Tyranny from the bench

Roanoke.com ^ | Feb 8, 09 | Tom Taylor

[xzins]

At his desk in the Federal Hall in New York, President George Washington thought about the miracle of his new, independent nation. No longer must Americans pay exorbitant taxes to the British government in which they had no representation. No longer were Baptist pastors being flogged because they would not submit to the Church of England. Yes, liberty was in the air. With this pleasant thought, our first president drifted into an afternoon nap.

He was awakened by an aide knocking at the door. "Mr. President, there is an attorney from the ACLU desiring to see you."

"The ACLU?"

"Yes sir. The Anti-Christian Litigation Union. It is a new group, sir."

The attorney, a thin man with a dour face, entered holding a parchment in his hand. "Mr. President, I have here a circular letter, dated June 8th, 1783, which you sent to the governors of all 13 states. Let me read from it, sir, your own words." The lawyer cleared his throat indignantly.

"'I now make it my earnest prayer that God would have you and the State over which you preside in his holy protection ... that he would ... dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility and pacific temper of mind, which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example ... we can never hope to be a happy nation.'"

Washington nodded. "Yes, I remember that letter and prayer very well. But would you come to the point please?"

"The point, sir, is this prayer of yours, so widely circulated, is a 'sectarian' prayer, and ... "

"Sectarian?" asked Washington.

"Yes, sir. Your reference to the 'Divine Author of our blessed religion' why that could be none other than ... " the lawyer took a deep, shuddering breath, "Jesus Christ. You even called him 'divine.' Deity! Under the First Amendment being proposed for our new Constitution, sir, such a reference to Christ by a public official like yourself is quite illegal."

Washington wasn't sure he had heard correctly, and he ground his wooden teeth in thought. "Sir, the amendment as I recall says nothing of prayers by public officials."

"Ah, but it does! It plainly states 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.'"

The office was silent a moment as Washington eyed the lawyer as one might eye someone who thinks he is a barn owl or Napoleon. "Did I somehow with my prayer call upon Congress to establish a Church of the United States?" He almost laughed.

"Well no. Not in so many words, but ... "

"Did I urge the governors to tax their citizens to support cathedrals and clergy?"

"No. But you implied ... "

"Did I instruct the governors to compel their citizens to join an official state church?"

"No sir," said the lawyer, raising his voice. "But the fact you referenced Jesus Christ implies all of that. Why, if public officials are allowed to pray as you did, it will be no time before we have a theocracy, and we will be burning witches at the stake and hanging atheists (like me) from every tree, and ... "

Washington's famous temper began to rise. "Sir, this is lunacy. What fools would follow such reasoning?"

"The fools -- I mean the gentlemen -- who follow that reasoning happen to be members of the judicial branch!" With a wolfish smile the lawyer produced a court order from his vest. "The Anti-Christian Litigation Union has taken this matter to court, sir. You are forbidden to make any more public prayers with any reference to Jesus Christ. And be sure John Adams especially sees this order."

The pit seemed to fall out of Washington's stomach as he took the court order. It seemed to burn his hand. "The Fourth Circuit is telling me I cannot pray a Christian prayer?"

"You are correct, sir."

Washington's voice began to tremble. "Were my soldiers run through by Hessian bayonets, did they leave their blood-stained footprints on the road to Trenton and at Valley Forge for this? That judges should dictate how we pray?"

With that, the appalled president awoke from his nap. "A dream! Yes, a dream." There was no lawyer. There was no ACLU. Outside, the Stars and Stripes still waved brightly in the sun. "Thank God," the president breathed. "How ridiculous to think judges in this free land would ever stoop to such tyranny."

[Texas Eagle]

Bravo. I am forwarding this to my Pastor. It wouldn’t surprise me if he includes it in this week’s bulletin.

[xzins]

ping to article

[Mr. Mojo]

With that, the appalled president awoke from his nap. "A dream! Yes, a dream."

Too bad Washington didn't shoot the SOB before he awakened.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Except George Washington’s dream would have ended with him pulling a sword and skewering the fool.

[Girlene]

Good example of what a nightmare the ACLU would become.