History Forgotten

[SouthernMoss]

I received this via email this morning:

Did you know that 52 of the 55 signers of the Declaration of Independence were orthodox, deeply committed Christians? The other three all believed in the Bible as the divine truth, the God of scripture, and His personal intervention.

It is the same Congress that formed the American Bible Society. Immediately after creating the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress voted to purchase and import 20,000 copies of scripture for the people of this nation.

Patrick Henry, who is called the firebrand of the American Revolution, is still remembered for his words, '"Give me liberty or give me death."'; But in current textbooks the context of these words is deleted. Here is what he actually said: '"An appeal to arms and the God of hosts is all that is left us. But we shall not fight our battle alone. There is a just God that presides over the destinies of nations. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone. Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death."'

These sentences have been erased from our textbooks. Was Patrick Henry a Christian? The following year, 1776, he wrote this: '"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great Nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded freedom of worship here."'

Consider these words that Thomas Jefferson wrote on the front of his well-worn Bible: '"I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus. I have little doubt that our whole country will soon be rallied to the unity of our Creator. "' He was also the chairman of the American Bible Society, which he considered his highest and most important role.

On July 4, 1821, President Adams said, '"The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity."'

Calvin Coolidge, our 30th President of the United States reaffirmed this truth when he wrote, '"The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country."'

In 1782, the United States Congress voted this resolution: '"The Congress of the United States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools."'

William Holmes McGuffey is the author of the McGuffey Reader, which was used for over 100 years in our public schools with over 125 million copies sold until it was stopped in 1963. President Lincoln called him the '"Schoolmaster of the Nation."' Listen to these words of Mr. McGuffey: '"The Christian religion is the religion of our country. From it are derived our notions on the character of God, on the great moral Governor of the universe. On its doctrines are founded the peculiarities of our free institutions. From no source has the author drawn more conspicuously than from the sacred Scriptures. From all these extracts from the Bible I make no apology."'

Of the first 108 universities founded in America, 106 were distinctly Christian, including the first, Harvard University, chartered in 1636. In the original Harvard Student Handbook, rule number 1 was that: Students seeking entrance must know Latin and Greek so that they could study the scriptures: '"Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his life and studies is, to know God and Jesus Christ, which is eternal life, John 17:3; and therefore to lay Jesus Christ as the only foundation for our children to follow the moral principles of the Ten Commandments.'" James Madison, the primary author of the Constitution of the United States, said this: '"We have staked the whole future of our new nation not upon the power of government; far from it. We have staked the future of all our political constitutions upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments."'

Today, we are asking God to bless America. But, how can He bless a Nation that has departed so far from Him? Prior to September 11, He was not welcome in America. Most of what you read in this article has been erased from our textbooks. Revisionists have rewritten history to remove the truth about our country's Christian roots.

You are encouraged to share with others, so that the truth of our nation's history will be told.

[LewairLavell]

Good read, but I do have to address this question...

In the 1700's there weren't a whole lot of Muslims, Hindis, Bhuddists, or folks from other religions around eager to make an impact with their morals and ethics into the system. Also, the states were smart enough to not ratify the constitution without the bill of rights which does include freedom of religion.

So then, how is it that as times have changed we reconcile the growing diversity in religion, while still having a desire to teach and reenforce the principle ethics this country was founded on (Christianity), but also ensure that people have freedom of religion? Should we throw all religion out of public situations, like the ACLU would have us do, keeping a solid black line between what is perceived as 'church' and 'state'? Or do we integrate in some form all religions into the process?

I'm more inclined to the latter of the two. The ACLUs outlook I believe is wrong. Here in Houston there is a memorial outside City hall to some guy who back in the 1940's did a lot to help indigent families and the poor. A bible is part of that memorial. All of a sudden this last week the ACLU filed suit to have the memorial removed on the basis that it violates separation of church and state.

There's a lot of things wrong with that, namely, why now has it become such a problem after the 50-odd years its been there. But the real problem is the misconception of what that notion is of what is defined as 'church'. People's beliefs are not 'church'. The bible is not 'church'. 'Church' is an organization of people that ban together because of some defining belief. Organization is the key word there. Symbols, morals, ethics, beliefs, all go to make up what a church consists of, but in the aspect of separation between church and state, that concept is to keep the government from imposing a moral authority on it's citizens (like the king/queen of England being the head of the Anglican Church). We do that, we run the risk of being the Taliban. But at the same time, if we don't educate morality and ethics into our citizens we lose just the same. So again, where's the balance, in an increasingly diverse nation of systems of beliefs?

It's a sticky situation. But moderation is the key. Teach religion and morality and ethics as the studies they are. If you look, most of the major universities who have mission statements based on some Christian ethic, you'll see that the way that's 'enforced', if you will, is through the cirriculum and degree requirements of the institution. You don't necessarily force it on everyone. You only force it on the ones that agree to be part of that system, which then, it's not forcing, it's simply holding them to the terms they agreed to.

You can't force someone to take on religious beliefs unless you're brain washing them. There are ways to educate people to a given moral and ethical standard though without making it religious at all. I think on the whole, as long as institutions offer the ability to educate ourselves in whatever manner we see fit (as long as the opportunity is there) the responsible, self-inclined people out there who feel the need to educate themselves on such things, will do so.

The only thing I disagree with is groups of people like the ACLU who want to come in and take away the opportunity to study such things (like bibles in the classroom). As American's we need to all understand that opportunity to do something is just as important as your freedom to do it.

[SouthernMoss]

in the aspect of separation between church and state, that concept is to keep the government from imposing a moral authority on it's citizens

This is the point that so many people miss. The "separation of church and state" that Thomas Jefferson and others spoke of was simply the avoidance of a national denomination. They did not mean that there should be no religion in government, rather that the American people not be held to a government-sponsored religion.

[sck]

Congradulations on your insight and analysis. It has always amazed me how so many so-called intelligent people could read such a simple passage as that part of the first amendment regarding religion and get its meaning so wrong. It is extremely difficult for us today to understand the role of religion in the life of 18th century American colonists. Many folks know, or think they know, that some colonists left Europe to escape religious persecution. A smaller number may remember some brief school book account that explains some colonies were established largely as havens for particular denominations. But that's about as far as their knowledge goes. Few people realize that in some colonies it was the government's job to pay the ministers' salaries. Taxes were levied and collected to support the approved denomination and others were, in many instances, persecuted and banned. In many communities, the government played a major role in allowing a new minister to accept a call to a particular church. Ministers were licensed by the goverment, and without a license, you couldn't preach or conduct services. In colonial America, the ties between "church and state" were inseperable. In order to vote in church affairs, it was a common requirement that you be not only a member of the church but also a tax payer as well. In order to hold many government positions which many communities, you had to be a member of the church. In short, never did the framers of the Constitution image that religion would not be part of government. Although admittedly an oversimplification, one interpretation of the Salem witch trials, for example, is that the trials grew out of a struggle for power between select members of the church, select members of the government, and unaligned members of the community. The objective of the 1st Amendment was not to kept religion out of government, but to prevent the government from being used to support one denomination at the expense of the others. If the framers saw what was being done in the name of "separation of church and state" today, they would be appauled. Once again, congradulations on your insight. Steve

[Marlin]

Southern, are you sure that your vocation is limited to that of being a CPA?

Your sharp analysis, in just a few short words, sounds like a well grounded Constitutionalist speaking.

You have hit the nail squarely on the head!!!