by Greg Cain

The more one learns about politics, the more the well-known comparison between politicians and harlots makes sense. There was a time in this nation that politicians embodied righteous principle, today's lot is vastly different than the Nation's founders. In the early days, service in Government was an honorable vocation and election to public office a trust not to be betrayed or abused. But today, one can cite volumes of abuses and disgrace in both categories.

What has gone wrong? Like most things in life, change has been incremental, one small erosion of HITRAP (Honesty, Integrity, Trust, Responsibility, Accountability, and service to People) at a time. As long at it didn't affect one personally, as long as changes were small enough, people became less aware and increasingly lackadaisical. In my humble opinion, the decline began with the "church." Ministry became, not a vocation of service, called of God, but a way to escape the military draft or to become self-serving demigods who relished power over people and their pocketbooks. Pastors decided it was okay to be wealthy, okay to live the good life, okay to fleece their willing sheep, okay to live a double standard, okay to "play" religion; and some TV Evangelists have honed it to a fine edge.

There was a time in this nation that if one were to attack basic ethics, Judeo-Christian principles, Church leaders, or religious faith, they would be summarily "run out of town." Now that has changed, Church leaders have brought shame upon themselves and the gospel they profess (fingers crossed, of course). Some churches embrace evil in a perversion of God's intent and word; and politicians have amassed a shameful record, one that even includes criminal activity. Again, one could cite volumes of abuses by both.

Does all that change basic principle? Do their abuses change God or God's law? Does a Supreme Court ruling that normalizes homosexual conduct change the intent of the Creator of the Universe? Will the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade change the nature of murder at the ultimate Judgment? Can they claim, "I was only following orders?" Orders, that is, from an increasingly ignorant and decadent world that worships pleasure, lust, power and greed.

From all indications, liberals want people to be ignorant so that they can control those ordinary folks' minds and bodies like Hitler, Stalin, Saddam and the other despots of history. Does posting the Ten Commandments in a public place establish religion? Nonsense! But it does provide a moral rudder that liberals abhor because without one, like sharks, they can feed on "the masses" at will. It is reminiscent of the words, is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves." Alas, liberals' "finest hour."

Where are the patriots of old? The ones who signed the Declaration of Independence with the words: "We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." They would be run out of town by the liberal media and their congregation of liberal followers in Government.

Somewhere along the line, politicians, abetted by church leaders, abandoned their faith, if they ever had "faith," and reduced politics to a shell game that is devoid of ethical, moral or spiritual content. And now, they ravage the nation.

Will real Conservatives please stand up? No, not RINOs or their fellow traveling Democrats. And, this call is not for those who feed on division and hatred. Needed today are political and religious Conservatives who have read the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, American History (warts and all) and who might have actually read and internalized the message of the Bible.

Sometimes, the best step forward is a step to the rear, a return to the basics; and if church leaders and politicians won't lead the right way, it's time for the laity, ordinary people, to take charge and lead the nation back to its founding principles; one can be sure, bottom feeders that they are, politicians and church leaders will follow.