Manifest Destiny Part III: Subtext
The original idea behind Manifest Destiny was the idea that the expansion of the european values driven society of the United States would inevitably overcome not only the North American continent, but the world. It was the perception of those who adhered to this thought process that the world would have no choice but to recognize the viability of the American system because of it’s amazing successes in governing the people, while maintaining the freedoms of the individual. It was a hopeful desire that lost sight of the basic principle of the human condition; mankind is evil.
The underlying feature of Manifest Destiny is the concept of determinism but not its relationship to the individual, or to society as a whole. The original description of manifest destiny was one of a duty, a responsibility of those who had been given great benefit to use that benefit for the betterment of mankind. John L. O’Sullivan wrote about the concept of Manifest Destiny as:
“the right of our manifest destiny to overspread and to possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty and federated self-government entrusted to us.”
John Quincy Adams wrote:
“The whole continent of North America appears to be destined by Divine Providence to be peopled by one nation, speaking one language, professing one general system of religious and political principles, and accustomed to one general tenor of social usages and customs. For the common happiness of them all, for their peace and prosperity, I believe it is indispensable that they should be associated in one federal Union.”
But, actually effecting this “one federal Union” became a problem. The solutions to this problem were as varied as the people who tried to execute the solutions. The general gist was, however, that the society of the United States was ordained by God to spread not democracy, but the systems and precepts of the morals and values that they all shared to all people, everywhere. The flaw in all of this lies in the individual interpretations of exactly what all this means.
I recently had a conversation with a friend in which the subject of violence came up. I asked the question “is there such a thing as good violence?” The answer is yes, but that answer comes with a quantification; righteousness. What makes one person righteous and another guilty of a crime? In a broad sense, if you are defending another person from harm, and you have to use violence to intercede, then you are righteous. But, if you step in to defend another person from harm, and the person you are defending is actually criminal then you are also criminal for having interceded in another’s righteous act. How do you know if you are righteous, or criminal?
This dilemma is the problem with Manifest Destiny. Christianity is superior to all other beliefs. Federal Republican government is superior to all other forms of government. Capitalism is the superior model of managing commerce and economics. Encouraging and spreading these values is important to the “common happiness of them all, for their peace and prosperity…” If a group of people stand up in opposition to these things then it becomes important to oppose those people, first and foremost in debate and reasoning, but perhaps even eventually with violence. The real question is; by what standard is righteousness judged?
Andrew Jackson gets pinned with a lot of things that he simply didn’t do. Jackson did enough of his own wrong. He doesn’t need the addition of other’s evils. But Andrew Jackson’s idea of Manifest Destiny was not the same as Ronald Reagan, George Bush, or even Barak Obama. Subtext is defined as “an underlying and often distinct theme in a piece of writing or conversation.” The subtext of each of these individuals is distinct and unique.
In the first part of this series I wrote this:
I began looking at this subject because Glenn Beck said he was going to tell us all about Andrew Jackson’s crimes against humanity. Glenn Beck is a Mormon. If he is a devout Mormon, steeped in Mormon doctrine that means he has a particular affinity towards aboriginal Americans (Indians). He also has a particular view of Judaism; one that closely mirrors dual-dispensationalism. These two things mixed with the words Manifest Destiny mean something to him that puts him in line with progressives on the subject. More on that later…
Well, it’s later. What puts Glenn Beck in line with the progressives is the revolt against the expansion of the superiority of the Christian ethos throughout the world, while at the same time espousing the evangelization of those same people throughout the world. The goal of the current administration is to establish a world-wide global government in the model of Marx, with the ultimate intent of a humanist utopia. To do this they use lies, subterfuge, sabotage; whatever means necessary, because according to humanist doctrine the ends justifies the means.
The forces of righteousness and the forces of evil are both working towards their own individual goals. They both have a sense of Manifest Destiny. They both believe in their own ascendency based upon a perception of righteousness in their cause. The Nazis honestly believed in their own superiority, and the righteousness of their cause. The only thing that stood in opposition to that perception was, and is, the Truth. What is the Truth? The subtext beneath one’s understanding of these things is the most important part of this whole puzzle.
Glenn Beck has begun to recognize this. That is why he urges his viewers and listeners to seek God. But if we have learned nothing from Andrew Jackson, we have to have learned that which God you seek makes a difference of monumental proportions. Jackson’s skewed understanding of what God’s will really is set a precedent that, when expanded and expounded later on by persons of even less character became disastrous to this nation. When Woodrow Wilson speaks of Manifest Destiny being the will of God for the purification of the race of men, he means something completely different than Andrew Jackson, and John Quincy Adams, yet the pretext uses the came words, within a completely different context. This is because their ideas of the meaning of the words Manifest Destiny were driven by their own unique subtexts.
Christianity is superior to every other belief system, but what makes Christianity better than any other form of understanding is not its systems, or its precepts, or its doctrines. What makes Christianity better is Jesus, the Christ. When you introduce secondary sources, or tertiary doctrines into the words of the Christ you engender the creation of a new subtext. When you let another man interpret the meaning of those scriptures and sources for you instead of leaning on the understanding that the Holy Spirit – whom God promised He would send to you as your helper – you engender the creation of a new subtext. All of these problems come from evil.
What is evil? Selfishness. When something within the words of the Bible become confusing, or challenging, or unacceptable to your sensibilities we, as humans, are apt to change those things into something that is palatable. Humans have, over the course of time, invented all sorts of extra interpretations of the meaning of these words in order to suit their own, personal understanding. The simple truth of the matter is that when we take our eyes off of the Christ, we have nothing to see but ourselves, and we have proven, if nothing else, that we are, as a race, evil.
The sins of Andrew Jackson are no greater than your own. The evil exhibited by those who encouraged a false sense of Manifest Destiny is no more destructive than even the smallest of transgressions. “The heart is deceitful above all things , and desperately wicked: who can know it? I THE LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” – Jeremiah 17:9-10 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Romans 6:23
“The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things. THE LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.” – Proverbs 15:28-29
It’s time to study the answer and stop pouring out evil things from the mouth. There is only one answer, and there is only one way to that answer. That way does not include Augustine, or Aquinas, or Luther, or Calvin, or Arminius, or Joseph Smith, or even Glenn Beck. That answer lies in the Christ, Jesus alone. It lies in the pages of the testimonies of those who were witnesses of his life alone. It lies in the testimony of the Holy Spirit alone. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
– Romans 12:1
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