We need to return to the values on which our society has been based. Truth is eternal. Society and what behavior is tolerated may change, but God’s Word never changes. Laws may be repealed, go unenforced, or be struck down by courts, but God’s Law never changes. God doesn’t change with the times. We need to get back to some of the cold, hard, factual truths of Scripture, like “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Let’s stop trying to make each other feel better, straight into Hell. Instead, let’s rescue the perishing, and turn them from their wicked ways. We were all born sinners, and there’s no getting around that. But Jesus, the only Son of God, came into this world with no human father, lived a life of a human without sinning, died in our place on a literal cross, was actually buried, and did in fact resurrect from a state of physical death to a state of physical life. Belief of the Truth concerning the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life is vitally essential to salvation. “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…” (Acts 16:31)
Saturday, October 01, 2005
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First Amendment
ReplyDelete"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..."
John Adams, Treaty of Tripoli, Article 11
"The government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion."
John Adams, letter to Thomas Jefferson
"I almost shudder at the thought of alluding to the most fatal example of the abuses of grief which the history of mankind has preserved--the Cross. Consider what calamities that engine of grief has produced!"
James Madison, A Memorial and Remonstrance
"Who does not see that the same authority which can establish Christianity, in exclusion of all other religions, may establish with the same ease any particular sect of Christians, in exclusion of all other sects?"
Thomas Jefferson, "The Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom"
"Our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions, more than on our opinions in physics and geometry. . . ."
Thomas Jefferson, "Notes on the State of Virginia"
"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg..."
Thomas Jefferson, "Statute for Religious Freedom"
"...no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship ministry or shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but all men shall be free to profess and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise.. affect their civil capacities."
Thomas Jefferson, autobiography
"(When) the (Virginia) bill for establishing religious freedom, the principles of which had, to a certain degree, been enacted before, I had drawn in all the latitude of reason & right. It still met with opposition; but, with some mutilations in the preamble, it was finally passed; and a singular proposition proved that it's protections of opinion was meant to be universal. Where the preamble declares, that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed by inserting "Jesus Christ," so that it would read "A departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our religion;" the insertion was rejected by the great majority, in proof that they meant to comprehend, within the mantel of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mohammedan, the Hondo and Infidel of every denomination."
Thomas Jefferson, letter to William Short
"I have recently been examining all the known superstitions of the world, and do not find in our particular superstition [Christianity] one redeeming feature. They are all alike, founded on fables and mythology."
James Madison, "Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments"
"During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in laity; in both, superstition, bigotry, and persecution."
Benjamin Franklin (from his autobiography)
Some books against Deism fell into my hands....It happened that they wrought an effect on me quite contrary to what was intended by them; for the arguments of the Deists, which were quote to be refuted, appeared to me much stronger than the refutations, in short, I soon became a thorough Deist."
Benjamin Franklin, "2000 Years of Disbelief" by James Haught
"When a religion is good, I conceive it will support itself; and when it does not support itself, and God does not take care to support it so that its professors are obliged to call for help of the civil power, 'tis a sign, I apprehend, of its beginnings.
As this will be the last annual message which I shall have the honor of transmitting to Congress before my successor is chosen, I will repeat or recapitulate the questions which I deem of vital importance which may be legislated upon and settled at this session:
First. That the States shall be required to afford the opportunity of a good common-school education to every child within their limits.
Second. No sectarian tenets shall ever be taught in any school supported in whole or in part by the State, nation, or by the proceeds of any tax levied upon any community. Make education compulsory so far as to deprive all persons who can not read and write from becoming voters after the year 1890, disfranchising none, however, on grounds of illiteracy who may be voters at the time this amendment takes effect.
Third. Declare church and state forever separate and distinct, but each free within their proper spheres; and that all church property shall bear its own proportion of taxation (emphasis added). (A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents. Vol. X. New York: Bureau of National Literature, Inc., 1897, p. 4310)
“God alone is Lord of the conscience, and He has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are contrary to His Word or not contained in it. Church and state should be separate. The state owes to every church protection and full freedom in the pursuit of its spiritual ends. In providing for such freedom no ecclesiastical group or denomination should be favored by the state more than others. Civil government being ordained of God, it is the duty of Christians to render loyal obedience thereto in all things not contrary to the revealed will of God. The church should not resort to the civil power to carry on its work. The gospel of Christ contemplates spiritual means alone for the pursuit of its ends. The state has no right to impose penalties for religious opinions of any kind. The state has no right to impose taxes for the support of any form of religion. A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal, and this implies the right of free and unhindered access to God on the part of all men, and the right to form and propagate opinions in the sphere of religion without interference by the civil power.” (emphasis added). Thomas Jefferson
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States. (emphasis added) United States Constitution.
I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish Church, by the Roman Church, by the Greek Church, by the Turkish Church, by the Protestant Church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church. (Richard Emery Roberts, ed. "Excerpts from The Age of Reason". Selected Writings of Thomas Paine. New York: Everybody’s Vacation Publishing Co., 1945, p. 362)
Leftylen43@msn.com
On the matter of what principles are society is based on, read this article:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wallbuilders.com/resources/search/detail.php?ResourceID=121
On Adam and Eve, read these articles:
http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v24/i4/humans.asp
http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/tools/cains_wife.asp
"...but God’s Word never changes."
ReplyDeleteexcept in every new translation or version of the Bible.