The "Wall of Separation" Actually Never Existed

Kevin M. Roeten

Why do so many assume that a “Wall of Separation” must exist between religion and government? That phrase never appears in the Declaration, the Constitution, or the Bill of Rights. The existence of a god is preordained—at least for most. As William Federer(American Minute radio) says, “If there is no God, where do rights come from, except from the State? The State is then the new god, and what the State ‘giveth’, the State can ‘taketh awayeth’”. Without God, government transitions from being our servant, to our master. Dr. Barry Black(current US Senate Chaplain) reassures us that ‘separation of church and state’ does not mean ‘separation of God and state’.

The concept of separation comes from a phrase Thomas Jefferson used in a private letter to some Baptists in Danbury(Ct) to quell their fears that the 1st Amendment’s guarantee of free religious expression implied it was a freedom that that was only ‘government-given’, and not ‘God-given’. By assuring those Baptists of their natural rights, he affirmed that the free exercise of religion was their inalienable ‘God-given’ right and therefore protected from any federal regulation. Very simply, (per David Barton, author and historian), “the …wall of the Danbury letter was not to limit religious activities in public, rather it was to limit the power of government to interfere with those expressions.”

Government CANNOT be religion neutral. Random House defines religion as “a set of beliefs”; Webster’s—“a system of belief”. So there can never really be a ‘separation’ of religion and government—as long as the government is doing ‘actions’. There are thoughts or beliefs underlying those actions. It will always have a belief system—a religion.

Numerous quotes from people who have confirmed that the belief in God is integral to United States’ law include: Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, John Hamilton, Thomas Paine, Herbert Hoover, Harry Truman, Ronald Reagan, and George Bush(2003). Check these if you don’t believe them. In fact, one of Reagan’s quotes(8/23/84) was “If we ever forget that we are One Nation under God, then we will be a Nation gone under.” How easily one forgets the oaths(a call to a higher power to hold you accountable) all three branches of government must take: the President, “So help me God”; the Congress, “So help me God”; and in the Judicial branch with witnesses’ oath in court to “…tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God”. There were actually three-hour communion services in the early Supreme Court, but few know that.

It is true that existing lawmakers understand the folly of the phrase ‘separation of church and state’. In fact, HR 235 was recently introduced by Representative Walter Jones(R-NC). Called “The Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act”, it simply protects the contents of sermons and religious teachings delivered from the ‘pulpit’, by ensuring that such content does not become the basis for challenging a church’s tax exempt status. It seems as though everyone in this country has freedom of speech except those that speak from the pulpit. But a historian will tell you that every preacher’s free speech was good for 300 years, until 1954 when President Lyndon Johnson put a ‘one-liner’ in a bill that was actually aimed at anti-communist groups. The amendment said that tax-exempt groups could not ‘intervene’ in political campaigns.

It seems as though the major roadblock to the passage of HR 235 is Senator John McCain, who seems to dislike any religious leader, and never allows HR 235 out of the committee for a full vote. Since 1954, many bishops, priests, and ministers have been confused and intimidated about preaching on politics. Just the threat of losing their tax-exempt status scares the heaven out of them. It is not likely that HR 235 will be enacted, unless McCain leaves the senate, either by retiring or being a presidential candidate.

In retrospect, it is a fact that all 50 states have acknowledged God in their constitutions(i.e., NC 1868 Preamble: “We the people…, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for…our civil, political, and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence on Him for the continuance of those…”). Every past president has acknowledged God in acceptance speeches. Fifty-two of the 55 founders of the Constitution were members of established orthodox churches in the colonies, and 26 had seminary degrees. Shocking as it sounds now, the states were still free to establish churches, to allow church taxes, and to require attendance in church. Everything was consistent with each state’s own constitution. While the ‘free exercise clause’ is undoubtedly referring to an individual right, the ‘establishment’ clause refers to a state power.

As one walks up the Supreme Court Building, statues of the world’s lawgivers are facing Moses holding up the Ten Commandments. Inside, you’ll see them engraved on each oak door, as well as the wall above where the judges sit. Bible verses are etched in stone all over buildings and monuments. James Madison(Constitutional father) has a quote ending with “…to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God”. Patrick Henry reiterated “…this great nation was founded…not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ.” John Jay(1st SC Justice) said “Americans should select and prefer Christians as their rulers.” Someone needs to inform the public that Christianity is not a specific religion.

Jefferson believed, along with the other Founders, that the 1st Amendment had been enacted only to prevent the establishment of a national denomination. It’s obvious in the Constitution’s wording that the Framers wanted to ensure that no one religion could ever seize control of the government and start a theocracy. But there’s NO establishment of a national denomination, and a democracy--not a theocracy—will continue to be the governance. How easily we forget Martin Luther King, Jr., quoting St. Augustine that “all law is derived from God, not the state”.

Webster’s definition of a ‘theocracy’ is a government in which religious authorities rule the state as God’s representatives. Does anyone actually think that we are headed for theocracy rule in America? Just the opposite—the word ‘God’ is being removed from almost everything. Public prayer is almost non-existent. Oaths, songs, Pledges of Allegiance, are all being changed to exclude God. God can’t be happy with this type of ‘progress’. The real question is, do we want to exist under what the Framers obviously intended, or do we want to continue to follow the path of a god-less world? The end result of the latter is obvious. Are we one that has ‘interpreted’ the law and tradition by ONE misinterpreted letter? Then we should remember to let God know we made that interpretation when we are in our final judgment.