UNDERSTANDING THE FOUNDING OF AMERICA PART I In order to understand how the U.S. has deteriorated into the present system of economic and political corruption, as well as into a government- suppressed Christianity, it is important to see how the U.S. was originally founded. America was established under a very unique form of government. Its governing documents--the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of rights have brought this nation to a position unrivaled by any other over the past two centuries, and religious principles were a powerful influence in shaping each of these documents. The general principles on which the Founding Fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. The Congressional Records which contain the lengthy discussions of the Founding Fathers from June 8 to September 25, 1789, and which framed the First Amendment, repeatedly explained that they were seeking to prevent the legal establishment by the national government which they experienced under Great Britain, of a single religious denomination, in exclusion of all others. the oft-repeated intent was that Congress could not officially establish any one denomination in America. In the words of James Madison, nor shall any national religion be established. It is significant to note that the word religion in the Founderss First Amendment discussions, was often used interchangeably with the word denomination. The original version of the First Amendment introduced in the Senate on September 3, 1789, stated, Congress shall not make any law establishing any religious DENOMINATION. The second version stated, Congress shall make no law establishing any particular DENOMINATION. The third version declared, Congress shall make no law establishing any particular DENOMINATION in preference to another. The final version passed stated, Congress shall make no law establishing religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. There is no doubt from the evidence above that religion was used interchangeably with denomination. This is called the establishment clause which prohibited the Federal government from establishing a single national Christian denomination to the exclusion of any other Christian denomination. The second clause was called the free exercise clause. This prohibited the Federal government from interfering with the peoples public religious expressions and acknowledgements. SIGNIFICANTLY, both clauses restricted the actions of the Federal government; neither restricted the actions of its citizens. This very clearly shows that the Founding Fathers did not want a single Federal Christian denomination to rule America, but they did expect basic Biblical principles and values to be present throughout public life and society. The Federal government was not permitted to prohibit the free exercise thereof. An argument is often raised that the Name of Jesus was never mentioned in any of its governing documents--the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Yet, the Bible, which is a Book completely centered on Jesus Christ, was the most indispensable tool for the U.S. Constitution to properly function according to the Founding Fathers. Fisher Ames, the Founding Father who offered the final wording for the House version of the First Amendment, like so many other Framers, was committed to maintaining sound education in America. In his watchfulness over education, Ames became alarmed that the introduction of many new childrens books filled with character fables and moral lessons would cause the students to spend less time on the Bible. He, therefore, urged that the bible regain the place it once held as a school book. He argued that the Bible was the principal source of sound morals in America and, therefore, must never be separated from the classroom. Fisher Ames view, as one of the main framers most responsible for the wording of the First Amendment, was in complete accordance with the purpose of the First Amendment. The Christian Bible was the very essence and foundation of the morals in America, and must be used as the principal source for the establishment of those morals. Dr Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the considered Father of the Public Schools under the Constitution, enumerated many reasons why the Christian Bible should never be taken out of American schools. He even warned, If we remove the Bible from schools, I lament that we will waste so much time and money in punishing crimes, and take so little pains to prevent them. Rush knew that if religious teachings were excluded from education, widespread misbehavior would result, and the increase in crime would become a national problem, the way it currently is as can be gleaned from all the violent and senseless shootings in school. This does not even include the massive problem of bullying that goes on in school today. Despite the wisdom of the prophetic words unanimously uttered by the Founding Fathers, the First Amendments now prohibits what it once protected: the inclusion of Christian religious principles in public education. Noah Webster, also a Founding Father and known as the Schoolmaster to America because of his impact to education stated, 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. The Founders understood the numerous societal benefits produced by Christian Biblical precepts and values and had no intention of expunging those principles from public life. John Adams expressed his views thus: We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was only for a moral and religious people. Adams, one of only two Founders to sign the Bill of Rights and the First Amendment, forcefully pronounced that our Constitution would not function properly if separated from religious values and standards. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall said, One great object of the colonial charters was avowedly the propagation of the Christian faith. Religious faith not only produced Americas most important civil virtues, but it was also a primary reason for the founding of America. Yet, contemporary courts now use the document that bears the signature of John Adams to prohibit what he encouraged under that very same document. It is significant to note, however, that subsequent generations retained the beliefs of the original Framers of the Constitution regarding the importance of Biblical principles in maintaining a civilized society. Robert Winthrop, a Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1840s said, Men, in a word, must necessarily be controlled either by a power within them or by a power without them, either bu the Word of God or by the strong arm of man, either by the Bible or by the bayonet. The Founding Fathers held the unequivocal position of the necessity of including Christian Biblical principles and expressions throughout every public life and institution. WHO WAS THE AUTHOR THEN OF THE PRINCIPLE FORCIBLY ENFORCED NOW REGARDING THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE? Finally, one of the clearest affirmations of the commitment of the Framers of the Constitution to retaining Christian Biblical principles in the public life of every institution came from President President George Washington who presided over the formation of both, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. In his famous Farewell Address, Washington reminded Americans that religious teachings and values must never be removed from politics and public policy. He boldly declared, Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness--these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and cherish them. Washington warned that if religious principles were separated from public institutions such as our courts of justice, then citizens would no longer have a secure basis for property, life, or freedom. He even asserted that if anyone tried to separate religion and morality from public life and policy, he could not be called a patriot. He warned Americans to reject the proposition that morality could be preserved apart from Biblical Christian principles. Washington, understanding that Biblical religious values was the basis of morality and that there was no secure basis for a free government apart from these Biblical values, therefore, insightfully queried: Let it simply be asked, where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice? Listening to the declarations by our Founding Fathers regarding the dangers that would arise in schools, in courtrooms seeking truth, justice, and righteousness, and in every financial, government, religious, and all public institutions, when separated from the Biblical principles of Christianity (since the Bible is all about Jesus Christ), is an accurate and prophetic picture of what is happening today in our schools, in our courtrooms where justice eludes the oppressed, and in the lies, deceptions, and misinformation that flood our mainstream media, our government scandals, our economy, our monetary and fiscal management, and even the blatant betrayal of our nations allies in our international relations. WITH THE REMOVAL OF OUR CHRISTIAN GOD AND THE SEPARATION OF BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES FROM OUR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, our nation has spiraled down the drain and has deteriorated in every area of both, our public and private life. TRUTH has completely vanished from our society, and our leaders are no longer held accountable for their misconduct. The people are completely and deliberately misinformed by the public servants they trustfully elected into office, and who were once bound to protect and serve serve their interests. The very leaders to whom they entrusted their lives and the lives of their children, have betrayed them for their own selfish interests. The only reason the god of this age was able to enforce the separation of church and state was because many Christians had no understanding that this entire world has already been redeemed by Jesus Christ, and that He entrusted His people with the Ambassadorial task of reconciling all things to God through Christ, and to bring all things in heaven and on earth under One Head, even Christ (EPHESIANS 1:10). He had already redeemed the entire creation with His blood. We are now called to reclaim everything that our Lord and Savior has redeemed. That is why He gave us all power and authority in heaven and on earth so that not even the gates of Hades will be able to withstand the establishment of His Kingdom on earth. Many Christians have limited themselves to leading unbelievers to Christ, a most commendable and undeniable requirement. However, this qualifies the unbeliever to become a citizen of heaven, a first requirement to accomplishing the task for which God created him. Now, he must realize that he has to undergo a rigorous discipleship program in order for him to be trained as a warrior of God and a member of His army to reconcile the entire creation to God through Christ (JOHN 3:16) and to bring all things in heaven and on earth under One Head, even Jesus Christ (EPHESIANS 1:10). That is why EPHESIANS 4:11-16 requires that every believer be made mature and prepared for works of service by joining the Body of Christ here on earth and performing the function in that Body for which he was created (EPHESIANS 2:10). GLORY TO GOD MOST HIGH, CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH!!!
Posted on: Wed, 20 Nov 2013 20:33:23 +0000
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