Article Surfing Archive

Most discussions opposing the role of Christianity in the United States arise from an abyss of ignorance so deep as to be unfathomable. You can endlessly drop boulders into this chasm of intellectual darkness without ever hearing one hit bottom

Speaking with certitude, people insist our Constitution established a separation of church and state. Clueless, they don't realize their claim, and their obvious self-satisfaction with stating it, simply proves they've never read the Constitution and lack any knowledge of what it says.

The media often report on this 'fact' of separation'and call it professional journalism. The politically correct engage in long, earnest conversations based on this untruth. How can mature, at least chronologically, people hold so tightly to an opinion so obviously false?

Can you say 'agenda?'

The writers of the Constitution clearly intended for Christianity to influence the governing of this nation. For one instance, the Constitution specifically provides for a Christian chaplain for each branch of Congress. The chaplains are paid to open every session with prayer and offer counsel to members of the body. Would the originators of the Constitution include a provision to perpetuate the great importance they attached to the Christian faith, a provision planned to endure throughout the life of this nation, then say religion could have no part in our governance?

A simple reading of the Constitution provides other examples as well. The Constitution isn't so long that, even with sounding out the words, promoters of the separation canard couldn't read it. And if they want to know about the First Amendment, from whence they claim to have reaped their separation notion, the Library of Congress has contemporaneous commentaries on the creation of the Bill of Rights, written by Gouverneur Morris, who was present throughout the process. You could look it up.

The 'separation of church and state' phrase came from Thomas Jefferson's letter to the Baptist Sunday School Association in Danbury Connecticut. However, the letter is not about keeping Christian influence out of government, but about the Federal Government not interfering in the free practice of religion. Jefferson typically didn't comment on the Bill of Rights because he, in France at the time, didn't participate in its creation.

To shed light on Thomas Jefferson's real attitude toward Christianity, consider the three school systems he started in D.C. and Virginia. The required texts for each school system were the Bible, Watt's book of hymns and a reading primer. Those books, he declared, are the basis of a good education.

So, there's no separation of church and state, and Thomas Jefferson lived and supported the Christian faith. Oliver Stone not withstanding.

But there's more! Not content with exposing their lack of Constitutional knowledge, drivers of the agenda loudly parade their ignorance of history. Stroking professorial beards, they pontificate on their delusion that the United States was never intended to be a Christian nation. They must put aside all our founding documents to pull this off, of course, but no matter.

Perhaps they should reconsider the safety of the platform from whence they hold forth since historical records profoundly prove the falsity of their claim.

According to the Congressional Record, the first session of the United States Congress started with several hours of Bible study and prayer. All members participated. The practice of starting each session with prayer and Bible study continued for years. You could look it up.

United States government buildings are chock-a-block full of Bible quotations, architectural detail and statuary. Check, for one instance, the Supreme Court building, finished in 1935, for its many references to the Ten Commandments.

Also, in the early days of the Republic, Christian church services were held in virtually every Federal building in D.C. While President, Thomas Jefferson attended services in the House of Representatives chamber. When he decided the music needed more energy, he ordered the Marine Band to play each Sunday.

And President Jefferson sent missionaries to the Indian tribes, and provided government money to build churches, so the Native Americans might enjoy more fullness of life. History says the missionaries were well received, and the arrangement suited everybody involved. You could look all of this up.

So, the Constitution doesn't mention a separation of church and state. History proves the United States was founded as a Christian nation. And the real Thomas Jefferson doesn't work out as a patron saint of those who seek to remove God from this nation's daily life. Why do the lies continue?

Truth is on the side of angels, not agendas.