All 50 states acknowledge God in state constitutions: No "separation" intended by founders

Email | MAY 29, 2005 | Unknown

[CHARLITE]

Alabama 1901, Preamble. We the people of the State of Alabama, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution.Alaska 1956, Preamble. We, the people of Alaska, grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land.

Arizona 1911, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Arizona, grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution...

Arkansas 1874, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Arkansas, grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of government...

California 1879, Preamble. We, the People of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom..

Colorado 1876, Preamble. We, the people of Colorado, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of Universe

Connecticut 1818, Preamble. The People of Connecticut, acknowledging with gratitude the good Providence of God in permitting them to enjoy..

Delaware 1897, Preamble. Through Divine Goodness all men have, by nature, the rights of worshipping and serving their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences.

Florida 1885, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Florida, grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty .. establish this constitution.

Georgia 1777, Preamble. We, the people of Georgia, relying upon protection and guidance of Almighty God , do ordain and establish this Constitution...

Hawaii 1959, Preamble. We, the people of Hawaii, Grateful for Divine Guidance, establish this Constitution.

Idaho 1889, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Idaho, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings

Illinois 1870, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Illinois, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.

Indiana 1851, Preamble. We, the People of the State of Indiana, grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to chose our form of government.

Iowa 1857, Preamble. We, the People of the State of Iowa, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of these blessings establish this Constitution

Kansas 1859, Preamble. We, the people of Kansas, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges .. establish this Constitution.

Kentucky 1891, Preamble. We, the people of the Commonwealth of grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties...

Louisiana 1921, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Louisiana, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy.

Maine 1820, Preamble. We the People of Maine acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity ... and imploring His aid and direction.

Maryland 1776, Preamble. We, the people of the state of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty...

Massachusetts 1780, Preamble. We...the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe ... in the course of His Providence, an opportunity and devoutly imploring His direction..

Michigan 1908, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Michigan, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom . establish this Constitution..

Minnesota, 1857, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings..

Mississippi 1890, Preamble. We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work.

Missouri 1845, Preamble. We, the people of Missouri, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness, establish this Constitution.

Montana 1889, Preamble. We, the people of Montana, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty. establish this Constitution

Nebraska 1875, Preamble. We, the people, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom establish this Constitution

Nevada 1864, Preamble. We the people of the State of Nevada, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom establish this Constitution..

New Hampshire 1792, Part I. Art. I. Sec. V. Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience

New Jersey 1844, Preamble. We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors

New Mexico 1911, Preamble. We, the People of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty..

New York 1846, Preamble. We, the people of the State of New York, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings.

North Carolina 1868, Preamble. We the people of the State of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for our civil, political, and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the continuance of those...

North Dakota 1889, Preamble. We, the people of North Dakota , grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, do ordain...

Ohio 1852, Preamble. We the people of the state of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and to promote our common...

Oklahoma 1907, Preamble. Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessings of liberty establish this..

Oregon 1857, Bill of Rights, Article I. Section 2. All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences..

Pennsylvania 1776, Preamble. We, the people of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance.

Rhode Island 1842, Preamble. We the People of the State of Rhode Island grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing..

South Carolina, 1778, Preamble We, the people of he State of South Carolina. grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this Constitution.

South Dakota 1889, Preamble. We, the people of South Dakota , grateful to Almighty God for our civil! and religious liberties establish this...

Tennessee 1796, Art. XI.III. That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their science...

Texas 1845, Preamble. We the People of the Republic of Texas, acknowledging, with gratitude, the grace and beneficence of God

Utah 1896, Preamble. Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we establish this Constitution

Vermont 1777, Preamble. Whereas all government ought to enable the individuals who compose it to enjoy their natural rights, and other blessings which the Author of Existence has bestowed on man

Virginia 1776, Bill of Rights, XVI .. Religion, or the Duty which we owe our Creator can be directed only by Reason and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian Forbearance, Love and Charity towards each other...

Washington 1889, Preamble. We the People of the State of Washington, grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution

West Virginia 1872, Preamble. .Since through Divine Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of West Virginia reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God

Wisconsin 1848, Preamble. We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, domestic tranquility

Wyoming 1890, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Wyoming, grateful to God for our civil, political, and religious liberties .. establish this Constitution.

After reviewing acknowledgments of God from all 50 state constitutions, one is faced with the prospect that maybe, just maybe, the ACLU and the out-of-control federal courts are wrong!

"Those people who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants." -- William Penn

[CHARLITE]

I believe that liberals know this also. So, what "wall" are they talking about? Someone should PING George Soros. . . let him in on the history of our 50 states.

[stainlessbanner]

bttt

[Strategerist]

And yet the writers of the Consitution of the United States seem to have gone out of their way to avoid mentioning God at all in the Preamble or the body of the entire thing.

[lafroste]

I have a copy of the text of Professor Ingelhart's "The Literature and Languages of Liberty". In it, Professor Ingelhart argues that the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights are so beautifully written as to elevate them to the status of poetry. He demonstrates as much.

In that spirit, I would like to offer France a piece of their (if their wise enough) new constitution to replace that mess they grapple with now:

Le Congres ne pourra faire aucune loi concernant l'etablissement d'une religion ou interdisant son libre exercice, restreignant la liberte de la parole ou de la presse, ou touchant au droit des citoyens de s'assembler paisiblement et d'adresser des petitions au Gouvernement pour le redressement de leurs griefs.

Come on Europe. You can do it.

[lafroste]

And for Denmark:

Forste tilfojelse til forfatningen for Amerikas forenede Stater Kongressen ma ikke lovgive om kirkelige institutioner eller fremsaette love, der begraenser religionsfriheden, ytringsfriheden, pressefriheden, eller folkets ret til at modes i fredelige forsamlinger og til at fremfore protester overfer regeringen.

[stylin19a]

I'm surprised the ACLU hasn't yet sued all 50 states to change their constitutions.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Sorry but that is not correct:

Article. VII.

The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same. done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the Twelfth In witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names,

[arasina]

Good catch, HC.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Good catch, HC.

Thanks.

I've been telling people this for years ..... people who don't read the Constitution, but will tell you what's in it.

[austinmark]

"No Separation" is right.

In the colonial charters, (the rough drafts of their state constitutions) ALL expressed a dependence on God for the maintenance of a moral civil order. Now, these were "independent" state governments with elected representative's, doing the will of the people. And they wrote their state constitutions with GOD in mind.

Thankfully, the Founding Fathers & Framers were WISE enough to LIMIT THE POWERS of the newly formed Federal Government by insisting that the STATES retain a major part of their sovereignty. Powers NOT assigned to the Federal Govt. remained with the states !!!

THIS INCLUDED RELIGION, specifically Christianity !!!

[Strategerist]

That's at the very end and is essentially a boilerplate "In the year of Our Lord."...that's why I said "not in the Preamble or the Body."

Face it, it jumps out of you that the Preamble doesn't mention God or religion in the slightest, considering the time it was written.

It clearly was a very deliberate decision to omit it.

[CHARLITE]

Good idea, but their problem is that perhaps 20% are now Muslim, and they aren't going to spring for such a text! Islam and the Koran would dictate quite a different one...............something out of Alice in Wonderland..........."Off with their HEADS", if they stray from Islam.

Char

[Nam Vet]

First time I've seen this. Thanks Char. Bookmarked and bumped.

Nam Vet

[chaosagent]

bookmark

[WhiteKnight]

Not to mention the fact that the words "separation of church and state" do not exist anywhere in the US Constitution or Declaration of Independence.

WhiteKnight

[billbears]

Actually there is a specific reason for that. The Framers did not mention God as prevalent in the nation's Constitution because they were concerned about the dangers of a national religion and they felt that the states, sovereign at the time, would only elect good Christian men to office. The states were free to establish state denominations, which some did, but there was not to be a national denomination. They assumed, wrongly, that this nation by default would be a Christian nation because the separate and sovereign states would do their duty.

Of course this relies on federalism to some extent and we know full well what the Republican party did to that concept

[henderson field]

The only reason for a reference to religion is to assure you that you would be free to practice your own religion. In Europe the Catholic church commanded obedience. That gave birth to the colonial expression "a country without a king, a church without a pope." Nevertheless, they wanted to be cleaner than their European counterparts, which is why the Founders put that phrase in so people would not go around arresting Catholics as Protestants had been arrested over there.

[gdc61]

nice find! bookmarked

[Strategerist]

They assumed, wrongly, that this nation by default would be a Christian nation because the separate and sovereign states would do their duty.

OK, so since they didn't mention God or religion, you're saying they didn't bother because it was so obvious it wasn't necessary?
I have a feeling that no matter what the Federal Constitution said, with the possible exception of "All must worship Satan" you'd be able to spin it into them really meaning to establish the US as a Christian nation even though they didn't actually say it.