Imagine A God Blessed America

A hope-inspiring vision of America's future that includes stories of positive change and addresses the possibilities of what could happen on a broader scale.

"Carefully reviewing events from 1500 AD to 1830 AD, Coddington and Chapman provide a persuasive list of examples of how they believe God favorably intervened in the establishment of the United States. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with their arguments, you will be amazed at the number of times the margin between victory and defeat was determined by factors totally outside human control." -C. Craig Williford, PhD, president, Denver Seminary With the deep division in the United States today over religion and politics, the question of religion's decisive role in shaping America's founding and heritage remains a pivotal one. Dean Coddington and Richard Chapman bring a unique and highly informative contribution to this ongoing dialogue by examining religion's influence on early American history through such tools as probability analysis. Coddington and Chapman question whether religion and a desire for independence worked together to establish and sustain early America. They explore the connection through their comprehensive summaries of the American Revolution, the first six presidencies, the Louisiana Purchase, and other historically significant events up until 1830. They also take a closer look at an often-overshadowed component in the equation: the first and second Great Awakenings, religious revivals that effectively changed America's culture. With detailed examples, documented evidence, and thoughtful conclusions, God Bless America is a powerful addition to the growing collection of literature on this controversial topic.

Recently, and seemingly overnight, the once cliche slogan "God Bless America" became almost a national mantra. John MacArthur gets to the heart of the matter by asking the questions most Americans choose to ignore: "Should God bless America?" and "Is America deserving of blessing?" Turning to the Old Testament, he presents the simple truth of God's word, his blessing has always had conditions. MacArthur calls the Nation to turn back to God by showing us how we can become a nation that is once again blessed by God.

September 15, 1965. Thunder rumbled softly above the quiet little town of Bright Star, which lay nestled in the valley of the great Tennessee mountains... When the storm came, it destroyed the dam of Bright Star...But it was no accident. Six-hundred and fifty-three people lost their lives in the horrible flood...That was no accident. Thirteen people survived...THAT was an accident. For forty years, the town of Bright Star lay hidden underneath the murky waters of Lake Natas... An unspeakable evil stood guard over the town from the hills above...Waiting. David Sinclair has been given a second chance to finish what he started forty years ago... He's more frightening than Freddy... He's stronger than Jason... He's more menacing than Michael... And he's more evil than all of them put together... David Sinclair has returned from Hell...And he's not about to go back. He has a job to do...You are his job. September 2005, a group of vacationing houseboaters take a cruise on Lake Natas for a week of relaxation and rest. They have no idea that they are embarking on a one-way cruise to Hell. The vacationers and locals quickly find themselves surrounded by the nightmares of the past, and the horrible secret of Dark Star Hollow. The locals won't talk...The police can't help...And the fate of thirteen people lay in the hands of one man who has also returned to Dark Star Hollow to avenge the lives of six-hundred fifty-three souls trapped below the evil waters of Lake Natas. Dark Star Hollow is a true tale of terror. The sense of isolation and supernatural evil are the key factors that our characters are swallowed by. It becomes a twisted carnival of paranoia and faith as the group struggles to defeat the evil that waits for them in Dark Star Hollow...

God Bless America. Is this just a slogan, or did God really ordain that America would be blessed with the greatest material and spiritual blessings of any nation on earth? Amazingly, over 4000 years ago God implemented a plan that has resulted in prosperity and wealth that these United States of America enjoys above any other nation on our earth. Our founding fathers seemed to know this and proclaimed it on their knees. Sadly, God promised something else; "if you will not yet hearken to me, I will break the pride of your power" Lev. 26:18-19. That is what is happening to America today. With all our military power and technology, we cannot stop the suicide bombers, the hijackers, and the terrorists. They have the will and the means to destroy our way of life. With all of our religious enlightenment, we are satisfied with the slaughter of millions of innocent and helpless babies each year and call it Freedom of Choice. We spew out filth from a unparalleled sources and call it Art. We all allow a godless few to shout deplorable vulgarities against the Son of God and everything that is holy and call it Freedom of Speech. All of this taking place because God is permitting evil men to openly advocate our national destruction, and are determined to carry out their threat. How much longer will God wait? Read from the pages of His Word, outlined here. Discover how He has blessed our nation, how these blessings came about, and how He is now removing his divine hand opening the way for a national judgment that is rapidly coming upon us.

"God Bless America" is a song most Americans know well. It is taught in American schools and regularly performed at sporting events. After the attacks on September 11th, it was sung on the steps of the Capitol, at spontaneous memorial sites, and during the seventh inning stretch at baseball games, becoming even more deeply embedded in America's collective consciousness. In God Bless America, Sheryl Kaskowitz tells the fascinating story behind America's other national anthem. It begins with the song's composition by Irving Berlin in 1918 and first performance by Kate Smith in 1938, revealing an early struggle for control between composer and performer as well as the hidden economics behind the song's royalties. Kaskowitz shows how the early popularity of "God Bless America" reflected the anxiety of the pre-war period and sparked a surprising anti-Semitic and xenophobic backlash. She follows the song's rightward ideological trajectory from early associations with religious and ethnic tolerance to increasing uses as an anthem for the Christian Right, and considers the song's popularity directly after the September 11th attacks. The book concludes with a portrait of the song's post-9/11 function within professional baseball, illuminating the power of the song - and of communal singing itself - as a vehicle for both commemoration and coercion. A companion website offers streaming audio of recordings referenced in the book, links to videos of relevant performances, appendices of information, and an opportunity for readers to participate in the author's survey. Based on extensive archival research and fieldwork, God Bless America sheds new light on cultural tensions within the U.S., past and present, and offers a historical chronicle that is full of surprises and that will both edify and delight readers from all walks of life.

An inspiring portrait of an immigrant and the gift he gave his new home. Persecuted as Jews, Izzy Baline and his family emigrated from Russia to New York, where he fell in love with his new country. He heard music everywhere and was full to bursting with his own. Izzy's thump-two-three, ting-a-ling, whee tunes soon brought him acclaim as the sought-after songwriter Irving Berlin. He ignited the imaginations of fellow countrymen and women with his Broadway and Hollywood numbers, crafting tunes that have become classics we still sing today. But when darker times came and the nation went to war, it was time for Irving to compose a new kind of song: A boom-rah-rah song. A big brass belter. A loud heart-melter. A song for America. And so "God Bless America" was born, the heart swelling standard that Americans have returned to again and again after its 1918 composition. This is the tale of how a former refugee gave America one of its most celebrated patriotic songs. With stirring, rhythmic text by Adah Nuchi and delightful, energetic art by Rob Polivka, readers will be ready to hum along to this exuberant picturebook.

A popular look at the separation of church and state: what it is, what it isn't, and why it matters for the future of religion in America. An alarm-ringing but intelligent and fair-minded revelation of the backlash against traditional moral values, presented in an accessible and practical way using the sports analogy of fair play. Explains why religiously-informed moral values are under threat in a one-sided interpretation of church and state. Empowers readers by helping them to clarify confusing viewpoints and motivating them to act on what they believe.