We the People and Our Freedom Charters: Chapter 3 (pt 2) Ancient Israel and Judaism & Chapter 4 Ancient Greece

CHAPTER 3 Ancient Israel and Judaism

While ancient Israel believed that God dictated His Holy Laws to Moses, the framers of the American constitutional system also believed that God created natural law and that human laws should be modeled after those examples. Human laws should not be dictated but derived through an equitable system of due process from leaders who are representatives of the people and empowered by their consent. These leaders might be elected or appointed by elected officials, but all are held to uniform standards established by our Freedom Charters and by law.

Many Americans have seen America as an emulator of ancient Israel, following in a similar cadence and rhythm. While the God of Abraham protected and rewarded the children of Israel if they followed His will, this same God would bless America as long as “We the People,” remain faithful to Him and the American constitutional system. This is directly related to the idea that “We the People” have a covenant with our creator God just as ancient Israel did and, therefore, we are protected by divine providence.

There is nothing more important from ancient Israel than the belief in the creator God, the God of Abraham. Western civilization had been saturated by beliefs in the God of Abraham through their experiences with western Christianity, and whether the individual founders and framers were practicing Christians or not, their culture and world-views had been dominated by the God of Abraham in western societies for over 1,500 years.

Religion, faith, and God are very different things. Religions are organizations administered by fallible people. A person’s faith is the individual relationship one has with their Creator. God is the Creator, a universal consciousness that is beyond any human ability to fully understand. Humans can only conceptualize God, but any conceptualization is flawed because human beings are not capable of knowing God in His infinite form. What we know comes from the prophets and scripture.

This is also why God is mentioned so often through American writings and referenced in its symbolism. God, as the creator of humanity and our natural rights, does have a place at every level of American society, from the individual to organizations to the population to government entities. Religions are free to exist, and people are free to worship, but religion in American society is separate from the government, and the establishment of a state religion is strictly forbidden by our Freedom Charters.

Benjamin Franklin, The Constitutional Convention, 28 June 1787

Mr. President:

The small progress we have made after 4 or 5 weeks close attendance & continual reasonings with each other—our different sentiments on almost every question, several of the last producing as many noes as ays, is methinks a melancholy proof of the imperfection of the Human Understanding. We indeed seem to feel our own want of political wisdom, since we have been running about in search of it. We have gone back to ancient history for models of government, and examined the different forms of those Republics which having been formed with the seeds of their own dissolution now no longer exist. And we have viewed Modern States all round Europe, but find none of their Constitutions suitable to our circumstances.

In this situation of this Assembly groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understandings? In the beginning of the contest with G. Britain, when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the Divine Protection.

—Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a Superintending providence in our favor. To that kind providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need His assistance.

I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without [H]is notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without [H]is aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that “except the Lord build they labor in vain that build it.” I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without [H]is concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall be become a reproach and a bye word down to future age. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments by Human Wisdom, and leave it to chance, war, and conquest. I therefore beg leave to move—that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the Clergy of this City be requested to officiate in that service.

George Washington, Thanksgiving Proclamation, 3 October 1789

By the President of the United States of America. a Proclamation.

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor—and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be—That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks—for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation—for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war—for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed—for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted— for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually—to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed—to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord—To pro- mote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us—and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New-York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

Go: Washington 

CHAPTER 4

Ancient Greece

Like the civilizations mentioned earlier, Greek history begins in pre-history, but this chapter begins around 1200 BC, which is when iron replaced bronze as the primary metal of weapons and tools, and when tribes of people called Dorians invaded the Balkans, Peloponnese peninsulas, and Anatolia.

It is likely that these tribes were part of a larger, and much older, contingent of Caucus Mountain people called Aryans. Aryans also invaded the peoples in the peripheries of the Indus River settlements, affecting their genetic makeup and written languages.

Ancient Greece occupied rough terrains of rocky and mountainous lands with many sudden drops into a sparkling aqua marine sea called the Aegean. Settlements in this beautiful but difficult area were sporadic, but eventually formed into lifestyles and cultures we call the city-state.

While Egypt formed much earlier as the first nation-state in history, city-states were far more common and were founded all around the Mediterranean Sea. The Greek city-states formed independent Hellenic and Ionic cultures. Ancient Greek culture was centered in the polis, which means city, and the individual person was often defined by that membership.

Each Greek city had its own set of cultural standards but did share ideas and trade with each other. Through this, sharing a common religious view was formed. The ancient Greek religion was polytheistic and based around the gods of Mt. Olympus. These gods lived high in the clouds and controlled the fate of humanity.

According to ancient Greek religion, people did not have free will to control their destiny. A person’s destiny, or fate, was determined by the gods, who were very political entities and served their own egos before the welfare of people.

Ancient Greek religion also did not focus upon moral behavior toward others; rather, its focus was on dedication and sacrifice to the gods for favors.

In ancient Greek societies, people could make individual choices, and they did have a will, but that will was only important in the task of imposing it onto other humans. Will in ancient Greece was being able to get other people to understand and follow ideas, and this was achieved through verbal and written discourse or physical battle.

Discourse was studied as the art of persuasion. The art of persuasion is the act of communicating with others for the purpose of convincing people to agree with you, while motivating them to follow or at least support/not oppose the idea. Depending how important the topic was, getting people to agree did not always remain civil. Even so, the art of convincing people through rhetoric was studied and expanded to serve in the areas of politics and philosophy, creating the concept of “freedom of speech.”

Greek politics was intensely focused on the city-state, and while the freedom of speech was limited to a minority of people, it was the first time that self-governing was attempted in all human history. Politics in ancient Greece was extremely important, and “politicking” was a developed art form, which was promoted and rewarded.

Greek philosophies were numerous and took on many forms, but these ideas became the moral compass of the ancient Greeks rather than religion. Reason and logic were two virtues in Greek philosophy, and the 47We the People and Our Freedom Charters art of convincing others through discussions was highly valued. While Greek philosophies were highly advanced for the time, they did not affect the majority of the populace. Schools of Greek philosophers were exclusive and limited to a very small fraction of the total population.

Most people just lived the best they could while worshiping the Greek gods in Greek ways.

Being able to convince others to agree was considered much more civilized and productive than enforcing one’s will through physical intimidation or battle. Even so, brute force was also a method used when discussions failed to reach an agreement. With Greek thought came a flourishing of intellectual curiosity about the world. Art, science, medicine, mathematics, technology, and governing (dictatorship and democracy), were just some examples of the vast imaginative powers that Greek philosophy released in the human mind.

Everything from Greek columns and methods of conciliation, to focused sunbeams and flamethrowers were invented during this time. The fullness and richness of the human imagination was opened with the ancient Greeks. Their culture and worldviews spread east and west across the Mediterranean. They spread to Spain, North Africa, Italy, Sicily, Anatolia, and the Black Sea through the establishment of Greek colonies. Greek became the international standard for intellectualism, and the alphabet they borrowed from the Phoenicians was expanded into a form that would forever influence civilization.

Athens is most famous for its assembly of citizens using a direct democracy. This form of government was designed to prevent an aspiring monarch or oligarchy from ascending to power and creating a dictatorship over the people. To counter this possibility further, magistrates were chosen by lot, not election, and served for only one year. This, in theory, would keep the popular sovereign from being dominated by a single personality who could impose his will over the masses in violation of the Athenian constitution.

The Athenians and other Greeks considered Greek philosophy, culture, and politics much more civilized than other forms of government.

This separation of Greek culture from others did not go unnoticed by Greek-speaking people, especially when dealing with non-Greeks. In time, ancient Greek culture developed a sense of exclusivity and superiority to others. The Greeks invented the word “barbarian” to describe the cultures outside of ancient Greece. A barbarian is simply a person who does not speak Greek, but the word itself came to encompass much more than language. It became a way to distinguish “civilized” from “uncivilized” people.

Barbarians were considered less civilized or not at all. Barbarians did not know the Greek ways of civility and discourse. Barbarians were not sophisticated and refined like a Greek citizen. Being Greek was essentially part of an exclusive club, and barbarians could not be part of that club unless they adopted Greek ways of life. Thus, dressing, eating, entertaining, and learning the Greek ways was an essential part of the formula for being seen as civilized in Greek societies.

When competing thoughts failed, warfare was always an option, and Greek thoughts had produced some of the best military technologies and tactics in the ancient world. The ultimate power of Greek ideas and willpower enabled this very small group to stop the great Persian Empire from conquering Greece. After that occurred, however, infighting between the city-states started and continued for decades. This warfare seriously weakened the Greeks and made them vulnerable to a powerful barbarian force that had developed to their north. A king named Philip of Macedon invaded and conquered all the Greek peninsula, forcing the separate city-states into a single empire under his own will.

Limited to an elite few, the prestige of Greek thought and education was highly treasured by people from all over the Mediterranean. Philip of Macedon, the founder of the Macedonian Empire, sought this gift for his son Alexander and had the most famous Athenian Greek philosopher of his time tutor his son. That philosopher was named Aristotle.

In a typical Greek way, Aristotle taught Alexander all the dreams and ideas of Greek science and philosophy, including the Greek concept of willpower and the projection of it onto others.

Alexander was highly motivated and willing to learn all that his mentor would teach him. Through Aristotle’s framing and influence, Alexander became a framer and fanatic of Greek culture. This fanaticism not only taught him that Greek culture was superior to all others, but also that he should impose this culture onto the rest of the world.

When Alexander became King of the Macedonian Empire, he decided to go on a crusade. This crusade was designed to bring all the greatness of Greek thinking to the rest of the world. This Hellenic culture was then projected onto the old world in a new way we call Hellenism.

Hellenism was a very specific worldview that covered every aspect of living, from art and architecture to food and entertainment and from religion and reasoning to government and warfare. Armed with superior Greek tools and tactics, Alexander’s crusade conquered Asia Minor, Judea, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, and even parts of India. He only stopped from invading all of India because his armies threatened mutiny if he continued.

While in Babylon, Alexander was planning his next conquest, the Arabian Peninsula, when at age 33, he suddenly died. Although Alexander passed away at an early age, his effects on the ancient world were profound.