Much has gone on in our day about "seperation of Church and State" to the extent that most Americans are confused on this topic, and believe that the government, if anything, should squash down the Christian religion and make room for religous diversity, neverminding that the great religion that founded our great nation teaches that there is only one narrow way of salvation.
Paul Barreca did an article in the The Daily Journal which is a brief treatment on how
Christian Morality is the source of America's greatness. Firstly, he clears up the confusion for us on the matter of the phrase, "seperation of Church and State".
The phrase "separation of church and state" does not appear in any of the founding documents, either at the state or national level. The phrase is not in the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, or the constitution of any of the individual states. The first known documentation of this phrase is in a letter from President Jefferson written to an association of Baptist churches in Danbury Connecticut. The phrase lay dormant and virtually un-referenced until Justice Hugo Back quoted Jefferson (out of context) in "Everson vs. Board of Education, 1947."
Barreca tells us that: "The First Amendment was not written to shield American citizens from public religious activities, which were normal, frequent and practiced without objection until recently [historically]." He goes on in the article to point out that if anyone was restricted in the First Ammendment,
it is the Congress, protect U.S. citizens from Federal intrusion into public religious life. Much as it was when our first forebears fled the countries of Europe, where the State, the governments were tied to the Roman Catholic and Anglican church, which was imposed upon all citizenry. To follow the teachings of the Bible instead, and not comply with the government religion, was to face fines, imprisonment, torture and death as heretics.
The founders routinely cited their religious beliefs and called upon Americans to practice religious virtue. Thomas Jefferson, who is regarded by secularists as a proponent of a secular society, actually supported religious involvement in government. In a treaty with the Kaskaskia Indians, Congress provided for a church building and a Christian chaplain. President Jefferson signed the bill into law and authorized that the government pay $300 to build a church.
It seems that those in America who want to remove the Bible and Christian instruction from school have the law and America's great legacy inverted. Those in power now do not want this known by the masses, as they seek to promote their Marxist agendas, which turn the people to the government, rather than to knowing and excercising their own, God-given rights and freedoms known and practiced under Christianity.
As this is removed from public schools and instruction, our country continues to descend into immorality, strife and poverty. America, "choose life, that you may live... by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him" (Deuternomy 30:19-20).
To read Barreca's full article, go to
http://www.thedailyjournal.com/article/20100511/OPINION03/5110336
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