God Should Be In, NOT Out

What in the world has happened to America? The most recent action is by the Veteran's Administration censoring God out of funerals at a Houston cemetery. It is almost hard to believe what is going on in our country, yet almost on a daily basis we are shocked by pseudo "legal" or government action aimed at attempts to take God out of every aspect of American life. This was NEVER intended by our Founders, in fact just the opposite. There were thousands of references by them stating or inferring that God is foundational to our country. This does not mean religious rule, what it does mean is always recognizing that our very existence as a nation, as a people, is dependent upon God.

The oft used words, "separation of church and state", contrary to what many believe do not even appear in the Constitution or Bill of Rights. These words were derived from a letter by Thomas Jefferson to Danbury, Connecticut Baptists in 1802 that stated "... contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, thus building a wall of separation between Church & State." In that same letter Jefferson wrote, "I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection and blessing of the common Father and Creator of man." This should leave no doubt where he stood. The purpose of his letter was to assure the Baptists that the government would not hinder or interfere with their right to practice their Baptist religion.

The words "separation of church and state" were derived from a Supreme Court decision in 1947 in the case of Everson vs. Board of Education. The case was brought by a New Jersey resident against a school district that provided reimbursement to parents of both public and private (religious) schooled children taking the public transportation system to school. How this got distorted to the extent of taking God out of all aspects of American life....how we have allowed this to happen....is beyond comprehension. This was NEVER the intention of our Founders.

What we have now occurring in America is the continuing violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution, the Free Exercise Clause, by "prohibiting the free exercise thereof", of religion. Individual rights of those opposed to any form of religion can be respected while at the same time not wiping out God entirely from every aspect of American life which now seems to be the intent.

Most importantly it is a grave error for the United States not to recognize God as being foundational to our great country, and as being vital to our very survival as a nation.

"We have all been encouraged to feel in the guardianship and guidance of that Almighty Being, whose power regulates the destiny of nations." March 4, 1809 Inaugural Address of James Madison.