Whoever authored this piece of legislation don't exactly have their facts straight:
Whereas the first act of America's first Congress in 1774 was to ask a minister to open with prayer and to lead Congress in the reading of 4 chapters of the Bible;
As this was before the Constitution was ratified, I don't see how this has constitutional bearing on our nation today.
Whereas throughout the American Founding, Congress frequently appropriated money for missionaries and for religious instruction, a practice that Congress repeated for decades after the passage of the Constitution and the First Amendment;
A practice that was unconstitutional and rightly ended.
Whereas in 1776, Congress approved the Declaration of Independence with its 4 direct religious acknowledgments referring to God as the Creator (`All people are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness'), the Lawgiver (`the laws of nature and nature's God'), the Judge (`appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world'), and the Protector (`with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence');
There was no mention of Jesus, no mention of the Bible, no mention of specific religious beliefs.
Whereas the Liberty Bell was named for the Biblical inscription from Leviticus 25:10 emblazoned around it: `Proclaim liberty throughout the land, to all the inhabitants thereof';
And this proves what, exactly?
Whereas in 1777, Congress, facing a National shortage of `Bibles for our schools, and families, and for the public worship of God in our churches,' announced that they `desired to have a Bible printed under their care & by their encouragement' and therefore ordered 20,000 copies of the Bible to be imported `into the different ports of the States of the Union';
Was this before or after the ratification of the Constitution? Because religious belief and the acknowledgment thereof is the responsibility of the single citizen and his or her respective conscience - not the government.
Whereas in 1787 at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin declared, `God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? ... Without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel';
One man's opinion does not change the reality of church/state separation.
Whereas the delegates to the Constitutional Convention concluded their work by in effect placing a religious punctuation mark at the end of the Constitution in the Attestation Clause, noting not only that they had completed the work with `the unanimous consent of the States present' but they had done so `in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven';
Was it not common to write years out in that way at that time?
Whereas from 1787 to 1788, State conventions to ratify the United States Constitution not only began with prayer but even met in church buildings;
Does the fact that the founders celebrated the ratification of the Constitution by going to a bar signify that we're a nation of drunks? Didn't think so.
Whereas in 1789, the first Federal Congress, the Congress that framed the Bill of Rights, including the First Amendment, appropriated Federal funds to pay chaplains to pray at the opening of all sessions, a practice that has continued to this day, with Congress not only funding its congressional chaplains but also the salaries and operations of more than 4,500 military chaplains;
Chaplains that minister according to their own beliefs - not the official beliefs of the government.
Whereas in 1789, Congress, in the midst of framing the Bill of Rights and the First Amendment, passed the first Federal law touching education, declaring that `Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged';
We have church to "teach" religion. We have school to teach academic subjects.
Whereas in 1789, on the same day that Congress finished drafting the First Amendment, it requested President Washington to declare a National day of prayer and thanksgiving, resulting in the first Federal official Thanksgiving proclamation that declared `it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor';
The government endorsed no religious beliefs in doing so, and as such, did not violate the Constitution.
Whereas in 1800, Congress enacted naval regulations requiring that Divine service be performed twice every day aboard `all ships and vessels in the navy,' with a sermon preached each Sunday;
Conspicuously missing from these regulations is a requirement for anyone to attend such religious meetings, which would be unconstitutional.
Whereas in 1800, Congress approved the use of the just-completed Capitol structure as a church building, with Divine services to be held each Sunday in the Hall of the House, alternately administered by the House and Senate chaplains;
Using the Capitol building as a church does not necessarily mean that this is a Christian nation, but simply that the Capitol was being used as a church.
Whereas in 1853 the United States Senate declared that the Founding Fathers `had no fear or jealousy of religion itself, nor did they wish to see us an irreligious people ... they did not intend to spread over all the public authorities and the whole public action of the nation the dead and revolting spectacle of atheistical apathy';
That doesn't mean that the founders would have wanted the government to control and acknowledge religion, thus destroying religious liberty.
Whereas, in 1864, by law Congress added `In God We Trust' to American coinage;
A meaningless phrase that changes nothing about the nature of our country.
Whereas in 1864, Congress passed an act authorizing each State to display statues of 2 of its heroes in the United States Capitol, resulting in numerous statues of noted Christian clergymen and leaders at the Capitol, including Gospel ministers such as the Revs. James A. Garfield, John Peter Muhlenberg, Jonathan Trumbull, Roger Williams, Jason Lee, Marcus Whitman, and Martin Luther King Jr.; Gospel theologians such as Roger Sherman; Catholic priests such as Father Damien, Jacques Marquette, Eusebio Kino, and Junipero Serra; Catholic nuns such as Mother Joseph; and numerous other religious leaders;
Again: Just because some of the above were "men of the gospel" does not mean that they would agree with Congressional fundamentalists with an agenda to limit religious freedom.
Whereas in 1870, the Federal government made Christmas (a recognition of the birth of Christ, an event described by the U.S. Supreme Court as `acknowledged in the Western World for 20 centuries, and in this country by the people, the Executive Branch, Congress, and the courts for 2 centuries') and Thanksgiving as official holidays;
A holiday that is not compulsory or one that the entire populace celebrates.
Whereas beginning in 1904 and continuing for the next half-century, the Federal government printed and distributed The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth for the use of Members of Congress because of the important teachings it contained;
Doesn't mean that the government endorses those beliefs.
Whereas in 1931, Congress by law adopted the Star-Spangled Banner as the official National Anthem, with its phrases such as `may the Heav'n-rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation,' and `this be our motto, `In God is our trust!';
The national anthem has no bearing on the nature of our country. Its lyrics could include "the world is made of snow". That wouldn't mean that that phrase is true.
Whereas in 1954, Congress by law added the phrase `one nation under God' to the Pledge of Allegiance;
Another meaningless phrase that has no bearing on the nature of this country.
Whereas in 1954 a special Congressional Prayer Room was added to the Capitol with a kneeling bench, an altar, an open Bible, an inspiring stained-glass window with George Washington kneeling in prayer, the declaration of Psalm 16:1: `Preserve me, O God, for in Thee do I put my trust,' and the phrase `This Nation Under God' displayed above the kneeling, prayerful Washington;
A kneeling bench for those Congressmen and women who believe in God. The government endorses no beliefs by the existence of such a bench.
Whereas in 1956, Congress by law made `In God We Trust' the National Motto, and added the phrase to American currency;
If our money had 'Lead can be turned to gold' printed on it, would that make it true?
The answer is no.
Whereas the constitutions of each of the 50 states, either in the preamble or body, explicitly recognize or express gratitude to God;
Constitutions that have nothing to do with the Constitution of this country. Not to mention the fact that no specific religious beliefs are mentioned or that neither the state nor federal governments have the authority to establish religion.
(1) the use of the Bible to administer the oath;
One doesn't have to use the Bible. They can use a Q'uran, the Torah, a book of John Lennon quotes - whatever they find holy.
(2) affirming the religious nature of the oath by the adding the prayer `So help me God!' to the oath;
A meaningless phrase.
(3) inaugural prayers offered by the President;
(4) religious content in the inaugural address;
The content of which applies to the President's personal religious beliefs, as the government can have no religious beliefs.
(5) civil leaders calling the people to prayer or acknowledgement of God;
Civil leaders can acknowledge God. The government cannot.
And on and on it goes. If you're going to introduce legislation, you should have your facts straight. It says a lot that a twentysomething college student can outclass Congressmen twice his age on church/state issues.
Ringo
