Constitution's biblical background challenged
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=1546880
This article reads in part:
“Commissioners of Carroll County, Maryland, are waiting to see if they will be sued for encouraging a Christian (David Whitney, pastor of Cornerstone Evangelical Fellowship in Pasadena, Maryland, and senior instructor at the Institute on the Constitution) to talk to county employees.”
“…critics [are] accusing the local officials of overstepping the boundary between church and state.”
He (Whitney) explains that the Institute on the Constitution teaches "the founders' view of law and government, the American view of law and government, which is, simply put, there is a Creator God, the God of the Bible. Secondly, our rights come from Him. Thirdly, the sole purpose of human civil government is to protect and secure those God-given rights."
"It raised an enormous storm, with the Americans United for Separation of Church and State writing a threatening letter from their attorney to the county commissioners that they have to shut this course down, demanding a response from them of the actions they take," the pastor (Whitney) reports.
MY TAKE:
There not being enough truly useful things for our governments to spend our taxes on, they continue to indulge these frivolous and even specious accusations of peaceful peoples exercise of their (God given?) liberties.
The US Constitution does not apply to state governments in areas it does not address. It grants states their own rights to law on matters it does not control. The US Constitution's first amendment "establishment clause” applies to Congress, that is, to the U.S. Congress. THEY and they alone are forbidden from making any laws with respect to the establishment of religion or the prohibition of religious exercise. The liberal, atheist and communist hordes have turned this on its head with their false "separation of Church and state" doctrine. It is amazing how clear the language of the 1st amendment is, and how few Americans actually have read it and understand it.
Here it is; you can memorize it in an hour.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;”
What does the Maryland state Constitution say? It says:
DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
"We, the People of the State of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty, and taking into our serious consideration the best means of establishing a good Constitution in this State for the sure foundation and more permanent security thereof, declare:"
AND then follows the Constitutions 47 articles. How interesting they are! Notably Articles 36-39! As a Maryland resident I am vey happy to read them!
"The Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland 'began accusing the local officials of overstepping the boundary between church and state.'"
These groups have to make a living somehow, and find it convenient to represent atheists who don't understand these constitutions and who DENY God Almighty and His followers their rights to become the children of God as they choose. No one is coercing Atheists to convert. No one is denying them their rights as citizens their "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."
What these folks seem to want is for christians to be quiet about their faith when they enter public buildings. Why should we be quiet? Why should we not celebrate our faith heritage and i's history?
But if they have their way, and we cannot speak in the public square freely, let us speak in our own homes and churches. This is where the church flags, falters and fails, in our homes and churches. If we knew our Bibles as well as we knew the football scores, or who is winning on Idol, or who is up for an Oscar, then we would begin to know the Lord. That is what Jesus called ETERNAL LIFE!
John 17:3
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2017.3&version=KJV
We also read in the letter to the Hebrew Christians:
Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=heb%2011.6&version=KJV
Folks, LIFE IS about God in Christ. It flows from Him to us and our governments in the USA because men of faith wrote such as they wrote in the Maryland Constitution:
"We, the People of the State of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty, and taking into our serious consideration the best means of establishing a good Constitution in this State for the sure foundation and more permanent security thereof, declare:"
"...the sure foundation and more permanent security thereof..." Of what? Of "our civil and religious liberty."
Atheists have their civil liberties. Christians, Jews, Muslims, and other religionists are guaranteed their civil and religious liberties. Is it so much to ask atheists to endure our "foolishness?" If our faith(s) are so untrue, how can they be so offensive? I am not offended by the exercise of Buddhists, even those who chant at the airports.
May these atheistic causes awaken the lukewarm christians from their slumbering.
Psalm 121:4
Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+121:4&version=KJV
