COMMON SENSE ABOUT GOD & COUNTRY

Although many of the early emigrants to America came with the sole purpose of escaping from religious persecution in their homeland, when our founding fathers wrote and established the Constitution as our governing doctrine, they actually forgot to address the subject of religion. However, its importance was very quickly addressed in the very FIRST amendment to that great document, also know as the Bill of Rights. It states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

Please take note that no where in the Constitution is there ANY statement regarding the separation of church and state. This is merely an interpretation on the part of the Supreme Court or other courts as to the “intent” of the writers of the amendment. The amendment simply states that the government shall not establish a religion. However, far more importantly, it states that the government shall make no law “prohibiting the free exercise thereof”. Is not the Supreme Court ruling that religious Americans cannot offer a public prayer at a sporting event or in public schools blatantly “prohibiting the free exercise thereof”? How can these government appointees stand against allowing their electorate the right to have open prayer in public places when they themselves often have prayer in the Congressional and Senate chambers? What hypocrisy!

In 1787 during the Constitutional Convention, the nation’s forefathers were struggling to write the guidelines to form an entirely new form of government. They had to deal with not only the structure of that government, but also provisions for war, representation of the people, taxes, etc. Is there anyone who has not seen the difficulty in reaching total agreement when something is done by committee? History tells us the same problems were occurring in trying to get the Constitution written as well. Various attending members strongly promoted their own interests and thoughts. These varying positions were intently reviewed and debated at length, but without any final agreements. After four to five weeks of no progress, one elder statesman rose and addressed the assembly:

"In this situation of this Assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of Lights to illumine our understanding?

In the beginning of the contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered.

All of us who were engaged in the struggle (war of independence) must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor. To that kind Providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?

I have lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth--that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?

We have been assured, sir, in the Sacred Writings, that ‘except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.’ I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel.…

I therefore beg leave to move--that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy in this city be requested to officiate in that service.”

Benjamin Franklin - Speaking to the Constitutional Convention, June 28, 1787

Franklin's resolution was passed and implemented enthusiastically. From that moment forward, the deadlocks were broken and rapid progress was finally made on drafting the constitution. Prayers have opened both houses of Congress ever since.

Here at the very beginning stages of the U.S. Constitution, the Bible was acknowledged and even quoted, the Divinity of God was confirmed as was His hand in all things! Even eleven years earlier, when the Declaration of Independence was written, there was acknowledgement of God as our creator.

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Declaration of Independence – July 4, 1776

Yet today we have people who would try to misinterpret these very documents and the intentions of our founding fathers, to remove all references to the Almighty?

Can you imagine any elected legislators actually walking out of an assembly because they didn’t like the content of a prayer? When Minister Joe Wright pastor of the Central Christian Church in Kansas was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual simple offering. They got something downright truthful from a common and humble pastor.

“Heavenly Father, we come before You today to ask Your forgiveness and to seek Your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, "Woe to those who call evil good," but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We confess that:

We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it Pluralism;
We have worshiped other gods and called it multiculturalism;
We have endorsed perversion and called it alternative lifestyle;
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery;
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare;
We have killed our unborn and called it choice;
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable;
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem;
We have abused power and called it politics;
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition;
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression;
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; Cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent to direct us to the center of Your will. We ask this in the name of Your Son, the living Savior, Jesus Christ.

Amen."

It has been reported that a number of legislators actually walked out during the prayer in protest. In the weeks that followed, Central Christian Church logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is continuing to receive international requests for copies of this prayer from all over the world. Simple common sense says that Rev. Wright is right and let’s hope that his prayer finds favor with the Almighty.

I would have never believed that some Federal Judge could ever make such an asinine ruling as to come out and say that the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag is unconstitutional had I not actually seen it happen! It’s amazing how we will let a simple few try and dictate to the majority under their own personal interpretation of the Constitution and our forefather’s intent Too many of our ancestors shed their blood and gave their lives for this country, it’s flag and the Constitution to take it so lightly. Over the past two hundred plus years even more have shed their blood and given of their lives in an effort to destroy us. We have prevailed through the Grace of God. If we as a nation of people, ever forget or fail to acknowledge that fact, and in so doing begin to turn away from our Christian roots, we will be sowing the seeds of our own downfall. Let us never forget or past nor let us ever allow a few fanatics to abolish or devalue that which made America the greatest free nation on the planet, “One Nation, Under God….” and “In God We Trust”.