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Building American Character will resonant with the words of the founders who insisted that the personal integrity and virtue of the citizenry was essential for the nation to function and prosper. We will have seen in the presentation on The Crisis of Values the clear incontrovertible truth: as the family goes, so goes the nation. This will expound more deeply on the principle of character development as an essential building block to lasting and happy families. It is a principle that is inseparable from the idea of the existence of God.
“Character,” according to Webster, is “the distinctive qualities of a person impressed on him by nature, habit or assigned by reputation.” A fine example of character building in action is the Boy Scouts of America. The Scout Oath is replete with character-building affirmations:
Scout Oath (or Promise): On my honor I will do my best, to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.
It can also be observed in the declaration of what components of character comprise a Scout:
A Scout is: TRUSTWORTHY, LOYAL, HELPFUL, FRIENDLY, COURTEOUS, KIND, OBEDIENT, CHEERFUL, THRIFTY, BRAVE, CLEAN, REVERENT.
Simple put, good character provides the individual with the capacity to see one's self within, and with deference to, a greater whole. Such a perspective tends to compel one away from the self absorbed perspective of secular, selfish individualism and toward a sense of duty toward higher order, be it to "help other people," obeying the norms that define the social group, i.e. "obey the Scout Law or instilling a sense of duty to the nation and, ultimately to "God." This is a time-tested formula that produces good character from which is derived the actions of good citizenship.
 Ultimately, building the American character is anchored in the idea of God. The potential to aspire to good character is an endowment from God to humanity. It has been declared that we have been created “in the image of God” and that God “breathed the breath of life” into us. This spiritual truth provides the basis of the declaration that “we are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights.” It is the birthright of those born in God’s image with the character potential to reflect him. Otherwise, deference to the whole in its highest manifestation can only produce values that engender acquiescing to the State as the highest virtue. It would give "the State" final and ultimate authority over citizens. Such a mind-set would be an anathema to the American character.
To be “the image of God” does not refer to the evolving shape and appearance of humanity, but rather to the inner character, the spiritual nature, the aspects of the personality of the soul that reflect the nature of God: the capacity to love, to live for others, to create and the ability to discern higher, eternal value over the lesser, temporal kind. These are the fruits of good character.
 Individuals of good character, therefore, are able to display heroic qualities. That is, they have the ability to put aside personal comfort and interest while taking upon themselves the hopes and dreams of others. Those that take on the hopes and dreams of the family are the heroes of the family. Those that do so for the community are called the civic-minded or good citizen. Those that do so for the nation are called patriots. The call to sacrifice for the greater social sphere challenges the character at each level. The higher dimension of our sacrifice, the higher dimension of character is displayed.
 Although the icons of popular culture seem to dominate the contemporary attention of so many, it is individuals such as George Washington, Martin Luther King, Jr. or Mother Theresa that history remembers. It is because their character and actions inspired others. It means they, by the example of their own sacrifice, were able to compel others to aspire to and to achieve a greater vision of life. They are remembered for having benefited the lives of others. Benefiting others is the fruit of good character.
Character development is the process by which the authority of transcendent principles are brought to bear over the instinctual nature of self-preservation. Religion seeks to empower the "soul," the inner person, in the contentious struggle with the flesh. The individual achieves integrity when he arrives at a state of harmony between his words and deeds. He defers his own interests within the dimension of the greater good and the interests of others. He acts with integrity and courage.
This state of harmony is described in many religions as the unity of "mind and body" and is thought to be the ideal state of being. It is the contrary state to the self-indulgent, self-absorbed lifestyle.
 Generally, religion is uniquely poised to guide people to develop their character. Religion introduces us to God, informs us about his nature and encourages us to partake of the glories of living for the sake of others. Also, it's religion that reveals and affirms core principles that "transcend" the limited biological agenda of self-survival. For example, the declaration of "what is sown on earth will be reaped in heaven" establishes a perspective, a philosophical justification for sacrifice via the postponing of immediate gratification. It also provides an incentive for sacrifice: the promise of a greater good on the other side of righteous forbearance.
The perspective of religious faith provides character the internal authority to exert control over the powerful desires of the instinct. However, from a strict biological perspective, subjugating instinctual desires does not make “natural” sense. There is no justification for it within nature. Early 20th century Anarchist Emma Goldman expressed frustration bluntly:
“Can there be anything more outrageous than the idea that a healthy, grown woman, full of life and passion, must deny nature’s demand, must subdue her most intense craving, undermine her health and break her spirit, must stunt her vision, abstain from the depth and glory of sex experience until a “good” man comes along to take her unto himself as a wife? That is precisely what marriage means.”
John Adams clearly affirmed that a religious and moral perspective is a prerequisite in order for the American form of representative government to function. In other words, we must be a people of “American character” for America to endure and prosper.
Alexis de Tocqueville observed this integration of morality and faith in the American character. He also observed that our liberty was the attributable result: “Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith.”
God, therefore, is essential to the building of the American character, which longs for liberty and looks to God, rather than the State for all good things.
 Noted atheist, Richard Dawkins admits in his book “The Selfish Gene,” we are born selfish and our biology makes it so. He recommends that an ethical system be fabricated to compensate for this biological reality. So far, in the history of humanity, no one has been able to form a lasting society whose cultural myths did not embrace some form of the Divine. Sadly, his recommendation for more knowledge of ethics or moral philosophies will fall short. It appears atheists will need, for the foreseeable future, the moral system of the theist in order to have a society in which they can espouse their ideas. If humans are biological only, then indeed, “survival of the fittest” is the only valid ethic that remains.
“You can expect little help from biological nature. Let us try to teach generosity and altruism, because we are born selfish.”
George Washington, like Adams, and like Benjamin Rush concluded that religion was the resource of the necessary principles that could serve as the basis of national morality.
"Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."
This was because Washington, as a man of faith, recognized the two dimensions of human structure; the inner and outer aspects, the human as a composite of physical AND spiritual elements. Washington knew that religious truth was the only perspective that could contend with the intense power of the instinct …Only religious faith had the compelling power to alter the natural inclinations of the outer man; the selfish biological man of whom atheist Dawkins speaks.
Without religion, Washington knew, the nation would not long endure.
People of faith, perceiving the two distinct human components of inner and outer selves, ascribe two distinct values as a result; one reflecting our material reality, the other reflecting our spiritual reality.
 The perspective of most faiths tend to place priority on the eternal pursuits of the spiritual self.. In fact, one could make the case that an essential purpose of religion has been to resolve the stalemate of contending interests between the inner and outer selves. This hope has been described in various religions as "inner peace," "nirvana" "becoming a temple of God" In every case, the path toward that end entailed placing priority on the matters of the spirit over the temporal interests of the flesh. Such a focus could be derived from significant words that empowered the conscience at the crossroads of those contending interests.
Words, such as, “what would it profit a man if he gained the whole world, yet lost his soul,” would convey a specific impetus toward behavior in defiance of the urges of the outer self, the biological self. If the outer self could submit to the impetus of the spirit, a greater good could be achieved.
The maintenance of that state of virtue requires the steadfast adherence to spiritual principle. It provides the strength of character to defer immediate gratification while envisioning a future of greater personal fulfillment. This is the soul of virtuous living and causes the true American Character to blossom.
This is the values perspective that gave the Pilgrims the moral empowerment to endure starvation their first winter at Plymouth. They chose starvation rather then consuming the stored grains that were to be used for that coming Spring planting. They would rather die, hoping for tomorrow, than to give up the future, in desperation, in order to live for only a few more days. That's the American Character.
Again, such behavior does not make natural sense, especially if life and consciousness terminate at physical death. How can one ever refuse immediate gratification if there was no future of ultimate reward. What  possible incentive could society fabricate to justify altruism and sacrifice of self? This was Dostoevsky very question, noted in a letter to a friend in 1878:
“Now assume there is no God or immortality of the soul. Now tell me, why should I live righteously and do good deeds if I am to die entirely on earth? ... And if that is so, why shouldn’t I (as long as I can rely on my cleverness and agility to avoid being caught by the law) cut another man’s throat, rob, and steal?”
He was pointing out that any moral or ethical code beyond survival of the fittest would be a travesty if life were not eternal and there was no God.
Thus, a nation will enjoy longevity if it can formulate and maintain a consensus on values rooted in a faith perspective. The public life of such a nation will be comprised of individuals of disciplined character acting in a virtuous manner. In fact, this was the founder’s vision of what America should be.
 Today, the exclusion of God from the character building dynamic inherently disorders the process and leads to the decline of public virtue. As the American character is weakened, so too is the nation.
Many will correctly point out that there are numerous men and women who have developed good character and have been good citizens without professing a faith in God. However, faith in God is not just personally relevant. As we have seen, faith in God was to manifest a civil expression, as well. It is religion, with its unique ability to tip the balance toward the spiritual dimension, that provides society's enduring civil principles, morality and law.
Whereas a person may not believe in God, which is the constitutional right of any citizen, however, adherence to civil principles, the rule of law, and public morality is absolutely necessary for good character and good citizenship. If the State discounts transcendent principles as the basis of the republic, we lose the foundation of a stable and enduring society.
Making Good Character Happen
 Good character doesn’t happen automatically; it isn’t fully manifested at birth or in childhood, adolescence or even, necessarily, in adulthood. Character isn’t a mantle we put on. It is manifested through habit, or pattern of behavior and thinking that is achieved over years. It is bolstered by self-discipline and by directing one’s self toward the nobler of motivations. It is a trait that is developed by sustained effort. The development of character is the development of the unique individual identity and personality within dynamic relationships with others.
 If we observe the way of nature, we can witness that all things must develop, must grow in a process of three stages. Consider the Apple tree, it goes through a formation stage from seedling to sapling, a growth stage of extending its root system and building its trunk, limbs and leaves. Finally, its completion stage from which emerges the fruit, bearing the seed of the next generation of trees.
Whereas, all things grow automatically toward maturity under the control of nature, human growth toward maturity is an altogether unique process reflecting the composite, inner and outer structure of the human.
Humans must mature physically and spiritually. In this period of growth, each person grows physically as a matter of course, gathering and consuming certain nutrients that facilitate physical maturation.
In order to grow spiritually, one also needs nutrients, but of a different essence; a spiritual one. To mature spiritually requires focused and consistent effort. Unlike growth in nature, which is automatic, humans must fulfill a vital role in spiritual growth. We must consciously make the choice to implement spiritual principles in our behavior.
The Three Stages of Character Development
The First Stage: The Child Stage
 Every child is born into a complete state of dependency. The child cannot do anything for themselves. They must be completely embraced into the environment of unconditional love. A new-born child is a sponge ready to lap up all the love that it should be given by mother, father, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters. A baby is totally self-absorbed, but, not to worry ... This is the one time in life that one should be a sponge and is in no way obligated to respond in kind. It's the self-absorbed 40 year olds that are the real problem. They are a bit overdue in that regard.
The Bible says in I John 4:19 that we are able to love because “first God loved us.” Character development begins by, first, receiving the unconditional love of committed parents and extended family. That is why two parents of matured character are so vital to provide the necessary environment for the initial emotional, spiritual and mental development of the child. Self-absorbed individuals find it hard to rise to the challenge of a 24/7 vigilance for the life of another. Being a parent is not about you, it is completely about the child.
From this perspective, it is not hard to imagine the devastating impact of a 38.5% out of wedlock birthrate. David Popenoe, Professor of Sociology at Rutgers University comments, “Few propositions have more empirical support in the social sciences than this one: Compared to all other family forms, families headed by married, biological parents are best for children.”
The Second Stage: Adolescence
But a child can’t be loved into maturity. God creates our character but each individual must play a role in the shaping and maturing of their own character. This next stage entails the training of children. The meaning of "training" is to challenge them to apply moral standards to their conduct.
 The natural laboratory for character development is the family. The family is the schoolroom of love. It is where children begin to discover how to integrate into the greater whole of the family. They have to take on new principles to guide their behavior in that the immature ways of selfishness will no longer fly in the family.
British author Samuel Smiles from his 1871 book, Character said, “Home is the first and most important school of character. It is there that every human being receives his best moral training, or his worst; for it is there that he imbibes those principles of conduct which endure through manhood, and cease only with life.”
The second schoolroom is the church. It is within a religious community that one develops a life of faith and knowledge of the principles of God.
 The third schoolroom is the classroom at school. It is vital that public education of youth embrace a balanced perspective of character development; one that recognizes the important need of transcendent principles. Many parents today are opting for home schooling because they observe that public schools have their hands tied in effectively promoting the values that build good character. In many cases, school policies and curriculum actually challenge the validity of those values to the point of even casting aspersions on parents who would exercise those values at home.
As we mentioned in presentation two, the philosophy of education in America had radically changed course by the middle of the 20th  century, largely due to the influence of John Dewey. The goal to educate the inner person with transcendent principles was not only abandoned but was deemed invalid and inappropriate for the public square. Espousing transcendent principles in the public school since that time has been seen as akin to selling crack.
Today, most public high schools resemble a penal institution under lock-down conditions ... and that's the good news. The bad news is that all the security measures in the world will not suffice to compensate for a society that formally denies its religious heritage. The list of tragedies happening "everyday in America" is not a static list of happenings "one" day in America, but are happening everyday, including today, this day ... the very day you are reading this now.
The Third Stage: Not quite Adults-not really children. DANGER
Let's not beat around the bush. This is the stage where young men and young women become aware of each other and are attracted. This is the most critical stage for good character because this will be the stage where the principle of abstinence before marriage will be most vitally needed and strongly challenged.
 Young people, at this stage, become cognizant of sexual desire and, in today's world, that desire can be readily satisfied. It is at this moment that they must be given a positive moral justification for postponing the fulfillment of this desire. The popular culture that envelopes them will not only be encouraging them to be sexually active, it will even ridicule and make them feel abnormal if they aren't.
Often efforts to convince young people to postpone sexual gratification lean toward the negative and attempt to instill fear about the dire consequences of unwanted pregnancy and dreaded diseases. Not that these are unfounded, and certainly they do represent some of the reasons to remain abstinent; but ultimately, there is a most positive reason to remain abstinent before marriage. It is the path toward greatest love, enduring commitment and lasting happiness.
 When society embraces the idea of premarital abstinence, it allows young men and women the needed space to explore the deeper and more meaningful basis for relating. It helps to promote an environment where young men and women can engage in well-rounded encounters with the opposite sex. When premarital sex is not the expectation, young men and women actually learn to talk and listen to each other forming positive relationships of trust. All woman become sister and friend; all men become brother and companion, forming a deeper bond, a sense of commonality and a basis for mutually respecting all members of the opposite sex. Women learn to "like" men; men learn to "like" women.
It's not unrelated that these are also the skills and environment needed to form a lasting marriage and stable family. Nor is it unrelated that as the popular culture increasingly promotes the false image of young men and women as, primarily, potential sex partners; we see the decline of relationships of lasting commitment.
The "expansive energy" brought to an advancing civilization is not the energy of sexual repression as Freud had theorized. It is, in fact, the greater dynamic unleashed when men and women form trusting relationships of love around mutual interests. This is the true engine of advancing culture, otherwise known as the family.
Co-Creators with God
Unlike all other creatures under the strict control of nature, humans must play a vital role in the process of spiritual maturity; the shaping and completing of the character. It is as if God were sharing the role of creator with each person. Each person, in partnership with God, takes up the task of creating the self. By sharing this role with us, and it being successfully carried out, we are able to take on the Creator's own qualities, that is, the quality of love, of freedom, of creativity. The appearance of these qualities within the character becomes the evidence of spiritual growth and that good character is being successfully molded.
Ultimately character development means that unique element, that divine spark, the "image" of God is emerging. Achieving maturity, then, is to accomplish an expanded capacity to give and receive love. This only happens by the decision to act; the will to practice altruism, i.e. living for the sake of others. In this single regard, the inner and outer, the mind and body, find a common base.
The mind can conceive of the highest ideals of altruism, while the body has the design to relate to those ideals by action. A harmonized mind and body, engaged in altruism, stands as the visible image of God. Such a state has been characterized by a wide range of religions as a holy state of being that brings God’s spirit, whose essence is love, within the individual, as a temple or the container of God’s love.
In 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 , St. Paul states:
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
Just as when the mind and body “become one” God indwells within the “temple,” likewise, when man and woman of matured character, with the expanded capacity to give and receive love become “one” in a God-centered marriage of commitment, God indwells within the union.
 We can love with true love because God, our True Parent, first loved us with true love. God created human beings out of His absolute love, to be His partners in love. This relationship forms an axis of love, linking God the Father with human beings as His sons and daughters.
God transfers all his loves to such a man and woman. This is the true ideal of marriage. We were to become true children by perfecting our individual character after going through an autonomous period of spiritual growth based on the principles God established. We were then to become true couples, have our own children and attain the position of true parents. In this way, we were to perfect ourselves by practicing and embodying the true love that God bestowed upon us at our creation.
 God intends for the seeds He plants to grow through love into a bountiful crop that He could harvest in their season. The ideal of God’s creation was to raise love between a man and woman to the point where it would blossom into a true love, flourish with true life, and bear fruit in a true lineage. God desired to gather up owners-and families-of eternal life, eternal love and eternal lineage, and to bring about His kingdom; a peaceful, ideal world as their homeland.
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