"... it is religion and morality alone, which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free Constitution is pure virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People in a greater Measure than they have it now, they may change their rules and the forms of government, but they will not obtain a lasting liberty."
John Adams
For the past few weeks, I've been working my way through the John Adams miniseries. I heard good things about it, and it has really lived up to the hype. It is extremely well done, with fantastic performances especially by Paul Giamatti (John Adams) and Laura Linney (Abigail Adams). I was moved by Linney's portrayal of Abigail, a woman who was separated from her husband for years at a time, all while raising children a few miles away from the hotbed of conflict in Boston, Massachusetts.
Watching this, I have felt so much gratitude for the sacrifices of the men and women of the Revolutionary Era. I've gained a real sense of the passion for their cause, their anxiety about whether or not the United States would stand the test of time, and their struggles to navigate their way through the early conflicts and resolutions of our country.
During the scene in which George Washington is sworn in as the first President, he adds in a phrase at the end, "So help me, God." It's not known for sure if he actually did this, but whether he did or not, I was struck by the deep religious sentiment that the scene underscores. Most of the founders were religious men. I can't help but think that some of them must have prayed as they wrote speeches, labored over the documents that would become the foundation of our government, and held positions in our first years as a nation.
Watching this movie has made me want to study the Declaration of Independence again, study the Constitution and its articles and amendments--and teach both to my kids. So many teenagers (and adults, for that matter) have little or no real knowledge of these two documents, beyond the bits they memorize in school. We need to read them, understand them, and fight to keep intact the integrity of what they espouse. I think that's the only way we'll truly preserve the freedoms we enjoy as a nation.
3 comments:
I will have to look into this. My ward has actually started a Liberty Book club in which we are studied things just like this. The Constitution, Declaration of Independence and other writings on freedom are the topics they discuss and actually go back and read. It's pretty sad how much I have forgotten from school!
How crazy! We just finished watching this as well. I loved it. It was so enlightening, especially comparing it to Disney's Johnny Tremain, which the kids have been watching, and is down right hysterical in comparison. But I digress.
It is humbling how little we have to do for our freedom, basic survival and happiness, compared to what they had to do.
I'm excited to watch it! Heather
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