The Faith Behind Ronald Reagan’s Revolution

From Hawaii Reporter
By Daniel de Gracia, II

In 1977, Ronald Reagan after failing to win his party’s nomination and faced with a Democrat-controlled White House in the form of Jimmy Carter spoke of something he called the New Republican Party. “The American new conservative majority we represent is not based on abstract theorizing of the kind that turns off the American people,” Reagan said, “but on common sense, intelligence, reason, hard work, faith in God, and the guts to say ‘Yes there are things we do strongly believe in, that we are willing to live for, and yes, if necessary, to die for.’ That is not ideological purity. It is simply what built this country and kept it great.”

Three years later, that same Reagan would find himself standing before the 1980 Republican National Convention accepting the party’s nomination for President, saying, “I’ll confess that I’ve been a little afraid to suggest what I’m going to suggest – I’m more afraid not to – that we begin our crusade joined together in a moment of silent prayer.” It was in that moment that Reagan turned a political convention into a prayer conference of thousands of souls joined together by faith. After that night, the rest was history: Reagan went on not only to win the White House, but to re-energize America through two terms and establish one of the greatest eras in the history of our nation.

Reagan understood that it takes faith to make a difference, and it was his faith that drove his revolution to success. Reagan knew that America was a country that was built on faith – starting with the Pilgrims in 1620 who came to the New World in search of religious freedom – and that every good, honest, and honorable law, policy, and doctrine begins with faith. This is why Reagan would go on to say, “The truth is, politics and morality are inseparable. And as morality’s foundation is religion, religion and politics are necessarily related. We need religion as a guide. We need it because we are imperfect, and our government needs the Church, because only those humble enough to admit they’re sinners can bring to democracy the tolerance it requires in order to survive.”

Reagan didn’t believe in God because polls indicated to him that it would make him more electable; he had faith in God because it was the right thing to do. Of this, Reagan says, “Without God, there is a coarsening of the society. And without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure. If we ever forget that we’re one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”

I write this article because I believe that religious freedom is at stake in today’s America, and that faith in God is now seen as optional rather than necessary for not just change but the blessing of our people. We have become intolerant of men and women of faith, and we have come to the point where those who seek God are slandered and considered to be silly fools unfit for leadership.

Economic theories, government policies, and catchy political slogans do many things but they cannot unlock what faith opens, and that is love: love for God, love for our fellow man, love for our community, and love for our future. Love speaks to the heart, and the heart is the key to change. Reagan understood this principle, and because of that acceptance of love, he was not only a great leader, but a Great Communicator. How much we can stand to learn from Reagan today.

In closing, all freedom begins with religious freedom. This is why Paul and Silas, though they had been severely beaten and thrown in prison with their feet shackled could in the midnight hour open their mouths to sing praises to God Almighty – because though their bodies were bound, their spirits were free.

I encourage all men and women of faith all across this State to read an article recently published in the Honolulu Advertiser entitled “Righteousness unlocks all things” (http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090314/LIFE0701/903140307/1102) and having done so, take a moment out of their day today to pray for Hawaii, to pray for America, and to humble themselves that the blessing of God can open our hearts to once more have the faith to move forward in victory.

I hope you will come to the conclusion today that our politicians do not have the answers or the power to fix what is broken in Hawaii and America. Only faith in God can put us back on track and lead justice once more to victory.

Daniel de Gracia, II lives in Waipahu. Reach him at mailto:daniel.degracia@gmail.com