This raises the question: “Who Can Beat Obama in 2012?”  I am of the opinion that any candidate that holds to traditional American Christian Conservative values (fiscal responsibility, limited and strict Constitutional government, traditional marriage, etc.)  can – and will – “beat” him.   It is unlikely, that a Democrat will challenge Obama, so, in this 2-party-system nation, (where a 3rd Party candidate has no chance of winning the “Big Office.”) the person who “beats” Obama will be a Republican.

The candidate that beats Obama will effectively use all media, including the web and social media, to remind the public of the attitudes, felonies, and blatant unconstitutional acttions* that we know and saw President Obama, and many Democrats, commit during the last 4 years.  These reminders, that angered most of us when they happened individually, will generate great and lasting anger when we hear them again, and all at once.  This candidate will courageously point these things out (in spite of the racist, intolerant, and uncivil irrelevant charges of “racist!,” “intolerant!,” “uncivil!”, etc. hurled against him/her) on the campaign trail and in the debates he has with Obama.

(*  Anti-America, anti-Christian, anti-marriage, anti-military, anti-transparency, anti-coal-and-drilling, anti-bill reading, anti-Israel, anti–job, pro-amnesty, pro-Islam, pro-sodomy, pro-abortion, pro-terrorist, bowing to Islamic leaders, apologizing for America, abuse of tax dollars, abuse of executive orders,  communist-leftist czar-proliferating, tax-increasing, deficit spending, debt increasing, no proof of illegibility, tampering with official documents, illegal campaign contributions, illegal use of campaign funds, TARP, government takeovers of GM, Chrysler, and banks, Stimulus Package, liberal-leftist Supreme and Federal Court nominations, forcing through Obamacare, refusing to enforce and support federal laws including “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and the “Defense of Marriage Act”, unconstitutional Presidential war on Libya, and more. )

The candidate that beats Obama will NOT be a RINO (Republican In Name Only).  RINOs don’t hold many of America’s core values and are too busy behind closed doors compromising and misleading their constituents to actually oppose Obama in public. This candidate will NOT be a “CINO”? (Conservative In Name Only). These (like most leading Libertarians), DO hold MANY of our traditional values, but they don’t hold ENOUGH of them to effectively oppose Obama in all the areas in which he is doing damage.

The candidate that beats Obama will be a “REAL” Republican (= holds consistently to the traditional  fundamentals  of the historical Republican Party).  To get such a candidate “we the people” must be politically engaged enough to choose him ourselves.  We must not let the RINO leaders of the GOP “give” us someone like McCain again.  If we let the RINOs decide for us, it is likely that Obama will win again — and America will suffer even greater damage.

A REAL Republican candidate will expose Obama for the national disaster he is, and will educate many undecided voters against him. Throughout it all, the liberal pro-Obama media will assure us that Obama is going to win the election.  Don’t worry about it, America.  Just show up on election day and savor the landslide defeat of Obama, and many other Democrats, that you make happen.

Nov,2011

Republicans openly admit that a primary part of our agenda has been and remains to make Mr. Obama a one-term president.

Liberals protest loudly, “SEE THERE!…SEE THERE!” as if this admission is a “gotcha” sort of moment for them… “That’s what Republicans state publicly and proudly they are going to do the rest of President Obama’s term. Is that any way to run a country? Is that behaving  like an adult responsible to larger interests?”

Liberals talk like wanting to limit Obama to only one term is a bad thing.   Conservatives talk like it would be one of the best things that could happen to America.

As a conservative Republican, I freely admit I hope Obama is only “a one-term President.”   Obama is the worst President America has ever had – as more and more people are recognizing and stating publicly.  I am among the current-18%- but-growing number who is convinced he is a Moslem – and yes, it DOES matter that a non-Christian, (even an anti-Christian) occupies the highest office in this Christian nation.  I also am convinced, by the policies he advocates and by the anti-America people he has put into high (even unconstitutional– especially his 44  “Czars”) positions in his administration – that he is a socialist (= communism “lite”).  I think the record, in just his first 2 years, shows that he is doing great damage to this nation.  And I think it is all intentional. I think that makes him a traitor.  I think he is deliberately attempting to overwhelm the infrastructure of this nation to the point of collapse.

If only part of this is true, what reasonable, America-loving person would NOT want to limit such a menace to only 1 term?  I wish we could use the impeachment process and make it much shorter than a full term.

And of COURSE this opposition is “behaving like a responsible adult.” What is “adult” and “responsible” about letting a known arsonist run through your house with a torch, destroying in the process the home of yourself and the loved ones who depend on you for protection?

In case I have not made myself clear, let me tell you what I, as just one man and as a private citizen, really think of Obama…  I say this to give a voice to others who think the same as I do but who cannot/will not/dare not say it.  I also say it to show other reasons why I think Obama should be a “less-than-one- term” President.

In my studied opinion, Obama is a liar and a cheat.  I KNOW (shouldn’t we all?) he is a “liar”, because he made lots of promises (total transparency, online posting of all bills for public examination 5 days before Obama signed them,  live C-SPAN coverage of Healthcare Negotiations,   yada, yada, yada) that he never kept.   I KNOW (shouldn’t we all?) he is a “cheat” because he has not/is not following the legal requirements to be where he is and do what he is doing (many examples to follow).

Contrary to what pundits continue to tell us, Obama did not run a “brilliant” campaign.  He merely allowed his handlers to spend $715 – $745 million *1 – much of it from illegal sources *2  – to finance his campaign (= buy the Presidency).  The liberal media gave him more millions in free very-positive “news” reports, did NO investigative reporting into his background, kept back from the public harmful important information that they DID know about him –  all the while sending a thousand “reporters” to Alaska to dig up whatever “dirt” they could hopefully find on (and use against) Sarah Palin.  All Obama had to do was practice his lines, follow the script laid out by his managers, and try to keep his wife from admitting incriminating things about the two of them.  All he had to do was not do anything so stupid that it could not be covered up or spun in a positive way.  It required no brilliance whatever from Obama to cooperate with all this.  Anybody could appear “brilliant” with such constant coaching, protection, acclaim, and promotion.

*1 (“Barack Obama Raised Over $745 Million During Campaign,” http://www.theinsider.com/news/1408634_Barack_Obama_Raised_Over_745_Million_During_Campaign)
*2 (“Ex-CIA Expert: Obama Took Millions in Illegal Foreign Donations, ”Ken Timmerman, October 29, 2008, http://www.newsmax.com/PrintTemplate?nodeid=339947)

Contrary to what pundits continue to tell us, Obama is not an “eloquent” speaker. As anyone who speaks on a regular basis knows, Obama is merely an average speaker.  But he IS a good public READER of eloquent words and phrases displayed on a Teleprompter that were written by a capable staff of speech-writers.  He is not even a particularly intelligent speaker – he really wasn’t kidding when he admitted some things are above his intellectual “pay grade.”  But worse than the average intellectual level at which he operates, is the way the real Obama shows through when asked about something his Teleprompter had not been programmed to guide him through.  It is then that we see the REAL Obama: an Obama that reeks of racism, is brazenly bigoted.  (Remember his knee-jerk Cambridge police/intruder reaction?…And his DOJ decision NOT to prosecute “black-on-white” crimes – only “white-on-black” crimes?) and is shockingly ani-America.

He does not have the instincts of a real (home-grown, patriotic) American. If Obama was a REAL American, do you think he would have said, in May 2008 while on the campaign trail in Beaverton, Oregon,”Over the last 15 months, we’ve traveled to every corner of the United States. I’ve now been in 57 states. I think (sic) one left to go.” (57 States, snopes.com). What normal, 47- year-old real American, regardless of how much he allegedly “lost his bearings” in a stressful campaign situation, would even SAY THE WORDS that indicate there are 57 states in the Union?  Liberals covered for him in this and other gaffes, such as when they excused him for being “understandably detached” on issues that are high on the list of concerns of most Americans (no flag lapel pin, BP oil spill, Israel, National Day of Prayer, etc.).  But we need to realize that it is NOT that Obama is  “detached” – it is that HE IS NOT ONE OF US to even HAVE our concerns. As a Moslem, Obama has the instincts of a Moslem.  How could he not?  He lived 4 years (6-10 years old;1967-71) of his formative youth in Moslem Jakarta, Indonesia .  He has repeatedly revealed his Moslem instincts by his many unnecessary concessions to Islam, Moslem nations, causes, and individuals; and by his many unnecessary oppositions to both Israel, Jewish causes, and individuals, and even to Christian causes and individuals.  All of this is totally opposite to the preferences and allegiances of  most Americans on these matters.

Also, most Americans respect and honor our military and our soldiers.  Obama, however, is cutting our military, undermining their morale, and has often shown disdain for our troops. (Guantanamo, repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, and hey…HOW ‘BOUT THAT CIVIL “TRIAL” of terrorist Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, who was directly involved in 224 deaths, but “found” guilty of only 1 [conspiracy to destroy buildings and U.S. property ] of the 285 counts against him?)

Because of all of this, and much more that could be said, all my senses of good taste and decency are offended by Obama and by the whole group of liberals/leftists that have placed him where he is and who empower him to stay there.  I don’t think he – or any of these people – are real Americans.  They don’t love America.  They don’t even LIKE America. Do I question their patriotism?  You bet I do!  I also question their intelligence – and their grasp of reality.

And personally, I place in the same category all the pseudo-intellectuals that defend Obama, and that condemn America.. These all enjoy in this country, the best life that man has ever enjoyed.  Yet, and in spite of their own personal benefits, they don’t like America. They bite the hand that blesses them.   And with their constant criticism, and “nothing-about-America-is-good-enough” liberal chatter, they encourage and empower a host of government officials and bureaucrats that are deliberately undermining our country.  Lenin is often credited with calling these liberals who “know so much that isn’t so”, “useful idiots.”   Lenin, and all tyrants like him, have tolerated these useful idiots as long as they did, and said, things that promoted communism.  But as soon as the communists took over, all those tyrants planned to eliminate these “idiots,” along with the truly informed populace – which is what they have always done in every country they have ever overcome.

So, yes, count me in…I want Obama to be (less than) “a one term President.”

Jul 6, 2011

The 28 June, 2011 decision in Eugene, Oregon to stop publicly reciting the “Pledge of Allegiance” in all but 4 city council meetings has expanded into another nationwide call by many to stop reciting it altogether in public schools and other public places.

Among the reasons for reciting the Pledge are found in such statements as: “America is the only nation in the world that is founded on [a] creed.” (G. K. Chesterton); “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed:…”( Martin Luther King, Jr., from a Birmingham jail).   That creed is the statement: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”( Declaration of Independence)

Thomas Jefferson asked the question (with the understood answer of “No”), “can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that they are gifts of God?”

Each time we recite the Pledge, we are deliberately reminding ourselves that our rights and freedoms come from God, not the government. THAT is why America recites the Pledge.

This reminder is what President Eisenhower was referring to when he signed the 1954 bill into law that added the phrase “under God” into the Pledge,
“From this day forward, the millions of our school children will daily proclaim in every city and town, every village and rural school house, the dedication of our nation and our people to the Almighty.
To anyone who truly loves America, nothing could be more inspiring than to contemplate this rededication of our youth, on each school morning, to our country’s true meaning.
…Especially is this meaningful as we regard today’s world…millions deadened in mind and soul by a materialistic philosophy of life…
…In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America’s heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country’s most powerful resource, in peace or in war.”

One would think that a reasoned rebuttal to these reasons would be offered by those who oppose a continuation of the 119 year-old practice.  But opponents typically do not rebut, or even cite, these reasons. Are they not even aware of these reasons?  Do they not cite them because they don’t want others to be aware of them?  It appears to many of us that many oppose the Pledge because they personally don’t affirm the creed of America and don’t want the Pledge being used to encourage students and other citizens to affirm it either. They are opposing the Pledge as part of an overall strategy to transform America into a Secular  nation.

We of the Starkville MS Tea Party, along with most Americans, love our country, our creed, our flag and our Pledge to it.  We want the Pledge continued in public places.

8/4/11

The rich could use the same arguments that minority groups and individuals use.

For example, many left-leaning politicians have been saying for decades that “the rich are not paying their fair share” and we should “tax the rich” (to make up for government overspending shortfalls).  Don’t these claims and clique’s show that these politicians have targeted the rich, AS A CLASS – for one reason, and one reason alone – to get as much of their money as they can?  Is not this discrimination, based on socio-economic status, illegal?

And, aren’t politicians who are seeking the money of the rich engaged in a conflict of interest?  They SAY they are doing it for others, but don’t THEY have something to gain personally (a salary, and a smaller tax burden for themselves) should their efforts succeed?   Isn’t the use of their offices to secure for themselves personal gain illegal?

And why is it that the right to be secure in one’s own property does not extend to the rich?  The rich have the right to own money.  What is the honest justification for taking a higher percentage of their money just because they have more of it than most people?  If a rural citizen has more cows than an urban citizen, does that greater number constitute a claim of the city man for some of the country man’s cattle? No!  How is “money” different from “cattle”?

Is it a crime to be rich?  No!  So, why are taxes increased SPECIFICALLY on the rich: as if it is some sort of “sin” tax against them?  Why are the rich required to give a greater percentage of their money in taxes than the rest of us?  Why do politicians get away with acting as if “what is mine is mine but what is a rich man’s is mine too”? Why are the rich treated as second-class citizens like this?  Where is the “equal protection under the law” for them?

Why do rich people put up with this class envy and exploitation? Why don’t they organize like members of other minorities have done and start a  “National Association for the Advancement of Rich People (NAARP)” or  a “Rich People’s Anti-Defamation League (RPADL)”?

And if the rich won’t stand up for themselves, why do we lesser-endowed “money-challenged” people allow them to be singled out and victimized like this?  If we benefitted in NO way from the rich, it is still not right to stand idly by and watch them being cheated out of more and more of their property.

But as it is, the financial resources of the rich DO benefit us all: their money is both the engine and the fuel that builds and drives our whole economy.  If politicians can rob the rich, what is to stop them from robbing us next?   If we protect the rich, we protect ourselves.  That is why we fiscally conservative TEA Party members say to all “richophobic” politicians: “LEAVE THE RICH ALONE!”  If you continue to “soak the rich” you may kill the goose that lays America’s golden egg.

DRAFT

Robert J. Allen
Starkville Tea Party
2/26/11

You wouldn’t know this if you get all your “information” from the public schools, state colleges, and liberal media, but the Constitution of the United States of America is a thoroughly Christian political document. *1 Nearly every major portion at least of our Constitution is directly, or indirectly, derived from, and based upon, a specific Christian teaching, or at least is consistent with Scripture.  Many of these teachings are DISTINCTLY Christian teachings – in the sense that no other religion on Earth teaches them.  In these cases the other religions teach something else – even the direct opposite of –  what the Bible teaches on that specific matter.

This is especially true when we consider the 3 branches of American Government.  There are several Christian teachings that relate to the 3 Branches of American Government, but the one that perhaps led the most directly to them is the teaching that man is a sinner.*2

*2
Gen. 8:21 “And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.”

Jer. 17:9 “9: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

Mk. 7:
20: And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
21: For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22: Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Rom. 3:
4: God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
5: But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)
6: God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?
7: For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
8: And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.
9: What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
10: As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
12: They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
13: Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
14: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
15: Their feet are swift to shed blood:
16: Destruction and misery are in their ways:
17: And the way of peace have they not known:
18: There is no fear of God before their eyes.
19: Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
20: Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21: But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22: Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23  “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”

1 Jn 1:8  “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”

The other religions or philosophies of the world, and the governments based on them, outright STATE, or silently presume, that man is NOT a sinner, but is basically good, or at least is perfectable by law, education, and/or self-will. This belief that man is basically good is a basic belief of communism, of the Secularized nations in Europe, and of the religious states of Islam.  It is an incredible contradiction that these governments –  especially the communist and Islamic ones – would be based on this high view of man, when every one of these governments are unusually oppressive to their citizens. For all their professed belief that man is basically good, all the supposedly basically-good men that are leaders of these governments are murderous and oppressive tyrants ruling over police states that all deny, and refuse to secure, the God-given rights of their supposedly basically good hedonistic, pagan citizens.

But, in THIS nation, every one of our Christian, or Christian-oriented, founding fathers understood and accepted the truth of the sinfulness of man.
They also accepted the summary statement by the Englishman Lord Acton who famously stated that  “power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

And BECAUSE our founders acknowledged the sinfulness of man, they were not men who were going to put a lot of trust in men – even in themselves.  So, when these founders got together to write our Constitution and form the new government, they had a problem… they realized that men cannot be trusted, but that men were also all they had to work with in staffing the new government. They solved this dilemma by designing a government that entrusted as little governmental power as possible to any one man in government, that distributed governmental power and authority as widely as possible, and that put power holders in a sort of antagonism with each other so that one power-holding official in one part of government would “check and balance” the power held by another official in another part of government.  In this way, our founders  hoped to minimize the damage any one corrupt man who managed to get into the system would be able to do.

Here too, they got the idea, and example of, distributing the power of government to many officials also primarily from the Bible.*

* These men realized that the purpose of civil government, according to the Bible, is to be God’s servant to restrain evil, to punish evildoers, and to reward good (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-14)… that government is to allow the individual to govern himself, in a climate of freedom and liberty as expressed in Leviticus 25:10, which informs us, :”Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.” and in II Corinthians 3:17 which reveals to us that, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

Our founders knew from many verses, but particularly from Isa. 33:22 (which says, “For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.) that, to be effective, governments need to do, and have, 3 specific things:
1. They need to have one or more judge(s) to settle disputes between parties
2. They need to have rules, or set laws. And
3. They need to have one or more law enforcer(s)

Our founders followed the example of, or model in,  Isaiah 33:22 and designed 3 separate Branches into our Federal Government:
1. The Legislative Branch (Article I) which is charged with writing, or giving, new law.  This was intended to be the strongest Branch of government.
2. The Executive Branch (Article II) which is charged with enforcing the law.  This was intended to be the next strongest Branch of government.  And
3. The Judicial Branch (Article III) which is charged with settling, or judging between,  disputes over the law when different parties claim a conflict exists between them concerning the application of the law. This was intended to be the weakest Branch of government.

This “checks and balances” and separation of powers into these 3 Branches of Federal government, was only a part of the separation designed into our government to protect us from the perversion of our government that sinful men that get into our government would be prone to do against us.

Our Founding Fathers understood that local and state government was more important than federal government. So they designed our Constitution to specifically limit the powers of the Federal government – they limited the Federal government by giving it only 17 powers.  All other rights and powers that our Creator endowed to men – many more than 17 – are reserved to the states and to the individual.

And so we see further separation of powers and additional checks and balances prescribed  – especially in the Bill of Rights – in the:
Separation between Federal powers and States rights, in the
Separation between Federal powers and individual rights, and in the
Separation between State rights and individual rights.

Now, when the sinful men that we all are happen to be saved sinners, we have new creatures* introduced into the mix…creatures that have a new heart and a new and different motivation for the way we live.  Therefore, when saved sinners are the ones who occupy offices in our government, the tendency to abuse the power and authority of their office is – not eliminated – but at least greatly reduced.  And saved sinners WERE the great majority of our first office-holders and on into our first  hundred or more years. And with these saved sinners in government, our system of separation of powers and checks and balances worked pretty well.  But, after a while Christians, for the most part, backed out of government and allowed the offices of our nation, state, and local governments to be mostly filled by non-Christians who began abusing the power of their offices  — just as we were warned they would do – all to the great harm of our nation.
* II Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Now we have been recently and increasingly witnessing – especially in the actions of the current administration (whose fruit makes them known*3  to me at least, that they are NOT Christians, but corrupt Pagan anti-Christian Secularists – regardless of what words they SAY about themselves being Christians*4 ) officers in each of these Branches abusing the powers and authority of their offices.  In doing so, they are increasingly corrupting our government.  It is the duty of the officers within a corrupted Branch, and of the other Branches, to check and balance this abuse.  But, as we have seen – many times in just the last 2 years – the officers in the different Branches are failing to do their duty.  Many of us are persuaded that these officers are failing to do their duty because they are actual accomplices and parties to the corruption being perpetrated by these other officers in one or both of the other Branches.

This then brings us to a very important insightful quote by John Adams.  In this quote  Adams warned us,
“We have no government armed in power capable of contending in human passions unbridled by morality and religion.   Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.  It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.”

To restate, expand upon, and explain what Adams said:
“We in America have no government with strong enough laws, enough police, enough prisons… that is capable of controlling and overcoming the uncontrolled… lusts, sins, and criminal intents of people who are not self-controlled by the strong and proper sense of what is right and wrong taught by Christianity.   Our Constitution was made only for a Christian people, who will exercise self-control and will not have to have their every action and behavior defined by more and more specific laws and who will have to be watched over, spied upon, and dictated to, to make sure they do right.  Our government is wholly inadequate for the government of any people who hold to any other religion.”

Isn’t the inadequacy of our government to control  the corrupting effect of non-Christians what we are seeing done in our nation, and to our Constitution, today?  Are we not seeing all about us how true Adams’ warning was,  and is?  At all levels of government, in nearly all places, we see non-Christian, and even anti-Christian, officials and common citizens demanding rights and behaviors that a Christian, in self-control, does not do, would not do, and certainly would not demand that he has a “right” to do.  These false “rights” and behaviors the  non-Christian officials and common citizens are demanding today (abortion, sodomy, profanity, theft-by-welfare, blasphemy… ) have until recently been recognized to NOT be legal rights at all, but to be “criminal” behavior.  But non-Christians – especially militant anti-Christians – who do not have the internal moral guidance and self-control  mechanism that Christians have, are not only DOING such formerly illegal things, but are insisting upon MAKING THEIR BEHAVIOR LEGAL, and even common  practice in the nation in general.* They are insisting in having these CRIMINAL BEHAVIORS officially declared, and defined, to be just as much “rights” as are the freedoms of religion, speech, assembly, and others that have always been recognized as genuine rights.  And in many ways, these Secularists have gotten their way — which is why our nation is having such trouble socially and culturally.  And in the process, these non-Christians are destroying our Constitution and our nation with it.  These people have corrupted and perverted our government to the point that our protective layer of separation of powers and of checks and balances are no longer effective.  These protective items that were designed to protect us and our Constitution have now actually been turned against us.  And, but for the grace and mercy of God, this breach in our Constitutional “security system” may succeed in destroying us.

* Romans 1:
18: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19: Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20: For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22: Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23: And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24: Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26: For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28: And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29: Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30: Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31: Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Notes and References

* 1        Our Constitution is a Christian Political Document

“We have no government armed in power capable of contending in human passions unbridled by morality and religion.   Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.  It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.”
John Adams

Explained version:
“We have no government armed in power (equipped with strong enough laws, enough police, enough prisons…) capable of contending in (controlling, overcoming) human passions (lust, sin, criminal intents…) unbridled (unguided, uncontrolled…) by morality (a strong and proper sense of what is right and wrong) and religion (Christianity).   Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious (Christian) people (who will exercise self-control and will not have to have their every action and behavior put into laws and who will have to be watched over, spied upon, and dictated to, to make sure they do right.  It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other (people who hold to any other religion).”

“The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.”
President John Quincy Adams

“Our laws and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind…It is impossible that it should be otherwise; and in this sense and to this extent our civilization and our institutions are empathically Christian…This is a religious people.  This is historically true.  From the discovery of this continent to the present hour, there is a single voice making this affirmation…We find everywhere a clear recognition of the same truth…These , and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterance that this is a Christian nation.”
Supreme Court, The Church of the Holy Trinity vs. United States, 1892

“Religion” at this time was understood, in the American context, and by these and other quotes and documents, to mean  – and to mean only – “Christianity”.

We are seeing all about us how true this statement is.  All about us we see people demanding rights and behaviors that a Christian, in self-control, does not do, would not do, and certainly would not demand the right to do.  These false “rights” and behaviors (abortion, sodomy, profanity, theft by ,welfare, blasphemy,   have until recently been defined legally as not rights at all but as “criminal” behavior.  But non-Christians – especially militant non-Christians – do not have such an internal self-guidance mechanism as Christians do.  These non-Christians not only do such formally illegal things, but insist upon making their behavior legal and even common practice in the nation in general.  And in many ways, they have gotten their way, which is why our nation is having such trouble socially and culturally.

*2    America’s Declaration of Independence states, “All men are created equal.”
The concept of universal human rights and equality comes exclusively from the biblical ideas that all people are created in the image of God and from Jesus’ sacrificial death for all.

All men are created equal
Declaration
Gen. 1:26,
Acts 10:34,
17:26,
Gal. 3:28,
1 Pet. 2:17

This concept was unknown in history outside of biblically-based cultures.

Importance of governing self and family as first level of governance
First, Second, Ninth, and Tenth Amendments
Mat. 18:15-18, Gal. 5:16-26, 1 Cor. 6:1-11, 1 Tim. 3:1-5, Tit. 2:1-8

*3    Matthew 7:
15: Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16: Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17: Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18: A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19: Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20: Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

*4    James 2:
18: Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19: Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20: But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21: Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22: Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23: And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24: Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25: Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26: For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Robert J. Allen
rjallenofms@gmail.com
1-662-465-6190

DRAFT

I attended the 2/15/11, (7-10 PM ) presentation by astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York. which he gave at Humphrey Colosseum, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS.  Along the left margin of the following text, are statements (as close to verbatim as I can recall or was able to write down at the time) he made in that lecture.  At times I have expanded upon Dr. Tyson’s words when I felt it necessary to explain and give context to certain of his statements.  His statements are reported in this text as close to the order in which he presented them as I was able to recall at the time of this writing.  Indented, to one degree or another, below the left-margin statements of Dr. Tyson, are comments I offer in response to his statements.

Two Failures of Memory:
1. Remembering things that never happened
2. Forgetting things that did happen
If this happens to you, are you still doomed to repeat the past?
This question may initially sound clever and insightful but, and not to quibble here      but, it is actually a time-wasting nonsense question – how can one repeat what never happened?

Recently, a Moon-orbiting satellite propelled an impactor  portion of that satellite down into a crater at the N pole of the Moon.   The ejected cloud plume that rose up from that collision enabled the detection of 50 million gallons of water (frozen, ionized, etc.) at the bottom of this crater.
This value sounds (to me, at least) to be one of those “made up” statistics dishonest scientists, and other people, use to make it easy to support an otherwise unsupportable (or at least difficult to support) claim.
How can one determine, with accuracy (and credibility), how much water remains in the source/reservoir from which a plume was just ejected — from the size of the plume itself?  Did the plume carry all the water at the bottom of the crater up with it…only 1%… .001 %… .000,000,001 %?   And if Tyson will present as fact, such speculative numbers in such a talk, what other unsupportable things has he said and/or is willing to say in his presentations?

Typical velocity of an asteroid impacting Earth = 10 miles/sec.
Again, and however common this value may be bandied about, it sounds like just another “made up” statistic.  Such unacknowledged fictions should be below the bar of acceptable behavior for respectable speakers giving supposedly fact-based invited lectures to institutions of higher education.
1. The orbital velocity of the Earth around the Sun  is often stated to be 18 mps.  If so, then the velocity of an asteroid striking Earth would tend to be plus-or-minus that 18 miles/sec velocity of the Earth.
( “-“ if the asteroid caught up with the Earth from behind, or
“+” if it struck the Earth head-on from in front of it.)
Either way, the “+” and “-“  total values seem sufficiently different to not allow for an average impact velocity of 10 mps.
2.  Also, we would only know that the average speed of an asteroid impacting Earth is really 10 mps by clocking and then averaging the observed speed of many side-approaching impact asteroids – and I don’t think there is even ONE such KNOWN asteroid that has actually been “clocked” to give us even a single “hard” number of velocity.*

* For an overview mix of “fact and fancy” contained in the typical evolutionary description of asteroid impacts, see:
THE EFFECTS & LIKELIHOODS  OF ASTEROID IMPACTS, http://bookbuilder.cast.org/view_print.php?book=6808

Photo:
Along the inner rim of a c. 2-week-old new “stage-sized” (c.50′ X 30′?) impact crater on Mars was seen a white surface.  This white surface was interpreted as being either white rock that had been exposed by the impact or water ice.  Since the white was not seen in an overhead flyover satellite 2 weeks later, it was decided that the white had been produced by water ice that had sublimed away.
1.    How do they know the white had not been rock material that had been covered by dust that had blown over the white surface during the subsequent 2 weeks and returned it back to the condition (covered) it had been in before the impact?
2.    If sublimation was the explanation for the disappearing ice – within 2 weeks – in this crater on Mars, why does not sublimation cause the disappearance of ice on comets that come, at perigee, into much greater and ever-closer proximity to the Sun than Mars ever comes?*

*Primordial Dry Ice Fuels Comet Jets, http://www.spacedaily.com/reports              /Primordial_Dry_Ice_Fuels_Comet_Jets_999.html

*http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/EPOXI_Reveals_Comet_Hartley_2_999.html

Photo:
A running water rivulet meandering down the wall of a newly produced impact crater on Mars.
1. Although Tyson did not actually SAY this, the audience understood that the reason he even SHOWED this and similar photos, and the reason he made the statements he made about non-Earth-bound water is because the whole search for, and emphasis on finding, water anywhere beyond Earth is to advance the speculation that the presence of water  – especially liquid water – is a near-guarantee that life is almost inevitably possible – if not actually probable – to be found at that location.  This speculation is a grossly dishonest exaggeration.  To say it is probable that life will be found wherever liquid water is found, is the same grossly dishonest exaggeration as it is to say it is probable that buildings will be found wherever the clay used to make bricks is found.  Informed and reasonable people know that much more than water and clay is needed to make life and buildings.*  And they know that only dishonest and/or badly uninformed people would make a claim that these alone are sufficient.
2. How do they know it was water that produced this rivulet?  Could it have been lava or some other solid-suddenly-turned-to-liquid material?*

∙    http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-life-04w.html
∙    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1242794/Have-Nasa-scientists-trees-Mars.html

Photo:
Meteor Crater, Arizona.
This crater was once thought to be a volcanic crater, even though no lava has ever been found in, or around, it.
If you never look up (as Astronomers do), you (geologists, who are always looking “down” at your rocks, and mountains, and volcanoes, etc.) can never see the answers to the problems below you.
I generally agree with this generality.  But I apply this insight to Dr. Tyson himself, and to other Secularists/Evolutionists: if they never look up (to the Creator God) they can never see the answers to the unnecessary problems their naturalistic belief-system viewpoint has brought upon themselves and their discipline.

Photo:
Artist’s conception of a flying pterodactyl in the foreground with an asteroid impact in progress (in the background) that many evolutionists believe and teach was the cause of dinosaur extinction.
Tyson reported he had used this photo in a former lecture in which a member of the audience had asked, “Is that a photograph?”
In this depressing quote, we see the influence that highly skilled artisans can (and often do) have on the relatively uninformed lay public.  In this case, the skill (and license) of the artist was so well executed that it presented to this viewer (and many others who have seen this and similar highly-skilled naturalistic/evolutionist depictions) such a realistic-looking appearance and impression that what it depicted was immediately accepted as a “snapshot” of the way dinosaur extinction “really happened.”  This persuasion in many cases seems to be often accomplished with only a mere assertion that dinosaur extinction occurred this way – the mere picture is enough to convince many – no supporting data or information need even be given to many viewers to support the depiction that the extinction indeed happened that way.
While well-done accurate depictions and illustrations are of course beneficial to teachers and students of all sorts and subjects, persuasion within these subjects should be achieved by honest and objective substance, information, data, and content – it should not be obtained by mere subjective pretty flashy misleading and exaggerated theatrical presentations and depictions of imaginary themes and schemes.

The Apophus asteroid is projected to possibly hit Earth on 13 Apr 2026 near the San Diego California coast.  This hit will supposedly produce a rapidly-repeating cycle of 45 fountain-type “ups-and-downs” to the Stratosphere-and-back, a series of water-pulses that will all be over in 45 seconds.   Most of the action, and resultant damage, produced by this impact will be confined to the general region around San Diego – a tsunami-type wave will not even travel very far inland from this impact zone to cause great damage in the continental interior.
1. This 45-second event is contrary to what we know about gravity.  According to what we know about gravity, nothing can go “up to the Stratosphere” and free-fall back down (at the acceleration of 32 feet per second/ second) to Earth even one (1) time – let alone 45 times within a 45-second interval.
2.  Perhaps the 45 “second” detail stated by Tyson was a verbal “typo” and he meant to say 45 “minutes.”  Perhaps the vertical oscillations he described are possible within that time frame (I doubt it, but a rebuttal requires more time, data-and-number-crunching instrumentation, and expertise than I possess).
3.  Tyson’s impact scenario for Apophis is strange – and frankly (to me at least) intuitively unrealistic and unconvincing.  Is this scenario his own idea or one that he acquired elsewhere?  A citation would have been helpful.  But regardless, what is supposedly different from his projected future impact of Apophus, with its projected more-or-less “tranquil” and relatively small-scale consequences, and the impacts of similar-sized known past impacts (and other projected future impacts) that have all allegedly resulted in globally catastrophic mass-extinction consequences that include long-distance-traveling lithographic and atmospheric shock waves, continent-covering-or-even-globe-circling tsunamis, massive dust up-drafting, sun-blocking, “nuclear winter”-type scenarios that are all supposedly more-or-less typical of all the other past and future asteroid impacts?  Why is none of this projected to happen when Apophis hits?

Gravitational tether: A suggested way of gradually gravitationally “coaxing” Apophus out of harm’s way to Earth.
Knowing there are always 2 sides to every issue and question, I would have liked to have heard Tyson offer a second opinion from specialists in the field as to whether or not the tether approach he mentioned is actually feasible.

Miller-Urey experiment in 1950s.
Tyson presented this experiment as if the amino acids produced in it strongly indicated that the spontaneous generation of life is nearly inevitable wherever water, methane, carbon dioxide, and energy were combined.
Tyson’s use of this old and long-discounted experiment (both the experimental conditions and the experimental results and use of these results have been shown to be unrealistic*) to advocate spontaneous generation was perhaps his most outrageous of many outrageous claims in this presentation

∙    http://creation.com/why-the-miller-urey-research-argues-against-abiogenesis
∙    http://creation.com/hawking-aliens-life-by-chance

85% of the gravity in the Universe is of unknown origin.  We do not know what mass is responsible for making this gravity.  We call this mass, “dark matter” but that is just a name…a place holder”
1. This admission shows then that this “place holder” is actually a hypocritical “matter-of-the-gaps” equivalent to the “god-of-the-gaps” appeal that evolutionists/Atheists dishonestly charge/criticize Christians/Creationists for using.  The “god of the gaps” claim is an accusation that Christians insert God into science into those places where we have no explanation.  But, these Secularists claim, when we DO obtain an explanation, we take God out of that gap and put the explanation in.  In this way, Secularists argue, God is being increasingly displaced and pushed farther and farther away – until He is eventually shown to be totally irrelevant.  This accusation is a straw man.  Creationists do not appeal to God because of what we do NOT know…we appeal to God because of what we DO know – He is the only known sufficient cause for what we know exists.
2. But, let’s say that the Secularists are correct in their claim that we are guilty of a “god-of-the-gaps” evasion.  How is it wrong for US to appeal to such a tactic but it is OK for THEM to do so?

The Universe is expanding – and accelerating in that expansion.  We do not know what mass or energy is responsible for this acceleration.  We call this energy, “dark energy” but that too is just a name…a place holder
This admission shows that this “place holder” is yet another hypocritical equivalent to the “god-of-the-gaps” appeal: this time it is an “energy-of-the-gaps” appeal.  Again, why is it OK for them to resort to such a tactic, but not for us?  These intellectual double standards are outrageous and all honest men of science should expose and reject them.

…Therefore, 96% of all the Universe is stuff of which we are IGNORANT.  The matter and energy component that we do know about constitutes only 4% of what apparently exists…For as much (96%) as we don’t know of the Universe, that which we do know, we know really well
For as confident as Tyson may have projected himself in claiming this, this is a patently illogical (even absurd) statement.  When we admit that we do not know 96% of the information we must know in order to understand/comprehend a system, we do NOT know that the 4% we think we DO know is REALLY knowledge.  With 96% of the knowledge missing, there is simply too much opportunity for things within that 96% to contradict/overcome the mere 4% we think we know.
We should be intellectually honest and make sure we REALLY KNOW what we claim we know.  Much of what Tyson and other Naturalistic Secularist claim is “knowledge” is really merely “plausible-to-THEM-but-unproven” speculation and concepts – much of it merely ad hoc.

Optical illusions should be called “brain failures”.  These “illusions” are not real…they are merely a consequence of our brain processing supposedly easily-recognizable visual inputs inaccurately.
For all of Tyson’s realization about, and insight into, how our brain often processes supposedly easily-recognizable visual inputs inaccurately, one would think he would be sensitive to a  possible tendency to misinterpret inputs and data of all sort (including in science).  One would think this sensitivity would lead a fair-minded speaker to be open to presenting to the public different interpretations, answers, hypothesizes, of the Astronomical, Biological, Geological and other science issues, questions, and problems he speaks and writes upon  Yet, he advocates and presents to his audiences only one of the only two known and viable interpretations of all of physical reality.  He presents only Atheism/Naturalism/Evolution while omitting, if not actually opposing its alternate perspective of  Theism/Dualism/Creation.  For a speaker to general audiences, this one-sidedness is not honest and reasonable.  It is a “brain failure” (not to mention a “professional ethics failure”) on his part.

STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.  Excellence/expertise in these areas are the source of the solutions to all of our society’s problems
Tyson presented these areas (without defending/explaining it or even specifically SAYING it) as if they are automatically and naturally counter to the Theistic (and specifically Judeo-Christian moral) foundation of America.  As just stated, Tyson did not actually SAY this himself: he merely played video clips of OTHER people saying it.

Colbert TV Program – Tyson guest appearance video clip.
Tyson acted like his showing of this clip was a “Oh yeah… let me show you THIS that I just happened to think of” type of spontaneous action.  It looked “practiced” to me.
Secularist’s straw man alleged summary claim of Theists: “I know there is a God because I don’t know how things work.”
The video clip Tyson showed was a cut-and-paste-and-then-looped-back-upon-itself-stream-of-video-segments of O’Reilly saying something to the effect that he knows God is real “because we don’t know what makes the tides occur everyday…because we don’t know what makes the tides occur everyday…because we don’t know what makes the tides occur everyday…because we don’t know what makes the tides occur everyday…”
Anyone can make anybody appear silly and laughable by cutting-and-pasting and then looping back upon itself a stream of video segments of them saying anything they frequently say in different video segments covering the same topic.  So, the fact that someone in Colbert’s circle did this to O’Reilly is – by itself – irrelevant to anything of substance – a logical “Zero” contribution to honest legitimate discussion – and therefore only “good” for emotional purposes (mocking, ridicule,  misleading, etc.)
While I agree O’Reilly could have argued his point better, (but he is not a scientist and cannot be expected to carry an argument of “Earth-Moon Science” as well as astronomers, geologists, and related scientists can be expected to do) he obviously was merely citing a strong talking point he uses when discussing his persuasion that science supports the conclusion that God must exist.  If more than the laugh-track segment had been played of what O’Reilly said in these events, we might have seen O’Reilly show knowledge of what he (and most half-informed adults) surely knows – that it is the Moon that primarily is the physical cause of the tides.  So, if more of the video had been presented, we would have seen that what O’Reilly was really referring to was that only God could have established the orbit of the Moon and established the other relevant Earth-Moon parameters that make, and keep, the tides so very regular, precise, and predictable.
This video clip was therefore merely a cheap shot and would have been beneath the dignity of an honest speaker.  If Tyson had been such an honest speaker, the audience would have been spared having our intelligence insulted in this way by this video.

The Universe is 13.7 billion-years-old (has a 13.7 billion-year-old radius).
This is an unreasonable, self-contradictory argumentum ad absurdum concept/claim.  Evolutionary Astronomers tell us the most distant objects we can see in the Universe are galaxies that are 13.7 billion light years away – therefore it took the light from those galaxies 13.7 billion years to get to us.  For purposes of discussion, let’s give that to them and say we might be “seeing” objects that are really 13.7 billion years old.  But those objects were aging on their way to the 13.7-year-old point.  Then we saw the light from them at that age – but it took 13.7 billion years for that light to get to us.  So the Universe must really be closer to DOUBLE that value, or 24.4 billion years old.

Quantum physics operates at a level that is below common sense.  Because of this, one can no longer invoke common sense to judge whether or not something is “true” or not at this level.
If this claim is true, then one cannot use common sense to judge whether or not something Tyson, or anyone else, says about things at this level, and in this area,  are correct or not.  Therefore, by your own common sense (or whatever) reasoning, we have no basis or reason to accept anything you say.  So, why are you taking my time up by telling me stuff you cannot even argue is true and worth telling?

These Secularist/Evolutionists reveal great inconsistency at several places in their argument.
1.  For example, they would say that “Science is what you see” but to solve problems produced by their own naturalistic belief system, they imagine unseeable items (which, being “unseeable” cannot even be confirmed to exist – but they MUST be known to exist in order to be viewed as legitimate possible components of an eventual solution to the problems we are seeking to solve).
2. They claim that their approach to problems is a common-sense approach, yet they are quick to warn us that common sense does not apply at the level of reality that they are investigating.

Tyson listed several technological failures in the US: the broken levees at New Orleans, the collapsed bridge of years ago in Minneapolis, train collisions in Alabama, etc.  He then used these examples as evidence of the failure of American technology.
This use is false on several counts.  For example:
1.He did not mention the similar technological-system failures experienced in other nations. But it happens: is the technological base in these nations in a state of collapse too?  He never suggested it was – Tyson implied that it was only a deteriorating AMERICAN technological base that is the cause of failure of systems in our infrastructure.
2. He did not mention that in each technological disaster case he mentioned, subsequent follow-up investigations identified  human factors were the causative agents: repeated failure of political parties to use sufficient funds allocated to them to correct known deficiencies,  failure to follow specified and routine maintenance schedules, a captain/conductor was drunk and/or asleep at the wheel, etc.  In the cases he mentioned, it was failure/refusal to apply the STEM knowledge that we DID possess and know.  These system failures were NOT caused by a failure to even KNOW the necessary STEM data.
3. In this 2nd Law of Thermodynamics world*1 in which “moth and rust” *2 (biological and chemical processes) corrupts and deteriorates everything, even in properly used and maintained systems failure is possible.  But eventual failure of improperly-maintained and improperly-used technological systems, such as the ones Tyson cited, is inevitable.  Therefore, when such systems do fail, it is not necessarily evidence of collapse of the technological base that initially built these systems but that is no longer able to maintain them.

*1 http://www.allaboutscience.org/second-law-of-thermodynamics.htm

Proverbs 24:
30: I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31: And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32: Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.
33: Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
34: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth;
The owner of these properties is never home to make necessary repairs and do PM on things that have a 2nd Law of Thermodynamics natural tendency to deteriorate

*2     Matthew 6:19 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Tyson talked about how, in an apparent public appearance with the Oxford Atheist Richard Dawkins, Tyson had chided Dawkins about his great ineffectiveness against Theists due to his intentionally highly-abrasive obnoxious insulting treatment of them.  Tyson said he told Dawkins that he would be much more effective if he treated his opposition with a little respect.  He reported that Dawkins acknowledged the value of his criticism, but did not follow his advice at that time, nor any other.
What Tyson failed to mention is that Dawkins is ineffective due to his sloppy philosophical arguments and false reconstructionist history.  The obnoxiousness he shows towards Theists does alienate him from many layman-level Theists, but most well-informed Theists are quite able to endure his admirably picturesque, well-crafted, well-expressed, but untrue-and-uncalled-for, knowledge-free insults of mere words.  Many of these well-informed Theists are even happily willing and able to take him and the other popular Atheists on – and several of these have already done so in public debates*1 and best-selling books that devastated these Atheists and their Atheism.*2

*1 Madalyn Murray O’Hair debate with Dr. Walter Martin
Madalyn Murray O’Hair did particularly badly in her debate with Dr. Walter Martin.[435] For example, when she claimed there were supposedly were contradictions in the Bible, Dr. Martin asked her to provide an example of one and Ms. O’Hair did not and could not offer even an alleged example of a Bible contradiction.[436] In addition, Ms. O’Hair was ill prepared in terms of defending against the issue of atheism and mass murder.[437]

Frank Zindler Versus Dr. William Craig Debate
The website TrueOrigin states the following regarding the debate between atheist Frank Zindler and Christian philosopher Dr. William Lane Craig:
“Frank Zindler… A leading light in the American Atheists. Isn’t it amazing how so many atheists love evolution and appear to be threatened by the massive scientific evidence for creation? Zindler took the atheism side in an Atheism v. Christianity debate in front of 7,500 people at Willow Creek Community Church, USA. His opponent, Dr William Lane Craig, tore his ignorant arguments to shreds so effectively that many atheists in the audience realised that Zindler had lost the debate. It was presumably to this debate that John Snowden was alluding when he wrote that a representative of the American Atheists, whom he used to support, lost a public debate to a “fundamentalist” (Skeptic 18(3), 1998).[438]

*2 General Works On Atheism:

* Norman Geisler, (2004), I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, Crossway, ISBN 9781581345612
* Alister McGrath, (2004), The Twilight of Atheism: The Rise and Fall of Disbelief in the Modern World ISBN 0-385-50061-0
* Ravi Zacharias, (1994, 2004), A Shattered Visage: The Real Face of Atheism ISBN 0801065119
* Ravi Zacharias, (1994, 1996), Can Man Live Without God? ISBN 0849939437
* Josh McDowell and Don Stewart, (1982) Understanding Secular Religions, Here’s Life Publishers, San Bernardino, California, ISBN 0-86605-093-0
* Vox Day, (2008),The Irrational Atheist, BenBella Books, Inc. ISBN 1933771364
* American Vision, Return of the Village Atheist (e-book), ISBN: 9780915815784
* R. Albert Mohler Jr., (2008), Atheism Remix: A Christian Confronts the New Atheists, Crossway, ISBN 9781433504976

Source of the above: http://www.conservapedia.com/Atheism

Pluto is not a planet – “Get over it”.
It would have been instructive if Tyson (since he is particularly identified with the demotion of Pluto from being considered by many as “not a planet”) would have given some of the reasons why he and others had reached that arbitrary mere “definitional” conclusion.
Q/A

One questioner commented about the two charts Tyson presented: One chart portrayed the number of STEM papers presented one year by the nations of the world, and the other chart portrayed the change in number of papers presented by the same nations 10 years later.  Tyson then compared the difference between the 2 charts and claimed that this difference documented/illustrated the declining impact of the USA in the world as it relates to STEM matters.
The questioner stated that the charts themselves, and the use of the charts in the way Tyson used them, may be just as reasonably interpreted as showing a bias against the productivity of USA.  The questioner said that a nation such as the USA, that has been very productive for a long time, has less opportunity to increase its publication volume in a world in which it has already pretty-well saturated the major journals of the world.  But the other nations, that have not been publishing much, will show a relatively great change in numbers of publications, with only a small increase in their publication number.  The questioner suggested that another way of expressing this bias is seen, for example, with a student who has been an A student all along:  it is much harder for this student to show improvement than it is for a student that has been a “D” or “C” student all along to show improvement by finally getting some “A”s or even “B”s.  The D or C student has “room” to “grow”, whereas the A student does not.  I agree with the questioner.  Tyson dismissed him with something like, “I’ll have to think about that.”

One questioner asked a question about what Einstein referred to as “spooky” photon behavior: the apparent behavior of a pair of photons to act in tandem, such that when one photon of one charge (say “+”) disappears in one place, its opposite-charged (“-“) counterpart “automatically” appears in another place.  The questioner asked how the experimenter KNOWS the particular photon that appeared is indeed the actual counterpart of the particular one that just disappeared?
Tyson replied that it is more reasonable to conclude that the – photon that appears in the same room in which a  + photon just disappeared, is more likely to be the counterpart of the just-disappeared + photon than is a – photon that just appeared, for example, in Thailand.  But how does Tyson, or anyone else,  KNOW this?  In my view, the questioner posed an excellent question – one which Tyson sidestepped (copped-out on) with only the appearance of having answered it.

Photo:
The “Face” on Mars:
Tyson claimed that some people saw (see?) the “human” face on Mars, not because an actual human face is actually there, but because they themselves are people and are biased to see what they are themselves.  If we were lobsters, some of us would be seeing lobsters on Mars.
1. This claim may sound plausible to folks like Tyson, but it is merely an attempt to explain, it is not a confirmed fact.
2. It needs to be determined that there ARE lobster-shaped “faces” on Mars  that exist to be seen, in order for us to see them as lobsters, if we were lobsters.
3. Many people see shapes that are not man-like.  If they can see spider shapes when they are not spiders, how can Tyson logically claim the seeing of human shapes is a result of being a human?
4. The fact that people may be biased to see things that look like people does not mean that some things do not indeed look like people.  And if they indeed do look like people, the easy dismissal of a tendency of proneness to see one’s own image, does not address the speculation that certain things that look like people look like people because they were fashioned to look like people by people who wanted them to look like people.   I don’t know what the ‘human” likeness on Mars is, but I do know that Tyson’s bias against human shapes actually being on Mars was merely self-serving chronological snobbery and bias.

==========================

I conclusion, as an above-average-informed layman on these matters, and from a thoroughly Christian perspective, I regard the talk given by Tyson to have been a meritless-but-high-sounding mere theatrical performance.  Tyson delivered to the Secularized student masses what he knew from experience that students in a state Secular educational institution are indoctrinated into believing and that consequently tend to want to hear.*1 But Tyson did nothing to inform and actually serve these students.  These students did not leave the lecture better for having been there.  Actually, they left this lecture in a worse state.*2   The lecture worked to keep these students trapped in the monopolistic anti-God, anti-Christian,  worldview that government-run-and-supported Secular institutions promote.  These institutions   (often mistakenly called “higher education”)  ensnare students into Atheistic beliefs and people like Tyson are regularly invited in to give them another dose of it all in the form of guest speakers in special assemblies.

The “success” of the Secularists in filling this trap with these students is not as remarkable a feat as it may seem.  The entrapment was actually a relatively easy task to accomplish, and maintain, because each member of the “catch” was already inclined in that direction by his own inner and natural enmity against God*3 – the target against which all Secularism is directed.  The audience displayed throughout his talk an eager “give us more, give us more” attitude that was, to me at least, a sad – even tragic – scene.*1  I saw a false teacher promising hundreds of deceived students wisdom and knowledge but delivering them to an even greater enslavement in their own error and foolishness.*4

*1
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;”
II Timothy 4:3

*2
“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.”
Matthew 23:15

*3
“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”
Romans 8:7

*4
“For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.”
II Peter 2:18

“These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.”
Jude 1:16

To the Editor:

“Republican”: The Party of “No”?

Democrats like to call the Republican Party the “Party of No.”  The implication is, “THOSE MEAN OLD REPUBLICANS!  THEY NEVER LET US DO ANYTHING!  ALL THEY EVER TELL US IS ‘NO’! ”

The thing these Democrat whiners never explain is: “To WHAT are Republicans saying “No?”  The facts are, the Republicans are saying “No” to unrealistic, unreasonable, harmful things to which the Democrats are constantly saying “Yes.”

What is a mature, realistic, reasonable Party (or Parent for that matter) to do when someone they are responsible for demands they be allowed to do short-term foolish harmful things – no matter how popular, immediate-relief, PC  “feel-good,” “lovey-dovey”, “warm-and-fuzzy”- sounding they appear to their adolescent charges? ( “Let us go deeper in debt”…print more money…borrow more money…give away more money… Let us kill more babies…Let us weaken our military…Let us destroy marriage and the family…”  “EVERYBODY’S DOING IT…I WANT IT!  I WANT IT!… GIVE IT TO ME!”  Democrats keep insisting.)  The mature, realistic Party should, of course, do the adult thing and say “NO.”  And the NON Democrats ARE saying “No.”  THANK YOU REPUBLICANS!

In a delightfully fitting, unexpected and unintended homonymic twist of “poetic justice”, Democrats, in their adolescent rhetorical complaint, have unintentionally paid the Republicans (REAL Republicans – not RINOS) a high, and proper, compliment.  As a result of this twist, when I hear the Democrats describe REAL Republicans this way, I hear them saying, “The Republican Party is ‘The Party of KNOW’. ” And THAT is an accurate, and comforting, description.

Yes, indeed: REAL Republicans “know” what is realistic and reasonable.  And REAL Republicans thankfully have the courage, resolve, and real love for their country, and their countrymen, to stand up FOR realistic, reasonable, good and right things.  And they thankfully have the courage, resolve, and real love for their country, and their countrymen, to stand AGAINST the dangerous things that the Democrats, the liberal “old”  media, the liberal academics, and others are pushing that could literally destroy us.

These Republicans “know” the nation should go by the Constitution, they “know” we should get out and stay out of debt, they “know” we should be militarily strong, they “know” we should protect – not kill – our babies, and they “know” we should strive for the other things that have traditionally characterized America.

Again, THANK YOU REPUBLICANS!

Thank you.

This lecture is intended to inform on the basic Constitutional directions  given in defining the government of the United States of America.

The Constitution of The United States of America    1787

http://www.tnz.biz/documents/usa/Constitution_of_The_USA.html

Preamble:
“We the people of the United  States, in Order to form a more perfect* Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and  secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and  establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

* An improvement over the former failed Articles of Confederation

ARTICLE  ONE

Section 1. All* legislative  Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress* of the United States, which  shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

* The Legislative Branch is intended to be the most powerful of the 3 Branches

* It is assumed that the members of this Branch know what the Constitution (Amendments) and Law says – because its members wrote it.

* ALL law is supposed to come out of the Legislative Branch.

Section 2. The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several  States, and the electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite  for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislature.

No Person shall be a Representative  who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an  Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.

Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this  Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding  to the whole number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a  Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.  The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by law Direct. The number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at  least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State  of New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode  Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New York six, New Jersey  four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina  five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three.

When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies.

The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.

Section 3. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the legislature thereof, for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.

Immediately after they shall be assembled  in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be  vacated at the expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the expiration of the sixthYear,  so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and if vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the recess of the Legislature of any State,  the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next meeting  of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies.

No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that  State for which he shall be chosen.

The Vice-President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.

The Senate shall choose their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States.

The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief  Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.

Judgment in cases of Impeachment  shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to  hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States:  but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment,  Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.

Section 4. The Times, Places  and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed  in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by  Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.

The Congress shall assemble at least  once in every Year, and such Meeting shall be on the first Monday in December,  unless they shall by law appoint a different Day.

Section 5. Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members,  and a Majority of each shall constitute a Quorum to do Business; but a smaller  Number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the Attendance  of absent Members, in such Manner, and under such Penalties as each House may  provide.

Each house may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behavior, and, with the Concurrence of two-thirds, expel a Member.

Each house shall keep a Journal of  its Proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such Parts  as may in their Judgment require Secrecy; and the Yeas and Nays of the Members  of either House on any question shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those Present,  be entered on the Journal.

Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other Place than that in which the two Houses shall be  sitting.

Section 6. The Senators and  Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained  by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all  Cases, except Treason, Felony* and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going  to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House,  they shall not be questioned in any other Place.

* Felony = A major crime: murder, arson, rape, etc. with minimum imprisonment of 1 year

No Senator or Representative shall,  during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or the Emoluments  whereof shall have been increased during such time; and no Person holding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either House during his Continuance in Office.*

* This portion prevents conflicts of interest and favoritism in a person who might otherwise hold 2 separate offices, positions in which he could use his action in one position to obtain unfair advantage in and for the other position.

Section 7. All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may  propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.

Every Bill which shall have passed  the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law,  be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign  it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which  it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal,  and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that  house shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections,  to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved  by two thirds of that House, it shall become a law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by Yeas and Nays, and the Names of  the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President  within ten Days (Sundays excepted)* after it shall have been presented to him,  the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which case it shall not be a Law.

* a reference to the Christian “day of rest” – Leviticus 23:3 , Leviticus 23:28, Deuteronomy 15:19, Deuteronomy 16:8, Jeremiah 17:24

* This method of adopting law was intentionally designed to be slow  — in order to check (prevent) hasty actions, that are prone to be not thought-out well and therefore, unwise.

Every Order, Resolution, or Vote  to which the Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary  (except on a question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of  the United States; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved  by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the  Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations  prescribed in the Case of a Bill.

Section 8. The Congress shall  have Power to lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States;  but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow Money on the credit of  the United States;

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

To establish Post Offices and Post Roads;

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the  exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations;

To declare War, grant Letters of  Marque* and Reprisal*, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

* Letters of  Marque = Authorization for citizens to fit out ships to capture the ships or property of another nation with which it is at war.

* “Reprisal” = Documentation that a ship is not engaged in pirating.

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer term than two Years;

To provide and maintain a Navy; To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

To provide for calling forth the  Militia* to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

* Militia = armed private citizens…authorized “conscription”…the “draft”…

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively,  the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the militia according  to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square)  as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become  the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority  over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, Dockyards,  and other needful Buildings;–And

To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any  Department or Officer thereof.

Section 9. The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand  eight hundred and eight, but a Tax or Duty may be imposed on such Importation,  not exceeding ten dollars for each Person.

The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus* shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.

* Every citizen must be informed of the crime he is being accused of committing and is being imprisoned for.

No Bill of Attainder*1 or ex post facto*2 Law shall be passed.

*1 “Bill of Attainder” = being declared guilty of an alleged crime without being tried for it

*2  “ex post facto”… “done afterwards”… “after the fact” –  being accused of committing a crime that was not legally defined as a crime at the time you allegedly committed it

No Capitation*, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or Enumeration herein before directed to be taken.

* “Capitation” =  “Head” or “poll” tax – no tax on the individual levied against and on him just because he exists as a citizen.

No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.

No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one State over those of another:  nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in another.

No Money shall be drawn from the  Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement  and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published  from time to time.

No Title of Nobility shall be granted  by the United States; and no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument*,  Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.

*  “Emolument” = payment received for work.

Section 10. No State shall  enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and  Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver  Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder*, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.

*  “Bill of Attainder” = a legislative pronouncement of guilt without a trial.

No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it’s inspection Laws: and the net  Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports,  shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Controul of the Congress.

No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of  Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign  Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.

ARTICLE  TWO

Section 1. The executive Power shall be vested in a President* of the United States of America. He shall hold  his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President  chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows:

* This Branch was intended to be the second-most powerful of the 3 Branches.

* The President of this Branch is assumed to know what the Constitution and law say because it is his duty is to enforce them – He has to know what they say in order to be able to properly enforce them.

Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled  in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.

The Electors shall meet in their  respective States, and vote by Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not lie an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall  make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each;  which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The  President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having  the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority  of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote;  a Quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice.  In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should  remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice President.

The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which  Day shall be the same throughout the United States.

No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years,  and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

In Case of the Removal of the President  from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers  and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President,  and the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation  or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer  shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the  Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.

The President shall, at stated Times,  receive for his Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be encreased nor diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall  not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them.

Before he enter on the Execution  of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:–”I do solemnly  swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of  the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and  defend the Constitution of the United States.”*

* “So help me God” – added by George Washington, at the end of saying this oath of office.  This addition has been voiced by most of the later – if not all – Presidents taking this oath.

Section 2. The President shall  be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the  Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United  States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in  each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons  for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of impeachment.

He shall have Power, by and with  the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next session.

Section 3. He shall from time  to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend  to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient;  he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them,  and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment,  he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive  Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be  faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.

Section 4. The President,  Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed  from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other  high Crimes and Misdemeanors*

* “Misdemeanors” = “misbehaving”: minor offenses leading to fines or local jailing for less than 1 year.

ARTICLE  THREE

Section 1. The judicial Power* of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges,  both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good  behavior*, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation,  which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.

* This Branch was intended to be the least powerful of the 3 Branches – However, it has usurped its bounds and become the most powerful of the 3 Branches – especially since the other 2 Branches have neglected their duty and allowed this usurpation to go uncorrected.

*It is NOT good behavior to:

Usurp its power over the other Branches
“legislate” from the bench
Invent “rights” that are not there
Give higher authority of foreign law over the Constitution

According to this Section 1, Justices which have done any of the above should be removed from the Court.

Section 2. The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases*, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution,  the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under  their Authority;–to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers  and Consuls;–to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction;–to Controversies  to which the United States shall be a Party;–to Controversies between two or  more States;–between a State and Citizens of another State;–between Citizens  of different States; –between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under  Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and  foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.

* “Cases” = legal trials in which disagreements and/or uncertainty regarding the interpretation of the Law as it is to apply in new situations/environments which have arrived are argued and decided.

In all cases affecting Ambassadors,  other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party,  the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before  mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate* Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.

* “appellate” = having jurisdiction to review appeals and to retry cases raised to this level in the system.

The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed  within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress  may by Law have directed.

Section 3. Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses* to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.

* Two (2) witnesses – Deuteronomy 17:6, 18:5

The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood*, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.

* Protects the relatives of a convicted traitor from being punished for what he did. – Deuteronomy 24:16, II Kings 14:6, II Chronicles 25:4, Ezekiel 18:20

ARTICLE  FOUR

Section 1. Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe  the Manner in which such Acts, Records, and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.

Section 2. The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all* Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.

“Hate” crime laws and same sex “marriage” abuse this Section by giving “protected” status to certain groups (historically considered perverted and perverse non-groups) but not to others.

A Person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on Demand of the executive Authority of the State from  which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of the Crime.

No person held to Service or Labor in one State, under the Laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequence of any Law or Regulation therein, be discharged from such Service or Labor,  But shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labor may be due.

Section 3. New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new States shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.

The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of  any particular State.

Section 4. The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic  Violence.

ARTICLE  FIVE

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution,  or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall  be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be  proposed by the Congress;* Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of it’s equal Suffrage in the Senate.

* This method of amending the Constitution is designed — and intended — to be long and drawn out so that no big changes are made quickly and easily.

ARTICLE  SIX

All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid* against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

* Keep your vows (promises…agreements…commitments ) – Numbers 30:2, Deuteronomy 23:21, Ecclesiastics 5:5

This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties  made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall  be the supreme Law of the Land*; and the Judges in every State shall be bound  thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary  notwithstanding.

* Original intent and meaning of the words as they were used and understood at the time the Constitution was written.  The Constitution is NOT a “living” document, in which it can supposedly be “interpreted” in terms of new meanings attached to old words and in terms of new and alien beliefs and principles being “read into” the original beliefs and cultural and political ones.

* ANY dependence upon — or even reference to — foreign law in deciding issues of the Court is UNCONSTITUTIONAL and forbidden.

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.

ARTICLE  SEVEN

The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution  between the States so ratifying the Same.

Done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven* and of the Independence of the United States of America the Twelfth In Witness whereof We have hereunto  subscribed our Names,

* The “Lord” Jesus Christ is the ONLY PERSON in the world and in all of history that corresponds to this reference to a person and a time.

Article 1, Section 7

“Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.” – Leviticus 23:3

“And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.” – Leviticus 23:28

“All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep.” – Deuteronomy 15:19

“Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work therein.” Deuteronomy 16:8

“And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein;” Jeremiah 17:24

Article 3, Section 3

* At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. – Deuteronomy 17:6:

“One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.”- Deuteronomy 19:15
………………………………………

“The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.” – Deuteronomy 24:16

“But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin.” – II Kings 14:6

“But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.” – II Chronicles 25:4

“The soul that sinneth, it shall die.  The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” – Ezekiel 18:20

Article 6

“If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.”- Numbers 30:2

“When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.”- Deuteronomy 23:21

“Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.”- Ecclesiastics 5:5

Article 7

“He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.” – John 1:23

“Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.”- John 6:68

“Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.” – John 13:13

Bill of Rights

http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof*; or abridging the freedom of speech*, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble*, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

* “Separation of church and state” is a false “interpretation” of this Amendment

(See lecture 3 in this series.)

* Tea Parties, and the Tea Party Movement, are CONSTITUTIONAL.

Amendment II

A well regulated militia*1, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people*2 to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

*1  “militia” = people’s or citizen’s army.

This phrase is NOT making the  nonsense statement that the military is the only party that has “the right to keep and bear arms”.

Amendment III

No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

* This Amendment requires the use of Search warrants to search the home and other property of a citizen.

* Your car is an extension of your home.

Amendment V

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger*1; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy*2 of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself*3 , nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law*4 ; nor shall private property be taken for public use*5, without just compensation.

*1  Enemy combatants do not have Constitutional rights.

*5  Eminent domain for PUBLIC NEED AND USE ONLY – private property can not be taken from one party and handed over for the PRIVATE USE of another private party.

Amendment VI

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him*; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

* Anonymous calls to accuse parents of child abuse, etc. are UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

Amendment VII

In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Amendment VIII

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Amendment IX

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people*.

* The PEOPLE – not the federal government – have more rights than the ones mentioned so far.

Amendment X

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people*.

* Congress does not have ANY powers that are not specifically mentioned (“delegated”) by the Constitution.  ALL  powers not specifically delegated to Congress remain (“are reserved”) to the states or the people.

* The Federal government is to have NO involvement in:

Education
Health care
income tax
FCC (communication/media)
Other

Robert J. Allen
(Lecture on  6/27/09)

Words come don’t come from out of a vacuum.  They come from the belief system, and the related concerns, and goals of the person (people) who wrote them.  We are here to talk about the Constitution of the USA.  So, what was the belief system of the people who wrote the words in and of the Constitution?

Let’s let them answer this question themselves.  There are literally hundreds of quotations they left us.  So it is easy to determine what their belief system was.  I give you here only a tiny representative sample of what is part of a huge public record.  If you want more quotations, they are easy to find.  If you desire help in obtaining these, we at Starkville Tea Party can supply hundreds, and can give you sources and references to acquire even more.

Representative quotations:

America is based on Christianity

“The highest story of the American Revolution is this: it  connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government  with the principles of Christianity.” – President John Adams

“[T]he religion which has introduced civil liberty is the religion of Christ and His apostles… This is genuine Christianity and to this we owe our free constitutions of government.”

[O]ur citizens should early understand that the genuine source of correct republican principles is the Bible, particularly the New Testament, or the Christian religion.133

“[T]he Christian religion… is the basis, or rather the source, of all genuine freedom in government… I am persuaded that no civil government of a republican form can exist and be durable in which the principles of Christianity have not a controlling influence.”
– Noah Webster: Revolutionary soldier; judge; legislator; educator; “Schoolmaster to America”

“The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.” – John Adams, in a letter to Thomas Jefferson, June 28, 1813, reprinted in The Adams-Jefferson Letters,ed. Lester J. Cappon (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1959), vol 2, pp. 339-40.

“The Holy Ghost carries on the whole Christian system in this earth. Not a baptism, not a marriage, not a sacrament can be administered but by the Holy Ghost. . . . There is no authority, civil or religious – there can be no legitimate government but what is administered by this Holy Ghost. There can be no salvation without it. All without it is rebellion and perdition, or in more orthodox words damnation”.

“In the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior. The Declaration of Independence laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity.” – John Quincy Adams – Sixth President of the United States; diplomat; secretary of state; US Senator; US Representative; “old man eloquent”; “hell-hound of abolition”

“There is a universal language pervading [these examples], having one meaning; they affirm and reaffirm that this is a religious nation. These are not individual  sayings, declarations of private persons: they are organic utterances; they speak the voice of the entire people. . . . These, and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian  nation.” – U.S. Supreme Court 1892, Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States, 143 U.S. 457, 9-10.

“Our laws and institutions must necessarily be based upon  and embody the teaching of the Redeemer of mankind. It is impossible that is should be otherwise; and in this sense and to this extent  our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian . . . this is a Christian nation.” – US Supreme Court, 1892

“The Bible is the Rock on which this Republic rests.” – President  Andrew Jackson

“America was born a Christian nation.” – President Woodrow Wilson, 1911

“[T]his is a Christian Nation. More than a half century ago that declaration was written  into the decrees of the highest court in this land. It is not without  significance that the valiant pioneers who left Europe to establish settlements here, at the very beginning of their colonial enterprises, declared their faith in the Christian religion and  made ample provision for its practice and for its support. The story of the Christian missionaries who in earliest days endured perils,  hardship–even death itself in carrying the message of Jesus Christ to untutored savages is one that still moves the hearts of men.” – Harry S. Truman, in a letter to Pope Pius XII, August  6, 1947, from the papers of Myron Taylor in the Harry S. Truman Library.

“Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation, to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.” – U.S. Chief Justice John Jay

To Abandon our Christian base is Commit National Suicide

“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human
passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” – America’s God and Country (10-11), (John Adams, 1798 – Address to the militia of Massachusetts), Signer of the Declaration of Independence; judge; diplomat; one of two signers of the bill of rights; second President of the United States

(Only Christianity, with its REAL God and with His help to us through His Word, His love, His indwelling Holy Spirit, and other benefits only Christianity provides, enables people to control [or “bridle”] our selfish, self-centered, short-term-oriented passions.  And in an open and free system such as our Constitution provides, non-Christian people will not exercise the self-control that is needed to support and preserve such a system.  Also, non-Christian people will claim – and even demand – the exercise of “rights” that God did not give.  We can see this is true and happening all around us as more and more non-Christian citizens claim rights to murder their own unborn, practice sodomy, divorce their spouses, and more.  John Adams warned us in this quote that our Constitution is not able to govern such people and if there are too many of them who are claiming to many false “rights”, the government will self-destruct under the weight of their unchecked immoral license. )

How do we know what rights we have? Samuel Adams and others answered this:

“…the right to freedom being the gift of God Almighty…’The Rights of the Colonists as Christians’…may be best understood by reading and carefully studying the institutes of the great Law Giver…which are to be found clearly written and promulgated in the New Testament.” – Samuel Adams, “Rights of the Colonists”, 1772

“We’ve staked the whole future of American civilization not on the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us . . . to Govern ourselves according to the commandments of God. The future and success of America is not in this Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded.” – President James Madison

“Nothing is more certain than that a general profligacy and corruption of manners make a people ripe for destruction. A good form of government may hold the rotten materials together for some time, but beyond a certain pitch, even the best constitution will be ineffectual, and slavery must ensue.” – The Selected Writings of John Witherspoon, Miller ed. (140-1),  (John Witherspoon, 1776, The Dominion of Providence Over the Passions of Men)

“[N]either the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt.”  – The Life and Public Service of Samuel Adams, William Wells, vol. 1 (22), (Samuel Adams, 1749 – essay in The Public Advertiser)

“The fundamental basis of this nation’s law was given to  Moses on the Mount. The fundamental basis of our Bill of Rights comes from the teaching we get from Exodus and St. Matthew, from Isaiah and St. Paul. I don’t think we emphasize that enough these days. If we don’t have the proper fundamental moral background, we will finally end up with a totalitarian government which does not believe in the right for anybody except the state.”  – President  Harry S. Truman

“And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with his wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep for ever.” –  Our Sacred Honor, Bennett (352), (Thomas Jefferson, 1781 – Notes on the State of Virginia, Query 18)

(Our dumbed-down Atheistic public schools and Universities, our liberal media, and our liberal churches have nearly succeeded in “removing God as the basis of our liberties”)

“The philosophy of the school room in one generation will  be the philosophy of government in the next.” – Abraham Lincoln.

“The only assurance of our nation’s safety is to lay our foundation in morality and religion.”- Abraham Lincoln.

“It is extremely important to our nation , in a political as well as religious view , that all possible authority and influence should be given to the scriptures, for these furnish the best principles of civil liberty , and the most effectual support of republican government. The principles of all genuine liberty, and of wise laws and administrations are to be drawn from the Bible and sustained by it’s authority. The man therefore who weakens or destroys the divine authority of that book may be accessory to all the public disorders which society is doomed to suffer….” – Noah Webster

“The Hand of providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more than wicked, that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.” – The Writings of George Washington, Fitzpatrick, ed., vol. 12 (343),  (George Washington, 1778 – letter to Thomas Nelson)

“Before any man can be considered as a member of civil society,  he must be considered as a subject of the Governor of the Universe.  And to the same Divine Author of every good and perfect gift [James 1:17] we are indebted for all those privileges and advantages, religious as well as civil, which are so richly enjoyed in this favored land.”
– James Madison

(No free government can exist if Christianity is not the predominate worldview and ideology of the land.)

“No free government now exists in the world, unless where Christianity is acknowledged, and is the religion of the country. Christianity is part of the common law.  Its foundations are broad and strong and deep.  It is the purest system of morality and only stable support of all human laws.” – Pennsylvania Supreme Court, 1824

(Miscellaneous Quotations)

“The morality of the country is deeply ingrafted upon Christianity, and not upon the doctrines or worship of other religions.  In people whose manners are refined, and whose morals have been elevated and inspired with a more enlarged benevolence, it is by means of the Christian religion.” – United States Supreme Court, 1811
– http://www.shalomjerusalem.com/heritage/heritage10.html

“The American population is entirely Christian, and with us Christianity and Religion are identified. It would be strange indeed, if with such a people, our institutions did not presuppose Christianity, and did not often refer  to it, and exhibit relations with it.” -John Marshall, in a letter to Jasper Adams, May 9, 1833, in JSAC, p. 139. Marshall was Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1801-1835.

“The morality of the country is deeply ingrafted upon Christianity, and not upon doctrines or worship of other religions.” – United States Supreme Court, 1892
– http://www.shalomjerusalem.com/heritage/heritage10.html

“The great vital and conservative element in our system is the belief of our people in the pure doctrines and divine truths of gospel of Jesus Christ.” – US House Judiciary Committee, 1854

“There is no country in  the whole world, in which the Christian religion retains a greater  influence over the souls of men than in America: and there can be  no greater proof of its utility, and of its conformity to human nature, than that its influence is most powerfully felt over the most enlightened and free nation of the earth.” – Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, 1835 (New Rochelle, NY: Arlington House, n.d.), vol 1, p.294.

“Christianity is not the legal religion of the State, as established by law. If it were, it would be a civil or political institution, which it is not; but this is not inconsistent with the idea that it is in fact, and ever  has been, the religion of the people. This fact is everywhere prominent in all our civil and political history, and has been, from the first, recognized and acted upon by the people, as well as by constitutional conventions, by legislatures and by courts of justice.” – The New York Supreme Court, 1860,  in Lindenmuller  v. The People, 33 Barbour 561.

“”We have been the recipients  of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. . . . We have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!” – Abraham Lincoln, “Proclamation Appointing a National Fast Day,” March 30, 1863, reprinted in The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, ed. Roy P. Basler (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1953),  vol. 6, p. 156.

“Among the features peculiar to the political system of the United States, is the perfect equality of rights which it secures to every religious sect.” – Our Sacred Honor, Bennett, pg. 333 (James Madison, 1820 – letter to Jacob de la Motta)

(“Sect” = denomination of Christianity)

The Declaration elucidates “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” It also records “That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government…”

“I have examined all religions, as well as my narrow sphere, my straightened means, and my busy life, would allow; and the result is that the Bible is the best Book in the world.” – President John Adams, letter to Thomas Jefferson, Dec. 25, 1813

We see then that there is no honest doubt or confusion as to what the great majority of Americans and their leaders believed at this time. They believed Christianity and designed the nation around the teachings of Christianity*

(* Yes, Liberals, leftists, Secularists, etc. have some very few statements that they claim are quotes of notable people that contradict these quotes.  The one from the 1797 Treaty of Tripoli, and attributed to George Washington, is probably the most common of these. [“The government of the United States is in no sense founded on the Christian religion”] This ONE QUOTE is said, by those who use it, to counter and cancel out all the HUNDREDS OF QUOTATIONS above and that could be cited.  There are several indications both that this particular quote is not a legitimate quotation of George Washington or that the treaty itself is even historically accurate and honest.)

What are some of those Christian beliefs?

Christianity Compared to All Other Ideologies

Item                                  Christianity                                           Other

1.God                                 Holy & All-knowing –                               fallible –
worthy to be loved/obeyed/followed          to be feared, placated

2. Nature of man               A sinner                                                    good

3. Status Among Men     all men created equal -                         natural inequality of man
in sight of God and the Law

4. Rights                          Rights-                                                        Privileges -                                     Unalienable:cannot be lost of even given up                                                                                                        can be lost, taken away
5.      Life                          Sacred                                                      Common, not “special”

6.      Liberty                      Freedom/free men                                      slavery

7.    Pursuit of Happiness        Self-realization                Labor for “masters”

8. Property             Private Ownership                 Group/State Ownership

9. Government         to serve and secure rights             to control people -
endowed by the Creator             to be served by the people

10.                Based on consent                 Based on power
of the governed                    over the governed

11. Leadership         freely chosen by citizens             Forced/imposed  upon citizens

12.                limited powers                Unlimited powers

13. Individual         Has independent,                Has value according
innate value                to his contribution to the state

14.                Superior to state                inferior to state

15. Constitution         Covenant – Voluntary contract
between parties
Republican form of gov            Tyranny
Law is king                    King is law

16. religion            voluntary                    Involuntary

Biblical References (for the above)

1. God knows all things and therefore is qualified to tell us what to do and how to do it.

Romans 11:
33: O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
34: For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
35: Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
36: For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Col:2:
2: That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
3: In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

2. Man is a sinner -

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
(Jeremiah 17:9)
“For all have sinned”.(Romans 3:23)

3. God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34)

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free male nor female all are one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28)

4 “…have dominion…” (Genesis 1:28,29)

5. Each human life is sacred –

LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.

Life = freedom and safety of the innocent from being murdered

“Thou shalt not kill.( Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 5:17)

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19)

6. Liberty = freedom to do the good that the individual freely chooses to do.

“And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.” (Acts 24:23)

“Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.” (Acts 26:32)

“And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.” (Acts 27:3)

“Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” (Romans 8:21)

“The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.” (I Corinthians 7:39)

“But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.” (I Corinthians 8:9)

“Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (II Corinthians 3:17)

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1)

“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13)

“As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.”  (I Peter 2:16)

7. Pursuit of Happiness = The opportunity to attempt to achieve that which brings good and personal fulfillment and satisfaction

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

8. “Thou shalt not steal” (Exodus 20:15)

“Thou shalt not covet” (Exodus 20:17)

9. Government is necessary

“…the way wherein the people must walk, and the work that they must do” (Exodus 18:20)

“Be thou for the people…” (Exodus 18:19)
“…minister of God for thee…” to restrain evil and reward good (Romans 13: 3,4)

“In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 17:6)

“In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”(Judges 21:25)

10.  Based on consent    of the governed

11. Right to choose leaders

“…rulers of thousands…hundreds…fifties…tens…hard causes…Moses…small matters…themselves (Exodus 18:19- 26)

12. Limited powers

13.  Innate value of individual

14. Individual superior to the state

15. Covenant = Constitution

“The Lord made a covenant with them” (Genesis 15:18)

16. Freedom of religion

Freedom to be and do wrong.

“ Whosoever will may come” vs, “let him go”…not, “everyone must come”

We in this Christian nation may think these positions are typical of religions throughout the world and one of two of them can be found in one or more religions.  But no religion has all of these and many religions have none of them.  We tend to think these positions are rather common throughout the world – and in some places they are common — NOW – but that is only because of the influence and impact America has had upon the world since its founding.  But history shows that many of these ideas and positions did not exist anywhere in the world – they were literally political “inventions” – just like the cotton gin and the assembly line were among the many inventions of Americans.

Let John Adams speak to us again:
“But what do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American
war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments, of their duties and obligations…This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution.” – The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution, Bernard Bailyn (160), (John Adams, 1818 – letter to H. Niles)

“In Europe, charters of liberty have been granted by power. America has set the example . . . of charters of power granted by liberty. This revolution in the practice of the world, may, with an honest praise, be pronounced the most triumphant epoch of its history, and the most consoling presage of its happiness.” – Advice to My Country, Mattern ed. (20); original Papers of John Madison, vol. 14 (191), (John Madison,1792 – National Gazette Essay)

“Noble Experiment”

Many people in all nations recognized that this new “American” view of man and politics was the best way to look at man and the best way to treat man.  But none of these people or nations had ever politically WANTED to, or even TRIED to, treat their citizens according to this view or this way.  And they were skeptical that a nation could have a government treat its people this way and survive.  Therefore, what America set out to do, in binding down power with the chains of a written constitution, in seeking  to prevent the excesses of government in order to protect the human dignity necessary for individuals to realize the full potential of their lives, and to be “of the people, by the people and for the people.” was considered to be an “experiment”… a  “noble” and unique experiment.
(And yes, we did not try this experiment consistently with our own ideals and view of man.  A powerful group of inconsistent and/or non-Christian politicians obstructed and interfered with these ideals to the point that the nation often violated our own beliefs with our practice of slavery, our unequal treatment of women and no voting rights, our failure to protect children from abusive practices – and of course our biggest and worst violation of all today with our murder of our own unborn children.)

We are familiar today with the protest many register in saying such things as, “Don’t push your religion on me.” … “Religion is personal – keep it out of public/political discussion.”

This type of complaint/protest is actually a shallow attempt by the speaker to “push his religion on(to)” the person he is talking to.  It is shallow attempt because, private beliefs are not – and cannot – be separated from all areas and levels of life.

Our forefathers did not keep religion out of public/political discussion – if they HAD, we would not have America.  Why think we should keep it out…, and how can we KEEP America if we DO keep it out?

A lot of people – even Christian people — think citing Bible verses like I have been doing  is “preaching”, and are uncomfortable with that.  They are sensitive to the general Secular trend of avoiding appearing “too religious” in public.  These people do not realize that the Bible is just as much a valid source of information on all aspects of life as is any other source they do not feel awkward referring to in public.  They don’t realize or won’t take a stand on the fact that the Bible provides more than any other source, THE basic information man has to start with in all his endeavors. To teach anything contrary to what the Bible teaches is to “preach” falsehoods.

This “embarrassment of the Bible and of open Christian endorsement” is the new way of thinking.  It is not the way it was understood to be only a couple generations ago.  This new way of thinking has been persuaded upon this nation primarily by the dumbing down of our public school system and by the misrepresentation of the facts of our Christian history.   As a result of this dumbing down and this teaching of outright falsehoods, now, many people are so uninformed and misinformed on and about the Bible, and It’s influence on the USA, that they are impatient with, and think a person is being unreasonable, unrealistic, outright unhistorical, and even a religious nut and wacko to insist that the Bible was important in our past, and is still important in our present.  In other words, if you talk like our forefathers did when they were building America, you are a “religious nut”.  But our forefathers had not been “dumbed down” like many of us (especially those under 30) today.  So, they realized, and informed Christians today realize, that the Bible is the “SOP”, “life- manual” for all day-to-day matters.  It should be read,  not just “devotionally” for its “spiritual” teachings, but pragmatically and practically for It’s concrete “How-to” information in all areas and levels of life.  They, and many of us today, know that if you want to do something “right”, do it God’s way.

Christianity introduced a whole new way of thinking about man, government, society, science, economics, history, and all things.

Acts 17:
1: Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
2: And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
3: Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
4: And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
5: But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
6: And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
7: Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
8: And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.
9: And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.
10: And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11: These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
12: Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
13: But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.

God has determined how long and where each nation shall exist

“…every nation standing before the throne.”  (Revelation 7:9)

“And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;”
(Acts 17:26)

“We shall not fight alone. “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religion but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We shall not fight  alone. God presides over the destinies of nations, and will raise up friends  for us.  The battle is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant,  the active, the brave . . . Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, ALMIGHTY GOD! Give me liberty or give me death!” – Patrick Henry in a speech March 23, 1775. to the Constitutional Convention

Including America.

“Everything that is right or natural pleads for separation.  The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, ‘tis time to part.’ Even the distance at which the Almighty has placed England and America is a strong and natural proof that the authority of the one over the other was never the design of Heaven.  The time, likewise, at which the continent was discovered adds weight to the argument, and the manner in which it was peopled increases the force of it.  The Reformation was preceded by the discovery of America, as if the Almighty graciously meant to open a sanctuary to the persecuted in future years, when home should afford neither friendship nor safety.”  – Thomas Paine, Common Sense, p. 27

How did their Christian beliefs affect how our founders set up the government of this nation?

The Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence is a Christian-based document..

Statements of Direct Christian Teaching and Reference in the Declaration

“… a decent respect to the opinions of man…”
No respecter of persons -
“…give an answer to every man…”

“…God…”
God is real
= THIS ELIMINATED ATHEISM

“…Nature’s God…
– the God Who created nature.

“We hold these truths…”
– Truth exists… reality is real (not illusion), nature is internally consistent, facts are real, discovery and knowledge (Science) are possible.  EVERYTHING IS NOT RELATIVE
= THIS ELIMINATED HINDUISM, etc.

“…self-evident…”
- accurate, logical, rational thinking is possible

“…created…”
– Not evolved (not self-generated)
= THIS REDUCED ALL THE POSSIBLE RELIGIONS DOWN TO JUST JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, ISLAM

“…all men are created equal…”
Created man with “equal” status to each other (in the sight of God and the Law)
= JUDAISM AND CHRISTIANITY – THIS ELIMINATED ISLAM

God is involved in the affairs of man –
THIS ELIMINATED DEISM (Deism teaches that God created a big “machine” universe, “wound” it up, and then “walked” away from it, to no longer be involved in it) these, “life, liberty, pursuit of happiness”

“…they are endowed…”
– From God to man.

“… rights…”
– NOT “privileges”

“…CERTAIN…”“AMONG these”
- we possess more than the 3 rights mentioned.

“… unalienable…”
Part of the “package” of each individual “human being”
Cannot “lose” or even give these rights up

“We…appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world…with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence…”
God protects and intervenes in behalf of individuals who can KNOW Him, trust Him, and depend on Him.

“…to secure these rights governments are instituted among men…”
The Constitution defined the type of government that would ensure the rights the Creator endowed were freely exercised in this new nation.

The Declaration of Independence is the charter of America

Charter =
1. A document issued by a sovereign, legislature, or other authority, creating a public or private corporation, such as a city, college, or bank, and defining its privileges and purposes.

3. A document outlining the principles, functions, and organization of a corporate body; a constitution: the city charter.

7. A written instrument given as evidence of agreement, transfer, or contract; a deed.

– The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.

“The Declaration of Independence…[is the] declaratory charter of our rights, and the rights of man.” – The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Lipscomb and Bergh, eds.,15:200.(Thomas Jefferson, 1819 – letter to Samuel Adams Wells)

The Constitution is an extension/application of the Declaration of Independence.

Even though He is not specifically named,  by virtue of being the follow-up of what the Declaration announced, the Constitution is an extension/application of the Declaration and therefore God is INFERRED in, and throughout, the Constitution, just as much as He is DIRECTLY named in the Declaration

“Of course, the Constitution is subordinate to the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution’s author, James Madison, wrote Thomas Jefferson on 8 February 1825 these words concerning the supremacy of the Declaration of Independence over our nation’s Constitution: “On the distinctive principles of the Government… of the U. States, the best guides are to be found in… The Declaration of Independence, as the fundamental Act of Union of these States.” – U.S. Chief Justice John Jay

Next week, in Lecture 2 of this series, we will see a little on  how our founders Christian beliefs affected how they wrote the Constitution and set up thereby the government of this nation.

Thank you

However, an effort seems to be afoot to divert attention away from the 2,985 murdered innocents and toward the First Responders. I am hearing about, and have actually attended a program, and am hearing TV personalities, all talking like 9-11 was more about the First Responders than it was about the victims.

The First Responders were not the targets of the attack. They were “merely” involved in trying to rescue those who were the targets. The civilians, the buildings they were in, and the whole of America were the targets.

This is not to minimize any of the wonderful things First Responders did on 9-11, or at any time before, or since. This is a heroic group of people to be sure. They are always willing, and keep themselves available on short notice, to risk their lives to save people they do not know and property in which they have no vested interest. To their very great credit, First Responders were prominently involved on 9-11, and many were tragically killed on this day. This makes them permanently attached to the event, of course.

I think it is appropriate – and probably overdue – that First Responders have a day, or more, set aside to commemorate them and their contributions to society. But 9-11 is not that day. I am a First Responder (4-year volunteer fireman at Sturgis, MS). I don’t accept that 9-11 be that day. 9-11 should never be mixed with, or diluted with, anything that draws attention away from the victims and what happened to them, and to us, that day.

To shift attention away from the people who were killed, to the people who tried to save them, is a step away from what should remain the central focus of the event. We should not take that step. Taking that step is like a funeral service that talks more about the doctors and nurses who tried to save the diseased than it talks about the diseased himself who is there to be remembered, celebrated, and then buried. Of COURSE we appreciate the doctors and nurses who labored to save the departed loved one – and our appreciation for them is ongoing – but THE SERVICE IS NOT ABOUT THEM AT THIS TIME.

Let’s set a day to show First Responders our appreciation and support. But set that day so that it does not conflict with the victims of 9-11… so that it does not draw attention to First Responders at the expense of the victims of 9-11. 9-11 should be reserved to always, and only, commemorate the deaths of these people, and to remember with resolve those who killed them.

Thank you.