J. Matt Barber,
November 25, 2004
One would expect that in light of their recent Election Day trouncing, Democrat lefties--secular humanists--disgruntled advocates of Christian abolition, might at least extend a feigned olive branch of understanding to those fanatical, pious, "born-again" Red-Stater types who were in great part, responsible for the Democratic Party’s "inexplicable" and "unjust" defeat. One would be wrong.
In his 1789 Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, George Washington declared, in part:
"Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me ‘to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:’
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be…"
Pretty clear right? In its historical context, the irrefutable intent behind Thanksgiving was to provide a National day of "public thanksgiving and prayer" whereby americans are given opportunity to pause--to exercise their "duty…to acknowledge the providence of almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly implore His protection and favor…" Not so clear to some.
Oh, but that it weren’t so… the historical revisionists of the dim Dem Party elites are at it again--a mistake repeated--a lesson never learned. as the proverbial "dog returns to his own vomit," likewise, secularists have once again waged a not so sublime full frontal offensive against our Nation’s Judeo/Christian tradition.
In the interest of the so-called "separation of church and state" doctrine (a term found nowhere in any founding document), "educators" in Maryland have recently banned, in the context of the Thanksgiving Day holiday, children from praying to, thanking, or otherwise referring to God on school time or property. When asked about the ban, Charles Ridgell, Curriculum Director of St. Mary's County (the irony!) Public Schools opined, "We teach about Thanksgiving purely from a historical perspective, not from a religious perspective." Bearing in mind the aforementioned historical reality, Ridgell’s statements, as well as the ban on God are, on their face, inane and incongruous.
However, this singular example of religious bigotry and discrimination is merely symptomatic of a much larger disease. Spearheaded by the aCLU, Secular Humanists have, for years, desperately attempted, and with relative success, to revise the history books and render null and void any reference to Christianity. The best way to perpetuate a lie is to remove any reference to the truth. Historical accuracy you see, would serve to demonstrate the veracity of this Nation’s Judeo/Christian heritage…an inconvenient reality to an incontinent secularist movement. Therefore, in a manner reminiscent of Stalin’s Communist Soviet Union, we watch as before our very eyes, any mention of Christianity or the Founding Fathers’ Christian worldview vanishes from the history books as though penned in disappearing ink.
But, the grand design is larger still. It goes far beyond re-creating history in the secularists’ own Godless image. The end game--the ultimate goal is to wholly and completely remove God, not just any makeshift god, but exclusively…The God of the Judeo/Christian tradition from the public square. The tactic de jour is to ban prayer, reference to, or thanks be to God from public schools in Maryland. The broader, long term strategy is to, with enthusiastic participation from activist courts, consistently undermine the original intent of the Constitution, thereby debasing and distorting its First amendment beyond all recognition. Until such time that this goal is met, the assault will continue.
all of the ugliness notwithstanding, this holiday season there is so very much for which all americans have to be thankful: Family, Friends, Freedom and Prosperity… our brave men and women who protect us at home and abroad… the fact that since 9/11 we have yet to be attacked on our own soil. Our collective blessings are boundless! But, for some americans it remains unclear as to Whom we should be giving thanks--Each other? Our Government? Mother Earth? The Indians? and yet, for so many other americans, the solution to this fundamental riddle was, is and forever will be abundantly clear…It’s a solution that is so very central to their entire existence. as for me and my family… We’ll be thanking God.
Copyright © 2004 by J. Matt Barber
J. Matt Barber is a non-practicing attorney, an undefeated heavyweight professional boxer (Matt "Bam Bam" Barber), and a jazz drummer in the Chicago Land area. In addition to his Law Degree, Barber holds a Master of arts in Public Policy from Regent University (Virginia Beach, Va). Matt is a Contributor to the Washington Times "Insight Magazine," and a Columnist and Contributing Editor for TheConservativeVoice.com e-news publication.
E-mail your comments to Matt, at jmattbarber@comcast.net
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