WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS [Paperback]

Randall Norman DeSoto (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 5, 2007

Two central beliefs in the Declaration of Independence have greatly shaped the United States and formed it into a country that is a beacon of liberty throughout the world. The first influential belief is that there is a providential God Who presides over the affairs of this world, and the second is that God has granted man inalienable rights. Leaders like Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Franklin Roosevelt, and Dwight Eisenhower have appealed to these beliefs during some of the nation's most trying and defining moments, including the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and World War II. Unfortunately, these founding and sustaining visions are in danger of being lost today. This book delves into the issues that surround these beliefs, states the disastrous effects that losing these beliefs would bring, and presents solutions for a nation that is in peril due to a lack of vision. Randall DeSoto is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point with a degree in Political Science. He holds a juris doctorate from Regent University School of Law. Randy's many life experiences and travels make We Hold These Truths come to life. As a West Point cadet, he participated in battlefield tours of Normandy and Great Britain and following graduation served as an armor officer in the Army's 4th Infantry Division. He has worked on Capitol Hill, participated in a statewide political campaign, and written political articles for The Conservative Voice website. He has carefully researched all of the major locations found in the book, from Boston to Bastogne. The author can be contacted at: [e-mail]

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Xulon Press (December 5, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1604772689
• ISBN-13: 978-1604772685
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,789,265 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars we hold these truths, September 3, 2008

By 

Daniel W. Aucutt (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS (Paperback)

We Hold These Truths does a remarkable job of giving us a panoramic tour of the edgiest, most decisive minutes in American history, and the forgotten narratives and letters that infused those moments with drama. Few books cover this broad sweep of history and the figures involved with such a forward, engaging momentum. For the latter alone, this would be a great read for anyone to put 200+ years in order. More importantly, the book deals with issues that will affect our success and survival as a nation in the foreseeable future.

Many readers will challenge the very title of the text before opening a page: What is truth? And, Who might presume to Hold it...whatever IT might be? Pilate's rhetorical shot at Jesus Christ has more relevance for readers today than anyone is willing to admit, and that poses the first challenge for discourse. The author posits that there are vital truths that derive from Judeo-Christian texts, underlying the most essential tenets of our national heritage and identity. These include, but are not limited to: 1.) God has granted humanity inalienable rights, and 2.) There is a providential God who presides over the affairs of the world. Unless we re-acquaint ourselves with these truths as they have influenced our Constitution, our judicial system, and our democratic consciousness, the author argues that we are truly in danger of losing them.

The subject matter of Randall DeSoto's debut often raises questions about the separation of church and state, and how much Judeo-Christian presence can be tolerated in the exercise of government. The author recognizes the shifting tide that would prefer to obliterate our theological legacy as a mere antiquity that bears little relevance to our twenty first century dilemmas. DeSoto exalts the conviction that this tide is severing our connection with the real principles that distinguishes our unique liberties, and once that cut is complete, we will be completely adrift as a nation, without purpose or direction.

One can make a compelling case from the Scriptures that ancient Israel was the only nation chartered by God. Furthermore, the New Testament writings of Peter and Paul dissuade Christians from putting undue confidence in any national entity, due to their inevitable transience. Authentic Christians are members of something more permanent and lasting than any country, including the United States. The Church, as described in the Scriptures, transcends the state, and will outlast all human institutions. To that end, this reviewer is more skeptical than the author about America's future for the providence of God, but we share a common mind to salvage what we can of this very secular and cherished home we call the United States.