It seems that every time a politician or any other person of celebrity employs the phrase “America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles” the left, Liberals, Democrats, mainstream media and educators go ballistic.  Ranting and raving and infuriated that anyone would mention God in the same sentence with America.  The liberals insist America is a secular nation and God played no part in the creation, forming, building or operations of our country.

Well, let’s take a look at that.  The struggle with our original colonies and Mother England involved a number of complaints not limited to taxes, trade, political representation, freedoms, occupation and not in the least, the Church of England.  

The preamble to the Declaration of Independence begins:

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

Note the phrase “the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God”.  The Framers inserted a reference to God in the first sentence of the Declaration.  If that alone were the only reference to God it would prove America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles.

The Declaration continues:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

In the second sentence of the Declaration the Framers state “that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights”.  With that section of the second sentence the Framers affirm their faith in God and by their use of the term “unalienable” acknowledge and accept a power higher than man and government.  The word “unalienable” means incapable of being surrendered, transferred or taken away.  In other words, God gave us rights that government cannot eliminate.

The Declaration continues:

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, . . .

In the third sentence of the Declaration the Framers state that governments acquire their power from the people.   Our Rights came from God and it is the government’s role to secure those Rights.  The Framers never intended for government to meddle with our God given rights or to wield authoritarian powers over its subjects.

The first sentence of the closing paragraph of the Declaration states:

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions,....

The Framers  “appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world” were asking God for His guidance in seeking freedom from the King and his affiliated tyranny.

The final sentence of the Declaration states:

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

The Founding Fathers fully believed “with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence”  that God was on their side and would protect their cause.  

The Framers opened and closed the Declaration of Independence stating their belief and trust in God and fully believing that He would guide the Founding Fathers and the newborn nation with success and into the future.

The United States of America was born with belief, reliance and guidance from God.  This conviction is well documented and is certainly no secret.  Why do the liberals become enraged whenever they spot a reference to God?  Why does the ACLU, NEA, the media and Democrats in general become furious with every attempt to acknowledge or honor God?

The First Amendment in the Bill of Rights to the Constitution states:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Please, read that carefully.  “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;”   When school teachers and the NEA forbid children from bowing their heads and making silent prayers and thanks for their school lunches they are not protecting the children from religious tyranny, they are repressing the free exercise of religion. When educators and the NEA forbid children from bringing their personal bibles to school, do they really believe they are protecting the children from religious oppression or some diabolical state religion?  No.  They are “prohibiting the free exercise thereof;”.

Nowhere in the Constitution does it state “Separation of Church and State”. The Constitution simply states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;” The amendment prevents the government from establishing a national church, such as the Church of England and it guarantees the rights of the people to freely exercise their own religion.  If an Alabama judge (Judge Roy Moore) wishes to freely exercise his respect for God’s Ten Commandments by displaying them in his courtroom, that religious right is protected by the First Amendment.   Should he require that any or all courtroom participants swear an oath or allegiance to the Commandments we then would have a problem.  Why does the ACLU loathe any reference to God and why does the ACLU repress the judge’s free exercise of his religion?

What part of ". . . or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;” do they not understand?

Little by little the liberals are removing God from our society.  Any reference to Him is opposed and suppressed.  Millions of Americans do not believe in God.  That’s their right.  Guaranteed by the Constitution.  We millions and millions of Christians do not impose our will on them or demand they accept our God.  We have the right to freely express our faith.  Guaranteed by the Constitution.  Why can’t the liberals leave us in peace to practice our faith?

It would be the Christian thing to do.

That’s the way I see it.

David

September 27, 2003