Fourth Of July (And Vacation Thoughts)

I spent this past week down in South Carolina.  While visiting Fort Moultrie, I viewed this sight.  It got me thinking along several lines.

Very recently, a local Louisville church got in a little hot water over having a Saturday "gun" service.  Some were quoted as saying "I find it extremely distressing that faith and guns in any way go together", and "The only weapon we need is a peaceful heart".

I wondered about this, after I viewed the above, and continued to walk about Fort Moultrie.  Although the fort is more famous for it's use by confederates to attack Fort Sumter, Fort Moutrie dates itself as far back as 1776.  Back at the beginnings of the Revolutionary War, 9 British warships attacked the Fortress.  The fort and it's men saved Charleston from the British attack.

After the Revolutionary War came the Constitution of the United States, containing the 1st amendment clause (freedom of religion) and the 2nd amendment (right to bear arms).  Both came after men with guns and cannons secured our independence.

So, do both items in the picture above really belong there?  Do cannons and church steeples really go together?  If the only weapon we had in the 18th century was a peaceful heart, we wouldn't be sitting in the United States of America today.  Therefore, I think they do. 

The subtitle of the Courier-Journal story says it all: "Pastor links religious freedom in U.S. to right to bear arms".  I strongly agree.  All our freedoms were purchased through the use of weapons.

Happy Independence Day.  Revel in your freedoms today.

-Colonel Steve