America’s Godly Heritage: How it was Lost? Copyright by Norman L. Geisler 2013

America’s Godly Heritage:How it was Lost?

Copyright by Norman L. Geisler 2013

America’s Godly Heritage

I. How Did We Get It?II. How Did We Lose It?

III. How Can We Get It Back?


I. How Did We Get It?

•

The Mission of our Forefathers

1620:1620: The Mayflower CompactThe Mayflower Compact

““For the advancement For the advancement of the Christian Faith”of the Christian Faith”

In the name of King In the name of King James the “James the “Defender Defender of the Faith”of the Faith”

The Mayflower Compact 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 Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the faith, etc. Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and Honor 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 Politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute and frame such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod, the llth of November, in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France and Ireland the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini 1620.

Our Freedom Has Religious RootsOur Freedom Has Religious Roots

Thanksgiving to GodThanksgiving to God

The first schools were started to teach children to read the Bible!

1647: “Old Deluder Satan Law”


The Purpose of the First Schools

“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.”

1776: Declaration of Independence

The Founding Document

John Jay: President of Continental John Jay: President of Continental Congress 1778-1779Congress 1778-1779

“ “Providence has given to our Providence has given to our people the choice of their people the choice of their rulers, and rulers, and it is the duty as it is the duty as well as the privilege and well as the privilege and interest of our Christian interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.”Christians for their rulers.”

George WashingtonFirst Inaugural Address 1789

“No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than those of the United States. Every step by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency.”

Massachusetts Constitution 1780Massachusetts Constitution 1780

“ “Any persons chosen governor, lietenant-Any persons chosen governor, lietenant-govenor, councillor, senator, or govenor, councillor, senator, or representative, and accepting the trust, shall, representative, and accepting the trust, shall, before he proceeds to execute the duties of his before he proceeds to execute the duties of his place or office, place or office, make and subcribe the make and subcribe the following declaration, viz.: I, A.B., do declare following declaration, viz.: I, A.B., do declare that I believe the Christian religion, and have that I believe the Christian religion, and have a firm persuasion of its truth.”a firm persuasion of its truth.”

The Articles of Confederation (1781)

In Articles of Confederation document drafted in 1777 and ratified in 1781 all agreed in “cooperation between the States” and sent “delegates of the United States of America” to participate.

Indeed, following the spirit of The Declaration of Independence, these Articles spoke of the “Great Governor of the world” who “authorize[d] us to ratify the said Articles of Confederation and perpetual union.”

Promoting Religion in Schools For example, the Northwest Ordinance

(1787 and 1789) declared: "Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged." Thus, religion was deemed by our Founding Fathers to be “necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind."

1830’s-1930’s McGuffy’s Reader1830’s-1930’s McGuffy’s Reader

McGuffy Wrote: "John, you must always bear in mind, that it is God who made you, and who gave you all that you have and all that you hope for. He sent his Son to show you his will and to die for your sake. He gave you his word, to let you know what he had done for you and what he bids you to do” (77, 78, 80).

Presidential Prayer Proclamations

President Washington (Oct. 3, 1789) declared: "Whereas 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…. [I recommend] to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer...."

School Sponsored Bible Reading School Sponsored Bible Reading

“Why may not the Bible, and especially the New Testament be read and taught as divine

revelation [in schools]?”(Vidal, 1844).

“Why may not the Bible, and especially the New Testament be read and taught as divine

revelation [in schools]?”(Vidal, 1844).

James Madison: “Father of the U.S. Constitution”

• “Before any man can be considered as a member of Civil Society, he must be considered as a subject of the Governor of the Universe.” (Memorial & Remonstrance, 1785).

America is a Religious Nation(It is not a Secular Nation)

Our government was based in God.

“We are a religious people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being” (Zorach, 1952).

Later Court decisions affirmed this ruling (see Abington, 1963; Marsh, 1983; Lynch, 1984).

Power of Gov’t Resting on the Ten Commandments

Top and Center: Outside the Court

Agreement with The Declaration:A Condition of Statehood

All the original states endorsed The Declaration, and every state since has been required to form a government that is in conformity with the U. S. Constitution “and the principles of the Declaration of Independence.” As late as August 21, 1959, Hawaii was admitted to the United States based on the fact that it concurred with “the principles of the Declaration of Independence” (see Gonzales v. Planned Parenthood, 2007).



• d

Charles Darwin Charles Darwin Naturalistic EvolutionNaturalistic Evolution

1859 On the Origin of Species

1871 The Descent of Man

No Need for God

To believe in the “…continued

intervention of creative power is to

make ‘my deity Natural Selection’

superfluous.”

No Evidence for a CreatorNo Evidence for a Creator

Charles DarwinCharles Darwin

““Belief in God—ReligionBelief in God—Religion.—.—There is no evidence that man There is no evidence that man was aboriginally endowed was aboriginally endowed with the ennobling belief in with the ennobling belief in the existence of an the existence of an Omnipotent GodOmnipotent God…. The Idea …. The Idea of a universal and beneficent of a universal and beneficent Creator does not seem to Creator does not seem to arise in the mind of man, arise in the mind of man, until he has been elevated by until he has been elevated by long-continued culture” long-continued culture” ((Descent of ManDescent of Man, 302, 593)., 302, 593).

Karl Marx Karl Marx

AtheismAtheism

“Nowadays in our evolutionary conception of the universe there is absolutely no room for a Creator.”

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler Social EvolutionSocial Evolution

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler Social EvolutionSocial Evolution

Mein Kampf (1924)

“Nature does not wish that…a superior

race should intermingle with an

inferior one; because in such a case all her efforts…to establish

an evolutionary higher stage of being, may thus be rendered

futile.”

Dayton Courthouse

The text John Scopes used taught that “Caucasians” have evolved as

“the highest type of all” races.

1925 Scopes Trial:

Evolution Text Taught Racism

1933: Secular Humanist Manifesto1933: Secular Humanist Manifesto


1. No Creator


1. No Creator

2. No Creation


1. No Creator

2. No Creation

3. No God Given Moral Absolutes


1. No Creator

2. No Creation

3. No God Given Moral Absolutes

The exact opposite of

The Declaration of Independence!

1933: Secular Humanist Manifesto


1. No Creator

“Religious humanists regard the universe as self-existing and not created.”



2. No Creation

“Humanism believes that man is a part of nature and that he has emerged as the result of a continuous process.”


3. No God-given Moral Absolutes

“Modern science makes unacceptable any supernatural or cosmic guarantee of human values…. We affirm that moral values derive their source from human experience.”

John Dewey John Dewey Secular HumanistSecular HumanistJohn Dewey John Dewey

Secular HumanistSecular Humanist

1934 A Common Faith

“Here are all the arguments for a

religious faith [of humanism]…. Such a faith has always been implicitly the common

faith of mankind. It remains to make it

explicit and militant.”

“I am convinced that the battle for humankind's future must be waged and won in the public school classroom by teachers who correctly perceive their role as the proselytizers of a new faith: a religion of humanity that recognizes and respects the spark of what theologians call divinity in every human being.” (Atheist, John Dunphy)

Humanist Goal: Preach this “new faith” of Humanist Goal: Preach this “new faith” of Humanism in the Public SchoolsHumanism in the Public Schools


“These teachers must embody the same selfless dedication as the most rabid fundamentalist preachers. For they will be ministers of another sort, utilizing a classroom instead of a pulpit to convey humanist values in whatever subject they teach, regardless of the educational level--preschool day care or large state university.”

(Atheist, John Dunphy)



America’s Godly HeritageHow We Got It How We Lost ItCreator No Creator

Creation No Creation

God-Given Morals No God-Given Morals

When Did We Lose It?When Did We Lose It?

1961: Atheistic religions protected1961: Atheistic religions protected 1961: Atheistic religions protected1961: Atheistic religions protected

1962: Class prayer banned from schools1962: Class prayer banned from schools1962: Class prayer banned from schools1962: Class prayer banned from schools

1963: Class devotional Bible readings banned1963: Class devotional Bible readings banned

1973: Laws protecting the unborn nullified1973: Laws protecting the unborn nullified

1980: Ten Commandments banned in schools1980: Ten Commandments banned in schools

1987: Teaching creation banned from schools1987: Teaching creation banned from schools

McLean (1982) “Indeed, creation of the world ‘out of

nothing’ is the ultimate religious statement because God is the only actor.” (Creator in the Courtroom,174)

Federal Court Forbids Creation

McLean (1982) “Indeed, creation of the world ‘out

of nothing’ is the ultimate religious statement because God is the only actor.” (Creator in the Courtroom,174) “Such a concept is not science because it depends upon supernatural intervention which is not guided by natural law.” (ibid., 176)

Federal Court Forbids Creation

Edwards (1987): “The Act impermissibly

endorses the religious belief that a supernatural being created humankind.” (1. (b)) “Concepts concerning God or a supreme being of some sort are manifestly religious.” (V, A)

Supreme Court Forbids Creation

What Would Jefferson Think If He Knew?

The Supreme Court ruled that: The Declaration of Independence is unconstitutional!

What is a Country Less God?

What is a Country Less God?

•It is a God-less Country!

Teen Age Pregnancy up 200%

Divorce up 200%

Teen Suicide up 300%

Violent Crime up 500%

Abortion up 1,000%

Child Abuse rose to an all time high

Between 1960-1990

Friedrich Nietzsche 1844-1900 Friedrich Nietzsche 1844-1900

“God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed

him. How shall we, the murderers of all murderers,

comfort ourselves?”

God

“Finally, it is irresistible -- we must ask how we can kill the god of Christianity. We need only insure that our schools teach only secular knowledge…. If we could achieve this, God would indeed be shortly due for a

funeral service.” (Atheist, Richard Bozarth)

How to Kill God!

Fyodor Dostoevski (1821-1881)The Brothers Karamozov

Fyodor Dostoevski (1821-1881)The Brothers Karamozov

If God is dead, anything is

permissible!

19th Century: God Died (Man killed God)

19th Century: God Died (Man killed God)

20th Century: Man Died (Man killed Man)

20th Century: Man Died (Man killed Man)

12 million murdered

18 million murdered

30 million murdered

The Death of God Leads to the Death of Man

Meanwhile, back in America...

Meanwhile, back in America...

...we said it couldn’t happen here.

...we said it couldn’t happen here.

But We have killed over 50 million unborn!

But We have killed over 50 million unborn!

In the womb at 11 weeks

Where Does This Lead?

Abortion->Infanticide->Euthanasia•Same ReasonsSame Reasons


Abortion->Infanticide->Euthanasia•Same ReasonsSame Reasons•Same PatientsSame Patients


Abortion->Infanticide->Euthanasia•Same Reasons•Same Patients•Same Results

Today, no unwanted

baby. Tomorrow, no

unwanted parent!

American Freedom:


III. How Can We Get It Back?

1. Get Back On The Boat1. Get Back On The Boat1620: 1620: The Mayflower CompactThe Mayflower Compact

““For the advancement For the advancement of the Christian Faith”of the Christian Faith”

In the name of King In the name of King James the James the ““Defender Defender of the Faith”of the Faith”

2. Get Back on Our Knees

Our Pilgrim Forefathers

“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.”

1776: Declaration of Independence

3. Get Back to Our Foundation

The first schools were started to teach children to read the Bible!



4. Get the Bible Back in Our Schools

5. Get Ethics back into our voting The American Christian is a straight and clean and honest man.... But the moment he comes forwards to exercise a public trust he can be confidently counted upon to betray that trust in nine cases out of ten, if “party loyalty” shall require it.... There are Christian Private Morals, but there are no Christian Public Morals, at the polls,

or in the Congress or anywhere else–except here and there and scattered around like lost comets in the solar system” (Christian Science, 359-361).

Mark Twain

What Did Jefferson Say?

“God who gave us life, gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation remain secure

when we have removed the

conviction that these liberties are the gift

of God?”

1787 No “Religious Test” for Office1787 No “Religious Test” for Office The US Constitution Reads: The US Constitution Reads: “No religious test shall ever be “No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.”the United States.”

Note:Note: “religious test” means a “religious test” means a particular religionparticular religion, not , not belief in God belief in God common to all religions in view at the time common to all religions in view at the time since:since: 1. Five Sates had their own State religions at the time.1. Five Sates had their own State religions at the time. 2. Northwest Ordinance (1789) encouraged “religion” in general.2. Northwest Ordinance (1789) encouraged “religion” in general. 3. First Amendment (1791) encouraged religion in general by the 3. First Amendment (1791) encouraged religion in general by the Free Exercise clause (“…nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof”).Free Exercise clause (“…nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof”). 4. Many states required belief in God as a condition for public 4. Many states required belief in God as a condition for public office (see below).office (see below). 5. Otherwise, 5. Otherwise, The Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence would be would be unconstitutional since it declares belief in God as basis of our Gov’t . unconstitutional since it declares belief in God as basis of our Gov’t . 6. Belief in the basic principles of the 6. Belief in the basic principles of the Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of Independence is is still a condition of Statehood (Hawaii, 1959).still a condition of Statehood (Hawaii, 1959). 7. Each state recognizes God in its State Constitution Preamble.7. Each state recognizes God in its State Constitution Preamble.

The Closing of the American Mind

• What Wrong with American Higher Education?

• It had departed from:

• Absolute Truth

• Absolute Morals

• The Bible as a Revelation

[1987]

Universities Teach Nothing About the Meaning of Life

1636-1860: Age of Piety

1860-1960: Age of Secularism

1960—Present: Age of Nihilism

“The rejection of all distinctions in moral or religious value and a willingness to repudiate all previous theories of morality or religious belief.”[2007]

Documents

America’s Godly Heritage: How it was Lost? Copyright by Norman L. Geisler 2013