Dr. Ben Carson: Pray for Courage, as It’s ‘Lacking in Our Society Right Now’

Family Research Council’s Faith and Freedom Chapel (FFC), located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was full Thursday evening of people eager to hear ways in which they could better stand firm in a society seemingly shaken to its core. “[A]s we all know,” said FRC President Tony Perkins, “freedom is under assault today in America.” But he made sure to emphasize: “It is up to us to defend it” — a defense that “begins with the foundation of our faith, building it in our family, [and then] strengthening our families.” For Perkins, this is a responsibility shared among all Americans who care about this country.

Dr. Ben Carson, retired neurosurgeon and former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, spoke at the event, highlighting a myriad of issues such as why he is pro-life, the importance of a strong family unit, the need to protect children, and most significantly, the role Christians play in maintaining a moral, rational society. Carson noted what we are seeing today, be it children being pressured into “inappropriate” decisions or college students rioting in support of terrorists, is akin to what “has been going on for decades.”

He continued, “A lot of people think that all of this stuff, this hypersexuality that’s being presented to our children,” for instance, “is of recent origin.” But over 60 years ago, he noted, the birth pangs of this could be recognized. Some of what can be observed over the years, as Carson explained, include attempts to “gain control of the public schools and the teacher unions … Hollywood … the mainstream media, and student newspapers.” There’s been a push for some time now, the doctor remarked, to remove “God from all public squares.” He said it started in the schools. However, it’s now spread to the church, replacing “the real gospel with social gospel” to “make the churches follow the society rather than society follow the churches.”

Carson added that enemies of freedom want to destroy the country from within, referencing Matthew 12:25, where Jesus said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” And so, when looking at the current climate of American life, Carson posed the question: Are we able to reverse this? Or has our time expired?

In response, he found it crucial to emphasize that “it’s always darkest before the dawn.” And sometimes, he added, “it has to be pretty dark before people see the light.” And while Carson believes “that darkness has reached us,” he does not see it as an opportunity to remain silent. Rather, he sees this as a chance to be far bolder in faith and Christian values — which in many regards serve as the “cornerstone principals” of America. “[I]t’s impossible for us to maintain the kind of freedom that we have if we don’t understand what those cornerstone principles are that made us into a great nation,” the surgeon declared.

Some of the principals he discussed are faith, loving our neighbor, liberty, the sanctity of life, and community. These were once the heart of this country, Carson reminisced, “and it can get back there again.” But above all things, the doctor said, “is that we don’t neglect our relationship with our Creator,” who also happens to “always [be] looking for people that He can use. … All we have to do is be willing to get out of the way and allow him to take control of our lives.”

And in many respects, Carson believes much of this comes down to having courage, which he explained to be a major player in whether a nation rises or falls. According to the doctor, if we don’t want to “fade into the dustbin of history,” we have to ask ourselves: “Do we have the courage to stand up for what we know is right?”

As Carson noted, “[W]e’re told from the time that we’re little children … there are two things you should never talk about: politics and religion.” But “those are the exact things we need to be talking about, because those are the areas that are being affected in a very negative way.” He stated plainly that “evil operates best in darkness,” which means those seeking to destroy the country “don’t want you looking at them. They don’t want you talking about them.” But for Carson, it is the duty of those who want to protect this land that need to work toward exposing darkness by shining the light of truth.

“You can’t just talk the life,” he stated, “you have to live the life.” And so, as we inch closer to the November election with numerous significant issues on the table, Carson concluded by urging those who want to fight for this country to pray for courage, which is “the key thing that’s lacking in our society right now.”

The entire "Evening with Ben Carson" program can be accessed via FRC's Stand Firm app.