Historical ignorance and the modern assault on Christianity

The Associated Press reports that officials at Shaw Air Force in South Carolina have removed a Nativity Scene from the base at the urging of the “Military Religious Freedom Foundation.” The foundation lodged a complaint about the display through the Air Force in Washington. Paul Loebe, spokesman for the foundation, said the Nativity scene was in violation of the Constitution.

Ignorance of United States history is one of the great weapons used against Christianity. Here is  a quote from the official brochure of the Office of the Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives:

“On May 1, 1789, in one of its first acts, the House elected the Reverend William Linn, a Presbyterian minister from Philadelphia, as the official Chaplain of the House.” 

Reverend Linn was a graduate of Princeton in 1772 and was firmly committed to orthodox Christianity and belief in the Bible.

If the members of the first Congress had thought that recognition of Christianity was unconstitutional, then why would they select a chaplain who was committed to Christianity and the historicity of the birth of Christ? The constitution was still fresh in the minds of these first men to serve in the new government. The idea that the framers of the Constitution thought that acknowledging Christianity by governmental agencies was unconstitutional is preposterous!

It is foolish and arrogant to attempt to remove the Constitution from the historical setting in which it was framed. This is not to say everyone in 1789 in America was a Christian  or that the framers of the Constitution were in favor of a national religion. However, to say that by writing the Constitution the framers of this document meant to say that the mere mention of the God of Bible should be excluded from any governmental activity is without merit. This attack on Christianity assumes that the beliefs of the modern day must be read back into the founding documents for us to understand them. This is what is known as revisionist history. It lacks academic integrity and historical authenticity. 

The truth is that God is the God of all history. The events of history unfold as God pleases:

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
    wisdom and power are his.

 

He changes times and seasons;
    he deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise
    and knowledge to the discerning.” Daniel 2:20-21

 

Our leaders may choose to ignore God if they wish. But they do so at their own peril. Teach your children the truth of history. Teach them about the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world!

 

 

 

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