Biblical Worldview “News Alert”

(Analyzing Global Events by the Biblical Worldview)

Distributed By Biblical Worldview Ministries

Commentary by Dr. Allen Barber

February, 13, 2007 

 WERE OUR FOUNDING FATHERS CHRISTIAN AND IS OUR CONSTITUTION A CHRISTIAN DOCUMENT?

I often read articles in which evangelical Christians attempt to build a case that the United States was founded a Christian nation and that our founding fathers were  devout Christians.  One article that I read, alleged General George Washington during the Revolutionary War, admonished his soldiers to become Christians. In all my research of colonial and revolutionary history I cannot find any evidence to support that.  I do find a plethora of evidence that George Washington was a devout Freemason.  

In another article condemning the U.S. Senators who oppose the war in Iraq and who want to bring our troops home, it basically accused them of treason as well as having no virtue.  In defining virtue, the article quoted from James Madison, one of our so-called Christian founding fathers:  

 “To suppose any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical (wildly fanciful) idea. If there be sufficient virtue and intelligence in the community, it will be exercised in the selection of these men [of virtue and wisdom].”   

While I agree with Madison’s comments in principle about the need for virtuous politicians, that was only one side of his ideology. He was not a Christian, but a deist and a Freemason like his colleagues Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, and Adams.  In 1785, Madison wrote in his Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments, the following:  

"During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less in all places, pride and indolence in the Clergy, ignorance and servility in laity; in both superstition, bigotry and persecution."  

What influence, in fact, have ecclesiastical establishments had on society? In some instances they have been seen to erect a spiritual tyranny on the ruins of the civil authority; on many instances they have been seen upholding the thrones of political tyranny; in no instance have they been the guardians of liberties of the people. Rulers who wish to subvert the public liberty, may have found an established clergy convenient auxiliaries. A just government, instituted to secure and perpetuate it, NEEDS THEM NOT."  (Emphasis mine).   

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand Madison's intent; he was saying a just government doesn't need religion, and particularly the Christian religion.   

This is the problem we are now having in the United States involving secularism vs. Christianity. Our deistic Constitution, as good as it has been, is now the framework for all the left-wing liberal agenda opposing Christianity in this nation and is giving a forum to the Christ-haters and lovers of a unified religion where all gods are equal.   

Conservative Christian leaders incorrectly point to Supreme Court Justice Brewer's comment in the 1892 case - Holy Trinity Church vs. the United States as evidence for a Christian nation. One website claims that because of this comment by Justice Brewer, the United States is technically and legally a Christian nation as the Supreme Court never rescinded his ruling.  Actually, he made that statement in dicta (a personal opinion) and later qualified what he meant by saying, "The United States cannot be defined a Christian nation by the Constitution as such document prohibits the government recognizing the legal status of any religion." He was speaking in principle as his personal opinion and not in a legal sense.   

Our Constitution is not and has never been a Christian document and a read of Constitutional history proves the founding fathers rejected all attempts to make it so.  They were Freemasons and deists and made sure the Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the Constitution, and the Constitution, made no reference to Jesus Christ as the God of the United States of America. Their decision not to define the true God opened the door for secularists, atheists, and pagan religious such as Islam to invade and change the spiritual climate of our nation.  

As much as we do not like to admit it, many of our founding fathers were not Christians, but were deists and the documents they passed to us were also deistic. Likewise, the United States has never been a Christian nation legally or otherwise. We are a secular nation in which Christians live.  It is true the tenets of Christianity had more of an impact upon our government and people in the past than it does today. However, the United States was founded a secular nation and is so today.   

In my 36 years as a Christian, pastor, and Bible teacher, I have come to the conclusion that as much as I oppose a New World Order and all it stands for, it is destined to come to fruition according to Revelation 17:17. Therefore, the principal thing Christians can do in this nation as well as in the world, is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ with Holy Spirit boldness and disciple the new converts in the doctrines of Scripture. Our purpose, mission, and mandate from the Lord is to make disciples who become part of the Lord's kingdom as their is no permanency in any state or nation. As the Bible says of Abraham, "He was looking for a city with foundations, whose builder and maker is God" (Heb. 11:10). This world or this nation is not our home, but we are just strangers passing through.  However, we can leave our imprint upon it for righteousness sake.   

Respectfully, 

Allen Barber, Ph.D
Plano, TX 

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