Posted on 07/01/2002 6:47:06 AM PDT by Stand Watch Listen
For over thirty years we have been indoctrinated by some politicians and most of the national media that ‘the separation of church and state´ is part of the U.S. Constitution, and that it requires the removal of all references to God from the public arena, or consideration of His principles. Both are bald-faced lies, spawned by those who would dismantle this republic for their own idealistic, though deadly, purposes.
As supporting evidence of that claim, I offer here but a small sample of what the Founding Fathers thought about G-d and religion. With apologies to Tom Brokaw, those who established this nation were truly ‘the greatest generation,´ and they wrote with clear intent and meaning, not needing the misinterpretation of modern demagogues:
Statesmen by dear Sir, may plan and speculate for Liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand...The only foundation of a free Constitution, is pure Virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People…they will not obtain a lasting Liberty. – John Adams, 1776
Religion and good morals are the only solid foundation of public liberty and happiness. – Samuel Adams, 1778
Without religion, I believe that learning does real mischief to the morals and principles of mankind.
– Benjamin Rush, 1783
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 incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow Citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field, and finally, that he would most graciously be pleased to 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 in these things, we can never hope to be a happy Nation. – George Washington, farewell letter to the Army, 1783
It is the duty of every man to render to the Creator such homage and such only as he believes to be acceptable to him. This duty is precedent, both in order of time and in degree of obligation, to the claims of Civil Society. – James Madison, ‘father of the Constitution,´ 1785
And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need its assistance? I have lived, Sir, a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this Truth, that God governs in the Affairs of Men. And if a Sparrow cannot fall to the Ground without his Notice, is it probable that an Empire can rise without his Aid?
– Benjamin Franklin, Motion for Prayers in the Constitutional Convention, 1787
A State, I cheerfully admit, is the noblest work of Man: But Man, himself, free and honest, is…the noblest work of G-d.... – James Wilson, 1793
Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation deserts the oaths...?
– George Washington, Farewell Address, 1796
Of all the dispositions and habits which least to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism who should labor to subvert these great Pillars of human happiness - these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. – Washington´s Farewell Address, 1796
We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. – John Adams, 1798
The only foundation for a useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments.
– Benjamin Rush, 1806
Religion and virtue are the only foundations, not of republicanism and of all free government, but of social felicity under all government and in all the combinations of human society. – John Adams, 1811
And finally, this last quote, from the man who authored the phrase ‘separation of church and state,´ but in a context far different from that which ‘liberals´ use to justify their assault on G-d—
And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with his wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep for ever. – Thomas Jefferson, 1781
That the Founding Fathers recognized and acknowledged the central place of G-d in the establishment of this republic is easily discernible from reading their many documents. It would appear, then, that those who would argue otherwise are ignorant of our history—in which case they show themselves to be unqualified to serve in government in any capacity—or that they willfully and deceitfully misuse and wrongly wield selected parts of that history in support of an agenda in direct opposition to the principles of our founding.
But in this democratic republic the decisions still remain with the people, be they faithful or not in carrying out their responsibilities. So I leave the question with you, American citizen: Do these writings reveal the thoughts of men who would support the removal of God from the public sphere?
What conclusion must you draw, then, about those who would remove Him, and who have supported and argued for that removal? Is it not that their interests and ideology are in direct contradiction to those of the Founders, and thus to our rights and freedoms? A reasonable person would not discern otherwise, and will act to remove from public office, or prevent the election of, those whose ‘liberal´ ideology—no matter how well-intended—threatens the republic and our freedoms. Though we don´t deserve it … G0d bless America!
Gee, I guess he was a real "right-winger." [irony]
Just as I figured.
However, the Jefferson and Franklin quotes both speak of divine intervention in the affairs of men. Divine intervention is not a fixture of Deism, but of Theism.
No, they do not. However, these writings were composed of men who are mere mortals, humans that is, who breath air and bleed blood, just as you and I. They made a good talk of "freedom, liberty and equality for everyone", but then engaged in perplexing behavior not much different than politicians of today.
The FF's got us where we are today, and they deserve much credit for that, for everyone should be eternally thankful for their sacrifices. But many of their ideas and philosophies are contrary to a free people. And by reading many of their works, they were not really interested in a free society. They were authoritarian. The main difference is that the "governments" control was not nearly as far reaching as it is today. 200-250 years ago, if I did not like what government was doing in the colonies, I could pick up and move west, and essentially be under no government control. Such laws against "witchcraft", sodomy, sexual positions etc would not apply any longer. I think many envisioned an authoritarian theocracy on a small scale, with no idea that as the authoritative nature of government grew, "morals" would decline. And as people realized some of the warped translations of the Bible that were prevalent at that time, they realized such authoritative edicts were contrary to the ideas that the FF's espoused(Not to mention woman's suffrage and slavery). This also resulted in, over the years, many people rejecting true Christianity because of the warped version that they had been blindly following.
What's the point of this rant? To answer the question again, no, the FF's did not intend to remove relgion from the public sphere. Just keep in mind, though, that they were not really for religious freedom, unless you were of some type of "christian religion", and even then, you better not let your teachings stray too far from theirs. Religions of all kinds have every rightful place in the public sphere. Notice I said all religions, not just ones I may agree with. That being said, I agree with the supposed intent of the FF's to not allow a "state sponsored, recognized" religion for "the free excerices thereof" is to not be prohibted.
This is an area in which it's easy to play the game of "dueling quotes." You can mine the writings of many of the Founders-- especially Jefferson, Madison and Franklin-- for both Deist and Christian quotations. Generally, they sounded like devout Christians in public, especially when they were running for office, and like skeptics or Deists when writing in their private diaries or in letters to their friends.
You've stood the issue on its head. The central government was very small and modestly funded through its first century of existence. During the same period most American professed belief in theism of a Judeo-Christian variety and sought to live the greater part of their lives accordingly.
Central government got its initial boost in the Civil War, but the afterburners weren't lit until the dawn of the 20th Century when the state-based counterfeit millennialism of communism and socialism struggled to displace the personal religion-based salvation and self-reliance of Judeo-Christianity. As a consequence of this tendency, ordinary Americans started to buy into the lie that morality is an individual standard and that God is irrelevant. The more they surrendered to this peculiar anomie, the more powerful central government became.
Central government grows to fill the vacuum left when people reject God and religion-based morality out as regulating forces in their personal lives. They surrender an endoskeleton of religion-based spine and take on a exoskeleton of governmental coercion. In time, God-haters are no longer individual up-standing men but mere clattering social insects.
That is their sure and unavoidable fate. But our Constitution was designed by and for men--not insects.
Well, as we all know, the Constitution in the form that was ratified was a "compromise". They compromised over many issues including slavery, religion and the "enumeration" of rights. Just as many FF's wanted to end slavery, but compromised, we had many who didn't like anyone who didn't fit their brand of Christianity, and compromised on the wording of th constitution. I personally think that history shows their hypocrisy on many issues, but sometimes its hard to recognize because there was so much "undiscovered" land in America that, rather than fight, people could just move and start a new life under their own "moral" rules. We do not have that today. We see many people wanting a christian theocracy in this country. If "America" in the 1700's was only the size of the original 13 colonies, we would have been living under a theocracy for nearly 250 years.
I think the laws passed on State and local levels show that many "leaders" in the 1700's and 1800's had no intention of a "free society". But, back then, they had a legitimate claim of "If you do not like it, then move". And back then, people in Maryland didn't know or care what people that moved out west really did(let me emphasize "didn't know"). In the 21st century, its hard for people to turn on television, see someone living on the opposite coast, and not say, "government, make them stop! Conserve that land(that I dont own)! Raise taxes on them! Make them abide by the laws of my State!"
The point? The Constitution has flawes, simply because it was written by men who are natually "flawed" creatures. We will never get anywhere as a nation until everyone realizes this, and realizes that the flaws have to do with the respect of the natural rights of all.
God as a creator, not as a religion, is that source (as the Founding Fathers stated many times). That creator maintains the Legitimate Moral Authority that endows our inalienable right to life and liberty. Without that "God" (Legitimate Moral Authority, due to authorship) inalienable rights (and basic morality) become institutions of man, allowing man to change or remove at will what he reasons best. Man has no authority to dictate inalienable rights or morality, they must come from an incorruptible legitimate source, i.e. God.
So you see it is impossible to remove God from our Republic or Western Civilization without undermining the authority of inalienable rights. And as we all know, without inalienable rights outside man and his reason, man becomes wild (anarchist, animal like) or ruled (communism, socialism, Nazism).
The establishment clause is part of this philosophy; that government cannot legitimately force a person to conform to a religion as that violates the inalienable rights endowed by the Moral Authority (God). The establishment clause does not separate God from Government, it verbalizes the constraint Government has regarding God and His creations (as does the Bill of Rights as a whole).
By it's very existence it affirms Gods Moral Authority and authorship of Life and Liberty.
If we as a people disregard or remove God as that Moral Authority, we undermine our very system of Freedom and will have no place demand such. As then there is no authority outside our own thoughts to dictate what is right.
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