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Celebrating First Amendment Rights

is celebrated in America each year on January 16 — the date of the 1786 passage of Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom. That measure ended the state-established church in Virginia and for the first time placed all denominations on the same legal footing. That act fully protected the right of religious conscience — one of the first rights protected in America. As John Quincy Adams affirmed, “The transcendent and overruling principle of the first settlers of New England was conscience.”

When America became an independent nation, the first state constitutions similarly protected the rights of religious conscience, such as that of North Carolina:

That all men have a natural and unalienable right to worship Almighty God, according to the dictates of their own conscience.

The rights of religious conscience were then enshrined at the federal level in the First Amendment of the Constitution. As Thomas Jefferson affirmed multiple times:

No provision in our Constitution ought to be dearer to man than that which protects the rights of conscience.

[O]ur rulers can have no authority over such natural rights, only as we have submitted to them. The rights of conscience we never submitted.

[I]t is inconsistent with the spirit of our laws and Constitution to force tender consciences.

Also celebrated today is the birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. This pastor practiced many First Amendment rights, including not only that of free-exercise of religion but also assembly, petition, and speech. Dr. King’s use of non-violent protests during the Civil Rights movement caused him to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.

Let’s celebrate the First Amendment — and heroes such as Dr. King who championed its rights. Currently, only 1 in 1,000 Americans can name the five rights in the First Amendment (religion, or conscience; press; speech; assembly; and petition), and 33% can’t name even one of them. So be different! Take the time to memorize these five important rights.

Celebrate Columbus Day!

Traditionally observed on the second Monday in October, Columbus Day commemorates the landing of Columbus in the “New World” (on a small island off Florida) on October 12, 1492.

Although Christopher Columbus clearly was not the first European to visit the “New World” (Vikings had traveled here centuries earlier), he first widely publicized, and thus “discovered,” its existence to the Europeans. Columbus undertook his first voyage facing the prospect of great danger. The professional opinion of that day not only assured him of the impossibility of his proposed endeavor, but it also warned him that dragons and death awaited him beyond the charted waters. With such advice coming from the intellectual leaders of his day, his decision to embark on this unprecedented journey must have been difficult. So, then, why did he set out? Columbus himself answered that question in his own writings:

[O]ur Lord opened to my understanding (I could sense His hand upon me) so it became clear to me that it [the voyage] was feasible. . . . All those who heard about my enterprise rejected it with laughter, scoffing at me. . . . Who doubts that this illumination was from the Holy Spirit? I attest that He [the Holy Spirit], with marvelous rays of light, consoled me through the holy and sacred Scriptures . . . they inflame me with a sense of great urgency. . . . No one should be afraid to take on any enterprise in the name of our Savior if it is right and if the purpose is purely for His holy service. . . . And I say that the sign which convinces me that our Lord is hastening the end of the world is the preaching of the Gospel recently in so many lands.¹

Interestingly, in the 1892 Supreme Court decision Church of the Holy Trinity v. U. S., the Court unanimously affirmed that America was indeed a Christian nation. In so doing, it cited dozens of precedents from American history, including that of Christopher Columbus, acknowledging:

From the discovery of this continent to the present hour, there is a single voice making this affirmation [that America is a Christian nation]. The commission to Christopher Columbus . . . [recited] that “it is hoped that by God’s assistance some of the continents and islands in the ocean will be discovered,” etc.²

It is especially because of Columbus’ religious motivations and convictions that today he has become a villain for most modern educators and writers, who regularly attack and condemn him. They have adopted the deplorable modern educational practice of deconstructionism – of attacking traditional Western heroes, values, and institutions.³

But if you want an historically accurate portrayal of Columbus and early other explorers, consult Dr. John Eidsmoe’s book, Columbus & Cortez, Conquerors for Christ.

Endnotes

¹ Christopher Columbus, “Letter from the Admiral to the King and Queen,” Christopher Columbus’s Book of Prophecies, trans. Kay Brigham (Fort Lauderdale: CLIE Publishers, 1992), 178-179.
² Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States, 143 U.S. 457, 465 (1892).
³ David Barton, “Deconstructionism and the Left,” WallBuilders.

World Trade Center Cross

While Christians are regularly accused by secularists and atheists of being intolerant and coercive, often it is exactly the opposite. This has been demonstrated again this past week.

Most Americans are aware of the remarkable 9/11 World Trade Center Cross that has been on display since the collapse of the Twin Towers following the fateful terrorist attacks. After its discovery among the rubble, that cross became an instant symbol of hope and optimism for first responders, families of the victims, and America at large. That cross has been on temporary display at Ground Zero since recovery efforts began almost a decade ago. But now that the famous cross is being moved to its permanent home inside the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, a lawsuit has been filed against the cross by the American Atheist Association.

Ironically, Dave Silverman, head of the atheist organization who filed the suit, claims the object of their suit is really only “some rubble that represents a cross.” He called it “truly ridiculous” that such a random pile of steel should “become a Christian icon.”

Dave! If it is only a random pile of rubble, then why file suit? After all, every day across America, as loggers cut down trees, the trunks randomly fall across each other to form crosses; so why not sue the loggers? And everywhere an oilfield crew drops a load of pipe for a new well, the joints of pipe randomly roll across each other to form various crosses; so why not sue the drillers? Apparently Silverman and the American Atheists must not really believe that the 9/11 cross is so random. In fact, why do they insist on getting so wrought up over something and Someone they claim doesn’t even exist?!

Somehow, so many atheists and secularists just can’t seem to allow people of faith to enjoy their constitutionally-guaranteed “free exercise of religion” in public; instead, they are consistently and aggressively intolerant of Christian faith and they want to coerce citizens not to publicly express their faith. Romans 2:20-21 talks about how often someone is actually guilty of that which they accuse others – and atheists and secularists certainly seem to be the intolerant and coercive ones, rather than the Christians they accuse.

Strikingly, there is an official symbol and logo for atheism, yet there is no flurry of lawsuits filed by Christians to keep atheists from expressing their beliefs or their symbols. But there are plenty the other way, including the ongoing and the recent lawsuits against the Mojave Desert War Memorial Cross to honor those who fell in WWI, the Mt. Soledad Memorial Cross to honor those who fell in the Korean War, the crosses erected to honor fallen State Troopers in Utah, the Bald Knob Cross of Peace, the Anderson County Cross erected by a pastor on his own property, the Prayer Garden Cross erected by a private organization, the city seals of Los Angeles, Redlands, Wauwatosa, Zion, Edmond, and many similar cases.

Crosses have always been an important part of the public culture and landscape in America. After all, inside the Rotunda of the Capitol is the massive painting of Christopher Columbus landing in the New World with the cross in tow, the Cape Henry Cross commemorating the cross erected when the first settlers landed in Virginia, the St. Clements Island Cross commemorating the cross erected when the first settlers landed in Maryland, the Peace Cross of St. George’s County in Maryland, the large cross engraved in stone outside the U. S. Federal Courthouse in Washington, D. C., the crosses engraved in the Memorial Stones inside the Washington Monument, and many others.

Atheists and secularists seem determined to continue their intolerance of faith and their efforts to coerce others into secularism. The good news is that because of the religious and strongly Christian nature of the American people for the past four centuries, they will have no shortage of high-visibility targets to pursue – such as the World Trade Center Memorial Cross in New York City!

God bless!

* This article concerns a historical issue and may not have updated information.

The Response: An Historic Event

Office of the Governor*

In 2011, over 32,000 from across the nation gathered at Reliant Stadium in Houston at the request of Texas Governor Rick Perry for a day of fasting, repentance, and prayer for America. Protestors ringed the outside of the event, which is a potent commentary on the condition of the culture today that so many object to Americans voluntary gathering for prayer.

Media coverage prior to the event was largely negative, with many articles happily providing critics a free platform from which to spew their hate. Particularly preposterous were the historical arguments leveled against the event.

For example, in the Houston Chronicle, so-called “First Amendment scholar” David Furlow claimed that “the Founding Fathers wouldn’t have been fans of Gov. Rick Perry’s official involvement with a Christian day of prayer.” ¹ To prove his point, he asserted:

Thomas Jefferson famously coined the phrase ‘wall of separation between Church & State’ when describing the First Amendment to Baptists who asked if the president would dare ‘govern the Kingdom of Christ’.

First, Jefferson did not coin the phrase. It was introduced in the 1500s by leading clergy in England who objected to the government taking control over religious doctrines and punishing religious activities and expressions. In America, many famous early ministers also used the phrase – all well over a century before Jefferson did.

Second, nowhere in the letter from the Baptists to Jefferson or in his reply to them² was it ever questioned whether “the president would dare ‘govern the Kingdom of Christ’.” To the contrary, the Danbury Baptists, Jefferson’s ardent supporters during the presidential election, consoled him by telling him that the vicious attacks against him by his political enemies in New England had been because he had properly and vigorously refused to “assume the prerogatives of Jehovah and make laws to govern the kingdom of Christ.” Jefferson’s reply letter simply reassured the Baptists that the government would definitely not prohibit, inhibit, limit, or regulate religious expressions – exactly the opposite of what Furlow claimed.

Third, on multiple occasions, Jefferson called his state to Christian prayer and worship. In 1774, he called for a day of fasting and prayer, ³ which included that all the legislators “proceed with the Speaker and the Mace to the Church” to hear prayers and a sermon. ⁴ He also urged his home community around Charlottesville to arrange a special day of fasting, prayer, and worship. ⁵

In 1779, Jefferson again called his state to prayer, asking the people to give thanks for “the glorious light of the Gospel, whereby through the merits of our gracious Redeemer we may become the heirs of His eternal glory.” ⁶ He further asked Virginians to pray that . . .

He would . . . pour out His Holy Spirit on all ministers on the Gospel – that He would bless and prosper the means of education and spread the light of Christian knowledge through the remotest corners of the earth. ⁷

Rick Perry did nothing more than what Thomas Jefferson did – a fact that Furlow ignores. Furlow further claims:

“The 1797 Treaty of Tripoli . . . said ‘the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion’.”

Furlow has lifted 19 words out of an 83 word sentence, thus making it say exactly the opposite of what it actually does say.

That 1797 treaty was one of several that America negotiated with Muslim nations during America’s first War on Islamic Terror (1784-1816), ⁸ in which five Muslim countries were indiscriminately attacking the property and interests of what they called the “Christian” nations, including America. But America sought to ensure the Muslims that we were not like the ancient European Christian nations – that did not hate Muslims because of their religious faith. Thus, the full sentence in that treaty states:

As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen [Muslims] . . . ⁹

That is, we were not one of the Christian nations that held an inherent hostility toward Muslims. (See our full article on the 1797 Treaty of Tripoli and America’s first War on Terror.) Furthermore, in 1805 under Jefferson, that treaty was renegotiated and the clause stating that “. . . the United States is in no sense founded on the Christian religion . . .” was deleted. ¹⁰

Finally, Furlow complained that “the day of prayer [was] announced on the state website and the official invitation printed on Perry’s gubernatorial stationery.” But by 1815, some 1,400 official calls to prayer had already been issued by government leaders, ¹¹ each printed and distributed at government expense – the Founders’ equivalent of using the “state website” and “gubernatorial stationery.”

In conclusion, despite what critics claim, history is clear that Rick Perry did exactly what the Founding Fathers themselves had done – on hundreds of occasions.

*Picture of Governor Perry is courtesy of the Office of the Governor. Permission to reproduce from this website for noncommercial purposes is freely granted. This permission statement must be included in any noncommercial reproduction.

¹ Kate Shellnutt, “Lawyer: Perry’s plans raise First Amendment, church-state issues,” The Houston Chronicle, July 27, 2011.

² Thomas Jefferson, The Works of Thomas Jefferson, Paul Ford, editor (New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1904), II:42, “Notice of Fast to the Inhabitants of the Parish of Saint Anne,” June 1774.

³ “Letters Between the Danbury Baptists and Thomas Jefferson,” WallBuilders, 1801, https://wallbuilders.com/resource/letters-between-the-danbury-baptists-and-thomas-jefferson/.

⁴ Thomas Jefferson, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Julian P. Boyd, editor (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1950), 1:105-106, “Resolution of the House of Burgesses Designating a Day of Fasting and Prayer,” May 24, 1774.

⁵ Thomas Jefferson, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Julian P. Boyd, editor (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1950), 1:116, to the Inhabitants of the Parish of St. Anne before July 23, 1774.

⁶ Thomas Jefferson, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Julian P. Boyd, editor (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1951), 3:178, “Proclamation Appointing a Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer,” November 11, 1779.

⁷ Thomas Jefferson, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Julian P.Boyd, editor (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1951), 3:178, “Proclamation Appointing a Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer,” November 11, 1779.

⁸ See, for example, the 1787 treaty with Morocco; the 1795, 1815, and 1816 treaties with Algiers; the 1796 and 1805 treaties with Tripoli; and the 1797 treaty with Tunis. The American Diplomatic Code, Embracing A Collection of Treaties and Conventions Between the United States and Foreign Powers from 1778 to 1834, Jonathan Elliot, editor (New York: Burt Franklin, 1970; originally printed 1834), I:473-514.

⁹ Acts Passed at the First Session of the Fifth Congress of the United States of America (Philadelphia: William Ross, 1797), 43-44.

¹⁰ The American Diplomatic Code, Embracing a Collection of Treaties and Conventions Between the United States and Foreign Powers: From 1778 to 1834. With an Abstract of Important Judicial Decisions, On Points Connected with Our Foreign Relations, Jonathan Elliot, editor (Washington, D. C.: Jonathan Elliot, 1834), I:499, Art. 11, “Treaty of Peace and Friendship Between the United States of America and the Bey and Subjects of Tripoli of Barbary,” November 4, 1796, signed January 4, 1797

¹¹ Deloss Love, The Fast and Thanksgiving Days of New England (Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company 1895), 464-514, “Fast and Thanksgiving Days Calendar.”

* This article concerns a historical issue and may not have updated information.

Congressional Prayer Caucus

One of the unique and overlooked parts of our national capitol is the Congressional Prayer Room. This room was opened in 1954, the same year in which Congress added the phrase “under God” to the pledge of allegiance. In front of the chapel is an inspired stained-glass window portraying George Washington kneeling in prayer. Around the widow is the scripture Psalm 16:1 declaring, “Preserve me, O God, for in Thee do I put my trust.” This verse remains an inspiration to Congressional leaders today.

Most citizens are unaware that every week Congress is in session, as votes begin, dozens of congressional Members meet in Room 219 of the Capitol (directly across from the House Chamber) to join together in extended prayer for the country. In 2005, a small group of members of the U.S. House of Representatives gathered to begin praying for our nation to return to its Judeo-Christian principles. Today, these meetings have grown to include more then 50 members who still meet to pray about important Congressional issues. The Prayer Caucus has been bold in defending religious liberties and public religious expressions, including at the Washington Monument, the Capitol Visitor Center, veterans’ funeral ceremonies, and many other areas where officials had ordered the removal of public acknowledgments of God. With the many attacks on our Godly Congressmen and women it is important to recognize these Godly leaders who boldly stand for truth on the front lines.

There are a number of ways you can support this important group!

Prayer

God commands us in Scripture to pray for those in authority over us. I Timothy 2:1-2 states, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority.”

The Prayer Caucus invites Americans across the nations to join them in prayer. A list of Prayer Caucus members is available so you may pray for each member specifically.

Connect

Sign up for The Prayer Caucus’ Newsletter. You can also follow them on social network sites, such as X and Facebook, to stay informed about upcoming issues facing our nation and how you can be a part of this movement!

Spread the Word

As an individual you have the most influence on your friends and family! You are in a position to have a real impact on the course our country takes, so exercise your voice and share with your loved ones about those standing for righteousness on the national level!

Because we live in a world that is quick to focus on the negative, we are often unaware of the many positive movements in our nation and begin to disparage. Let’s take this opportunity to celebrate some of the many good things our leaders are doing and actively join them in our fight to promote and preserve America’s Judeo-Christian principles!

God Bless!

Vindicating American Exceptionalism

America has a wonderful spiritual and constitutional legacy. It is no surprise that Secularists, Atheists, Leftists, and Liberals have relentlessly attacked every aspect of that heritage. They must sever citizens from a knowledge of their true history if they are to succeed in moving the country in a new direction.

Such attacks are to be expected, but what is surprising that some who would be described as conservative Christians have now joined with them and become leaders in the attack on America’s rich Christian heritage. They are trying to convince Christians not only that America does not have a Biblical foundation but specifically that the Founding Fathers were largely pagans who represented the spirit of the Anti-Christ. They further assert that Christians should not be involved in the political arena or similar areas of culture.

The DVDs by these Christians impugning America’s foundations have recently received wide distribution in some church circles thus created much confusion among many sincere believers who have respectfully asked us to help them sort out the facts and discern the truth. We have prepared a detailed response to these insidious attacks so that Christians can be better equipped to defend and assert America’s Biblical foundations.

It is time for God-fearing Americans to become better informed about America’s remarkable moral, religious, and constitutional foundations and to reject and aggressively rebut efforts of those who would attempt to undermine the positive aspects of America’s extraordinary heritage – a heritage that has provided unprecedented blessings, and a heritage for which we should be humbly grateful to Almighty God.

We hope that you find this report to be helpful, and hope you will distribute this information to others willing to defend America’s foundations.

God bless!

A member of the American military stands beside a US flag raised after the Battle of Iwo Jima.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier – A Forgotten History?

This Sunday (November 11) is Veterans Day! Veterans Day is a time to honor the survivors, and to be grateful for their service and sacrifice to defend what we as Americans believe.
This holiday (originally known as Armistice Day) was established to remember the 1918 signing of the Armistice Treaty and to honor the heroes of World War I. [1] In 1921, Congress resolved to build a tomb to honor the men who died overseas. Sergeant Edward Younger was given the task of choosing one of four unknown American soldiers to bring home for burial. [2] When the Navy ship Olympia arrived in Washington on November 9th with the body of the fallen soldier, America responded. The Cavalry band played “Onward Christian Soldiers” as the casket was taken to the U.S. Capitol, where the soldier was laid in State. President Warren G. Harding, governmental officials, and thousands of Americans paid their respects to this fallen soldier. [3]
On the morning of November 11th, this soldier was given a military procession to Arlington National Cemetery and buried at what is known today as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This tomb has been guarded around the clock by dedicated servicemen and women since 1948. [4] The honor for the sacrifice of this soldier was recently once again evident when the guards refused to leave their post during Hurricane Sandy, which was reminiscent the soldiers’ determination to guard the tomb during Hurricane Isabel in 2003. [5]

The honor paid to this soldier is the same respect that all of our veterans deserve. It was in 1954 that Veterans Day was officially renamed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to honor American veterans of all wars. [6] These brave men and women who
are willing to sacrifice their lives for our freedom should be celebrated and venerated.

On this special day when we pause to reflect on the sacrifices made across the years by men and women willing to lay down their lives to protect and defend our Constitution, our freedoms, and our way of life, let’s be proactive in our gratitude.

Thank a veteran or active military member in uniform
Attend a Veterans Day parade
Pray for the military families
Remind those around you of the significance of this day.
Listen to Tuesday’s WallBuilders Live Program

[1] “Veterans Day,” The Library of Congress, October 26, 2010 (at: https://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/nov11.html). See also, “The History of Veterans Day,” Center for Military History: United States Army, November 19, 2012 (at: https://www.history.army.mil/html/reference/holidays/vetsday/vetshist.html).

[2] J. R. McCarl, Decisions of the Comptroller General (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1923), Vol. 2, pp. 387-389. See also, “Tomb of the Unknowns,” Army: Old Guard (https://www.army.mil/info/organization/unitsandcommands/commandstructure/theoldguard/specplt/tomb.htm) (accessed on November 9, 2012); “The Tomb of the Unknowns,” Arlington National Cemetery (https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/VisitorInformation/TombofUnknowns.aspx) (accessed on November 9, 2012); “Edward F. Younger, Sergeant, United States Army,” Arlington National Cemetery, December 25, 2007 (https://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/eyounger.htm).

[3] Kirk L. Simpson, “The Unknown Soldier,” Supplement Service Bulletin of the Associated Press (New York: Associated Press, December 1921) pp. 3-4. See also, “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,” The Quartermaster Review, September-October, 1963 (at: https://www.qmfound.com/tomb_of_the_unknown_soldier.htm); B. C. Mossman and M. W. Stark, The Last Salute: Civil and Military Funerals 1921 – 1969 (Washington, D.C.: Department of the Army, 1991) pp. 3-18 (at: https://www.history.army.mil/books/Last_Salute/Index.htm).

[4] “Tomb of the Unknowns,” Army: Old Guard (https://www.army.mil/info/organization/unitsandcommands/commandstructure/theoldguard/specplt/tomb.htm) (accessed November 9, 2012). See also, “Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers Stand Guard During Hurricane Sandy,” MyFoxDC.Com, November 12, 2012 (at: https://www.myfoxdc.com/story/19943347/tomb-of-the-unknown-soldiers-stand-guard-during-hurricane-sandy).

[5] Katie Pavlich, “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Remains Guarded Through Hurricane Sandy,” TownHall, October 29, 2012 (at: https://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2012/10/29/tomb_of_the_unknown_soldier_remains_guarded_through_hurricane_sandy). See also, Luis Martinez, “Still Vigilant at the Tomb of the Unknowns Despite Irene,” ABC News, August 28, 2011 (at: https://abcnews.go.com/US/hurricanes/vigilant-tomb-unknowns-irene/story?id=14397525#.UJ1zZYbCaSo).

[6] The Federal Register (Washington, D. C.: The National Archives, 1954), Vol. 19, No. 198, Dwight Eisenhower, “Proclamation 3071: Veterans Day 1954” (at: https://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/docs/proclamation_1954.pdf).

The Real Story Behind Old Glory

You have given a banner to those who fear you, to be displayed because of the truth.
Psalm 60:4

June 14th is Flag Day which commemorates the day in 1777 when the Continental Congress passed a resolution “that the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”¹ Since that time, generations of Americans have celebrated the flag as a symbol of our God-given freedoms and God-blessed nation, and in every American military campaign, “Old Glory” has been a symbol of our freedom.

Interestingly, “Old Glory” was the name that Captain William Driver placed on a flag he was presented in 1831.² The nickname given to that flag became so well known that during the Civil War, the Confederates tried unsuccessfully to confiscate and destroy Captain Driver’s flag that he had sewn into his bedcover to protect. ³ In 1862, when Union soldiers occupied Nashville, Driver took out his flag and flew it over the Capitol as a symbol that “Old Glory” stood firm.⁴

We still honor “Old Glory” today by celebrating Flag Day each year. The first Flag Day celebration occurred in Wisconsin in 1885, when a schoolteacher had his students observe June 14 as “Flag Birthday,” or “Flag Day.” This idea inspired others around the nation to continue the practice and as the celebrations grew, the idea received national recognition. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation calling for the national celebration of Flag Day, thus establishing it as a national event.⁵

As you honor our flag, educate yourself on the greatness of America’s founding and inspire others to do the same!