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Should We Remain One Nation Under God?
by Jay Hopson The moral fabric of our nation is constantly being bombarded with half truths and the rewriting of history by those who belong to a religion named secular humanism. Though probably still in the minority, this group screams the loudest, so they tend to be heard more than the gentle voices of reason. Do a Google search on religion in the US and you will find these secular arguments leaping at you from the first 20 pages. You have to painstakingly deepen your search to find those who stand up for the cause of faith in government. The fact that 90% of our forefathers spoke often of God and prayed for His wisdom as they began the creation of our government is being systematically hidden. There are still those who stand up and speak the truth though, if you look long and hard. Bear with me here, as we examine the why and the how of all this confusion about God, our flag, and our country. The next several paragraphs may seem rather dry, but they reveal the crux of the matter, and so, are indispensable for understanding this crucial issue. The Myth: The First Amendment built a wall of separation between Church and State. The Truth: The First Amendment does no such thing. The First Amendment reads in full: "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." The original intent of the First Amendment was to protect churches from the government, not to protect government from religion. It certainly had nothing to do with keeping prayer out of schools. In fact, the bible was the only book used in many of our schools at the time. The creators of this amendment were also adamant that no church become THE national church, like the Church of England which many Americans had fled from. This part of the equation, I can agree with. But, the secular humanists use these later words of Thomas Jefferson to make their greater argument, the argument they would use to drive God out of our country: "Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church and State." --Letter to the Danbury (Conn.) Baptist Association, January 1, 1802 That one statement contains the few words they now use to try to remove God from the very foundation of our nation. This argument conveniently forgets Jefferson's own later words, (which are on the Jefferson memorial,) "The God who gave us life gave us liberty. 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 a gift from 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, and that His justice cannot sleep forever." Author Tim LaHaye points out: "This Christian consensus (of our forefathers) is easily verified by the fact that prior to 1789; many of the states still had constitutional requirements that a man must be a Christian in order to hold public office." Later on in 1863 Abraham Lincoln actually called for a "National Fast Day," citing the fact that..."We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven ...But we have forgotten God." If we forget God now, we are in danger of sliding down the slippery path of the Roman Empire and other great civilizations that have crumbled over the centuries. Religion and morality are a vital part of the American political system. Rampant homosexuality, drugs, teen pregnancy, and school shootings all spring from the same source, the act of turning our backs on God. Our nation continues even today to turn to God when we need Him. After 911 the churches filled for months as men and women bowed before a God they had all but forgotten. How much better for us to turn to Him even when we are not in trouble? I preach to myself here, not just to you, dear reader. Far from casting the first stone, my goal is simply to raise a voice in the defense of Christ, and His rightful place in our nation. The sad truth is that these secular humanists aren't just raising a cry against religion and morality in government, they are raising a voice against Christ, in other words anti---Christ; The spirit of Anti-Christ is alive and well in America today, and those of us who know the truth must raise our voices in response. Should religion run our government? Absolutely not, but our government should be run by men of faith and morals. Yes, they will fail us at times, as all humans will, but with the grace of God we will find a way to continue to be the greatest nation on earth. Jay Hopson is slowly but surely finding his way into the freelance writing field. Although a former pastor, he has struggled for years with direction and vision. He seems to be just now finding his niche in the Kingdom through writing. "I have always loved writing that springs from the heart and tells of Truth gained through experience. I hope to be able to come to the place where I am able to write articles that heal and change the heart, not just educate. Words can be of eternal value, if they come from the throne. If I can possibly attain to that, then I have done something worthwhile." Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |