiftest advance of freedom ever seen, is an odd time for doubt. Americans, of all people, should never be surprised by the power of our ideals. Eventually, the call of freedom comes to every mind and every soul. We do not accept the existence of permanent tyranny because we do not accept the possibility of permanent slavery. Liberty will come to those who love it.

Today, America speaks anew to the peoples of the world:

All who live in tyranny and hopelessness can know: The United States will not ignore your oppression, or excuse your oppressors. When you stand for your liberty, we will stand with you.

Democratic reformers facing repression, prison, or exile can know: America sees you for who you are: The future leaders of your free country.

The rulers of outlaw regimes can know that we still believe as Abraham Lincoln did: "Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves; and, under the rule of a just God, cannot long retain it."

The leaders of governments with long habits of control need to know: To serve your people you must learn to trust them. Start on this journey of progress and justice, and America will walk at your side.

And all the allies of the United States can know: we honor your friendship, we rely on your counsel, and we depend on your help. Division among free nations is a primary goal of freedoms enemies. The concerted effort of free nations to promote democracy is a prelude to our enemies defeat.

Today, I also speak anew to my fellow citizens:

From all of you, I have asked patience in the hard task of securing America, which you have granted in good measure. Our country has accepted obligations that are difficult to fulfill, and would be dishonorable to abandon. Yet because we have acted in the great liberating tradition of this nation, tens of millions have achieved their freedom. And as hope kindles hope, millions more will find it. By our efforts, we have lit a fire as well as a fire in the minds of men. It warms those who feel its power, it burns those who fight its progress, and one day this untamed fire of freedom will reach the darkest corners of our world.

A few Americans have accepted the hardest duties in this cause in the quiet work of intelligence and diplomacy the idealistic work of helping raise up free governments the dangerous and necessary work of fighting our enemies. Some have shown their devotion to our country in deaths that honored their whole lives and we will always honor their names and their sacrifice.

All Americans have witnessed this idealism, and some for the first time. I ask our youngest citizens to believe the evidence of your eyes. You have seen duty and allegiance in the determined faces of our soldiers. You have seen that life is fragile, and evil is real, and courage triumphs. Make the choice to serve in a cause larger than your wants, larger than yourself and in your days you will add not just to the wealth of our country, but to its character.

America has need of idealism and courage, because we have essential work at home the unfinished work of American freedom. In a world moving toward liberty, we are determined to show the meaning and promise of liberty.

In America's ideal of freedom, citizens find the dignity and security of economic independence, instead of laboring on the edge of subsistence. This is the broader definition of liberty that motivated the Homestead Act, the Social Security Act, and the G.I. Bill of Rights. And now we will extend this vision by reforming great institutions to serve the needs of our time. To give every American a stake in the promise and future of our country, we will bring the highest standards to our schools, and build an ownership society. We will widen the ownership of homes and businesses, retirement savings and health insurance preparing our people for the challenges of life in a free society. By making every citizen an agent of his or her own destiny, we will give our fellow Americans greater freedom from want and fear, and make our society more prosperous and just and equal.

In Americas ideal of freedom, the public interest depends on private character on integrity, and tolerance toward others, and the rule of conscience in our own lives. Self-government relies, in the end, on the governing of the self. That edifice of character is built in families, supported by communities with standards, and sustained in our national life by the truths of Sinai, the Sermon on the Mount, the words of the Koran, and the varied faiths of our people. Americans move forward in every generation by reaffirming all that is good and true that came before ideals of justice and conduct that are the same yesterday, today, and forever.

In America's ideal of freedom, the exercise of rights is ennobled by service, and mercy, and a heart for the weak. Liberty for all does not mean independence from one another. Our nation relies on men and women who look after a neighbor and surround the lost with love. Americans, at our best, value the life we see in one another, and must always remember that even the unwanted have worth. And our country must abandon all the habits of racism, because we cannot carry the message of freedom and the baggage of bigotry at the same time.

From the perspective of a single day, including this day of dedication, the issues and questions before our country are many. From the viewpoint of centuries, the questions that come to us are narrowed and few. Did our generation advance the cause of freedom? And did our character bring credit to that cause?

These questions that judge us also unite us, because Americans of every party and background, Americans by choice and by birth, are bound to one another in the cause of freedom. We have known divisions, which must be healed to move forward in great purposes and I will strive in good faith to heal them. Yet those divisions do not define America. We felt the unity and fellowship of our nation when freedom came under attack, and our response came like a single hand over a single heart. And we can feel that same unity and pride whenever America acts for good, and the victims of disaster are given hope, and the unjust encounter justice, and the captives are set free.

We go forward with complete confidence in the eventual triumph of freedom. Not because history runs on the wheels of inevitability; it is human choices that move events. Not because we consider ourselves a chosen nation; God moves and chooses as He wills. We have confidence because freedom is the permanent hope of mankind, the hunger in dark places, the longing of the soul. When our Founders declared a new order of the ages; when soldiers died in wave upon wave for a union based on liberty; when citizens marched in peaceful outrage under the banner "Freedom Now" they were acting on an ancient hope that is meant to be fulfilled. History has an ebb and flow of justice, but history also has a visible direction, set by liberty and the author of Liberty.

When the Declaration of Independence was first read in public and the Liberty Bell was sounded in celebration, a witness said, "It rang as if it meant something." In our time it means something still. America, in this young century, proclaims liberty throughout all the world, and to all the inhabitants thereof. Renewed in our strength tested, but not weary we are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom.

May God bless you, and may He watch over the United States of America.