The Character of a Nation

A nation is only as strong as the character of its people. In a speech just before his historic inauguration as the United State’s 44th President, Barack Obama said, “never forget that the true character of our nation is revealed not during times of comfort and ease, but by the right we do when the moment is hard.”

He is referring to principles; the notion that we should act according to certain ideals even when it is difficult, inconvenient, or costly. The values held by a people determine the character of the nation, and the character of the nation determines its course to prosperity or ruin.

When you study world history and the rise and fall of nations, you will find some interesting points about the breakdown of moral restraint and moral character. There is a similar pattern every time, regardless of the time period or location: when the people have internal self-government, the nation prospers; when they lose their moral restraint and internal character, the nation falls.

If you have nothing to die for, you have nothing to live for. Prosperous nations have ideals worth dying for: liberty, justice, and equality. Dwight Eisenhower said, “The spirit of man is more important than mere physical strength – the spiritual fiber of a nation than its wealth.”

Character is determined, in many ways by a person’s religious beliefs. Though this thought is controversial, the religious beliefs of a country determine to a large extent its character, and by extension its viability as a prosperous, free society. The premise here is that all ideas are not equal, and that truth exists. Nations built on truth will prosper over those that are not. Though popular culture suggests otherwise, the majority of people hold religious beliefs of some kind and believe in the existence of a supreme deity. These religious beliefs have a profound effect on how a nation approaches and values the principles of liberty, which in turn affect the nation’s education, government, and economy.

Liberty requires wisdom and virtue, or else “it is the greatest of all possible evils” (Edmund Burke). Wisdom and virtue require a religious belief founded on truth. Therefore, a nation cannot experience true liberty without widely-held religious beliefs founded in the immutable laws of the universe. The truth will set a nation free, and will allow it to prosper.

All these ideas and principles are united to work together for one cause. Religious belief founded in truth provides good character; good character enables self-government; self-government leads to personal and national liberty; liberty leads to prosperity, equality, justice, and a lasting government.

Starting with the most foundational aspect of truth will allow you to build your life, your family, your community, and your nation with purpose, direction, and wisdom. A nation is only as strong as the character of its people, and truth will sustain and determine the character of a people, bringing liberty and justice for all.

The principle of character is worth learning about. Once you open your mind to the ideas, ramifications and philosophy of this truth, you will see why "you can only have as much liberty as you have the character to maintain."

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