The
"A Family Is Anything"
Myth

By Dr. John E. Russell

I've often wondered what accounts for this film's enduring and remarkable popularity. Jimmy Stewart once suggested that all of Capra's films, and perhaps It's A Wonderful Life most of all, are popular because they show "that life's true riches lie in family, country and God." [Gary Bauer, Our Journey Home. (Dallas: Word Publishing, 1992), p.28].

Interesting combination. . .family, country and God! The order should be "God, family, church and country."

The Family is a valid institution because God established it. Science also validates it. Children need both a father and mother in order to develop right psychologically. Children of both sexes need both parents. In families where a father or mother is missing, the single parent can find a substitute father or mother figure for the children. The single parent needs to avoid choosing bad role models and those who would abuse their children. Many believe the myth that crime is caused by economic conditions. If this were true, then crime would have been rampant during and after the great depression. And now a 1988 study of over 11,000 crimes in Rochester, NY; St. Louis, MO; and Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL found no significant connection of crime with either poverty or color. Crime was directly related to the absence of a father at home. (Bauer, Our Journey Home, p. 40).

The PC "family" is a mockery of the family. Some definitions of the family do such violence to it that it no longer resembles a family. The homosexual lobby would have Congress pass laws to redefine the family and to justify their perverted lifestyle.

What do people think of life in America today as compared to the past? Lawrence Research executed a poll for the Free Congress Foundation in 1992. (Bauer, Our Journey Home, pp. 32-33). The question asked was, "Generally speaking, do you feel that life in America in the past was better than, worse than, or about the same as it is today? Of the thousand polled, 49 percent said American life was better in the past, while 17 percent said it was worse. Looks like there really is a moral majority! About three-fourths of our people think we have devolved morally. The radical left social engineers have struck out again! Seventy percent of the American people say community and family life is worse since the great social experiment!

The Church is also a valid institution because God instituted it. Biblically, it is the body of believers throughout history, and must be distinguished from human institutions such as denominations. The biblical church supports the existence of the family and the government.

Civil Government is also a valid institution because God instituted it. Our Constitution requires the federal government to protect the Life, Liberty and Property of its citizens (Amendments 5 and 14).

One of the Roles Usurped by Government Is That of Teaching Children. Parents should have both the responsibility and authority to teach their own children. Government schools have become one of the nation's largest monopolies. The federal government would not allow such a monopoly in the private business sector!

Another Role Usurped by government Is That of Establishing An Alien National Religion. This act is immoral and unconstitutional. By neglect, Congress established the religion of Secular Humanism as the new state religion. Actually, the Supreme Court circumvented Congress by "Legislating" via their decisions. These wrong decisions disestablished Christianity as the non-sectarian state religion and established Secular Humanism as the new sectarian state religion. In short, the "activist" Supreme Court usurped the function of Congress by making new laws through its decisions. These new laws were unconstitutional on two counts: (1) It is unconstitutional for the Judicial Branch to make laws by fiat and (2) It is unconstitutional for one branch (Judicial, Executive, or Legislative) to perform the function of another. Congress and the Executive branches were at fault for not "checking" the Supreme Court and for allowing it to violate the Constitution. If Congress had made the series of laws disestablishing Christianity and establishing Secular Humanism it would have been more easily recognized.

These two illegal and immoral procedures have created an extensive national system of theological seminaries. It includes day care through doctoral programs in tax-supported educational institutions. Educators who specialize in philosophy can easily detect the religion of Secular Humanism throughout all courses, including academic and physical education courses.

A role relinquished by government is the protection of the helpless. Not only has the state illegally seized authority, it has relinquished some of its proper authority! It has allowed selected citizens to end the lives of certain people who cannot protect themselves. Philosopher Russell Hittinger phrases it well:

By transferring the power over life and death to private choice, the state violates the civil contract. In effect, the power originally invested in civil government is relinquished.

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