Email: jerry.kelley428@gmail.com

 It is most unfortunate that many in the Church view political involvement as a means to dominate others with a particular social policy or favorite leader.   And no doubt the unfortunate acceptance of Kingdom-Dominion theology with some Christians adds to this confusion. The Temperance or Prohibition Movement, led by the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, which was politically successful in the short term, was not the real means to dry a nation from its alcoholic consumption. In contrast, most Christians today rightly believe that human efforts alone will never establish God’s kingdom on earth, nor is it the means to reform persons or save souls. Many also believe that God is in absolute full control. Now with these popular beliefs, why should Christians be involved in politics at all?

The once governor of Arkansas and minister, Michael Huckabee, gave evidence that these popular Christian beliefs renders most Christians ineffective in politics. His evidence is that, “Half of all American evangelical Christians are registered to vote and of those who are registered, half actually do vote.” If this is the case for voting, you can be sure even less volunteer or contribute toward a favorable proposition or candidate. Don’t be surprised. Everyone lives their personal truly held beliefs.

The short answer to why Christians should be involved in politics today is….

Christians should be involved in politics now for two main reasons, 1) To build safeguards for their own religious freedoms that are crumbling due to decades of their past political apathies. And 2) To counter the atheistic/agnostic/humanistic evangelism that is forced on all children, which is the majority of America’s children, without educational choice. It was Thomas Jefferson that connected these two reasons. “Can the liberties of a nation be secure, if we have removed a conviction that these liberties are a gift from God?” While God’s kingdom can never be established by human efforts, God’s people are mandated to establish godly principles on earth, not only in their private lives, but public communities as well. You will see in this paper that striving toward this godly goal yields God’s blessings. Apathy in these matters solicits His judgment. Holy Scriptures and history confirms all this.

The process of removing such godly convictions has been evident in our so-called “public” schools for decades. If our schools were truly public, then parents should have significant influence on what their children are taught. That once was, but no longer is. For details on how our government schools are indoctrinating in atheism and agnosticism see the free downloadable book: Sacred Rebellion, chapter 2 – The Class of the Secret Agenda, available from www.OurFault.org. Please understand that while some Christians have struggled in this contest at various levels, unfortunately, they have been ineffective for a variety of reasons, but this is another subject.

Now America’s children are the recipients of Solomon’s proverb, “The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him.” (Proverbs 18:17 NIV) because the public policy for this second voice (problems with macroevolution for example) has been removed via politics. And as a result of this, Paul’s description of souls caught in Satan’s traps (2 Timothy 2:26) is fulfilled for most of America’s children. Thus the socio-demographics shows the community of atheistic and agnostic faith is growing in each succeeding generation. This already has had significant detrimental ramifications for public policies and Christian evangelism. And it will get worse until the Church repents.

But let’s back up and carefully review the “God’s in control” belief as well.

Some support their flavor of God’s sovereignty with Daniel’s quote: “The Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.” (Daniel 4:25b NIV) One minister giving his “comforting” reasons to today’s political turmoil also gave his congregation reasons to simply overlook it all without even a prayer. There really wasn’t a need to even vote, since God decides it all anyway.

However, the Daniel reference needs to be balanced with Hosea’s Holy Spirit inspired message too. “They set up kings without my consent, they choose princes without my approval.” (Hosea 8:4 NIV) And a careful review shows rampant decadence in that northern Israel kingdom at that time. You can be sure God’s purposes were not implemented in public or private lives either.

How can these two verses go together without contradicting each other? Well, if people decide to go their own way in electing their leaders, God can easily give them a leader they will later regret. And that did happen in northern Israel. God’s still in control, but note something very carefully. The leader in this case is not God’s first choice. God does change His mind per people’s response. See Ezekiel 33:12-20 and Jonah 3:10. The other possibility is that Daniel 4:25 may not be so universal after all, but describes periods of time that God sometimes gets involved in choosing leaders to fulfill a particular purpose. In Daniel’s time God picked King Nebuchadnezzar to punish His disobedient people.

Jeremiah’s godly instructions were… “Also seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29:7 NIV)   With these instructions, could it be possible that Jeremiah would prompt Christians today to take an active roll in their God-given gifts of liberty and be involved politically for good public policies in their city too?

The minor prophet Amos most certainly would agree. “Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of host will be gracious unto the remnant Joseph.” (Amos 5:14-15 KJV)

The gate was the public place for determining public and legal policies. Amos prophesied to the wicked Northern Kingdom too. It’s strange how God’s people, that had forsaken His way and mistakenly thought God was still with them, had to also be prompted to be involved for the good of their public policies.

Today, the gay lobby exercises so much political power and media influence that sexual freedoms are beginning to be valued over religious freedoms. Christian businesses are beginning to be put under civil and legal pressures to comply or spend valuable resources in their legal defense. This is evident from bakers and florists to the Supreme Court contest with Hobby Lobby. Political attacks on churches, seen as avoiding taxation, are coming. Other issues will be raised again, such as public bathroom policies. Different from the popular Christian response, these people do not give up or simply go way when they lose. They will be back after they have elected more that think like themselves. All this matches the prophets’ connection between public policy involvement and blessings. Since the majority of Christians have vacated the public square in seeking the best public polices for the good of their cities, why shouldn’t we begin to suffer and not prosper?

In May 22, 1787, twelve British Christian businessmen began what was called “the most ambitious and brilliantly organized citizens’ movement of all time.” (Reference: Adam Hochschild’s Bury the Chains, Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire’s Slaves) The political techniques they designed are still used by activists today. What did they achieve? The removal of slavery without a war approximately thirty years before we did.

God does warn before he brings judgment. Thomas Jefferson’s warning approximately one hundred years before the Civil War could be counted as one such warning. Please note carefully the part that still applies for us today.

“God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever. Commerce between master and slave is despotism. Nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than that these people are to be free.”

Unfortunately, American Christians did not take seriously Jefferson’s referenced to “the book of fate” of God’s warnings referenced in Exodus 21:16, Amos 1:9-10, and 1 Timothy 1:9-10 on the slavery issue and do as our British Christians brothers did. And unfortunately, American Christianity for most Christians in the political arena, is still spiritually and godly-desired truncated.

It’s absolutely amazing how easily the “God’s in control” comes up when the subject pertains to opposing evil via political involvement. In contrast, these same individuals will sacrifice time and money to achieve any planned career, vacation, and retirement goals. But if asked to help oppose evil legislation or support favorable legislation, the “God’s in control” comes up again. Why don’t these same Christians simply trust God to make their career, vacation, and retirement dreams come true? Because they know at this level, there is a sowing and corresponding reaping. (Galatians 6:7) We are seriously inconsistent in the application of this law-like principle when it comes to political involvement.

Does Israel’s king David have something to say here? “Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will take a stand or me against evildoers?” (Psalms 94:16 NIV)

His son Solomon wrote: “Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.” (Proverbs 25:36 NIV)

Does any of this give a hint how God views political apathy?

How much is God in control? Is God the designer of evil events too? Unfortunately, there are some Christians who mistakenly believe this too. But of course God is not the designer of evil. Since God doesn’t tempt with evil, He doesn’t design it either. (James 1:13) God can work His glory despite the evil planned or implemented. The disciple John taught, “The whole world is under the control of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19b NIV) Now who’s in control?   We are all in a spiritual conflict. Yet we can still offer comfort to the hurting by knowing, no matter the evil implemented against another, God does deliver.

A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. (Psalms 34:19 NIV) This is how God ultimately is in control. He will make things right for the godly-obedient. (Matthew 7:21-23, 2 Peter 2:9, Hebrews 5:9) This includes being salt and light in the public square among other issues of Lordship.

And Christ taught us to pray for God’s kingdom to come and be established. (Matthew 6:9-10) Why should we pray at all if God’s will is an automatic implemented or God’s in absolutely total control anyway? The idea that God permits sin should never be understood that sin is of God’s design. This idea has been called the Divine Blueprint Plan and Christians should begin to see there are problems that can render us ineffective for Christ’s desire for us. The opposing theology is called the Spiritual Warfare View.   It was said of Jesus that he came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8) and Paul gave instructions on spiritual weapons to be used (Ephesians 6:13-18). Are we really making Christ the Lord of all Life and are serious in opposing evil? People often ask, “How can God permit evil?” Well, the same question must be asked, “How can God’s people permit evil?” An excellent resource is Is God To Blame? by Gregory A. Boyd.

However, the major public policy mistake by us has been in the area of public education. For decades the godless have dominated public education with atheistic and agnostic philosophies. This has resulted in an increased challenging environment for Christian evangelism as well as other social issues Christians are becoming concerned with. American education once was so welcoming of Bible teachings that it had the format of a Sunday school class. As a result the general public held Christianity in respect. That day is now gone. That early American form of education also contributed to the seeds for evangelism. The Apologist Ravi Zacharias has stated that we are now at a time when Christians must give the evidence for God before they can present the Gospel.

The children of this world have been very successful with their evangelism of humanism on American children while most American Christians have been silent and absent in removing these children from this satanic domination in education. This takeover in education has caused the major shifts in public attitudes toward Christians. Because of this shift in public attitudes future public polices that will become increasingly unchristian.

For the Children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. Jesus the Christ (Luke 16:8b KJV)

John W. Whitehead, president of the Rutherford Institute and author of The Stealing of America, also projects our future. “If the church fails to have a significant witness in public education, where most of the next generation will be trained, then the next generation will inevitably be more hostile to Christianity than this generation. That could spell disaster.”

Dr. Francis Schaeffer said, “Christians have mistakenly seen the evils of our society (abortion, euthanasia, pornography, breakdown of the family, drugs, gang violence, etc.) as isolated bits and pieces and have failed to see these social ills are in reality all connected as a natural outcome of a humanistic worldview.”

Schaeffer went on to explain our future:  “We face a worldview which would have never given us our freedoms, forced upon us by the courts and the government by men holding this other worldview.  … This other view is totally intolerant.  I do not think we are going to get another opportunity if we do not take it now in this country.  If the Christians specifically and others who love liberty, but specifically the Christians, do not do something about it now, I don’t believe your grandchildren are going to get a chance.”

In 1982 Dr. Schaeffer asked some important questions:  “Where have the Bible believing Christians been in the last forty years?! …This country is close to being lost, not first of all because of a humanists’ conspiracy.  I believe there are those who conspire, but that is not the reason this country is almost lost.  …This country is almost lost … because the Bible believing Christians in the last forty years, who have said that they know that the final reality is this infinite personal God, who is the creator, … they said they have known it, and they have done nothing about it as the consensus has changed!  There has been a vast silence.”

It was said of Paul that he argued persuasively (Acts 19:8) and of Apollos that he “vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.” (Acts 18:28s NIV)

A school choice policy could free many children from humanistic indoctrination.

Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards our life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done? (Proverbs 24:10-12 NIV)

Christians especially should be involved in politics because everyone should have the choice to elect their educational choices without unrestrained coercion in the atheistic / agnostic state education. With true educational choice, many un-churched families will elect a Christian education for their children if we provide an attractive alternative to government schools. In some places families want out now.

Why is there no missionary mindset among most Christians for this opportunity? We now have unreached groups living among us. If this is ever to become a spiritual burden in evangelicals’ hearts, minds, and souls, then there must be much greater emphasis and proper teaching to clear up many of our questions and misunderstandings by our ministers and Sunday school teachers.

My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children. Hosea 4:6 (NIV) 715-710 B.C.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

“Cambridge historians would tell you, who aren’t Christians, that if it wasn’t for the Wesleyan revival and the social change that Wesley’s revival had brought, that England would have had its own form of the French Revolution.” Francis Schaeffer

What will future historians say of American Christian social/political involvement? That we continued to ignore the warnings, just as we did of Thomas Jefferson’s warning on slavery, and now we are losing our liberties?

If we are to pray for revival, do we even know what to repent from?

References: www.OurFault.org

• Education Myths, What Special-Interest Groups want you to believe about our schools and why it isn’t so by Jay Greene
• Inside America Education, The Decline, the Deception, the Dogmas by Thomas Sowell
• Mind Siege, The Battle for Truth in the New Millennium by Tim LaHaye & David Noebel
• Clergy in the Classroom, The Religion of Secular Humanism by David A Noebel
  & J.F. Baldwin & Kevin Bywater
• Get Out Now, Why You Should Pull Your Child from Public Schools Before It’s
  Too Late, by Mary Rice Hasson & Theresa Farnan
  

 In at least one German town the railroad tracks ran behind the church. An eyewitness stated:

We heard stories of what was happening to the Jews, but we tried to distance ourselves from it, because we felt, what could anyone do to stop it?

Each Sunday Morning, we would hear the train whistle blowing in the distance, then the wheels coming over the tracks. We became disturbed when we heard cries coming from the train as it passed by. We realized that it was carrying Jews like cattle in the cars!

Week after week the whistle would blow. We dreaded to hear the sounds of those wheels because we knew that we would hear the cries of the Jews en route to a death camp. Their screams tormented us.

We knew the time the train was coming and when we heard the whistle blow we began singing hymns. By the time the train came past our church, we were singing at the top of our voices. If we heard the screams, we sang more loudly and soon we heard them no more.

Years have passed and no one talks about it now, but I still hear that train whistle in my sleep.   (Reference: When a Nation Forgets God by Erwin W Lutzer)

When 12 Christian British businessmen¹ took the Holy-Spirit-directed prophet Amos’ passion to establish justice in their public square² and end slavery, they pioneered methods used by political advocacy groups today – including boycotts, political book tours, direct mail fundraising, newsletters, petitions, campaign posters and buttons, and the concept of setting up national organizations with local branches around the country. Their political struggle for decades resulted in the emancipation for all British slaves in 1838, 27 years before our civil war. Why did we not learn from the British Christians? Were American Christians just singing “God was in control,³ and this means He has already determined the outcomes.”? There is nothing we can do!!!”

When we sing, we desire to worship Christ. Shouldn’t worship involve an intense desire to be like the one worshipped, including all of Christ’s passion? How do we compare?

But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Matthew 18:6 (NIV)

We could establish justice in our public places, so that many more children could attend Christian schools, via a variety of school choice proposals, if only Christians saw this as much more than “schemes of men” in politics. Unfortunately, as we sing, our youth are becoming more atheistic and agnostic.

How do we compare to Christ’s passionate response to children held as slaves in atheistic / agnostic indoctrination institutions? Does Proverbs 18:17 apply⁴? Why do Christians permit taxpayer evangelism of humanism while children and parents cry⁵ for freedom in educational choices. Do our present apathies model earlier Christian apathies on slavery?

Are we just singing?

Question: Why shouldn’t our religious liberties come under more attack and be increasingly restricted, if we remain apathetic to reasons youth are adopting anti-Christian sentiments, that will eventually be expressed in cultural, social, and public policy evils?

FACT: Most private schools’ tuition is half what taxpayers spend for each child in government schools. Every child could go to a private school now and save taxpayers’ money. The organized, well-funded, and politically driven National Education Association drives public school expenses and scares the voting public on real school choice.

Suggestion: Please see www.OurFault.org for resources to counter the increasing Godlessness for our time.

Notes:

1) See Adam Hochschild’s Bury the Chains: Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire’s Slaves
2) “Gate” was Amos’ public square. See Amos 5:15
3) An excellent response is Gregory Boyd’s book: Is God to Blame? Beyond Pat Answers To The Problem of Suffering
4) The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him. Proverbs 18:17 (NIV)
5) Bob Bowdon’s documentary The Cartel, shows children and parents crying.  Available via Amazon

Raising unanswered questions, offering alternative scientific interpretations, and the exposing of censored views should always be invited.  Science professors and science public schoolteachers have lost their jobs for doing this. (See Ben Stein’s Expelled, no Intelligence Allowed.) The movie Is Genesis History? may have struck a sensitive public nerve.  It will be showed again on Thursday, March 2 and Tuesday, March 7, 2017.  Go to IsGenesisHistory.com to find a theater near you.

Unfortunately, this documentary’s implied narrative, that the universe is not millions of years old, could cause unnecessary conflict in our origins debate.  The end result – the rejection of the main narrative these producers skillfully designed – that God was involved.   A careful historical review of the Creation/Evolution conflict shows mistakes made on both sides of this debate with the unfortunate results – polarized alliances that exist to this day.

As an example let’s look at just the first two verses in Genesis.  1: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”  2: “And the earth was without form, and void: and darkness was upon the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”  (KJV)

Question – Does this describe all of God’s creative acts of Day One or does this describe the initial conditions for Day One?  In other words…How long was the earth without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep after heaven was created and just before the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters?

A biblical literalist could honestly say, no one knows and this implies that a biblical literalist could easily accept the universe and earth be millions of years old.

Big Bang cosmology is another point of confusion and unnecessary rejection by some traditional believers and seemingly again because of the time issue.  Hubble’s Law – that the outermost galaxies are accelerating away from us and the farther out one goes the faster the velocity, strongly implies the universe is expanding.   Isaiah, 700 years before Christ, seems to have been inspired first to reveal this to us.   He writes, “He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.” Isaiah 40:22b (NIV)  No one else seems to have had the idea about the heavens stretching and spreading out until it was scientifically discovered early in the 20th century.  The agnostic astronomer, Robert Jastrow in his God and the Astronomers, confessed that the atheistic scientists rejected this because it implied that the universe had a beginning and a beginner – God.  So why did this documentary prompt us to listen to the atheistic scientists that are rejecting Big Bang cosmology now?

This documentary just begins this discussion and should prompt us to carefully revisit our origins stories.  It does all this by offering some very interesting geology and paleontology evidences that strongly implies Genesis is true history.

Since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.   For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Taken from the apostle Paul’s opening letter to the Romans (Romans 1:19, 20 – NIV), many Christians think Paul teaches the following themes:

1)   God has already revealed himself to everyone.
2)   The rejection of God is solely a heart (will) process and not a mind-problem issue.

The final result is the death of Christian apologetics as a meaningful ministry in the minds of many Christians.   Now really – why should anyone ever attempt to give evidence for God if God has already showed himself to everyone?  And if the rejection of God does not involve the mind – why should anyone even attempt to answer the critic if the real gatekeeper to belief is the heart and not the mind?

These are real questions and reasons why many Christians are not involved with apologetics, despite the fact Paul’s ministry is full of examples that he stood for the defense of the gospel (Phil 1:17; Acts 17:1-4).   Yet even with Paul’s example to the Greek intellectuals on Mars Hill (Acts 17:16-34), some ministers have been so publically bold to claim that Paul wasted his time there.  But did he?  Since Paul was Holy-Spirit inspired to write most of the New Testament and be led by the Spirit in his missionary journeys (Acts 16:9), could he had been so mistaken in Athens?  There was a church started there after his Athens discourse (Acts 17:32-34).  Some did come to faith from Paul’s intellectual arguments.

If Satan used scriptures to tempt Christ (Matt 4:6), could he also use scriptures to confuse followers of Christ today?  Satan is the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33).  Now before I proceed with a commentary I have never read or heard from a Christian pulpit, let me emphasize that many Christians believe that Romans 1:19 and 20 accurately describe our world today and simultaneously deny the applicability of other scriptures involving the works of the Holy Spirit for our time.  Why not consider flipping this?  Could not the Holy Spirit be just as active today as He was in Acts, while instead Romans 1:19 and 20 may not completely and accurately describe our present situation?  Could it be possible that from the creation of the world up to Paul’s time and following for two thousand years Romans 1:19 and 20 was absolutely true, but is not exactly today?  This does not imply that God’s Word is now faulty and no longer true today.  It does suggest that something about us has changed that Romans 1:19 and 20 does not accurately describe.  Let us now investigate what that could be.

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Dear Mrs. Parshall,

I caught a little of your program involving the “Rising Tide of Hostility” against Christianity and Christians on Friday while driving home from work. While this is troubling enough, the response from one Christian, that called your program, makes the situation worse because it expresses the typical evangelical response and explains not only why we are losing influence in our culture and political systems, but why we struggle with Christian evangelism without results. His supposedly comforting thesis… “God’s in control.”   The anti-Christian hostilities should drive us to our knees. It did the early Church. However, the “God’s in control” response says that whatever will be, will be, so why should we pray for God’s will to be on Earth as it is in Heaven? Too many mistakenly think, despite how bad it is, that God’s will is being implemented anyway. We don’t say anything like this when it comes to our career or business building, financial or vacation planning. We give this our full attention and dedication despite any resistance or sacrifice it may involve. Why don’t we say, “God’s in control” for these life-issues as well and let God do all our responsibilities to make these happen for us too?

Anti-Christian hostility is simply the reaping what we have sowed – specifically and primarily because of a godless public education policy most Christians have ignored. When are we going to see our own sins here? Like many of our “Christian” forefathers that had no sensitivities against the once public policy of slavery, we fail to have the passion of Christ against anyone that causes a child to reject him. (Jesus said to give him a millstone necktie along with his swimsuit. (Matthew 18:6, Mark 9:42, Luke 17:2) Do we realize that Jesus’ passionate advice ends with the same results as that of a firing squid – death? So what would the modern translation be for us today? Would Jesus really invite the NEA to a special swimming party or recommend they be shot?  The real questions are: How much do we want to be like Christ again? And do we really share His passion of evil influence on children?) Unfortunately, our schools are evangelizing children in humanism by the classrooms while we focus on “one heart at a time,” but in reality pursue our own careers and personal responsibilities.  If Christians everywhere would become as passionate for school choice as most humanists are against it, we could see a rebirth of traditional belief in this country.   Real school choice means that all parents could send their child to any school – public or private.

If the scientific evidence of Intelligent Design convinced the famous British atheist Antony Flew to believe in God, it will cause children as well. The humanists know this. Many evangelicals don’t and are as ignorant about the spirituality of school choice as many of our forefathers where on the spirituality surrounding the public policy of slavery.  (See “Menstealers in 1 Timothy 1:10 KFV)  Without this the secularist, atheist, and agnostic will continue to impose their religion on the children in this country without any choice. Consequently, we are seeing exactly what Abraham Lincoln said would happen… The philosophy in the classroom in one generation will become the philosophy in Government in the next. Why shouldn’t we reap the evil results if we don’t have the passion of Christ?

And Whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone where hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. Jesus the Christ in Mark 9:42

Without a proper view of God, and His passion we cannot even begin to solve our social, political, and economical problems and things will get worse. Before we can repent (2 Chronicles 7:14), we need to know that it is our fault first. Until we repent our evangelism will never be as effective as it could.

Please help spread the word about… www.ourfault.org.

Thank you, and God Bless your program – In the Market with Janet Parshall!

And why are the changes in America happening that we are witnessing?

The first step is to understand secularism’s effect on society from the warnings of leading secularists.

“There is no significant example in history, before our time, of a society successfully maintaining moral life without the aid of religion. Moreover, we shall find it no easy task to mold a natural ethic strong enough to maintain moral restraint and social order without the support of supernatural consolations, hopes, and fears.”  Will and Ariel Durant both received the 1976 Humanist Pioneer Award for their work, The Story of Civilization.

“Morality [is] the great antidote against practical and theoretical nihilism.”  Friedrich Nietzsche – the originator of the phrase, “God is dead.”

“We know of no society anywhere that has managed to build a culture devoid of religion. No society has yet been successful in teaching morality without religion… for morality cannot be created.”  Guenter Lewy –  a secular humanist social scientist.

We’ve had our warnings from our nation’s Founding Fathers as well.  “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… 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.” (Excerpts from George Washington’s Farewell Address, September 19, 1796 Source: America’s God and Country, pg. 661, by William J. Federer)

Our Founding Fathers knew this principle well and had the Northwest Ordinance, Article III include: “Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.”

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Bill,

Please don’t refer to atheists as nonbelievers. They are believers in the nontraditional religion(1) of atheism and many are angry their religion does not have the cultural momentum that tradition religion has. Thank you for reminding us that this is changing.  They are gaining secular converts among our youth, as your random survey shows the youth favoring of “Holiday Tree” over the “Christmas Tree.” What will their next secular evangelism attack?

Jerry Kelley
Colorado Springs, CO

Note 1: Our Founding Fathers used the word “religion” both to denote a denomination (See Constitution, First Amendment) and a philosophy (Northwest Ordinance, Article III). This means that our Founding Fathers wanted Christian principles/philosophy in government, but not the favoring of any denomination by Congress.  Atheists rightly understand that someone’s philosophy will be favored by the government.  We are seeing their secular transformation in government and society today. We need to be honest and admit that Christianity has been our nation’s history and that a religious philosophy of some type will always be in government.  There are no philosophical vacuums.  We need to educate Americans before the “progressives” completely reprogram us all.

Northwest Ordinance, Article III

Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.

Do Americans remember what religion (philosophy) our Founding Fathers favored?

Unfortunately, the secularists have programmed Americans to think that the Constitution’s First Amendment refers to the elimination of governmental or public expression of any traditional belief.  The phrase “Separation of Church and State” is used to promote such error.  This phrase is not in our Constitution, nor is the modern day secular interpretation.  In light of the Northwest Ordinance, Article III and any unbiased review of our history, is it clear that this is a serious mistake.   Our Constitution’s Framers wanted to prohibit the government favoring a religious denomination not the Christian philosophy.  They knew it was hopeless to inspire youth in moral teaching without the Christian God as the foundation.

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.

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.

Excerpts from George Washington’s Farewell Address, September 19, 1796  Source: America’s God and Country, pg. 661, by William J. Federer

Note 2: The First Amendment only prohibits Congress.  Yet even with this, the Senate has a paid chaplain to this day because of Benjamin Franklin.   The Constitutional Convention was about to breakup and Franklin suggested that prayers be offered each day before each session began.  Why may the senators pray, but the children are prohibited?