The
Constitution of the United States of America
We the People of the United States, in order to form a more
perfect Union, establish Justice, and insure domestic Tranquility, provide for
the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of
Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this
Constitution for the United States of America.
Article I.
Section I. All legislative Powers
herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall
consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.
* * *
Amendment I
- 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.
The above sections of the Constitution of the
United States of America are transcribed directly from my “copy” of the
original constitution. Over the years I
have been a collector of items related to the history of the United States, and
purchased this copy, which is even printed on paper treated to look “authentic,
fifteen years ago. This was about the
time I felt compelled by God to take action in society in a way that is not
popular for a pastor to become involved.
Or at least it was not commonly accepted at that time.
I would like to point out that on the
original Constitution, the words “We the People” are, indeed, proportionately
larger than the entirety of the remainder of the document as I indicate
above. I believe there is significance
to that. It is “We the People” and not
“We the Government”. Just sayin’…
Today I continue to deal with an issue which
has come to the forefront of the news recently: Constitutional Authority and
Religious Freedom.
I received a response to my prior post from a
lawyer. He assures me that I am
misinformed as to lawyers not studying the Constitution. It truly does please me to hear this. And I appreciate this person bringing this to
my attention.
There is much being said in recent years
(decades, actually) regarding the secularized government that we are supposed
to have. By bringing this to the forefront
those promoting such a notion attempt to block what they perceive as
infiltration of religion into the public square. They quote founders who made statements
referring to the “wall of separation” between church and state. I mentioned in my previous posting that this
was so that there was no establishment of a ‘state-sponsored’ Church. This has been challenged for quite some time now,
and particularly within the past several decades.
James Madision has become known as the “Father
of the Constitution” because he was an arduous note taker, and scribed much of
the debate on the Constitution, as well as being a defender of the Constitution
as one of the writers of The Federalist Papers.
He has been highly quoted as saying that, “The Constitution of the United
States forbids everything like an establishment of a national religion”
(Detached Memoranda, 1820). This quote is
taken in his arguments against paid chaplains in the Government. It might be noted that his Detached Memoranda
was written, as was those anti-God writings of Thomas Paine, later in
life. Upon review of Madison’s life you
find what he was most greatly opposed to.
He was very vocal in his displeasure when seeing the punishment of
citizens within the varied states for their resistance to following religious
practices set into place by state law.
It was his belief that none should be subjected to punishment due to
their religious practice, or lack thereof.
Let’s take a moment and look at the original
Amendment presented to Congress which has become the First Amendment. James Madison presented his first draft to
the Congress in the 1st Congressional session June 8, 1789 after ratification
by the States of the Constitution which established the branches and
authorities of government. The portion
related to religious freedom read as follows:
…The civil rights of
none shall be abridged on account of religious belief or worship, nor shall any
national religion be established, nor shall the full and equal rights of
conscience be in any manner, or on any pretext infringed.
It is by this that we observe the original
intent of the Amendment. Before the
Supreme Court right now are cases related to businesses owned by those who hold
high religious values which brings them in direct opposition to aspects of the
Affordable Care Act. (I call it by its
legislative name, but it is known throughout the land as “ObamaCare”.) In the original wording we find that “the
civil rights of none shall be abridged on account of religious belief or
worship”. Truly, the rights of those
opposed to providing services which bring to an end the life of a human being
in its earliest stages of infancy are being infringed by a law which requires
them to do so against their religious beliefs at the threat of severe
fines. This is done in the name of “Rights”. The truth is that one of the “Rights” granted
to us by our Creator, according to the Declaration of Independence, is
LIFE. So, in relation to the First Amendment
“Rights” of the “free exercise” of religion without threat of punishment by adhering
to those “Rights”, the Supreme Court should find in favor of those whose
religious faith has driven them to defy such a law.
Also, the original wording expressly mentions
that there should be no “national religion” established. So many who quote Madison try to imply that
this was not the major emphasis of the Amendment, and yet that is exactly what
is directly mentioned in the original draft.
Yes, there was much debate on the Amendment, as well as the others
presented that day. I have not at this
point in time had the opportunity to read the entirety of the debate.
I have, however, taken the time to read a
large number of the letters, articles, speeches and noted debates within the
ranks of the Founding Fathers during the formation of this nation. Based on my observations, and the multitude
of words expressed within the annals of true history, it is no doubt that the
government was established, not as a Theocracy, but as a secular Republic which
was to be ruled under the influence of morality and ethics which come
from “religious”
practice.
The emphasis of those wishing to firmly state
that our government is to be purely secular is that those in the days of our
foundation could have established a Theocracy had they chosen to do so. And that statement is true. What they wished to avoid was the iron hand
of a Theocracy which operated under a Monarchy which told the average citizen
how they would worship God, or it would impose fines and worse.
I do not have the opportunity today to
complete the full expression of this effort; however, I will continue this into
a third part early next week.
When the Government of the United States of
America attempts to impose its lack of moral compass onto the entire country
through laws which support and promote the elimination of “unwanted pregnancy”
(the life of an unborn child), they directly violate the “Rights” of the
religious, and overstep their place in establishing a directive that goes
against the very Constitution they imply to support.
One by one the true “Rights” of the citizenry
are trampled while those supposing to be representative of “the People” press
their warped ideology onto the masses.
And many of those masses, uninformed and lured into being an electorate
enticed by what they can get from the Government, have no real idea of what
this nation is all about and how we were established. Instead, they blindly cast ballots with the
promise that they will, in turn, receive what is “due” them.
Meanwhile, the nation’s crime rate rises, the
unemployed abandon hope of finding a job, illegal activities are viewed as
legal, and morality is viewed as repressive.
Lifestyles detrimental to the natural flow of society are promoted, and
virtues valued for centuries come under attack.
II
Timothy 3:1-8
1 But know
this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men
will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving,
unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors,
headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a
form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of
this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible
women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,7 always learning and never
able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as
Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of
corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith...
One final note for today: If the Founding Fathers were so opposed to
Christian (“religious”) influence on their proceedings, why did George
Washington, as part of his inauguration (not just on the same day, but actually
part of the inaugural plan) take he and those members of Congress to church for
a time of prayer and worship? Why did he
later state in his final address:
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 to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections
with private and public felicity. 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? And
let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained
without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education
on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect
that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.
Both the Bible and President George Washington warned against the
same thing: supposed intelligence brought about by “refined education” (see
Proverbs 3:5-8). Why is America in the
place we find ourselves (II Timothy 3:1-8 above)? Because we have “left (our) first love”
(Revelation 2:4 - see also Revelation
3:14-22). It is time to return to the
original plan. It is time to set the
record straight.
Rex Louth
Author, God
Shed His Grace On Thee (2013) Westbow Press
No comments:
Post a Comment