Myth-busters Part 2 (1)

Myth-Busters Series

Part 2

“The Myth of Separation of Church and State”

Ps. 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.”

We began last time with a new series on the MYTHS that have crept into the church.

What is a MYTH?

MYTH: A widely held but mistaken belief.

Many of the MYTHS we’ll be covering have had a hindering, even paralyzing effect on the church.

Last time we discussed the MYTH OF CHRISTIAN PACIFISM.

This time I want to deal with the Myth of Separation of Church and State.

Now, the contemporary concept of separation of church and state goes far beyond the recognition that the two institutions—church and state— must be separate.

The current version of this phrase has come to mean that there should be a complete separation between religion and public life.

It means that the church should not impose its values, morals, or views about God onto public life or in government.

Hence, we have seen the removal of nativity scenes from the public square during Christmas, the removal of God, prayer, and the Ten Commandments from our public schools, and so forth…

What I want to deal with this time is a question: Is this concept of separation valid?

Is this what the Founders had in mind?

Does the constitution support such a view?

Or has the phrase, “Separation of church and state” been twisted to serve the agenda of secularists and atheists for the purpose of transforming America after their own image?

Though the phrase “separation of church and state” has been around a long time, a fresh controversy was ignited about whether or not America is a Christian nation, or was ever a Christian nation at all when President Barack Obama said in a press conference in Turkey, “We Americans do not consider ourselves a Christian nation…”

Alright, it’s true that there are many religions represented in American life.

So we’re not “just” a nation with the only religion being Christian.

But then in an interview with a French television station, Mr. Obama said, “I think that the United States and the West generally…have to educate ourselves more effectively on Islam. And one of the points I want to make is…that if you actually took the number of Muslim Americans, we'd be one of the largest Muslim countries in the world.

So again, Christianity’s impact in America was marginalized by Mr. Obama.

Now, since American Christianity and our identity in the world is the issue here, these statements need to be answered.

What are the facts?

Most estimates place the number of Muslims in America at 1-1.5 percent of the total population, or 2-3 million.

The University of Chicago reviewed prior national surveys and found that the best estimate puts the Muslim population in at 1,886,000.

A Pew Research Center’s poll put the number of American Muslims at 2.3 million.

In other words, two unbiased, authoritative studies carried out by scholars found that American Muslims number, at best, a little over 2 million.

We know that #1 in the world is Indonesia: 200 million Muslims.

And coming in 2nd is India: 156 million Muslims.

Pakistan: 150 million Muslims.

So a Muslim population of a bit over 2 million places the United States dead even with Serbia, which is polled at 58th in Muslim population in the world.

Now, if we’re using numbers alone as the measure to decide whether the United States is or is not a Christian nation, where do we stand?

According to the American Religious Identification Survey 2008, 76% of the population of America identify themselves as Christian.

So, if a Muslim population of 1.5 percent places America in the category of “one of the largest Muslim countries in the world,” according to Mr. Obama, then a Christian population of 76% places America as an overwhelmingly Christian nation!

But don't just take my word for it.

Our HISTORY SHOUTS that this is true:

Let’s take a quick journey through the religious history of America:

In 1620—1st pilgrims arrived.

A little band of people had crossed the Atlantic in a sailboat 26 X 113 feet.

They landed on the Atlantic coast in the bitter cold of winter.

As they stepped off the boat they signed a compact called the Mayflower Compact.

The 2nd paragraph begins by stating their reason for coming.

It says: “for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith.”

Their first winter was rough…at times the daily ration of food was 5 grains of corn per person, per day!

44 died in the first 5 months and 58 survived.

In the fall of 1621 they reaped their first harvest: 21 acres of corn.

Their immediate response was to thank God!

They marched thru the corn fields singing, “The earth is the Lord’s and fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein!”

On Dec. 13th those 58 gathered w/ 80 friendly Indians and celebrated 3 days of thanksgiving which the encyclopedia records as 3 days of preaching, praying, singing, and eating.

So the early Pilgrims dedicated this land to God for the advancement of the Christian faith.

Jumping ahead, the evidence that our Founding Fathers built America on Judeo-Christian principles is written on nearly every building, memorial and monument in our Nation's Capital.

Scriptural and religious references can be found etched or engraved on some of the most important buildings in Washington, D.C.

For example, did you know that:

•"Holiness to the Lord" is engraved into a tribute block of the Washington Monument.

•A sculpture of Moses with the Ten Commandments appears over the east portico of the Supreme Court.

•"The heavens declare the glory of God" (Psalm 19:1) is engraved on a wall of the Library of Congress.

•And a heartfelt prayer from President John Adams is carved into the stone fireplace in the White House State Dining Room.

It reads, "I pray to heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this house and all that hereafter inhabit it."

These are just a few of the many examples of Judeo-Christian imagery you'll find in our Nation's Capital.

BUT THERE’S MORE!!

The original colonies and territories of the United States, with the exception of Virginia, were settled by Europeans escaping persecution for Christian practices that were not tolerated in their home country.

SO, persecuted Christians fleeing Europe were the founders of all but one of the original American colonies.

Early Supreme Court cases reflect this same undeniable fact:

In an early case brought before the Supreme Court, entitled “Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States,” 143 U.S. 457 (1892), Justice David Brewer declared in a unanimous decision,

“These, and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations…that this is a Christian nation.”

President John Adams said, “I believe that Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

Yet, in spite of undeniable historic proof, America’s religious freedom and freedom of speech are under sinister and diabolical assault as we speak!

Recently, religious institutions with strong convictions against abortion have been informed by the Obama administration that they must provide contraception coverage to employees, including abortifacients—drugs that cause abortion.

The Obama administrations “Health care law” subsidizes, through federal tax dollars, insurance plans that cover abortion.

The law also forces all insurance plans -- with only a few exceptions -- to cover contraceptives, including "emergency contraceptives" that can act after fertilization and cause chemical abortions.

This presents a huge moral dilemma to anti-abortion, Bible believing Christians who will know that, when paying their taxes or insurance premiums, a part of it will go to providing abortions.

This is a direct assault against our Religious Freedom!

Furthermore, far-left judges are now ordering the Ten Commandments out of courthouses.

Graduating High School and College students are refused the constitutional right to pray in the name of Jesus Christ during their ceremonies.

The ACLU, or what I call the Against Christian Liberties Union, bring persecution and threats on any public school that dares to step out and pray or invoke the name of God in any official function.

LET ME BE CLEAR…

This is not what our Founding Fathers intended!

FACT:

The phrase “SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE” is not even in the Constitution!

The phrase “separation of church and state” was coined in the United States in a letter that Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd President of the U.S., wrote to the Danbury Baptist Association.

He was assuring them that he would KEEP THE GOVERNMENT OUT OF THE CHURCH—NOT the Church out of the Government!

Yet organizations like the ACLU distort this fact and claim,

“No, the founders wanted to keep religion out of the government and out of the public square. They wanted America to be a secular nation that simply allowed private religion to be practiced.”

But history doesn’t support that view at all!

This is a MYTH that, unfortunately, has gained traction even in the church!

Here’s some further PROOF the founders never intended for the church to be on the sidelines of public life and politics:

Our first president, George Washington, took the oath of office and put his hand on what? The Bible!

What was his first official act as President? Kissed the Bible, then held a 2 hr. praise/worship session in Congress.

How did they determine to open sessions of Congress? PRAYER

Who would lead in those prayers? CHAPLAINS

How would the chaplains be paid? TAX DOLLARS

Does all of that sound like they wanted to keep God out of government?

And speaking of Congress, who decided to put “In God We Trust” on our coins? It was adopted by Congress in 1956!

If you want to look at the importance Christianity, God, and the Bible played in the early days of American politics, it’s easy to find.

The first prayer of the first Congress went as follows:

“O Lord our Heavenly Father, high and mighty King of kings, and Lord of lords, who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers on earth and reignest with power supreme and uncontrolled over all the Kingdoms, Empires and Governments; look down in mercy, we beseech Thee, on these our American States, who have fled to Thee from the rod of the oppressor and thrown themselves on Thy gracious protection, desiring to be henceforth dependent only on Thee...All this we ask in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son and our Savior.”

FURTHER PROOF OF JUDEO-CHRISTIAN ROOTS OF AMERICA:

*In 1776, 11 of the 13 colonies required that one had to be a Christian to be eligible to run for political office.

*In 1777, the Continental Congress voted to spend $300,000 to purchase Bibles for distribution in the nation.

*The GETTYSBURG ADDRESS states "...this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom..."

*94% of the writings of the founding fathers of the U.S. contained quotations from the holy bible.

*The state constitutions of all 50 states mention God.

*The famous "Liberty Bell" has part of Leviticus 25:10 inscribed on it. It reads: "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof."

*An image of Moses carrying the tablets of God’s Law faces the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

*The President takes his OATH OF OFFICE with his right hand on the Holy Bible, and concludes his vow "So help me God."

*First Vice President and Second President, John Adams wrote in 1798:

"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

* President Thomas Jefferson wrote:

"I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever." – 1781

*Our sixth President, John Quincy Adams said:

"No book in the world deserves to be so unceasingly studied, and so profoundly meditated upon as the Bible."

*The Christian writings and pronouncements of our 16th President Abraham Lincoln would fill an entire book.

*Woodrow Wilson, our 28th President, said in 1911:

"America was born a Christian nation. America was born to exemplify that devotion to the elements of righteousness which are derived from the revelations of the Holy Scripture."

*Theodore Roosevelt, America’s 26th President, wrote in 1917:

"In this world, a churchless community, a community where men have abandoned and scoffed at, or ignored their religious needs, is a community on the rapid down-grade."

* In 1923 Calvin Coolidge, our 30th President, said this about our founding fathers:

"They were intent upon establishing a Christian commonwealth in accordance with the principle of self- government. They were an inspired body of men…Who can fail to see in America the hand of destiny? Who can doubt that (America) has been guided by a Divine Providence."

*Franklin Roosevelt prayed this prayer on a national radio hookup on D-Day, June 6, 1944, as our troops stormed the beaches of Normandy, France:

"Almighty God... with Thy blessing we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogance. Lead us to the saving of our country. Thy will be done, Almighty God. Amen."

*Harry Truman, our 33rd President, not known to be a committed believer, understood the spiritual heritage of this nation:

"If men and nations would but live by the precepts of the ancient prophets and the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount, problems which now seem so difficult would soon disappear.”

*President Ronald Reagan warned:

"If we ever forget that we are ’One nation, under God’, then we will be one nation gone under."

SUMMARY:

It’s time for modern-day Americans to wake up and act quickly!

Before our very eyes godless, secular and dishonest people are seeking to re-engineer America after their own image!

They employ the myth of “separation of church and state” to muzzle the greatest agent for change in the land, the Church of Jesus Christ.

Church, separation of church and state is a MYTH we must cast down with all our might!

BOTTOM LINE:

As was the case in our founding, Christians should be fully involved in the formation of public policy, running for political office, standing up for Christian principles, packing the voting booth, resisting the evil onslaught that is upon us, and raising high the Christian flag for all to see.

The greatness of America is her freedoms, like freedom of speech and freedom of religion…

Let’s fight to keep them, for without our freedoms we are nothing more than another nation languishing in the shadows of tin horn dictators and ruthless opportunists.

The historical truth is that the God of America is the one and only true and living God, and the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

PRAY