Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise there of; abridging the freedom of speech, or the press; or the right of the people to peacefully assemble, and to petition the government for the right of redress of grievances.
Our Founder’s never intended that the Ten Commandments, prayer, Holy Scripture study, Christian holidays, study and/or practice of Christianity be removed from our American culture!
Just the opposite is true! Our Founder’s wanted freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. They wanted all sound religions, promoted throughout our great Republic and shared throughout the world! However, they did not want one religion to rule America, as the Church of England did during the reign of King George III.
Here’s what Thomas Jefferson (known as the Father of the Declaration of Independence) said in brief about separation of church and state. He wrote in a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association dated January 1, 1802 explaining his position saying the constitution had created “a wall of separation between church and state.”
As studied in historical context, never did Jefferson nor any other of the founder’s wanted to see any sound religion attacked or excluded from our culture. Nor, should the federal government give preferential treatment to one religion over another.
They wanted ALL religions to be encouraged to promote their moral fiber and religious tone of the people. It was in the best interest of the government and the nation to promote religious values for the moral stability needed for “good government and the happiness of mankind.”
In Thomas Jefferson’s second inaugural address, he virtually signaled the states to press forward in settling their religious issues, since it was within their jurisdiction and not the Federal Government.
The Founder’s had no objection to using public buildings for religious purposes; that was even to be encouraged. The only question was whether or not the facilities could be used EQUALLY to all denominations desiring them.
The United States Capitol has a very rich spiritual heritage and was used for religious services of all faiths in which Thomas Jefferson and other Founder’s attended for many years; even to this day, a room in the capitol that is closed to the public, is used for religious services for members of congress. Throughout the building are large beautiful paintings depicting America’s Christian Heritage. Remembering America’s Motto is engraved on the front of the Capitol building “IN GOD WE TRUST.” The United States Congress printed the first Holy Bibles in America and distributed them thought-out the nation for the good and well being of all Americans.
The large engravings on the front of the United States Supreme Court building are depicting Moses and the Ten Commandments. Keep in mind our Founder’s wanted the Supreme Court to interpret the Constitution “strictly” as written in the ORIGINAL Constitution. They never wanted it changed easily by the whims of man, such has happened with the power seeking 16th and 17th amendments etc. They didn’t want an “elastic or flexible” Constitution to fit the times. They knew their inspiration came from God and those principles were eternal and unchanging. Our Founders wanted “constitutional supremacy”, as the law of the land, not “judicial supremacy”. Thomas Jefferson said, “Let not the Constitution become a blank piece of paper.”
Freedom of Speech and of the Press
This provision gave the American people the RIGHT to have the Federal Government prohibited from exercising any legal authority over freedom of speech or freedom of the press. The government has no right to dictate what is “politically correct” or not.
This does not mean that those freedoms are absolute. For example, it is not permissible for freedom of speech to slander or libel another person. It would be unlawful to cry “fire” in a crowded auditorium or theater as a practical joke and thereby cause a panic. Freedom of the press has been a difficult right to protect.
The freedom to peacefully assemble and to petition the government for redress of grievances shall not be abridged.
This provision guarantees the people the RIGHT to be able to petition the government without intervention or prohibition by the authorities.
THE CONSTITUTION WAS WRITTEN TO CONTROL GOVERNMENT, NOT TO CONTROL A RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE.
A note about The Declaration of Independence
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal (not equal in owning things, not equal in talents or living circumstances; but equal in the sight of God, equal under the Bar of Justice, equal under the “Laws of Nature and of Natures God” and equal in their rights under the Constitution). That they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights (rights given by God, not the government that cannot be taken away) That among these rights are Life (including the rights of the innocent unborn), Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness (the right to own property, marry whom we want, work where we want, live where we want etc.). That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed …”
The original inspired Constitution provided for only 20 enumerated powers to the federal government, plus it called for a gold and silver standard of true weights and measures, controlled by Congress; not controlled by private bankers.
The Declaration of Independence said in part: “He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent forth swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their existence.”
Written By Fred R Willoughby
Written By Fred R Willoughby
