In the not-too distant past, it would have been self destructive for a politician to openly speak of changing America’s government to strip religious influences from public life.

Banning Christian influence from classrooms would have been unthinkable.

Secularists have used a comment Thomas Jefferson wrote in a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association in Connecticut as indication that the founders meant to make this a strictly secular country.

Jefferson’s Remarks About Freedom of Religion

Jefferson’s letter actually regarded the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom from a government-established church.

The phrase in the Jan. 1, 1802, letter reads as follows:

“Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I 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. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.”

The anti-Christian left has sought to use this comment to prohibit any mention of God in schools.

A brief review of the Declaration of Independence quickly puts the lie to that conjecture.

Laws of Nature and Nature’s God

The first sentence reads:

“The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.” Then the second paragraph takes it a step further, men

Then the second paragraph takes it a step further, mentioning that all men are “endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights.”

That surely means the rights endowed to American citizens were not granted by a government but by God.

The left unceasingly attempts to make government the people’s god, and making it the source of all authority.

Secularists have attempted – and succeeded, in many cases – to drive Christianity out of our value system through legislative attempts to remove tax-exempt status for religious organizations and to punish businesses that support Christian beliefs.

The Left sees Christianity as its key roadblock to overturning the nation’s constitutional government because Christianity asserts that God created rights for mankind – not government. The Left is intent on being recognized as the giver of any rights it may allow its denizens.

Heritage Foundation a Bullwark for Freedom

The Heritage Foundation has issued a paper which states its adherence to conservative principles as a guide to building an America where freedom, opportunity, prosperity and civil society flourish.

The list should be required reading for anyone in the the government.

Here is what the rules say:

“The federal government exists to preserve life, liberty and property, and it is instituted to protect the rights of individuals according to natural law. Among these rights are the sanctity of life; the freedom of speech, religion, the press, and assembly; the right to bear arms; the right of individuals to be treated equally and justly under the law; and to enjoy the fruits of ones labor.

“The federal government’s powers are limited to those named in the Constitution and should be exercised solely to protect the rights of its citizens. As Thomas Jefferson said, “The government closest to the people serves the people best.” Powers not delegated to the federal government, nor prohibited by the Constitution, are reserved to the states or to the people.

“Judges should interpret and apply our laws and the Constitution based on their original meaning, not upon judges’ personal and political predispositions.

“Individuals and families—not government—make the best decisions regarding their and their children’s health, education, jobs, and welfare.

“The family is the essential foundation of civil society, and traditional marriage serves as the cornerstone of the family.

“The federal deficit and debt must not place unreasonable financial burdens on future generations.

“Tax policies should raise only the minimum revenue necessary to fund constitutionally appropriate functions of government.

“America’s economy and the prosperity of individual citizens are best served by a system of free enterprise, with special emphasis on economic freedom, private property rights, and the rule of law. This system is best sustained by policies promoting free trade and deregulation, and opposing government interventions in the economy that distort markets and impair innovation.

“Regulations must not breach constitutional principles of limited government and the separation of powers.

“America must be a welcoming nation—one that promotes patriotic assimilation and is governed by laws that are fair, humane, and enforced to protect its citizens.

“Justice requires an efficient, fair, and effective criminal justice system—one that gives defendants adequate due process and requires an appropriate degree of criminal intent to merit punishment.

“International agreements and international organizations should not infringe on American’s constitutional rights, nor should they diminish American sovereignty.

“America is strongest when our policies protect our national interests, preserve our alliances of free peoples, vigorously counter threats to our security, and advance prosperity through economic freedom at home and abroad.

“The best way to ensure peace is through a strong national defense.”

These reasons are why we support the Heritage Foundation’s consistent efforts to stand guard against an international super state and the demise of a free America.