The Truth You’re Never Told About the ‘Separation of Church and State’
I have made clear that my goal is to promote God, the things of God and the precepts of God in our government institutions. I stand by this without shame or hesitation. Though in my travels, most every person I speak with agrees we need to inject God back into the public square, it also is deemed controversial to some. I’m periodically asked the question “What about the Separation of Church and State”. For those interested in American History, and why we are where we are, here is a brief view of the way the originalists intended the 1st Amendment vs. the reinterpretation of it in 1962.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” (1st Amendment portion concerning religion).
In this we have 2 clauses known as the ‘establishment’ clause and the ‘free exercise’ clause.
It’s clear from any honest historians view that the Founders weren’t trying to remove God from public life, government or schools with the establishment clause - they were blocking the government from choosing which church or denomination was correct. They were also preventing things such as mandatory church attendance, taxes to support clergy and government control of doctrine. To understand the importance is to know the history of the Church of England and the government-backed persecution other denominations endured for not practicing in accordance with their doctrine. This is what the pilgrims fled from when they braved the dangerous voyage across the Atlantic - and this was the concern of the Danbury Baptists to which we get the famous “Separation of Church and State” response in letter from Thomas Jefferson. (Btw, the term ‘Separation of Church and State is not in the Constitution).
This - the freedom from denominational authority and persecution - was the intent of the ‘Establishment Clause’ of the 1st Amendment. We know this for several reasons, but is easily proved by the actions of our founding fathers. This same generation of men enacted things such as opening congress with prayer (a practice that still continues today), appointing chaplains and issuing days of thanksgiving and fasting. It’s apparent that they never intended to keep God out of Government, but to keep the Government from interfering in the individual liberty to worship God as one was compelled to.
So what happened?
After 180 years of operating under this understanding as a nation, the liberal activist Warren Court of 1962-63 reimagined the establishment clause to be a freedom from God altogether, instead of denominational practices.
The irony is that if America is to take a truly ‘neutral’ role and refuse to promote God in any way - as the Warren court suggests - then our government is not ‘neutral’ at all, and is in fact endorsing atheism, and promoting a purely secular society. AND WE HAVE SEEN THE RESULTS OF THAT IN OUR COUNTRY FOR THE LAST 70 YEARS.
But may I ask - what is so offensive within Christian principles that merit such objection? Is it “Love thy neighbor as thyself”? Don’t steal, kill, lie or covet? Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you? Acting with humility, being just and righteous in your doings, showing mercy and compassion, being obedient unto your parents? “Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you”? Wouldn’t our society be better off if people acted in accordance with this? How many parents would be delighted if their children acted in this manner?
You see, the real reason people want to suppress the Christian religion in our society is revealed by Jesus’ Words in John 3:19–20: “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” They reject Christ because it reveals who they really are. The Bible shines a light but they are comfortable in the dark, and persecute any who will dare shine that light outside the church walls - if Charlie Kirk’s assassination has done anything, it’s certainly proved that.
But for those of us who have been born again, that same light illuminated our sin, but instead of rejecting Christ, we embraced Him and the Promises He’s made.
And we know how America experienced the blessings of God upon its inception, and that “Blessed is the Nation whose God is the LORD” (Psa. 33:12a) yet, we have accepted for nigh 70 years this UNAMERICAN ruling without hardly a fight. How is it so many Christians have resigned themselves to defeat on this subject? Have we not grown weary of seeing the country we love turn into Sodom, or fall apart from within as did the Roman Empire?
We must get back to God. If Roe v. Wade can be overturned, so can Engel v. Vitale and Abington School District v. Schempp. All that’s required is for the silent majority to refuse to stay silent, and leaders with the courage to fight for it.
If you cast your vote for me on May 12th, this is the mind and heart you’re voting for. This stance may not be popular, but it is what’s necessary for the good and prosperity of our land.
Scott McGraw
Candidate for District 9 House of Delegates
