As we walk around observing the lights of the Holiday Season, one cannot escape the battle of "political correctness" under the displays of sugar plumbs and candy canes. It's an issue that has been prevalent within our country over these last few decades and as of late, political measures have been taken to ensure the words, "Merry Christmas," be expelled from our government institutions. Theexplanation lies in a letter by Thomas Jefferson to Danbury Baptist Association in the State of Connecticut, during his Presidency in 1801. He briefly mentions that there should be a, "wall of separation between church and state," but before that he blatantly declares that our government should make, "no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the exercise thereof..." [Thomas Jefferson, January 1st, 1801] But here we are today watching our own government take immediate action to swoop in to school systems preventing celebratory words being displayed because they are associated with a specific religious belief.
Can't we at least come to the agreement that our very Constitution was founded by God-fearing men, and founded on a moral law that had rich roots in religion, and more specifically, Christianity? That it was those foundational beliefs that encouraged them to allow liberty equally to all men? John Adams, an important player in the Constitutions' creation, wrote in a letter to Jefferson that, “The general principles upon which the Fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity…I will avow that I believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and the attributes of God.” [June 28, 1813; Letter to Thomas Jefferson] Jefferson's position was not a complete removal of God and Government, but of Government preventing God. Isn't that exactly what the Government is doing now?
Now we've become sensitive to even declaring to other people, "Have a Merry Christmas." Why so, when it's a holiday like any other holiday and at its core holds wonderful value sets; friends, family, love, and merriment? That's what I'm saying when I want someone to have a Merry
Christmas. I'm not trying to convert someone to my religious beliefs but am merely sharing a celebration, which I hold dear to my heart. I'll gladly wish people a "Happy Holidays" along with my "Merry Christmas," but it's sad when our governmental institutions can't share the same sentiment and yet if you go to a foreign country, like China, they have no problem sharing that merriment. "[In the United States] Christmas carols were banned in public government agencies of any kind. You couldn't sing them. The banners were being removed. I happened to be in Beijing, China, and I remembered standing in Tiananmen Square, biting cold day... snow blowing... shivering there with hundreds of others... remembering what happened there years ago and then walking contiguously to the Forbidden City. First gate another 50-75 yards, second gate another 50-75 yards, third gate... you walk in through the 5th gate and there you see the old palace built in the 1400s and a big banner, 'Merry Christmas.'" [Ravi Zacharias, "Secularism and the Illusion of Neutrality," Penn State University] So as they say in China, Merry Christmas everybody!
-N.S.Soria
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Once again, this article was very well written. The only point that I would like to make is a point that is over looked and/or misunderstood.
ReplyDeleteWhen the founding fathers were framing the political system they were trying to make a system that would sever all peoples of the nation with out discrimination. While doing this they looked at other political systems around the known world. While doing this they found that when the “church” (for example the Anglican Church in England or the Catholic Church in Rome) was the governing body there was great persecution against those who did not share the beliefs of the ruling religion. In stating that there must be a separation between church and state they were saying that the “church” could not be the governing body.
All of the founding fathers believed and wrote over and over how they felt that Christian beliefs and biblical principles were crucial in framing our political system and running the system. They understood that those principles promoted love and kindness along with justice, freedom and equality.
So, to say that kids are not allowed to pray in school, that the Ten Commandments are not allowed in government buildings, or that we are not allowed to say “Merry Christmas” is naïve. It is taking the founding fathers out of context and distorting their true position on church and state.
Thanks and keep up good work buddy!