WHAT IS AMERICA'S FOUNDATION? (Part 2)

The Cost of Freedom

Does your head spin whenever anyone says, “our country wasn’t founded on Judeo-Christian principles?” It should! How about when folks postulate that the language the Founding Fathers used, “In God We Trust,” and, “One Nation under God,” reflects weak moments and/or insincere homage to a god? As the ministers signed their names to the Declaration, did they view this opportunity as a token nod to Christianity?

The facts recorded for time immemorial are these: the signers of the Declaration identified themselves as Christians:

Except for one, all were Protestants;
Some were ministers and had sons who were clergymen;
Many studied theology or divinity;
More than half were Episcopalians or Anglicans;
The remainder were Congregationalists, Presbyterians, Quakers, Unitarians, and one was Roman Catholic.

Thus, when the issue of state representation threatened these fledgling United States in 1787, Benjamin Franklin could not hold his tongue. He stood and addressed the Constitutional Convention with a speech he’d authored. Not only did he remind those assembled of an egregious error but solidified his non-deist beliefs:

“In this situation of this Assembly groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understandings? In the beginning of the contest with G. Britain, when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the Divine Protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered.  . . .And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need His assistance.

“I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that God governs in the affairs of men.”

Mr. Franklin, at the ripe age of 81, said that without God’s continued help those assembled would fare no better at building our political system than the “Builders of Babel.” Several articles corroborate that on Mr. Franklin’s original speech, he’d noted that “3 or 4 persons” would find prayer unnecessary.

I shudder to think what that number would be today?

Great Britain was the most powerful country in the 18th century, touting the most well-trained and well-equipped army. Yet, as Thomas Jefferson uttered, “with a firm reliance on the divine protection,” 13 colonies emerged victorious against their formidable foe and gained our freedom.

A mere 248 years later, within university walls established by the sweat and blood of our Christian Founding Fathers, unrestrained despise or rejection of our country’s origins and beliefs prevails. For all of our education and knowledge, have we reduced ourselves to “Builders of Babel?” Are we once again “groping in the dark,” as Benjamin Franklin said?

America’s foundation is God. The Founding Fathers believed and sought His help. Shouldn’t we acknowledge and return to the God who “governs in the affairs of men?”

As for me and my house, the answer is and always will be yes!!!