Editor, Gazette-Journal:

Our forefathers landed here over 200 years ago and we were established as a nation, one nation under God. We enjoyed abundant blessings, wanting for nothing. We embraced individual freedom unequaled around this world and soared like eagles. We weren’t perfect. We are made up of human beings, after all. But, we on the whole in this nation, reverenced God and biblical values and we thrived.

Then, in a spirit of greed, we allowed slaves to be brought to our shores to be bought and sold like cattle. We quarreled and parted ways over that one and fought a violent, miserable war, leaving us wounded and torn. We turned from that sin, but we still carry the scars for all to see. Then again, we allowed our values to be trampled underfoot as we began to sacrifice our unborn babies on the altars of convenience, pleasure and greed. We have sanctioned, as a nation, the slaughter of millions, yes millions, of innocent lives. Our national sins multiply and multiply.

What has happened to America, known the world over as one nation under God? We have lost our way. We have sought pleasure, entertainment and the accumulation of things, and we have been enslaved by our own desires. Our lifestyles have become so harried and so busy and so loud that we have left our individual freedoms with our biblical values lying in the dust. We have become one nation in rebellion to God. Are we going to continue this decline? If not, what can we do about it?

The Bible quotes God as saying, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." I believe it is high time to humble ourselves, turn from our wicked ways and pray for this nation.

Then in November we must examine the candidates and issues and vote our biblical values. In order to survive and flourish, we must once again become one nation under God.

Jonnie Adams

Cardinal, Va.