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If one studies history one would discover remarkable differences between the human generations. If we study the founders of our great country we would notice even greater discrepancies in comparison to ourselves. Some call this study "Social Darwinism," the idea that small changes occur in our culture from one generation to the next, and over time we see the collective impact of these changes. This evolution of society is understood to be positive. But one must beg the question, is it positive? Does it even happen?
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Since we acknowledge there is observable change from the founding of the United States to present day we must now address the issue of the quality of this change. Basically we must discern if this change is positive or negative. As with many complicated issues, the simple question posed has a not-so-simple answer; it is probably both, positive and negative. Let's take a closer look.
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It seems unnecessary to discuss the reality of social Darwinism. There are changes in culture, which add up over time. We can see the results of break throughs in industry, science, philosophy, and many other disciplines. However, the term "Darwinism" seems to imply something more that what is. This collective change in society is a result of conscious effort, feeding off of other creative processes of the human mind. Using Chuck Darwin's name in the description of this social phenomenon creates a false sense of reality. Evolution, by definition, is a random process. Social Darwinism is the antithesis of randomness. Collective conscious efforts have produced the microwave oven, plastics, aircraft, and even put men on the moon. These industries to do not exist because the cards were allowed to "fall where they may." Deliberate design is the key to our modern progress, not "Social Darwinism." We must keep in mind the partisan misuse of this moniker applied to this field of study. It gratuitously creates an atmosphere favorable to the atheist/evolution world view.
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In 1776, which we will call the year the United States of America was born, was a year in which the culture was dominated by a masculine mentality. Our founders were white, conservative, Christian men who openly advocated a love of God and country. According to David Barton's video "America's Godly Heritage" 52 of the 55 founding fathers were active in their churches. Of all that has been said of Thomas Jefferson, in the attempt to condone the detestable actions of a former president, it is interesting to note that the late President Jefferson was not one of these 52 ardent church goers. Today many consider the reality in which these men lived to have been cruel and harsh. True they did live very disciplined lives, in comparison to ours. There was far less toleration for criminal activity, wrong doing was punished, and their children were taught to think about their actions before taking them. There was no "standard" education program, and yet many agree that this generation was the most educated and most intelligent in the history of the United States.
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One must wonder what was different with this so-called "archaic" educational system. John Quincy Adams was so well educated that he became a secretary to the Ambassador at age 14, representing the newly formed United States in Russia. Keep in mind there was no such thing as a "wall of separation between church and state" at this time. This popular phrase was taken, out of context, from a personal letter by Thomas Jefferson--in January of 1802. At the time the Bible was used as an actual textbook for the students of the classic "school house" educational system. David Barton's research also tells us that a vast majority of the nation's laws were based in the Bible itself. The law books of Blackstone show quite clearly that the institutions of government in the early years of the United States were fused with Christian doctrine. From the level of the Oval Office and Supreme Court all the way to the rustic schoolhouse Christianity was a staple of the American people. Most individuals were taught even as a child to respect others, discipline is essential, that wrong doing would be punished, and to think before acting. Society was dominated by a masculine frame of mind.
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What happened then is something that has changed the face of the American culture. At the time no one could have realized the implications of the moment. It was a question of religious liberty. The former colonists were well aware of the few generations preceding them. The American people remembered their parents and grandparents fled from Europe so as to escape religious persecution. By 'religious' our founders referred to the several denominations of the Christian church that had split during the Reformation. The Christian population was still suffering religious persecution, but now the same was also inflicting it. In England, for example. If the king or queen were Catholic, then England's people had to be Catholic. Those who did not convert were harassed, imprisoned, and killed. If the next monarch was Protestant, the English people had to be Protestant. Those who did not convert were harassed, imprisoned, and killed. The English colonists were a motley crew of European pilgrims who were tired of this religious intolerance. Then there was the fear that this persecution might spread throughout the new free, American nation.
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