June 2005     

A message from Ronnie...

Ronnie Merritt, Chairman, ECO

I suppose the title of this column could be "What next?" It seems that a teacher in Cupertino, CA, was trying to teach his students about American history. His supplemental handouts included material from various state Constitutions, the writings of George Washington and John Adams, and the Declaration of Independence. Although California law clearly allows "reference to religion or references to, or the use of religious literature... when such references do not constitute instruction in religious principles..." the school district banned all these materials. It seems that they were deemed too religious, too controversial - and unconstitutional.

Let's get this straight; a school district bans the teaching of the Declaration of Independence in a history class because it is too religious, too controversial, and unconstitutional! What next? But really, should anyone be surprised? The Federal Ninth Circuit, which includes California, has already banned God from the Pledge of Allegiance.

It is time to refresh our understanding of the foundations of our Republic. We need to re-teach once-familiar truths. So here is a history lesson for you.

Forsaken Roots

Did you know that 52 of the 55 signers of The Declaration of Independence were Orthodox, deeply committed Christians? The other three all believed in the Bible as the divine truth, the God of scripture, and His personal intervention.

It is the same congress that formed the American Bible Society. Immediately after creating the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress voted to purchase and import 20,000 copies of scripture for the people of this nation.

Patrick Henry, who is called the firebrand of the American Revolution, is still remembered for his words, "Give me liberty or give me death." But in current textbooks, the context of these words are deleted. Here is what he said:

"An appeal to arms and the God of hosts is all that is left us. But we shall not fight our battle alone. There is a just God that presides over the destinies of nations. The battle, sir, is not of the strong alone. Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death."

These sentences have been erased from our textbooks.

Was Patrick Henry a Christian? The following year, 1776, he wrote,

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly, or too often, that this great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded freedom of worship here."

Consider these words that Thomas Jefferson wrote on the front of his well worn Bible:

"I am a Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus. I have little doubt that our whole country will soon be rallied to the unity of our Creator, and, I hope to the pure doctrine of Jesus also."

Consider these words from George Washington, the Father of our Nation, in his farewell speech on September 19, 1796:

"It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible. Of all the dispositions and habits that lead to political prosperity, our religion and morality, are the indispensable supporters. Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that our national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."

Consider these words by John Adams, our second President, who also served as chairman of the American Bible Society. In an address to military leaders, he said,

"We have no government armed with the power capable of contending with human passions, unbridled by morality and true religion. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

How about our first Court Justice, John Jay? He stated that when we select our national leaders, if we are to preserve our Nation, we must select Christians.

"Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian Nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers."

Calvin Coolidge, our 30^th President of the United States, reaffirmed this truth, when he wrote,

"The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible, that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country."

In 1782, the United States Congress voted this resolution:

"The congress of the United States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools."

Of the first 108 universities founded in America, 106 were distinctly Christian, including the first, Harvard University, chartered in 1636. In the original Harvard Student Handbook, Rule Number 1 was: students seeking entrance must know Latin and Greek, so that they could study the scriptures.

It is clear from history that the Bible, and the Christian faith, were foundational in our educational and judicial system. However, in 1947, there was a radical change of direction in the Supreme Court. Here is the prayer that was banished:

"Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence on Thee. We beg Thy blessings upon us and our parents, and our teachers, and our country. Amen."

In 1963, the Supreme Court ruled that Bible reading was outlawed as unconstitutional, in the public school system. The court offered this justification:

"If portions of the New Testament were read without explanation, they could and have been psychologically harmful to children."

Bible reading was now unconstitutional; though the Bible was quoted 94 percent of the time by those who wrote our Constitution and shaped our Nation, its system of education, justice, and government.

In 1965, the Courts denied as unconstitutional the rights of a student in the public school cafeteria to bow his head and pray audibly for his food. In 1980, Stone vs. Graham outlawed the Ten Commandments in our public schools.

The Supreme Court said this:

"If the posted copies of the Ten Commandments were to have any effect at all, it would be to induce school children to read, meditate upon, perhaps venerate and obey the Commandments. However desirable this might be as a matter of private devotion, it is not a permissible state objective under the Establishment Clause."

Is it not a permissible objective to allow our children to follow the moral principles of the Ten Commandments?

James Madison, the primary author of the Constitution of the United States, said this:

"We have staked the whole future of our new nation, not upon the power of government; far from it. We have staked the future of all our political constitutions upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments."

Today, we are asking God to bless America. But, how can He bless a Nation that has departed so far from Him?

You can see Forsaken Roots in its entirety at:

http://www.american-vote.com/Documents/FORSAKEN%20ROOTS.htm