America's Christian heritage is a fact beyond question...at least, for those who aren't very ignorant of our history, or so hostile to our Christian heritage that they will attempt to rewrite history itself.
One only has to take a brief look at the writings of the Founders to see that this is true, and that while they intended there be no state religion, they NEVER intended that morality and religious principles be separated from our civil institutions:
The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were…the general principles of Christianity. – John Adams
Human law must rest its authority ultimately upon the authority of that law which is divine. – James Wilson, signer of the Constitution, U.S. Supreme Court Judge
The practice of morality being necessary for the well-being of society…We all agree in the obligation of the moral precepts of Jesus and nowhere will they be found delivered in greater purity than in His discourses. – Thomas Jefferson
"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religion but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ." - Patrick Henry
The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws…All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible. – Noah Webser
This is but a handful of the evidences that the Founders of the United States were almost entirely Christians, and serious Christians at that. Further, that they saw the precepts of Christianity as essential to freedom and good government.
So it is particularly disturbing when we see people who not only don't like Christianity (everyone is entitled to their opinion, even if it runs contrary to the evidence that Christian precepts have blessed the U.S.), but attempt to erase this key aspect of our national heritage.
From CNS News, some atheists are upset that congress might recognize the Christian heritage of our nation, even though our government has a record of recognizing religions, even ones that are not historically significant to the founding and character of the United States.
A resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives that recognizes America's "rich spiritual and religious history" is drawing fire from some of America's most prominent atheists.
The resolution, H.R. 888, resolves to "affirm" the religious traditions that most historians say played a crucial role in America's founding. It calls religious principles and foundations "critical underpinnings" of America's institutions, condemns attempts to remove religion from U.S. history, and designates the first week in May as "American Religious History Week."
The resolution's language has aroused the anger of many atheists who see its provisions as violating the First Amendment of the Constitution and amounting to religious nationalism.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, just as everyone is free to be wrong. But that freedom does not extend to allowing history to be rewritten. It does not extend to denying the historical record. It does not extend to sanitizing the public square of the religion that spawned the very freedom we enjoy in the public square.
I hope that Christians and those who are true to history will stand against this type of heinous revisionism, and that all will take the time to learn more about the rich Christian heritage of the United States, whether they share that faith or not.
7 comments:
"But that freedom does not extend to allowing history to be rewritten. It does not extend to denying the historical record."
The above is the only correct thing you wrote in your article. And that is the reason that atheists are upset...we don't want to see history rewritten by a group of born-agains.
When you recieve all of your confirmation from a biased think-tank it's really hard to take you seriously.
Every quote in this post is taken out of context or from someone talking about the founding fathers. The structure of the U.S. government was never to include a religion, for the protection of both the religion and the government. If you truly value your religion, I'd suggest keeping that way.
Stalin would have been proud of you, MorseCode. You're his kind of revisionist. Attempt to rewrite history, and when people confront you, accuse THEM of rewriting history. You definitely have that bold, brazen, unencumbered-by-facts approach that made the atheistic Soviet Union the great empire it is today...wait, it's not around anymore, is it?
On what do you base your assertion that those quotes I mentioned were false? How do you (rationally) deny the voluminous evidence that America was founded by Christians on Christian principles?
Anonymous, what "biased think tank" do you think I received these from?
Do you deny that the Founders made these statements?
Specifically how do you believe they are taken out of context?
No one is saying that the Constitution establishes a state religion, only that the Founders were Christians who held Christian values, and that Christian values and principles shaped the form and operation of our government as laid out in the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Do you dispute that? And if so, on what basis?
It's incredible and brazen indeed that these anti-Christian zealots continue to deny the principles underpinning the founding of this unique and exceptional country, the USA. It is they who cite obscure references, out of context, to try to make their case.
There are entire websites devoted to refuting James Madison's famous remark:
"We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government; upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."
But in reading the original sources of the quotes contained is some of those sites one finds that Madison was very concerned about government interferring with religious expression and not so much about religious beliefs interferring with government. That is, he was adressing the "free expression" clause more than the "establishment" clause.
Writing on June 20, 1785, Madison stated:
"Religion [is] the basis and Foundation of Government."
Even an ACLU lawyer would find it difficult to find that statement ambiguous.
The alleged Patrick Henry "quote" is pure fabrication. No valid reference can be found to prove it true. Even theocracy proponent David Barton has a blurb on his Wallbuilders website warning against its usage.
And the Madison "quote" referenced by Theo is also a fabrication cobbled from the following passage:
"Because finally, 'the equal right of every citizen to the free exercise of his RELIGION according to the dictates of conscience' IS held by the same tenure with all his other rights. If we recur to its orgin, it is equally the gift of nature; if we weigh its importance, it cannot be less dear to us; if we consider the 'Declaration of those rights which pertain to the good people of Virginia, as THE BASIS AND FOUNDATION OF GOVERNMENT,' it is enumerated with equal solemnity, or rather studied emphasis."
The other alleged Madison "quote" is again, a fabrication, with no source material to back it up.
But don't let the facts stop Christians from lying for Jesus.
The Patrick Henry quote is what is known as an “unconfirmed quote,” meaning it cannot currently be traced back to an original source document. It doesn’t mean it’s a fabrication, only that it cannot be traced to an original source some 200 years later.
The same is the case with the Madison quote.
On the other hand, there are a wealth of quotes which can be traced back to the original source which overwhelmingly and beyond a shadow of a doubt prove that America was founded by Christians on Christian principles.
But let me ask you: how many quotes out there, how much of our history, would not meet the same standards? Indeed, there is even less evidence for many of the things and people we accept without question, and the farther back in history it goes, the harder it becomes.
I take it from your comment here, Lowell, that you dispute that America was founded by Christians on Christian principles.
On what do you base such an assertion?
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