Government, American

Government by and for the people is a tertiary force instituted by God. The power exercised by government comes from the people when they covenant together to share a small portion of their right as individuals to use force for the protection of their property and the liberty essential for the pursuit of happiness. Harry Atwood, in his book The Constitution Explained, says that when the Constitutional convention finished their work, they sent "that Constitution which has appeared to us the most advisable" to the Congress of the United States that was still operating under the weak Articles of Confederation. It was the duty of Congress to go to the several states and seek ratification of the new Constitution. In the letter conveying the document to Congress, President George Washington wrote that "individuals entering into society, must give up a share of their liberty to preserve the rest." -Harry Atwood, The Constitution Explained (Destiny Publishers, 1992), 113. Government functions properly when the citizens fulfill their responsibilities. It is imperative that new generations be taught and understand the real world of cause and effect in matters of political and social life. By keeping informed on current issues, they can help bring the body politic to a consensus for laws which honor God and promote responsible behavior that is so essential to liberty. There is a common need for sharing in the maintenance of highways, for instance, and for instituting laws which will keep thieves out of the corncrib and ensure that the food sold in grocery stores is safe to eat. It is very important, however, that government be limited. Religious and soft science education must be left to the private sector. Failure to protect this right guarantees that religio/social/political understandings will be victimized by authoritarian types within our government. Whenever government power is used on behalf of one sect or another, be it theistic or secular (atheistic), control over knowledge dissemination becomes the means for knowledge deprivation and tyranny.