SOME FOLKS JUST DON'T GET IT

**A letter I recently wrote to an editor responding to criticism that I do not know my history.** The letter was not published due to length.

Dear Editor,

In reference to four letters that were written to challenge my statement that America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles let me clear the air.

First: I did not say that America is or was a Christian nation. If she ever was she certainly isn't now.

Second: I did say America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles. These principles though not formally a governmental standard, for all faiths have equal legal status in America, are principles that the vast majority of the founders used as their standard and therefore greatly influenced and guided them as they chiseled out the foundation of the United States of America.

One writer quoted an excerpt from a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptist Association allaying their fear that the government was going to establish a formal religion. This letter was written to assure the Baptist that government had no business interfering in the people's religion. It did not state or imply that the citizens could not inject their religion into the government's business. In any case, it was a personal letter and had no weight in law. Jefferson's opinion simply stated was, the Federal government was not to establish a religious sect or denomination. The Constitution did not restrict the states from doing so, and some did.

It is correct that Roman and Greek scholars, as well as others, wrote about the equality of mankind. In fact, our founders had many volumes of writings of these philosophers in their libraries. They also studied Locke, Hume, Montesquieu, and others. British common law was also part of the influence that guided our founders. However, all that they studied did not necessarily negate their Godly beliefs and their fundamental reliance on Him.

Mike Sawyer stated in his letter of June 17, 2010, that George Washington and Benjamin Franklin were Deists. Washington kept his beliefs close to the chest but his few writings on the subject support the fact that he was a believer, albeit not an evangelist. Franklin in his early writings called himself a " a thorough Deist," but later in life he no longer believed in a "Watchmaker" God rather an engaged God, as evidenced by his statement to George Washington when calling for prayer at the Constitutional Convention. Franklin stated, " I have lived, sir, a long time, and the the longer I live the more convincing proofs I see that God governs in the affairs of men." Hardly the words of a Deist. However, Franklin would not have been invited to speak at the Southern Baptist Convention had there been such an organization.

The statement "...the government of the United State is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion" appears as Article 11 in the Treaty of Tripoli. It was drafted by Joel Barlow a disgruntled minister who probably had a grudge against God, passed by Congress and signed by President John Adams. The Article was not a refutation of Christianity, rather it was intended to convey the message that the Federal Government was not officially Christian. However, it was a shameful way to appease the Musselmen and should never have been passed by congress and signed by Adams. As stated, President Adams signed the Treaty of Tripoli but he also made this statement; "The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were....the general principles of Christianity...I will avow I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God; and those principles of liberty are as unalterable as human nature."

In his June 10, 2010, letter Mr. Ken Lynn rightly stated that there is a difference between the founding of North America and The United States. What Mr. Lynn did not concede, nor did I expect him to, was the fact that the settlers documents (Mayflower Compact, The fundamental Orders of Connecticut, The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America, etc.) and influences were passed on to the successive generations. Therefore, the "principles" were not lost, that is until the last 60 or so years.

It might also be noted that of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence 24 were seminary graduates.

Lastly, if I gave the impression that the pulpit is the "hub of morality" I want to clear that up once and for all. The pulpit is often not the "hub" of morality, but it should be.

Kershaw Getty