ISIS Has Lost Sight Of What Our Founding Fathers Intended

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. On these principles our Founding Fathers established a moral center for a young nation that has gone on to serve as a blueprint for overwhelming prosperity. And while the Constitution has been plenty tested by the changing demands of our country's citizens, I believe that no single group has strayed further from the intentions of our Founding Fathers than ISIS.

How could this happen? How could those involved in ISIS allow themselves to consistently miss the mark when it comes to the political, religious, and military ideals represented by our nation's early leaders? How could they lose sight of what the signers of the Declaration of Independence envisioned all those years ago?

The fact is, the Constitution was written by men who risked their lives for religious freedom. And to my eye, ISIS has veered so far off the path of human decency that, at this point, it feels like more than a simple misinterpretation of the Constitution. It feels like the organization has all but forgotten the values our nation was founded on and that everyone is "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights."

What ISIS needs to realize is that there is no place in our Constitution that suggests that destroying property or endangering lives is a means to any civilized end. Would Thomas Jefferson approve of mass beheadings? And would George Washington condone using rape as a recruitment tool? ISIS should be ashamed.

Regardless of what they believe they are doing, one thing is clear to me: ISIS is not honoring the spirit of our Founding Fathers. And every time they pack a crude roadside bomb with chlorine gas, they only further pervert the vision of freedom defined by the Constitution. What would the brave men gathered in Philadelphia all those years ago think about a group like ISIS? I, for one, think they would not approve. Not at all.

This year, we will celebrate the 240th anniversary of our nation's independence. Whether or not ISIS will share in that celebration remains to be seen. They've strayed far. And if they continue down this path of violence and inequality, we may have to write them off as a lost cause forever.

Most have heard our founders came here for religious freedom and/or founded the country on freedom of religion.

The term “Freedom of religion” is a truth which has been perverted to mean exactly the opposite of what the founders meant. They came here for the freedom to practice Protestant Christianity. There were some Catholics and Jews but most were Protestants.

They always state how the founders place no religious test in the Constitution, never mention they had taken care of it in the state constitutions. This is from the Maryland Constitution,

XXXIII. That, as it is the duty of every man to worship God in such manner as he thinks most acceptable to him; all persons, professing the Christian religion, are equally entitled to protection in their religious liberty; wherefore no person ought by any law to be molested in his person or estate on account of his religious persuasion or profession, or for his religious practice; unless, under colour of religion, any man shall disturb the good order, peace or safety of the State, or shall infringe the laws of morality, or injure others, in their natural, civil, or religious rights; nor ought any person to be compelled to frequent or maintain, or contribute, unless on contract, to maintain any particular place of worship, or any particular ministry; yet the Legislature may, in their discretion, lay a general and equal tax for the support of the Christian religion; leaving to each individual the power of appointing the payment over of the money, collected from him, to the support of any particular place of worship or minister, or for the benefit of the poor of his own denomination, or the poor in general of any particular county: but the churches, chapels, globes, and all other property now belonging to the church of England, ought to remain to the church of England forever. And all acts of Assembly, lately passed, for collecting monies for building or repairing particular churches or chapels of ease, shall continue in force, and be executed, unless the Legislature shall, by act, supersede or repeal the same: but no county court shall assess any quantity of tobacco, or sum of money, hereafter, on the application of any vestrymen or church-wardens; and every encumbent of the church of England, who hath remained in his parish, and performed his duty, shall be entitled to receive the provision and support established by the act, entitled “An act for the support of the clergy of the church of England, in this Province,” till the November court of this present year to be held for the county in which his parish shall lie, or partly lie, or for such time as he hate remained in his parish, and performed his duty.

XXXIV. That every gift, sale, or devise of lands, to any minister, public teacher, or preacher of the gospel, as such, or to any religious sect, order or denomination, or to or for the support, use or benefit of, or in trust for, any minister, public teacher, or preacher of the gospel, as such, or any religious sect, order or denomination-and every gift or sale of good-e, or chattels, to go in succession, or to take place after the death of the seller or donor, or to or for such support, use or benefit-and also every devise of goods or chattels to or for the support, use or benefit of any minister, public teacher, or preacher of the gospel, as such, or any religious sect, order, or denomination, without the leave of the Legislature, shall be void; except always any sale, gift, lease or devise of any quantity of land, not exceeding two acres, for a church, meeting, or other house of worship, and for a burying-ground, which shall be improved, enjoyed or used only for such purpose-or such sale, gift, lease, or devise, shall be void.

XXXV. That no other test or qualification ought to be required, on admission to any office of trust or profit, than such oath of support and fidelity to this State, and such oath of office, as shall be directed by this Convention or the Legislature of this State, and a declaration of a belief in the Christian religion.

XXXVI. That the manner of administering an oath to any person, ought to be such, as those of the religious persuasion, profession, or denomination, of which such person is one, generally esteem the most effectual confirmation, by the attestation of the Divine Being. And that the people called Quakers, those called Dunkers, and those called Menonists, holding it unlawful to take an oath on any occasion, ought to be allowed to make their solemn affirmation, in the manner that Quakers 1lave been heretofore allowed to affirm; and to be of the same avail as an oath, in all such cases, as the affirmation of Quakers hath been allowed and accepted within this State, instead of an oath. And further, on such affirmation, warrants to search for stolen goods, or for the apprehension or commitment of offenders, ought to be granted, or security for the peace awarded, and Quakers, Dunkers or Menonists ought also, on their solemn affirmation as aforesaid, to be admitted as witnesses, in all criminal cases not capital.

Notice there was no mention of Muslims, Buddhists, etc.

The new definition of freedom of religion means you have the tight to say or do anything against Christianity.

Other states have similar wording pertaining to Christianity.

BVB

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