Affirmation of Our Creator
“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.”
-- Declaration of Independence
Our nation's founders understood that our inalienable rights came from God, not government. Twenty-seven of the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence held Christian seminary degrees. The opening paragraph of the Declaration of Independence refers to God twice. After five weeks of hotly contested debate at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, it appeared that consensus might not be reached. Then, 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin stood up and said these words:
"In the beginning of the contest with Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers in this room for divine protection. Our prayers, sir, were heard; and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor. To that kind Providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need [His] assistance? I have lived, sir, a long time; and the longer I live the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that 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? We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings, that ‘except the Lord build the house they labor in vain that build it.’ I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel; we shall be divided by our little partial, local interests, our projects will be confounded and we ourselves shall become a reproach and a byword down to future ages. And, what is worse, mankind may hereafter, from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing government by human wisdom and leave it to chance, war, or conquest. I, therefore, beg leave to move: That hereafter prayers, imploring the assistance of Heaven and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service."
--Benjamin Franklin
In recent times, secular-progressive activists have worked to eliminate any and all acknowledgement of God from the public square. They cite the doctrine of “separation of church and state” as the basis for their objection to religious references. These activists who are working to transform America into a secular nation would do well to heed the words of Thomas Jefferson:
“And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever.”
-- Thomas Jefferson