{"id":246079,"date":"2019-01-04T20:39:11","date_gmt":"2019-01-04T20:39:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dreyercoaching.com\/beardeddragonmedia\/life-in-america\/the-role-of-religion-in-the-usa\/"},"modified":"2021-09-26T03:43:17","modified_gmt":"2021-09-26T03:43:17","slug":"the-role-of-religion-in-the-usa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dreyercoaching.com\/beardeddragonmedia\/life-in-america\/the-role-of-religion-in-the-usa\/","title":{"rendered":"The Role of Religion in the USA"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-246077\" src=\"https:\/\/dreyercoaching.com\/beardeddragonmedia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/4fcf9d660236ddb62c8456017158615a.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dreyercoaching.com\/beardeddragonmedia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/4fcf9d660236ddb62c8456017158615a.jpg 960w, https:\/\/dreyercoaching.com\/beardeddragonmedia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/4fcf9d660236ddb62c8456017158615a-480x360.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 960px, 100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<p>At<a href=\"http:\/\/dreyercoaching.com\/\"> DreyerCoaching.com<\/a>, not only do we help students learn English, but also learn about life in the USA. Not long ago, Dave, one of my outstanding online students in Beijing, China, asked me: What was the role of Christianity in forming the United States?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>That is a GREAT question, and one that has many answers! The SHORT answer is: <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em><strong>Religion, particularly Christianity, played a HUGE role in the forming of the USA<\/strong>, and if you want to understand the United States, the Western World, and the English language, you need to understand Judaism, Christianity, and the Bible.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The issue of religion and America&#8217;s founding is complicated at best. When we look at this issue, there are two extreme errors, both of which are wrong. Consider the question, &#8220;Did America have a Christian founding?&#8221;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>One extreme answer, widespread today, is &#8220;<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Of course not!<\/span><\/strong> The colonists wanted to escape the crazy religious wars and conflicts of Europe, so they made a &#8220;religion-free&#8221; government, and we call it &#8220;separation of Church and State.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li>The other extreme answer is: &#8220;<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Of course!<\/span><\/strong> All the Founding Fathers were deeply devout Christian believers who wanted to set up a theocracy where Christianity would rule.&#8221; Both these views, though held by many today (especially the first one), are false. You can read more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heritage.org\/political-process\/report\/did-america-have-christian-founding#_ftn14\">here<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>For many years, museums and schools have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dictionary.com\/browse\/downplay\">downplay<\/a>ed this role of religion in America&#8217;s founding and development. I think there are many reasons for this.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>One, many of the people who run the musuems and schools themselves do not understand the imporant role, so they are not able to teach what they themselves do not understand or appreciate.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Two, many people are afraid of &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/idioms.thefreedictionary.com\/cross+the+line\">crossing the line<\/a>&#8221; or being seen as forcing religion on people, so they back off. They are afraid of being branded a &#8220;religious zealot&#8221; or committing that greatest sin in America today &#8212; &#8220;offending somebody,&#8221; so they avoid the topic altogether.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Three, other people have a political or cultural agenda to reduce the influence of religion in the US today, so to do so, they deemphasize the role of religion in history. As George Orwell put it in his 1948 bestseller <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">1984<\/span><\/em>,<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><em><strong>&#8220;He who controls the present controls the past, and he who controls the past controls the future.&#8221;<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p>In other words, <strong>those who control the present (control schools, the media, museums, the government, etc.) can control the past (by slanting or twisting how history is taught, or mis-taught), and if you can create a false narrative about what the past was like, you can more easily trick or mislead people into going astray from their true cultural roots and into a totally new direction, thus &#8220;controlling the future.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>I was heartened to see that the famous Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. held a year-long exhibit, on the role of religion in America. To quote:&nbsp;<span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">&#8220;As a focused subject area, it&#8217;s been neglected,&#8221; says Peter Manseau, a scholar and writer installed last year as the first full-time religion curator at the Smithsonian Institution&#8217;s&nbsp;<\/span><a style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; font-size: 17px; line-height: inherit; font-family: Georgia, serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #5076b8; text-decoration: none; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;\" href=\"http:\/\/americanhistory.si.edu\/\">National Museum of American History<\/a><span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">. He continues:&nbsp;<span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">&#8220;We can&#8217;t tell the story of America without telling the story of religion,&#8221; Manseau says, &#8220;and we can&#8217;t answer questions about the importance of religion today without going back to earlier generations.&#8221; Read or hear the story <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2017\/06\/28\/534765046\/smithsonian-exhibit-explores-religious-diversitys-role-in-u-s-history\">here<\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>*****<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Jamestown, Virginia<\/strong><\/span>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The first permanent English colony in the New World was at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitwilliamsburg.com\/trip-idea\/itinerary-tale-two-jamestowns?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=brand&amp;gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0cCdu5XV3wIVULjACh308guFEAAYASAAEgJhPvD_BwE\">Jamestown, Virginia<\/a>. (This is another fine reason to study English with <a href=\"http:\/\/dreyercoaching.com\/\">DreyerCoaching.com<\/a>&#8212; since we are based in the US State of Virginia, you can learn English from the birthplace of English-speaking America!) Even though Jamestown was created mainly for economic reasons (to make lots of money), Christianity was very important in its founding. The first building erected at Jamestown was a Christian church.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>*****<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Plymouth Rock &amp; Boston<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The settlers at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=plymouth+rock&amp;safe=strict&amp;rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS775US775&amp;source=lnms&amp;tbm=isch&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjNp9_AsdXfAhUGQ60KHZvFBSkQ_AUIDigB&amp;biw=1600&amp;bih=789#imgrc=1cIzYEq4NxGaCM:\">Plymouth Rock<\/a> and Boston were highly-motivated by their Christian faith to leave Europe, cross the Atlantic, and built new lives in the New World where they wanted to be &#8220;like a city on a hill&#8221; as Jesus said.<\/p>\n<p>(Another Virginia note: The Pilgrims actually wanted to sail to Virginia and settle here, but they were blown off course by storms and so ended much further north, in what is today Massachusetts.)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>*****<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>The Declaration of Independence<\/strong><\/span>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archives.gov\/founding-docs\/declaration-transcript\">Declaration of Independence<\/a> by Virginian and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.virginia.edu\/\">UVA<\/a>-founder <a href=\"https:\/\/www.monticello.org\/site\/jefferson\/thomas-jefferson-brief-biography\">Thomas Jefferson<\/a> refers to God <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">four or five times<\/span>: two in the first paragraph, one in the middle, and two at the end.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #666666; font-family: 'Open Sans', Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 500; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">\u201cWhen in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the <span style=\"background-color: #ffff00;\">Laws of Nature<\/span> and of <span style=\"background-color: #ffff00;\">Nature\u2019s God<\/span> entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #666666; font-family: 'Open Sans', Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 500; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">\u201cWe hold these truths to be self-evident, that <span style=\"background-color: #ffff00;\">all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights<\/span>, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>(In other words, human rights come from God, and the &#8220;Right to Life&#8221; comes first. Let&#8217;s face it: without a right to life, no other rights mean anything, if we are dead!)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #666666; font-family: 'Open Sans', Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 500; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">\u201cThat to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>(Note: Governments do not GIVE or CREATE the rights; government is supposed to SECURE (protect) the rights that come from God.)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #666666; font-family: 'Open Sans', Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 500; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">\u201cThat whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes\u2026 But when a long train of abuses and usurpations\u2026 evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government and to provide new Guards for their future security.\u201d&nbsp; &nbsp;(In other words: if any government is not doing its job to protect the God-given rights, then the people have to right to alter (change) or abolish (overthrow) it, and create a new form of government that will do a better job of protecting the people and keeping them safe and happy.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>(The Declaration then lists 27 grievances, or complaints, that the colonists had against King George III of England. Like a lawyer, Jefferson lays out his case why independence is legitimate and necessary. The Declaration then ends with two more references to God.)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #666666; font-family: 'Open Sans', Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 500; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">\u201cWe, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to <span style=\"background-color: #ffff00;\">the Supreme Judge of the world<\/span> for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #666666; font-family: 'Open Sans', Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 500; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">\u201cAnd for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on <span style=\"background-color: #ffff00;\">the protection of Divine Providence<\/span>, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The Congress that met in Philadelphia and approved the Declaration debated and revised the wording from July 1-4, 1776. (In a little-known note, Congress actually voted for and approved independence from England on July 2, but did not approve the final wording of the Declaration until <a href=\"https:\/\/dreyercoaching.com\/beardeddragonmedia\/holidays\/july-4th\/\">July 4<\/a>, hence, that is our <a href=\"https:\/\/dreyercoaching.com\/beardeddragonmedia\/holidays\/july-4th\/\">nation&#8217;s birthday<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/exhibits\/declara\/declara2.html\">Source<\/a>) During the four days of debate over the wording of the Declaration, there is no evidence that anyone objected to or revised the references to God.&nbsp; No one said, &#8220;Hey, this is a government document, we can&#8217;t talk about God in this!&#8221;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>source:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/libertyunderfire.org\/2011\/07\/five-references-to-god-in-the-declaration-of-independence\/\">https:\/\/libertyunderfire.org\/2011\/07\/five-references-to-god-in-the-declaration-of-independence\/<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>*****<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The next year, 1777, Thomas Jefferson wrote the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which the Virginia government approved in 1779. It reads in part (emphasis mine):<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17.28px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; float: none;\">Well aware that the opinions and belief of men depend not on their own will, but follow involuntarily the evidence proposed to their minds; that&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"background-color: #ffff00;\"><i style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17.28px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;\">Almighty God<\/i><\/span><span style=\"color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17.28px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; float: none;\">&nbsp;hath&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"background-color: #ffff00;\"><i style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17.28px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;\">created the mind free<\/i><\/span><span style=\"color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17.28px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; float: none;\">, and manifested&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"background-color: #ffff00;\"><i style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17.28px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;\">his supreme will<\/i><\/span><span style=\"color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17.28px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; float: none;\">&nbsp;that free it shall remain by making it altogether insusceptible of restraint; that all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments, or burthens, or by civil incapacitations, tend only to beget habits of hypocrisy and meanness, and are a departure from the&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"background-color: #ffff00;\"><i style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17.28px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;\">plan of the holy author of our religion<\/i><\/span><span style=\"color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17.28px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; float: none;\">, who being&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"background-color: #ffff00;\"><i style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17.28px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;\">lord both of body and mind<\/i><\/span><span style=\"color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17.28px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; float: none;\">, yet chose not to propagate it by coercions on either, as was in his&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"background-color: #ffff00;\"><i style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17.28px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;\">Almighty power<\/i><\/span><span style=\"color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17.28px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; float: none;\">&nbsp;to do, but to extend it by its influence on reason alone; that the impious presumption of legislators and rulers, civil as well as ecclesiastical, who, being themselves but fallible and uninspired men, have assumed dominion over the faith of others, setting up their own opinions and modes of thinking as the only true and infallible, and as such endeavoring to impose them on others, hath established and maintained false religions over the greatest part of the world and through all time. \u2026<\/span>&nbsp; &nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/volokh-conspiracy\/wp\/2015\/07\/05\/the-declaration-of-independence-and-god\/?utm_term=.49d8b00cce8e\">source<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Many today have never heard of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, and it is seldom taught in schools, but notice what words Jefferson ordered be written on his tombstone before he died, ironically, on July 4, 1826, America&#8217;s 50th birthday:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">HERE WAS BURIED<\/span><br style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;\" \/><span style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">THOMAS JEFFERSON<\/span><br style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;\" \/><span style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">AUTHOR OF THE<\/span><br style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;\" \/><span style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">DECLARATION<\/span><br style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;\" \/><span style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE<\/span><br style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;\" \/><span style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">OF THE<\/span><br style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;\" \/><span style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">STATUTE OF VIRGINIA<\/span><br style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;\" \/><span style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">FOR<\/span><br style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;\" \/><span style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">RELIGIOUS FREEDOM<\/span><br style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;\" \/><span style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">AND FATHER OF THE<\/span><br style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;\" \/><span style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA<\/span><br style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;\" \/><span style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">BORN APRIL 2, 1743&nbsp;<\/span><a style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #a71930; text-decoration: none; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.monticello.org\/site\/research-and-collections\/old-style-os\">O.S.<\/a><br style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;\" \/><span style=\"color: #444444; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B', 'Gotham A', 'Gotham B', Gotham, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">DIED JULY 4. 1826&nbsp; &nbsp;<\/span>(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.monticello.org\/site\/jefferson\/thomas-jefferson-brief-biography\">source<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Do you see? Jefferson did NOT want mentioned that he had been a US president (two terms), the first US Secretary of State, a Virginia governor, the architect of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.monticello.org\/\">Monticello<\/a>, etc, but he DID mention two documents he had written and the university he had founded!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>*****<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Geographic Place Names&nbsp;<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>It is a normal human trait to name things. The Bible is a thick book, but right near the beginning, Genesis Chapter 2, we see <a href=\"https:\/\/creation.com\/naming-the-animals-all-in-a-day-s-work-for-adam\">Adam naming the animals<\/a>. Pet owners give their pets names. Likewise, people name their surroundings. The Native Americans (aka American Indians) named places, and many of those names exist till today across America: many are surprised to know that <a href=\"https:\/\/thoughtcatalog.com\/james-b-barnes\/2014\/10\/26-states-that-were-named-by-native-americans-was-your-state\/\">26 of the 50 United States<\/a>&#8211;over half&#8211; have Indian names, like Alaska, Connecticut, and Kentucky! My beloved hometown and headquarters of <a href=\"http:\/\/dreyercoaching.com\/\">DreyerCoaching.com<\/a> is in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcdonaldinjurylaw.com\/blog\/2017\/09\/what-does-roanoke-mean-native-american\/\">Roanoke<\/a>, Virginia.&nbsp; As European settlers began pouring into the Americas starting in the 1500s and 1600s, they brought their own languages, cultures, and religions with them, and usually stamped their own sense of identity and ownership on the land by naming it. Just in the US State of Virginia alone, we have tons of English names like the <a href=\"https:\/\/jrava.org\/about-the-james-river\/\">James River<\/a>, the Elizabeth River, Richmond, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.portsmouthva.gov\/\">Portsmouth<\/a>, Norfolk, King and Queen County, etc., plus a <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Moscow,_Virginia\">Moscow<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/townofwarsaw.com\/\">Warsaw<\/a>,&nbsp; and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dublin,_Virginia\">Dublin<\/a>. &nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>LIkewise, MANY place names come from the Bible, the holy book of Judaism and Christianity. Nearby our headquarters is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitroanokeva.com\/blog\/post\/must-see-main-street-salem-virginia\/\">Salem<\/a>, which means <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/dictionary\/salem\/\">&#8220;peace&#8221; in Hebrew and is another name for Jerusalem<\/a>. Other Bible names include:<\/p>\n<p>Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (site of the creation of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, in Independence Hall, on the back of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?safe=strict&amp;rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS775US775&amp;biw=1600&amp;bih=789&amp;tbm=isch&amp;sa=1&amp;ei=h_8vXOGYDKSYjwSKmYjACw&amp;q=which+bill+has+the+independence+hall+on+it&amp;oq=which+bill+has+the+independence+hall+on+it&amp;gs_l=img.3...21311.31534..31653...0.0..0.136.3997.31j11......1....1..gws-wiz-img.......0j0i67j0i24j0i8i30.ouwHvE_KQ4Q#imgrc=mrVqPOwzg1Se7M:\">US$100 bill<\/a>&#8211;right under &#8220;<strong>IN GOD WE TRUST<\/strong>.&#8221;)<\/p>\n<p>Providence, the capital of Rhode Island, the US&#8217;s smallest state (&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/providence\">Providence<\/a>&#8221; means the protective care of God, but Providence, RI recently ranked as one of the &#8220;most Godless cities in the US,&#8221; because so few residents there read the Bible often. You can read the report <a href=\"http:\/\/time.com\/1541\/godless-cities-in-america\/\">here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p>Newark, New Jersey (from New Ark of the Covenant)<\/p>\n<p>Shiloh, Tennessee (site of a bloody Civil War battle in 1862)<\/p>\n<p>Antioch, Tennessee (hometown of financial guru and talk radio host <a href=\"https:\/\/www.daveramsey.com\">Dave Ramsey<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>Nazareth, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n<p>New Lebanon, Ohio &amp; New York<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.visitdamascus.org\/\">Damascus<\/a>, Virginia&nbsp;(Saint Paul in the Bible was converted to Christianity on the Road to Damascus, now the capital of Syria.)<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dcr.virginia.gov\/natural-heritage\/natural-area-preserves\/goshen\">Goshen Pass<\/a>, (Virginia&#8217;s oldest state-managed natural area)<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/zion\/index.htm\">Zion<\/a>, Utah, (where my family visited the beautiful national park when we went camping out West when I was a child)<\/p>\n<p>In addition, there are all the places named after saints. (<a href=\"https:\/\/dreyercoaching.com\/beardeddragonmedia\/core-concepts\/english-is-a-crazy-language\/\">English is a crazy language<\/a>: the abbreviation &#8220;St.&#8221; can stand for &#8220;Saint&#8221; or &#8220;Street.&#8221;)&nbsp; &nbsp;St. Petersburg, FL, St. Paul, MN, St. Louis, MO, St. Augustine, FL (the first European settlement in what is now the USA), St. Cloud, MN, etc. The Book of Matthew tells about <a href=\"https:\/\/bible.org\/article\/star-bethlehem\">a star over Bethlemen<\/a>, that guided the wise men to the Baby Jesus. There are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2005\/11\/25\/travel\/escapes\/little-towns-of-bethlehem.html\">more than twelve<\/a> &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=2vc4CexxlX8\">little towns of Bethlehem<\/a>&#8221; in the US, including one in Indiana, from where a cousin of mine mails me an annual Christmas card with a Star of Bethlehem and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bethlehem,_Indiana\">Bethlehem, IN<\/a> postmark.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-246078\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/dreyercoaching.com\/beardeddragonmedia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/49312096_10217898898602051_2944030614883401728_n.jpg\" alt=\"49312096 10217898898602051 2944030614883401728 n\" width=\"250\" height=\"188\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus prayed with His disciples on the Mount of Olives. Today, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.townofmountolivenc.org\/\">Mount Olive, NC<\/a> is called the &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mtolivepickles.com\/\">pickle capital of the world<\/a>,&#8221; due to the presence of Mt. Olive pickle company there, at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mtolivepickles.com\/about-us\/pickle-map\/\">the Corner of Cucumber and Vine Streets<\/a>!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Now, to make things more interesting, let&#8217;s switch from English to other languages. The Spanish colonized much of what is the southern and southwestern USA, and chose many Catholic Christian names, in Spanish, for their lands. &#8220;San&#8221; or &#8220;Santa&#8221; mean &#8220;saint&#8221; or &#8220;holy&#8221; in Spanish, thus we have San Francisco, San Diego, San Bernadino, Santa Barbara, and San Jose, CA; plus San Antonio, TX and Santa Fe, NM. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.visitcorpuschristitx.org\/index.aspx\">Corpus Christi<\/a>, TX literally means &#8220;the Body of Christ.&#8221; The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sangres.com\/mountains\/sangres.htm#.XDABXFxKiM8\">Sangre de Cristo Mountains<\/a>, which stretch from Colorado to New Mexico, mean &#8220;the Blood of Christ.&#8221; Sacramento, the capital of California, means &#8220;sacrament,&#8221; a religious rite, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=communion&amp;safe=strict&amp;rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS775US775&amp;source=lnms&amp;tbm=isch&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwig1ezvuNXfAhXig-AKHffACc0Q_AUIDigB&amp;biw=1600&amp;bih=789#imgrc=ITgq-DuYoYWQ3M:\">communion<\/a>, where believers receive an act of grace from God. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.laalmanac.com\/history\/hi03a.php\">Los Angeles<\/a>, CA, the second-biggest city in the US, means &#8220;the angels.&#8221; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.las-cruces.org\/1529\/Las-Cruces-History-Exhibit\">Las Cruces<\/a>, the second-biggest city in New Mexico, means &#8220;the crosses.&#8221;&nbsp; And to make things more fun, let&#8217;s turn to the French language. Notre Dame, IN, means &#8220;Our Lady.&#8221; And 49 of the 50 states are divided into counties, an idea from the English, while Louisiana, with a heavy French influence as a former colony of France (and Spain), is divided into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=louisiana++parishes&amp;safe=strict&amp;rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS775US775&amp;tbm=isch&amp;tbo=u&amp;source=univ&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj8_f7WwdXfAhWDdd8KHYsODykQsAR6BAgDEAE&amp;biw=1600&amp;bih=789#imgrc=1Ns-E-fakUadVM:\">parishes with names like St. Mary, St. Martin, and St. Bernard<\/a>. A parish is a small administrative area having its own church and priest.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>(<a href=\"http:\/\/www.city-data.com\/forum\/general-u-s\/1310378-religious-place-names-us.html\">source<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>You can see a full list of Bible place names in the US <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_biblical_place_names_in_North_America\">here<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>*****<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>The US Constitution<\/strong><\/span>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Unlike the 1776 Declaration of Independence, which mentions God four or five times, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">the 1787 Constitution does not mention God by name at all.<\/span>&nbsp; So, some people claim, &#8220;See, since the Constitution does not mention God at all, then the US government had a totally secular (non-religious) founding!&#8221;&nbsp; However, that is wrong thinking. The Constitution is the written plan of government that the USA has used since it was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.history.com\/this-day-in-history\/u-s-constitution-ratified\">ratified (approved) in 1788<\/a>. The US Constitution is the OLDEST written plan of government still in use in the whole world today!&nbsp; The men who wrote the Constitution, with George Washington in charge, generally had a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.focusonthefamily.com\/faith\/christian-worldview\/whats-a-christian-worldview\/whats-a-worldview-anyway\">Christian worldview<\/a>. Their education, culture, and value system were heavily influenced by the Bible. A big part of that biblical belief is that <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">people are flawed by sin, and that includes leaders. So the best way for these imperfect, flawed people to govern (rule) themselves, is to <strong>spread out the power<\/strong><\/span>. Do not let too much power be in the hands of just one person or group.&nbsp;&nbsp;(Think about the World War II dictators Hitler of Germany and Stalin of Russia. They tried to create a utopia [perfect society], and used all the power of their governments to do that. But instead of creating a &#8220;heaven on earth,&#8221; they created nightmares that killed MILLIONS of innocent people. The USA is not a perfect place&#8211;and of course, no place is perfect&#8211;but it has never given the world a Hitler or a Stalin.) Major ideas of the Constitution are &#8220;separation of powers&#8221; and &#8220;checks and balances.&#8221; So, the US government has three branches of government:<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"> legislative<\/span> (Congress makes the laws); <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">executive<\/span> (the President enforces the laws); <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">judicial<\/span> (the courts interpret the laws).&nbsp; They all have overlapping powers and ways of controlling or &#8220;checking&#8221; the others, so the goal is to avoid a dictatorship, where one person or group has all the power. Since 1789, the system has worked! Not perfectly, but it has worked!&nbsp; (To learn more about the Judeo-Christian worldview that the US Constitution is based on, and three other common worldviews, see the &#8220;Four Worldviews&#8221; part at the bottom of this page.)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>When the Founding Fathers met at Philadelphia in 1787 to write a Constitution and create a stronger form of government, they were in danger of splitting up because of disagreements between the larger and smaller states and the North and the South over the issues of power. Actually, it looked like the meeting would end in failure, and maybe the new USA would collapse, but 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin asked for prayer, to ask God for wisdom and success. Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/wallbuilders.com\/franklins-appeal-prayer-constitutional-convention\/\">here<\/a>. This is what he said, when he suggested prayer for their meeting:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-family: georgia; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">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?&nbsp; &nbsp;&#8211;Benjamin Franklin<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>*****<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">The Bill of Rights<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>This may come as a surprise to you, but as the Founding Fathers were working to create the new Constitution in 1787, many American patriots OPPOSED the idea! Why? They thought: &#8220;We fought a war with England to be free from a dictatorship, but if we create a new, STRONG USA government, it might become a dictatorship some day too and we will be unfree again!&#8221; Those patriots were afraid that a strong NATIONAL government would gradually take away power from the STATES. When the patriot and Christian <a href=\"https:\/\/www.redhill.org\/\">Patrick Henry of Virginia<\/a> heard about the new Constitution, he replied: &#8220;I smell a rat!&#8221; (And when you look at US history, you can see those patriots had a good point! That was basically a major cause of the US Civil War, and since WW II, Washington DC has grown in power as the states have lost power. But that is another story for another day.)&nbsp; So, in order to persuade some of those fearful patriots and reluctant states that they should ratify (approve) the new US Constitution, the Founding Fathers decided to guarantee some powers and rights to the people and the states. Those rights were added as the first ten amendments (additions) to the Constitution. Those special freedoms, now called the Bill of Rights, were added to the Constitution in 1791. The first part of the Bill of Rights is the First Amendment. It was put first, because it is most important:&nbsp;<span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. (<a href=\"https:\/\/constitutioncenter.org\/interactive-constitution\/amendments\/amendment-i\">source<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Notice a few points:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>religion came first<\/li>\n<li>Congress cannot establish a &#8220;state religion.&#8221; In other words, England had a &#8220;Church of England,&#8221; but the USA was to have no &#8220;Church of America&#8221; with forced membership, tithes paid, etc.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li>It says Congress (the national government) cannot establish a religion, but it does not mention states or local governments<\/li>\n<li>It does not say &#8220;Freedom FROM religion,&#8221; even though we hear that language much today<\/li>\n<li>Congress cannot make a law to prohibit (block) how people practice their religions<\/li>\n<li>Freedoms of speech, the press, assembly, and seeking to change the government come later.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>(Sadly, a 2017 survey shows that 37% of Americans could not name ANY of the five freedoms guaranteed in the First Amendment!)&nbsp; &nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/news\/2017\/sep\/13\/37-percent-of-americans-cant-name-any-of-the-right\/\">source<\/a>)&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Separation of Church and State&nbsp;<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>As seen above, the Bill of Rights mentions Religion first. Its purpose was to avoid creating a &#8220;Church of America&#8221; but also to guarantee freedom of religion. However, that language made some people nervous. They thought: &#8220;if the government is talking about religion, what do they plan to do? Will they control our religion or take away our religious liberty?&#8221; On October 7, 1801, a group of Baptist pastors in Danbury, Connecticut wrote a letter to newly-elected President Thomas Jefferson. They wrote to congratulate him on his 1800 election, but also to ask him his views about religion and government. They wrote to Jefferson: &#8220;<span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: 'TeX Gyre Schola', serif; font-size: 17px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.85px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 2px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">But, sir, our constitution of government is not specific.&#8221;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">That letter, and Jefferson&#8217;s letter back, are important.<\/span> We do not know why, but even though the Baptists dated their letter October 7, Jefferson did not receive it until December 30. But somehow, it seemed very important to Jefferson, because even though the letter was almost three months old by the time he got it, he quickly wrote a response that same day, December 30, and asked two New England political leaders for their thoughts on it. You can read the Baptists&#8217; letter and Jefferson&#8217;s response <a href=\"https:\/\/billofrightsinstitute.org\/founding-documents\/primary-source-documents\/danburybaptists\/\">here<\/a>.&nbsp; On January 1, 1802, Jefferson opened the new year by finishing his letter. Even though Jefferson was busy on New Years Day 1802 with many guests and well-wishers, and New Years Day is a holiday, Jefferson thought this issue was important. On that day, Jefferson sent his draft letter to his secretary explaining why he had written it, got his secretary&#8217;s feedback, edited the letter, signed it, and released it, all on January 1.&nbsp; Some claim Jefferson&#8217;s letter was just a &#8220;short note of courtesy&#8221;&#8211; a Thank you Note to the Baptists&#8211; but actually it was much more than that. The Library of Congress holds Jefferson&#8217;s handwritten letter, and almost 30% of his letter&#8211; seven of 25 lines&#8211;Jefferson deleted before he sent it. The Library of Congress actually asked the FBI to use their technology to read the parts that Jefferson had marked out. You can learn more about this fascinating but little-known mystery <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/loc\/lcib\/9806\/danbury.html\">here<\/a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The most famous part of Jefferson&#8217;s letter is this:<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: 'TeX Gyre Schola', serif; font-size: 17px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0.85px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 2px; background-color: #ffffff; float: none;\">Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man &amp; his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, &amp; not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of <em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">the whole American people which declared that their legislature should \u02bamake no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,\u02ba thus building a wall of separation between Church &amp; State. <\/span><\/em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><\/span>(emphasis mine)&nbsp;&nbsp;Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>There is a HUGE storm around the words &#8220;separation of Church &amp; State.&#8221; (In this case, &#8220;State&#8221; means government.) MANY Americans believe this phrase is in the Constitution, or Declaration of Independence, or both, but it is not!&nbsp; This phrase is in private letter only&#8211; a letter to Baptist preachers! Many believe that Jefferson, if he were alive today, would be shocked to find out that this little phrase he wrote has become one of his most well-know and often-quoted phrases.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>But what does it mean?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>If we read the context, Jefferson is quoting the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights: Congress cannot make a state &#8220;Church of America,&#8221; and it cannot prohibit the freedom of religion either. Frankly, Jefferson seems to say the &#8220;wall&#8221; is to keep the government out of the church&#8217;s business, since freedom of religion is guaranteed. However, since about the 1950s, this phrase has been used countless times to push these ideas:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>the church is to play no role in the US, state, or local governments or law-making<\/li>\n<li>religion should be a largely private matter, to be kept inside the four walls of churches or homes<\/li>\n<li>religion has no role in the &#8220;public square&#8221; or public life<\/li>\n<li>public schools cannot have the 10 Commandments, public prayers, religious songs at <a href=\"https:\/\/dreyercoaching.com\/beardeddragonmedia\/holidays\/christmas-story\/\">Christmas<\/a> concerts, even Christmas or <a href=\"https:\/\/dreyercoaching.com\/beardeddragonmedia\/holidays\/easter\/\">Easter<\/a> holidays (instead &#8220;winter&#8221; and &#8220;spring&#8221; breaks, etc.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>But Jefferson&#8217;s views on the First Amendment and the interaction of religion and government are not so clear. Two days after he sent his letter, he attended a Christian church service held in the US House of Representatives! (<a href=\"https:\/\/billofrightsinstitute.org\/founding-documents\/primary-source-documents\/danburybaptists\/\">source<\/a>)&nbsp; Even till today, both the House of Representatives and the Senate have a full-time <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hcmachaplains.org\/what-is-a-chaplain\/\">chaplain<\/a> who is paid a government salary from the US Treasury!&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>There is MUCH more to say, but here is one last resource. In May 2009, the US House of Representatives approved House Resolution 397, naming the first week of May as &#8220;America&#8217;s Spiritual Heritage Week.&#8221; I am happy to say that a congressman from Virginia and whom I once met, Representative Randy Forbes (R-VA-4), introduced this resolution. It gives a fuller list of the role of religion in the founding of the US than I could blog about. You can read its full text <a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/111th-congress\/house-resolution\/397\/text\">here<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;**********<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Four Worldviews<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<strong><br \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Judeo-Christian Humanism<\/span><\/h1>\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<h1><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><em>What are people?<\/em>&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Precious&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span>beings created in the image of <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">God.<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n<p><em>&nbsp;<\/em>Why are there problems in the world?&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;People are&nbsp;<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">fallen (sinful).<\/span><\/p>\n<p>How do you govern these people? <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">With Checks &amp; Balances<\/span>.&nbsp; ALL people are fallen, <em>including leaders<\/em>, so don\u2019t give all the power to&nbsp;<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">1<\/span> person or group.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPower <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">corrupts<\/span>, and absolute power corrupts <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">absolutely<\/span>.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;&#8212; Thomas Jefferson<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. government is set up on the model, with <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">3<\/span>&nbsp;branches; federalism; a written constitution, etc.<\/p>\n<p>Truth is <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">absolute<\/span>.&nbsp; Whether you agree with it or not, there is a universal truth.<\/p>\n<p>This was the overall worldview of most Americans till the <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">1950s<\/span> and <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">1960s<\/span>.<\/p>\n<h4>&nbsp;<\/h4>\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Secular Humanism<\/span><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>What are people?<\/em>&nbsp; <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Precious<\/span>&nbsp;beings able to <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">think&nbsp;<\/span> &amp;<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"> reason<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><em>Why are there problems in the world?<\/em>&nbsp; People are born <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">good&nbsp;<\/span>(Locke\u2019s <em>tabula rasa<\/em>), but&nbsp;<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">society<\/span> can make them bad. (Rousseau)<\/p>\n<p>How do you govern these people?&nbsp; Make a government <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">strong<\/span> enough to make a better society.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>This worldview also emphasizes written laws &amp; constitutions.&nbsp; It emphasizes<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"> individual\/personal<\/span> rights, hence, the U.S. Bill of <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Rights<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Truth can be found through <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">science &amp; reason.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>This was believed by many American leaders since the Enlightenment (1700s), but went \u201cmainstream\u201d in the <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">1960s.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>20<sup>th<\/sup> Century Utopianism<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>What are people?<\/em>&nbsp; Products of <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">evolution<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><em>Why are there problems in the world?<\/em>&nbsp; Humankind is basically <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">good<\/span>,&nbsp; but <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">society<\/span> is unfair.&nbsp; If we can just <em>change<\/em> society, the economy, education, etc., we can make the world a better place.&nbsp; We can create a <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">utopia!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>How do you make this utopia?<\/em>&nbsp; Give the state enough powers to <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">make<\/span> it happen!&nbsp; Make \u201cheaven on earth!\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Fascism\/Nazism<\/h2>\n<p>Very Conservative (<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Right<\/span>-wing)<\/p>\n<p>Strictly enforce the laws. <strong>OR<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>Marxism\/Communism<\/h2>\n<p>Very liberal (<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Left<\/span>-wing)<\/p>\n<p>Overthrow the kings, the rich, the factory owners&#8230; Make everyone <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">equal<\/span>! \u201cShare the wealth.\u201d After awhile, the gov\u2019t. will \u201cwither away.\u201d&nbsp; <em>What if people don\u2019t want to be helped?<\/em>&nbsp; <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Make<\/span> them; it\u2019s for their own <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">good<\/span>.&nbsp; &nbsp;\u201cWe are seldom so cruel as when we seek to be kind.\u201d&nbsp; &#8212; George Orwell<\/p>\n<p>Truth is what the <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Party<\/span> says.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Modern Liberalism<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>What are people?&nbsp; Products of <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">evolution<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><em>Why are there problems in the world? <\/em>Humankind is basically good, but society is <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">bad and unfair<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><em>How do you make this utopia?<\/em>&nbsp; Give the <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">government (state)<\/span>&nbsp; enough power to make it happen. (Hence the American explosion of the <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">number of laws<\/span>.)<\/p>\n<p>This worldview often emphasizes <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">GROUP<\/span> over individual rights. Key words are <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">diversity, tolerance, &amp; inclusiveness.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Truth is whatever <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">you<\/span> want it to be.&nbsp; There is no absolute truth. \u201cYou have your truth; I have mine.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>From the 1990s, it seemed this was increasingly where American society was headed.&nbsp; Is it still?<\/p>\n<p>Many of the social, economic and political conflicts in post-modern America are actually a clash of <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">worldviews<\/span>, a clash of orthodoxies, \u201cculture wars,\u201d a \u201ccivil war of values.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;********<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Thank you for reading this far! This tiny list is just <a href=\"https:\/\/idioms.thefreedictionary.com\/tip+of+the+iceberg\">the tip of the iceberg<\/a>. I hope to keep adding to this post, but the subject is vast and&nbsp;inexhaustible, so in a sense, this post can never be declared &#8220;finished.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Would you like to know more about English or life in the USA? <a href=\"https:\/\/dreyercoaching.com\/beardeddragonmedia\/english\/contact\/\">Contact me today<\/a> to find out how we can help you!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At DreyerCoaching.com, not only do we help students learn English, but also learn about life in the USA. Not long ago, Dave, one of my outstanding online students in Beijing, China, asked me: What was the role of Christianity in forming the United States? &nbsp; That is a GREAT question, and one that has many [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":246077,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-246079","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-life-in-america"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Role of Religion in the USA &#8226; Dreyer Coaching<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dreyercoaching.com\/beardeddragonmedia\/life-in-america\/the-role-of-religion-in-the-usa\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Role of Religion in the USA &#8226; Dreyer Coaching\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"At DreyerCoaching.com, not only do we help students learn English, but also learn about life in the USA. 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