A Wall of Separation Between Fact and Falsehood
by Art Curtis
On October 26th 1998 the City of Denver issued a “cease and desist“
order to a family for having weekly prayer meetings in their own home
(Sekulow). In Washington state, 19-year-old Joshua Davey got his state
scholarship revoked, because he was majoring in Theology (Sekulow). In
Alabama, 11-year-old Kandice Smith was threatened by school officials
with severe disciplinary action if she did not hide her cross necklace
from view (Sekulow). In Omaha, Nebraska, 10-year-old James Gierke was
silently reading a book during some free time at school, that is, until
the teacher saw which book he was reading. It was a Bible. The teacher
ordered the boy to put it away and informed him that reading it on school
grounds was against the law (IFA). This is the separation of Church and
State at the end of the twentieth century. The “wall of separation
between church and state” as understood today is wrong and was not the
intent of the Founding Fathers.
The words “wall of separation between Church and State” have been
grossly misinterpreted. These words are not even in the Constitution.
They are from an obscure letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote to a group of
Baptists who were concerned about the government declaring any one
denomination of Christianity as the national religion. When Jefferson
wrote of a wall of separation between Church and State, his intent was to
protect the church’s free exercise of religion from government intrusion,
not to hinder free exercise of religion or religious free speech in the
public sector. If his intent was to eradicate religion from government
schools, then why did he say that “the only foundation for useful
education in a republic is to be laid in religion” (Baldwin)? Jefferson
also declares that religion is “deemed in other countries to be
incompatible with good government, and yet proved by our experience to be
its best support” (Lewis). Whether deliberately or negligently, the
interpretation of modern “scholars” and government officials on this
issue is at odds with the founders and Americans’ birthright to religious
liberty.
The modern interpretation, though seriously flawed, is not even
consistently applied. While today’s humanist establishment view holds
that no state monies can support religion or the teaching of traditional
values, the establishment is content to teach un-traditional values. For
example, in Massachusetts, gay activist State employees use public funds
to conduct special sessions in schools, giving detailed and graphic
instructions on how to have gay sex. (Camenker and Whiteman). Of course
any controversy as to how Americas children are to be educated could be
avoided by simply removing government (especially the federal government)
from the education process. The Supreme Court, ironically, prays before
holding court, and has the Ten Commandments posted behind the bench,
while continuing to deny American students the right to hold public
prayer or to post the Ten Commandments in schools. In the past, church
services were even held in the Supreme Court Chamber. Another
inconsistency is when Congress opens with prayer by a publicly funded
chaplain. Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines have access to publicly
funded chaplains, but for students that would be deemed unconstitutional
according to today’s dangerous interpretation of the separation of Church
and State. If the prevalent interpretation were correct or feasible, it
would at least be consistently applied.
The founders’ position on religious liberty is clear. The government
has traditionally participated in and/or directed religious activities or
expression by appointing certain days for national prayer and
thanksgiving, and by providing and public funding for chaplains in
Congress and throughout the military. Their position is well-outlined in
the Northwest Ordinance when it states that “religion, morality and
knowledge, being necessary to government and the happiness of mankind,
schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged” (article
3). Noah Webster, the father of American Education declared that
government was responsible to “discipline our youth in early life in
sound maxims of moral, political, and religious duties, and that
“education is useless without the Bible” (Baldwin). He also referred to
the Bible as “Americas basic textbook” (Baldwin). John Quincy Adams said
that “the highest glory of the American Revolution was this; it connected
in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the
principles of Christianity” (Peterson). Patrick Henry declared that “it
cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was
founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on
the Gospel of Jesus Christ” (Connor). The founders would be shocked at
today’s gross misinterpretation of their principles.
The Founders’ position was that if we cannot exercise self-control
by way of a religious, moral conscience, we will be compelled to the
external controls of tyrannical laws and government, or as William Penn
puts it, “those who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants”
(Prelog). Personal responsibility is necessary to maintain the public
liberty. Tyrants want a consciousness void. Our generations are
incrementally being deprived of the conscience necessary to remain free.
Whether intended or unintended, that is what America is doing now. As
evident in recent school shootings and other heinous crimes committed by
our up and coming generations, we are creating all the right conditions
for chaos. Chaos calls for government intervention and loss of freedom.
John Adams said, “Our Constitution was made for a moral and religious
people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other” (McCain
19). It is time for the establishment to rethink its interpretation of
the separation between Church and State. The “wall of separation between
church and state,” as understood today is wrong, and was not the intent
of the Founders.

Sekulow, Jay American Center for Law and Justice 02 November 2000
.

Intercessors For America. “Fifth Grader Sues For Right to Read Bible.”
IFA Newsletter Febuary 1989

Baldwin, Chuck. Chuck Baldwin Live 02 November 2000
.

Lewis, Ron. The American Sound 02 November 2000
.

Camender, Brian. and Whiteman, Scott.”Students Given Graphic Instruction
in Homosexual Sex” The Massachusetts News 26 May 2000.
http://www.massnews.com/index.htm

Peterson, Douglas. Americas Christian Heritage 02 November 2000
.

Connor, Robert. The Augustine Club 02 November 2000
.

Prelog, Eric. The Lumberjack 02 November 2000
.

McCain, Robert. “Traditional Family Necessary to Free Society” The
Washington Times 25 September 2000: 19.


*******************************************************
"NO ONE IS BOUND TO OBEY AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL LAW
AND NO COURTS ARE BOUND TO ENFORCE IT."
16 AM Jur 2d, Sec 177 late 2d, Sec 256. Stand up for freedom! Sign the
Modern American Declaration of Liberty:
http://www.petitiononline.com/usdeclar/petition.html  Also, sign the
petition to protect the boy scouts from intimidation and discrimination
http://www.saveourscouts.com/

Art Curtis