One Nation; Under God!

To round off the 4th of July weekend, I would like to mention a television program I caught this morning that had former-speaker-of-the-house Newt Gingrinch speaking on the topic of God in our government. He was addressing a congregation in a southern church.

Commenting our current culture has turned so hostile towards any mention of God in a government or public setting, fiercely trying to advance an absolute concept of separation of church and state (really just trying to discard God from our society), Gingrinch brought to the audience’s attention this was never the intent of out Founding Fathers:

1) For centuries the Supreme Court has begun its day with a prayer, ""God save the United States and this honorable court." Why didn’t any justice with lifetime job security object to this if there was to be a clear separation of church and state?

2) The Washington Monument has Laus Deo (Praise be God) carved into it eastern side to meet the sunrise each day. Countless monuments in D.C. have references to God. No separation here.

3) Gingrinch mentioned when Jefferson wrote his famous letter to the Danbury Baptist church where he coined the phrase, "Separation of Church and State," this was intended to keep the government out of establishing/funding a specific religion, it was never meant to say God should be kept out of government. In fact, Gingrinch cites that two days after Jefferson penned this letter, he attended weekly church service that was held in the U.S. Capitol building. These services on government property were common in our country prior to the Civil War. Clearly Jefferson would be critical of this arrangement if he believe in the absolute of this concept.

4) One of Jefferson’s famous phrases has him defending liberty against tyranny by having "sworn upon the altar of God." This quote is displayed in the Jefferson Memorial in D.C. He was taking a Divine oath for what extreme secularists would have you believe is just a secular commitment???? He could have sworn on his life or his honor if God had no place in public service.

Gingrinch had one more comment very worth mentioning. He said as God is slowly removed from a government it is moved closer and closer towards totalitarism. He supported this view by saying the most totalitaristic governments in the history of the world eradicated God from their culture and government. The Nazi’s (12 Million killed), Stalin’s Russia (20M), Mai Tse-Tung’s China (50M) etc… Having God as the basis and present in your government solidifies a lasting Democracy. Please reference my Unalienable Rights post. It was a very valid point.