One Nation Under God
By ED ALLARD, Monticello Church of Christ
On July 4, those who value our nation’s independence and God’s blessings upon our country celebrated those blessings. I joined my many friends that day at the Conyers Church of Christ as I have for many years.
We began our celebration by reciting the pledge of allegiance as we stood facing the flag with our hands over our hearts. Bobby Wood, the preacher, an Army veteran, led us in the pledge. When he came to the phrase, One nation under God, he did not omit the words, “under God.”
Some in our country are working to eliminate those words from the pledge. The matter will be coming before the Supreme Court soon.
Syndicated Columnist Cal Thomas, wrote a piece entitled “The Gospel of Unbelief” that went right to the heart of our nation’s problem, giving examples of the widespread effort taking place to do away with every vestige of God’s influence in our country.
Those that are doing so in the main are those who hold to the gospel of unbelief, showing their disdain for the word of God. Military chaplains have come under fire for praying in the name of Jesus. There have been teachers and industry workers who have lost their jobs for mentioning their faith.
Threats have been made to prohibit churches from being involved in various political activities.
Will the time come when the government says that a preacher cannot preach against abortion or homosexuality, or advocate prayer in public schools, or that evolution is a theory, not a fact, as is required in public schools? Those who value our country’s morals need to pray that will not happen.
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But it is being said strangely by some who should be upholding moral values that some of these things should not be opposed. In the Atlanta Journal-Constitution July 8 there was a lengthy article by a preacher in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, strangely titled, “What God has put asunder, let no man join together.” These words were spoken by Jesus about marriage and divorce and have absolutely nothing to do with what he writes.
His article deals with our First Amendment rights to religious liberty, which he states includes “separation of church and state.” That is an interpretation some courts and politicians have placed on it in recent years but it is not what our Founding Fathers said or meant.
What is said in the First Amendment is that the government (the “state”) is not to establish a federal (“state”) religion. They did not mean separation of God from government or that Christians are not to oppose ungodly laws. There is no “wall of separation” to be found in the Constitution.
He states that “For the past two decades this freedom [of separation of church and state, EA] has been under attack.” And, that “Christians are, for the first time in their history, hearing their leaders calling for its destruction.”
He doesn’t say who, or what they say. … “When the shouting is over, those who have weakened this separation will be called upon to answer to history for their violation of this sacred trust,” he says.
After lengthy remarks on history’s struggles between governments and God’s people, he says, “At this season of the year, if enough people speak, if religious liberty can be highlighted effectively, the weight of public opinion will rise up and stop the stampede.”
These remarks are like the little red hen crying out, “The sky is falling, the sky is falling.”
His fear is that the religious beliefs of people who uphold views he opposes will win out and influence our government. And what are those religious views that he opposes and does not want to see prevail?
Opposition to abortion, prayer in public schools, the Ten Commandments in courthouses. These are named specifically as “the litmus test for doctrinal purity.”
He concludes with statements that show he does not want anyone opposing a political party that is on record as upholding abortion and same sex marriages. He calls that being “used for secular purposes” and “being tools in the hands of political power-brokers.”
His final remark was, “Remember, what God hath put asunder, let no man join together.”
This misuse of scripture implies that God was responsible for putting in our constitution a statement that would not allow those who believe in Him to protest any political effort to shut God out of all governmental affairs.
I think he chose the wrong verse of scripture!