Saturday, January 28, 2012

Until a few years ago, I never paid much attention to anything historical, or political, or for that matter didn’t even care much about current events unless they affected me personally. I spent most of my life living ego centrically.

The last few years have been spent scrambling trying to frantically research things I never cared to learn. What is funny, is that most of my desire to learn came as a result of reading scripture and growing in my faith.
I came across an interesting tidbit a week or so ago. Someone mentioned to me a DVD called “Nine Days That Changed the World.” If you haven’t seen it, do yourself a favor and get a copy.

The back cover of the DVD says:



“In 1979 Pope John Paul II made an historic pilgrimage to Poland.
Millions of Poles, almost 1/3 of the nation turned out to see the Holy Father in
person, while the rest of the country followed his pilgrimage on television or
radio. Within sixteen months, Solidarity became the first officially
recognized free trade union in the Communist bloc, with over 10 million
members. The momentum of this nine-day visit would eventually lead to the
fall of the Berlin Wall in November of 1989 with the dissolution of the
Soviet Union in 1991.”

Watching the DVD my heart was pierced as I learned more about the struggles of the Polish nation and the utter destruction and annihilation of so many of its precious human beings. I was spellbound seeing the hope in their eyes as they gathered along the roadways hoping to get a glimpse of this new Pope... a man who was not only the leader of their religion, (which was virtually forbidden), but a World Leader who was one of their own.
One of the things that struck me during this DVD was a clip from Ronald Reagan’s famous speech, the one that we have all heard quoted so often. “General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" I was watching all alone and found myself clapping wildly as if I was sitting in an audience filled auditorium when I heard the end of Reagan’s speech- the part no one seems to ever talk about. He said:







“In a word, I would submit that what keeps you in Berlin is love--love both profound and abiding. Perhaps this gets to the root of the matter, to the most fundamental distinction of all between East and West. The totalitarian world produces backwardness because it does such violence to the spirit, thwarting the human impulse to create, to enjoy, to worship. The totalitarian world finds even symbols of love and of worship an affront.
Years ago, before the East Germans began rebuilding their churches, they erected a secular structure: the television tower at Alexander Platz. Virtually ever since, the authorities have been working to correct what they view as the tower's one major flaw, treating the glass sphere at the top with paints and chemicals of every kind. Yet even today when the sun strikes that sphere--that sphere that towers over all Berlin--the light makes the sign of the cross. There in Berlin, like the city itself, symbols of love, symbols of worship, cannot be suppressed.












As I looked out a moment ago from the Reichstag, that embodiment of German
unity, I noticed words crudely spray-painted upon the wall, perhaps by a young
Berliner: "This wall will fall. Beliefs become reality."
Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.

Thank you and God bless you all.
President Ronald Reagan - June 12, 1987






President Obama do you see what happens when God isn’t put in handcuffs? Do you see what happens when we don’t keep our belief in God hidden behind a wall? He uses his hands to tear down walls, he uses his hands to build bridges.
So Mr. President PLEASE…“Tear Down That Wall.” that is keeping God out of our national policies. Let God’s principles reign.