The Great Deception: America's Separation of Church and State

America’s founding fathers never intended the establishment of a national church or theocracy. However, historical evidence suggests that the First Amendment was not devised as a means of oppressing religion. Rather, we are guaranteed the distinct freedom of religion as opposed to the freedom from religion. If the First Amendment was intended to build a wall of separation, how do liberals explain that several states still had state churches when the Amendment was initially ratified? The states gradually did abolish them, but this was done voluntarily, not in violation of the First Amendment of which there was agreement upon.

Why do liberals seem to have no “tolerance” for religion, especially Christianity, in public education? Historian Gary DeMar described some of our nation’s religious heritage in his fascinating book, America’s Heritage. These are just a few of many examples. The words “In God We Trust,” also our declared National Motto by Congress in 1956, are “inscribed in the House and Senate chambers.” The Liberty Bell has Leviticus 25:10 displayed on its top. The words, “Praise be to God” are engraved on top of the Washington Monument. The crier who begins every session of the Supreme Court concludes with the words, “God save the United States and the Honorable Court.” The Court has ruled that the Ten Commandments cannot be displayed in public schools (Stone v. Gramm), yet the very same Commandments and even carvings of Moses appear on the Supreme Court building.

Dr. Norman Geissler and coauthor Frank Turek discussed our government’s promotion of religion in Legislating Morality. Such legislation would be unconscionable in the era in which we live. In 1795, “President Washington approved a grant of $1000 to build a church for the Oneida Indians.” In 1803, “Congress and President Jefferson approved a grant of $100 for seven years to a Roman Catholic priest to evangelize the Kaskaskia Indians, and $300 to help build them a church.” As Geissler explains, “the men who wrote the First Amendment didn’t see any constitutional problem in subsidizing religious groups with federal tax dollars!” Ponder the outrage of such proposed legislation today when innocuous prayers are forbidden at graduations and nativity scenes on public property are under attack.

One of our nation’s most important documents that indicate the importance of religion and education is the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. Article III of the Northwest Ordinance states “Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall be forever encouraged.” Therefore, according to our founders, religion and morality were to be promoted through schooling and not subject to censorship, as has been the case for decades.