The difference in the nation, before the agenda was initiated and now is obvious, so I don't think I have to compare the differences that have taken place the last 45 years. By the "Agenda", I mean the intentional destroying of the American fabric; socially, morally, educationally and financially.
What do I mean by Christian faith having an influence on the western world? God blessed this nation when we were followers of the Creator. He led us through difficult times, molded and guided the young nation. He used the nation to be a positive influence in the world, and blessed us in the physical sense (wealth) in return. The farther we have gone away from the nation's roots, the God fearing nation that we were, the worse off we get. The wealth has been leaving the nation, and it will continue.
The first two paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence should be a clue that the Fathers knew there was a God.
Ben Franklin said the only way this "experiment in society" would succeed was with Judeo Christian ethics, morals and values.
It is hard to find pluralism or atheism in the words of John Jay, the first chief justice of the Supreme Court, in his statement: "Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers."
George Washington's farewell address of 1796 deals with the issue of religion: Let us with caution indulge the suppostion that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail to the exclusion of religious people."
In 1787, the year the constitution was officially approved by Congress, the Northwest Ordinance was approved by the same body. Article 3 of that ordinance states: "Religion, morality and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged."
The fact that we are not a "Christian" nation, such as the official "islamic" nations found in the middle east is obvious, and was never meant to be that way. As a matter of fact, nobody has ever suggested that or attempted to make such a nation. A decent study of our nation's history will cause one to understand what was the intent and purpose, and the evidence of this is how many of the first states formed. Had we been an official Christian nation, whose form of Christianity would we have taken? Would it have been the Baptists, the Methodists, or the Catholics, or maybe the Quakers? This was a lot more troubling back then than it is now, with different denominations (sects, as they were called back then) having their churches side by side in communities today, and totally different colonies/ states in our beginning. Declaring in the Constitution that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," was a necessity for the various Christian denominations to be able to live together.
For almost 200 years, Congress opened with a prayer (still does), the 10 commandments were posted in the courtrooms and schools, and God was frequently invoked in presidential speeches.
By the way, for any trivia buffs, today, when the judge enters the courtroom, the bailiff commands "All rise". Today, you stand because you are directed to stand in honor of a man, in the beginning of the custom, you would have stood because the judge entered with the Holy Bible in hand, held up high. You stood because the Word of God entered.
How is an oath ended, sealing your word to it under penalty if violated? "So help me God".
How do you find this works for you?
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