Opinion

Proof in Constitution of Christian nation

Posted February 16, 2014 4:00 am

The Constitution of the United States affirms its Christian character. In Article 7 it declares that it was adopted " ... in the year of our Lord 1787, and of the Independence of the Unit States of America the twelfth." Arguments proposed to show that the Founders did not recognize Christianity would usually apply to their not recognizing the independence of the nation, but such arguments are false.

Secondly, the preamble to the Constitution expresses the purposes of the Constitution which correspond to the civil purposes of authentic Christianity (Rom. 12:1-7; I Tim. 2:1-3, et al.). These include " ... justice, peace, the general welfare and the blessings of civil and religious liberty."

Thirdly, it requires an oath, which is an appeal to the Sovereign Being, for the truth content of what is being affirmed. The oath requirements are found in Articles 1, 2 and 6.

Fourthly, it recognizes the Christian day of rest in Article 1, Section 7. There it says, "If any bill shall not be returned by the president within 10 days (Sundays excepted) ..." Note that it doesn't except Friday, Saturday or any other day of the week. The President is expected to observe the Christian day of rest, but not the Muslim, Jewish or other sabbath.

Senator Frelinghuysen addressed this issue long ago in 1830 concluding, "That Christianity is the religion of this country, and as such is recognized in the whole structure of its government, and lies at the foundation of all our civil and political institutions - in other words, that Christianity, as well as republicanism, is part and parcel of our laws ..."

Our country is nearing the end of a transition from Christianity with the rule of law to humanism with the rule of man. Part of the justification for this radical change in our nation has been revising the established history of America's founding and denying the obvious, original character of American institutions. Michael Lee's letter of Feb. 1 is a product of this un-American agenda.

Walter I. Sivertsen

Grayslake

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