Summary Faith Month House Floor Speech (Youtube) youtu.be
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n/a You, Mister Speaker. This week, we are observing the second annual celebration of Faith month. Concern women for America. Thank and other sponsors are encouraging legislators across our country to get public display of our personal faith freely and openly. And what a Great What a great exercise this is.
n/a Of course, even though there is a dangerous trend today to discourage the definite or display or the depiction or exercise of our faith in in the public square. Certainly, there's a move to keep religion out of politics and and to rigid enforce the So Called Separation of Church and State, the Founders Of This country would have certainly supported our efforts here Today. Indeed, this common misunderstanding about the separation concept is is important 1. It's it's 1 that's it's useful for us to address and I think today is a good day to do it. In fact, it's is 1 of my favorite subjects.
n/a It's it's a topic that I've debate it debated and and written and taught university courses on for the... And for about 25 years, about a quarter century. For 2 of those decades, I was in the courts, defending religious freedom cases and And I learned during in that time that I really believe this is among the most misunderstood subjects in our entire culture. See most people today who insist upon a rigid separation of church. State are unaware that that phrase derive not from the constitution itself of course, but from a personal letter that Thomas Jefferson Wrote To The Den Baptist Association in 18 o 2.
n/a He explained That quote, because Religion Is a Matter That Lies Solely between man and his God, the language of the first amendment is a vital safeguard of our rights of conscience. Zeke Jefferson said he revered this another quote, that act of the whole American people, which declared that their legislature. Should make no law respecting and establishment of religion or prohibit they're free exercise. Thereof, thus building A Wall of separation Between Church and State. That's what he wrote in his Letter To the Dan Baptist.
n/a But Jefferson clearly did not mean That metaphor law was to keep religion from influencing issues of civil government to the contrary. It was meant to keep the federal government from imp the religious practice of citizens. The Founders wanted to protect the church from An en encroaching state, not the other way around The majority of the founders having personally witnessed the abuses of the Church of England were determined to prevent the official establishment of any single national denomination or religion, of course. We know that. But here's the point.
n/a They very deliberately listed religious liberty, the free exercise religion, As The First Freedom Protected In the Bill Of Rights Because They Wanted, Here's The Key. They Wanted Everyone To Freely Live Out Their Faith. Is that would ensure a robust presence of moral virtue in the public square and the free marketplace of ideas. Volumes written on this subject on this topic, it can be summarized probably best and most concise by reference to the sentiments of our first 2 presidents. And his historic farewell address, President George Washington, of course, famously said of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to our political prosperity, religion and morality are the indispensable supports.
n/a Our second president John Adams came next. And he said, our constitution is made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. What these 2 founders and their fellow patriots all understood from history was that there are many important rules and practices. It that can help build and sustain a healthy Republic, but the key in the Essential foundation of a system of government like ours must be a common commitment among the citizenry To The Principles Of Religion And Morality.
n/a See The Founders Acknowledge in The Declaration, The Self evident Truth That All Men are created equal and that God gives all men the same in analytical rights. However, they knew that in order to maintain a government other the people by the people for the people as Lincoln later articulated. In in this nation under God that those ina rights must be exercised in a responsible manner. They thus believed in Liberty that is legitimately constrained by common in a morality and a healthy fear of the creator who granted all men our rights. The founders understood that all Men are fallen and that power corrupt.
n/a They also knew that no amount of institutional checks and balances are decent digitization Of Power. In civil authorities would be sufficient to maintain a just government. If the men in charge had no fear of eternal judgment. By a power higher than their temporal institutions. See a free society in a healthy Republic depend upon religious and moral virtue, not only because those convictions in the minds and hearts of that people make it possible to preserve their essential freedoms by emphasizing and inspiring Individual responsibility and self sacrifice in the dignity of hard work, The rule of law, civility, patriotism, the value of family and community in the san, of every single human life, they knew that this would be important and without these virtue supported by religion and morality, every nation will ultimately fail.
n/a Ins on the third panel of the death Jefferson Memorial here in Washington is a sobering reminder to every American. It says, quote, God who gave us life gave us later Time is expired. Can the Liberty of a nation be preserved without it? This is a great time to observe our faith? We should never back down.
n/a I think C and now you'll...