In his “Second Inaugural Address,” President Abraham Lincoln puts the blame on Southern states for creating and drawing out a war he views as have being preventable. He does this by discussing the history and the cause of the Civil War, then making a point about God and religion to illustrate the idea that that they can pray all they want, but God cannot answer both side's prayers. Lincoln’s purpose it to publicly hold the South accountable for the war. He uses a tone of condemnation and exasperation toward his intended audience, the southern states.
In his last paragraph, Lincoln is saying that the South started the war and committed the “offense” of slavery, so they deserve the punishment that God is handing them: “He gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came.”
He also makes a good point when he talks about how God cannot answer the prayers of both sides. In the end, God will do what he wants regardless of who's praying for what.
He also makes a good point when he talks about how God cannot answer the prayers of both sides. In the end, God will do what he wants regardless of who's praying for what.
I think it’s interesting that back then, it was normal that the President would refer to something as being the will of God, or even refer to religion at all in relation to politics in such a strong way. Today there is supposed to be separation of church and state. The President would likely never say that something political is God’s will. We’ve come so far from a world dominated and driven by religion to the secular world we live in today.
It’s important to me that there’s a separation of church and state in this country. There should be freedom of religion for everyone, of course, but separation between religion and government is necessary. The government should not impose religious views on the nation as a whole. Imagine if we were a Christian nation, like 17th century Britain. There would be no abortions, no equal marriage rights. Everything would be viewed under the lens of religious values. There’d be no room for differing opinions. What makes America great is that there is space for everyone, regardless of religion, ethnicity, and sex.
