Changing History to Deny Prayer, Part 3
Kentucky was the site of an undemocratic attempt to strike down a vital piece of America’s “one nation under God” history. It began in 1992, when the Kentucky General Assembly acted and Governor Brereton Jones signed KRS 158.195, which provided for:
Reading and posting in public schools of texts and documents on American history and heritage. Local boards may allow any teacher or administrator in a public school district of the Commonwealth to read or post in a public school building, classroom, or event any excerpts or portions of: the national motto; the national anthem; the pledge of allegiance; the preamble to the Kentucky Constitution; the Declaration of Independence; the Mayflower Compact; the writings and speeches, documents, and proclamations of the founding fathers and presidents of the United States, U.S. Supreme Court decisions; and acts of the U.S. Congress including the published text of the Congressional Record. There shall be no content-based censorship of American history or heritage in the Commonwealth based on religious references in these writings, document, and records.
From the view of a majority of Kentuckians, there is no wish to blot out the nation’s true history, but there are a few others who would write a completely different view of history to line up with their modern ideologies and humanist philosophies. These few rewriters populate well-entrenched radical groups and Kentucky was targeted, the first state to make it illegal to censor history based on its religious references to “the Creator” or “Almighty God” and yet again scarce taxpayer money and official energy was diverted to meritless lawsuits denying the true foundations of America’s law and civil government.
There is no legal case or precedent in American or Kentucky jurisdiction limiting or forbidding the display or quoting of any historical, legal or civil government documents because of a reference to “God” or “Divine Providence.” These expensive lawsuits are brought to the courts that courts might decide what American citizens may quote from our history largely dispensing with mention Almighty God. If the Court decides that posting these documents were promotion of religion and not quoting history, then posting such documents is unconstitutional! Attempts in the courts such as this to silence the Kentucky Legislature and the majority of Kentuckians affirms the ACLUs censorship of history and rewrites American History to suit an opposing and foreign ideology. The courts are the vehicle of choice used by such groups to silence both prayer and history in our great “One Nation under God,” because the people and their voice, the Kentucky legislature, would not have it so.
If you are interested in reading a post dedicated to our Country’s Independence Day, you can find it at Firstprinciplespress.org.
Changing History to Deny Prayer, Part 2
The two presidents most often associated with principles of establishment and free exercise of religion from the First Amendment are Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Unfortunately for those atheists who want Divine Providence thrown out, the inaugural addresses of these statesmen acknowledge divine Providence:
“I shall need too, the favor of that Being in whose hands we are…who has covered our infancy with His providence and our riper years with his wisdom and power,…”
Thomas Jefferson, Second Inaugural Address
“in the guardianship and guidance of that Almighty Being whose power regulates the destiny of nations, whose blessings have been so conspicuously dispensed to this rising Republic, and to whom we are bound to address our devout gratitude for the past, as well as our fervent supplications and best hopes for the future.”
James Madison, First Inaugural Address
Our first president in his first inaugural address offered his “fervent supplications to that Almighty Being who rules over the universe, who presides in the councils of nations, and whose providential aids can supply every human defect.” As a matter of fact, every president without exception in his inaugural address has acknowledged the blessings of God on our country in the past and called upon His favor for our future. To wipe out that much of America’s official and permanent history is a daunting task, even for the activist courts!
Changing History to Deny Prayer, Part 1
Last year in a frivolous litigation, a small group of atheists tried to prevent the Kentucky legislature from passing a Homeland Security Act that acknowledges our dependence upon Almighty God. Even the most elementary history lesson would prove Kentucky’s office of Homeland Security to be simply affirming the Preamble to our State Constitution and America’s birth Certificate, the Declaration of Independence.
We the People are part of a proud Kentucky historic tradition to acknowledge the Providence of Almighty God in the affairs of our nation, an act that has been carried out by every president in every inaugural address since the founding of America. The core issue being attacked by these atheist groups is whether official American history, which reveals why America has always been “One Nation Under God.” America’s official National Motto is “In God We Trust,” and if it continues to be censored could be eventually eliminated because of the references to God, Divine Providence, prayer, or our dependence on God’s favor. Exactly what is it that these atheist groups are attacking?
America’s official documents of American Civil government include:
- The Declaration of Independence,
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness;
- America’s National Motto “In God We Trust” adopted by Congress on July 20th, 1956, which has been unsuccessfully challenged by the ACLU on similar grounds at least five times;
- The Preamble to the Constitution of Kentucky,
We, the people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy, and invoking the continuance of these blessings, do ordain and establish this Constitution;
The Mayflower Compact establishing the first “civil body politic” on November 11, 1620which states,
“In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God, of England, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, e&. Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick…”
- Acknowledging our dependence upon Divine Providence for the protection of our citizens is an official act of American Statesmen, and has nothing to do with creating or supporting a religion.
By the device used here – converting the foundations of American law and civil government into church or religious documents – atheist groups claimed these official American documents somehow became “religious,” and thus violated the “establishment clause” of the First Amendment, thus the entire legislative body of elected officials by the people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky should be silenced due to the alleged mental anguish of one citizen who does not like America’s National Motto nor want to accept the protection of God over the Commonwealth.
U.S. Senator Jim Bunning issued a warning in The Kentucky Post on July 29, 2000. “Beware America,” he said;
…we just finished celebrating our nation’s 224th birthday on July 4th, Kentuckians in three counties have been ordered by the federal judiciary to regard the Declaration of Independence, The Congressional Record, and other sensitive parts of our history as offensive to the constitution.
Based on subterfuge, the founding history of law and civil government have been declared “religion” and therefore, must be separated from the state. Forces denying that America is “One Nation under God” have succeeded for 60 years in reinterpreting the Constitution in the courts and in censoring our history of government’s relationship to the “Creator.” Recently, the justices have claimed that it is their right to change the Constitution’s meaning to fit a changing society. In order for these revolutionaries to redefine America, they must rid America of her inconvenient history, beginning with our Declaration of Independence, which declares a “firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence,” and the words of every President’s inaugural address which acknowledges God’s Divine Providence in American history.
Video! A History of American Prayer
The History of Prayer in America and Her Armed Forces: 1774-Present from First Principles Press on Vimeo.
Presented at the CHEK Homeschool Conference in Louisville, KY on June 22, 2012. By Col. Ronald D. Ray, USMC (ret.), Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense.
Wash all hatred from my soul.
Dear God, I pray that I shall never falter fighting for our way of living, for my ideals. And, O Lord, when the battle is over, I beseech Thee give me strength to heal all scars and wash all hatred from my soul. Bring, dear God, understanding and peace of mind to me and my recent enemy which shall mean peace and contentment for all the world. Amen.
– Joe E. Brown (July 28, 1891- July 6, 1973)