First Amendment Misconceptions According to noted historian, David Barton, the EXTRA-Constitutional phrase “separation of church and state” is found in NONE of our governing documents, despite the current widespread belief to the contrary. This non-constitutional phrase has been infused into our constitutional thinking in recent decades by activist courts which have redefined the word “religion” in the First Amendment. “The result of this is that the First Amendment is NOW used to prohibit the very activities that the founders themselves once encouraged under that same amendment. Actually, the words ”separation”, “church”, or “state” are NOT found in the First Amendment, the Constitution, or in ANY other official founding document. The First Amendment says “Congress shall make no law establishing religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” “The first clause of this amendment which is referred to as the “Establishment Clause” prohibited the Federal Government from establishing a SINGLE national denomination; the second clause, called the Free Exercise Clause, prohibited the Federal Government (from) interfering with the peoples’ public religious expressions and acknowledgements.” David Barton further explained that “Significantly, BOTH clauses restricted the ACTIONS of the Federal Government; NEITHER (clause) restricted the actions of the citizens.” Very simply, “the Founding Fathers did not want a single federal denomination to rule America but they DID expect basic Biblical principles and values to be present throughout public life and society.” David Barton points out that “John Adams was one of only 2 of the founders to sign the Bill of Rights and thus the First Amendment and as a Constitutional expert, he forcefully pronounced that our Constitution would not function properly if separated from religious values and standards.” Founding Father John Adams explained “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.” Founding Father Fisher Ames offered the final wording for the House version of the First Amendment and he, like so many other Framers, was committed to maintaining sound education in America. He noted that the Bible was the principal source of sound morals in America and therefore must NEVER be separated from the classroom.” In fact, it is my understanding that the first Bible printed by Congress was for use in the schools. Check this out for yourself. For more information on the First Amendment and what it actually meant, read “Separation of Church and State, What the Founders Meant.” By David Barton at wallbuilders . Carol Byers
Posted on: Thu, 27 Mar 2014 20:39:25 +0000
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