Submitted by Michael (United States), Sep 17, 2006 at 22:51
Clearly you are a victim of the government school system in America which for the last 30 years has dedicated itself to indoctrinating, not educating, students. As a teacher, i will tell you that for these past three decades the grades K-12 have been subject to historical revisionism. A teacher that has the temerity to tell students the truth about American and world history and to support that truth with a multitude, an abundance of source documents and objective verifiable evidence will find the school administration will not allow it.
Teachers are enjoined that students are not allowed to know any view of history, true or not, except the godless, libertine and socialist worldview the government schools disseminate. That view is exemplified in Howard Zinn's, "A Peoples History of the United States", essentially a socialist hate America screed.
You write, "The Bible is not a guide for government and making it so would probably destroy the West." The contrary is true. Western Civilization was built on the Judeo-Christian Bible. All of the values that distinguish Western Civilization from the East and Middle East cultures come from the Christian Faith as taught by the Bible.
Among those truths are: all men and women are equal before God; every human life is sacred and made in the image of God; the individual soul is precious to God since Jesus Christ died to redeem it; the freedom to choose or reject God's call to faith in him; the commands to love your neighbor as yourself; to love your enemies and bless them.
These and many other doctrines have been the bedrock of Western law and culture and most particularly American values until very recently. The American Declaration of Independence asserts, "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...." But these rights are only inalienable if they come from God; what a government of men gives, it can take away. You will find none of these doctrines or values in Islam and precious few in any other religion.
Not only was Western Civilization founded on the Bible and the Christian Faith but America was a Christian people from its earliest beginings until the latter half of the 1960s. Read George Washington's Farewell Address where he warns Americans to beware abandoning the Christian Faith and morals that alone make a self-governing democracy possible. I'm sure it was just an oversight that the government school system neglected to teach you that the United States Supreme Court, in the latter part of the 19th Century and after ten years of meticulous study and research of public historical documents from all the States in the Union, declared in its "Trinity" decision that the evidence was overwhelming: "This is a religious people, a Christian nation."
But you write,"Just remember that the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution calls for a separation of church and state." If you read the historical documents of the period, it will become exceedingly clear that what was meant is this: no one Christian denomination will be the national church as it is in England. The First Amendment reads "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;...." To say this calls for a separation of church and state i.e. religion has no place in government is a misreading and an erroneous understanding. It is most certainly not what any of the Constitutional Fathers intended. In fact, Congress held church services and Bible studies in the U.S. Capitol building weekly.
Even today, Congress cannot begin a session before prayer. To aid you in recovering from the indoctrination of the John Dewey inspired socialist government school system, may I recommend "The History of the American People" by Paul Johnson or "The Religious History of the American People". Mr. Johnson is a British citizen and an eminent historian. He has written extensively on America. I think you will find his perspective accurate as to the facts, liberating you from the shackels of misinformation and opening your eyes to deliberate propaganda regarding your Christian American heritage. Paul Johnson is also refreshing and enjoyable to read. There are many good historians and most public libraries carry them but the government schools will not because they reveal the truth and destroy their carefully crafted falsehoods about America and Western Civilization. The onus is now on you to seek out that truth. If your worldview is based on false assumpions it will destroy you ultimately. Be diligent not indolent in your pursuit of Truth. Jesus Christ is Truth. The Word of God, the Bible, is Truth. God Bless you as you seek him with all your heart.
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| Title |
By |
Date |
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