The Distirtion of Church and State A biting irony exists in our society today that contributes to the demise of freedom, and it is already in the advanced stages. I refer to the knee-jerk reactionaries who use the law to remove God from sight and ear in public on the grounds that it conflicts with the principle of the separation of church and state. These atheists and agnositics claim that their rights are being violated by the display or even mention of God or Jesus Christ on goverment or school property. Ironically, the opposite is true, for it is our right to openly demonstrate our love for God that is being denied. The abysmal failure of the Christian spokesmen I have heard on this issue, combined with the silence of the judiciary and government officials, indicates that a misunderstanding of this principle is prevalent in this country. The words; "separation of church and state" are not even mentioned in our founding documents. What IS stated is that no law shall be passed that either mandates or prohibits the worship of any individual's God, or lack of same, which amounts to a free society in which one's belief in God does not invite persecution. The same applies to unbelievers. They have the right to disavow God without fear of retaliation. The evil which comes of imposing such laws are graphically demonstrated by the infamous regime of Torquemada and his "inquision", which was sponsored by Queen Isabella. Thousands of Jews and others were burned at the stake to "cleanse their souls" or heresy. The brutal memories of that dark hour remind us of the destruction that comes of combining church and state, and our strong stand for this principle is noble and right. BUT....our Constitution defends our right TO WORSHIP GOD, and does not intend to protect us FROM GOD, or society at large. The use of law to force the removal of religious displays or artifacts is the violation of our rights! We have the RIGHT TO WORSHIP GOD OPENLY, without the intrusion of the law or the state! The honor we show our God is not tantamount to forcing anyone to accept anything! Those who do not accept Christ as their Savior, nor believe in God Almighty, are free to scurry on their ways without facing a penalty for their unbelief, not from US anyway. The implications are clear. If we can hope to remain free to worship God, then ALL must be free! This obsession to erdicate God from public view was certainly not practiced, or even suggested, by any public official in our illustrious past. In fact, one of the most profound prayers ever uttered was given on the historic ocassion of the First Continental Congress convening for the first time. The writings of every luminary in the Continental Government expresses an enthusistic worship of God, and hardly the reticence of our current "leaders". Jefferson, Washington, Lincoln, Adams, Franklin, Hale, and even every General Officer in the Civil War, avows faith in God and belief in Jesus Christ. Why does any judge even agree to hear such cases? I was under the impression that these men and women are experts on Constitutional Law(?) And our esteemed government officials. Aren't they required to know the Contitution and defend it? Why hasn't ONE individual in these institutions spoken out? The grim answer is that these people, who are allegedly responsible to protect our rights, are allowing tyranny to prerside over the issue of church and state! Those who do not believe in God are heralded with successful lawuits and support of our Conress and Supreme Court. Our right to worship God is under attack, and so is our existence as a free nation, for apart from the beneficient blessing of the Almighty we are lost and doomed. Of course, logic never rules in these things, not in our day. One would think that an unbeliever would be humbly grateful for a system in which he is free, and recognize that the very liberty he treasures was founded and sustained by those who DO believe in God. As such, the freedom of a society is only assured when all citizens are unfettered by the rule of law in matters that bear on spirituality. Prohibiting the open exaltaion of our Glorious Savior is tantamount to destroying a civilization in which faith is the bulwark. Tragically, the children of darkness will not recognize the ruinous error of their ways until the veil of evil falls upon us and suffocates the life's blood of our freedom. I submit that they will find their lost liberty far more desirable with manger scenes on the courthouse lawn and the tables of the law displayed in a courthouse in Alabama than the jack-boot domination of totalatarianism. It will be too late then. How true does the old saying ring, that we never know how precious our blessings are until after they have gone. Next Page