We Need Tea Without Lemon

“The Constitution . . . is a mere thing of wax in the hands of the judiciary which they may twist and shape into any form they please.”

Thomas Jefferson (to Judge Spencer Roane, Sept. 6, 1819.)

One needs to understand that the founding fathers were very concerned that people, either intentionally or unintentionally would not comprehend their wisdom, which they laboriously applied when penning the documents of our republic government. These great men labored upon forming a government steeped and molded in the Christian-Judean philosophy that all involved concurred was the only way a people could govern themselves. That is not to say this is a “Christian” nation (though there are many good arguments for it) but a religious one that works well within Christian beliefs.

Many court decisions made the last fifty years play into exactly what Thomas Jefferson (and others) were concerned about when he made the above statement. One came to mind when I recently read a new policy directed by the Board of Education of Massena Central School in New York. Not to pick on them exclusively but it represents many such moves by school systems and other public organizations attempting to use court decisions that play into the progressive, liberal ideology that removes Christian influence from our government. This particular school policy may sound familiar and if it does read on why I think it is unconstitutional by intend.

Policy 2011 8360 SUBJECT: RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION IN THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM – “…the District will be guided by three concepts when making decisions about the appropriateness of activities for inclusion in the school program: the activity should have a secular purpose; the activity should neither advance nor inhibit religion; and the activity must not foster an excessive entanglement of "government" with religion.”

There is obviously more but the policy derives its “meat” from the court decision of LEMON v. KURTZMAN, 403 U.S. 602 (1971), which in recent years has been used less successfully but still cited. The Court's decision in this case established the "Lemon test", which details the requirements for legislation concerning religion. It consists of three prongs:

1. The government's action must have a secular legislative purpose;
2. The government's action must not have the primary effect of either advancing or inhibiting religion;
3. The government's action must not result in an "excessive government entanglement" with religion.

Our founding fathers would have no issues with number 2 and 3, because they address them in our founding documents. What I have problems with (and the founders would also) is number one. What is a secular legislative purpose? Many would contend that secularism is the only model that encompasses a neutral philosophy or void of any religious connection, thus supporting the “wall of separation” needed to keep God out of American politics. But take a look at a definition of religious from Merriam-Webster.

Religious : relating to or manifesting faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality or deity (emphasis added).

Christianity and Secularism are both religious philosophical ideas: one based on deity and the other on different acknowledged reality. Both are based on faith and both can find certain scientific evidence to support it is true. So, for those who will quote secularism as a system that rejects all forms of religious faith I contend that it is a religion that simply opposes others. Any government action that supports a philosophical secular legislative purpose is just as lawless as one that might support a Christian philosophical purpose; based on the twisted logic purposed by Justice Burger in this court decision.

People need to understand our democratic republic, what it is based on and the intention the Framers had when they wrote the documents that make this nation such a great beacon for the rest of the world. Understand why you consider yourself patriotic and uphold the principals our government works best with, whether you consider yourself religious or not. Vote for people who understand these principals, direct your representatives to support the Founders principals or vote them out; whether it is a school board member or the President.

The Founders believed all people are on an equal legal footing. But the Framers did not espouse pure pluralism. Non-Christian-Judean philosophies could exist only insofar as they stayed within its principal boundaries - no sacrificing virgins, no polygamy, no pagan perversions. We were one nation "under God" - a particular God, with particular moral standards. The current Tea Party movement needs to keep pure. No Lemon please.

“The general principles upon which the Fathers achieved independence were the general principals of Christianity… I will avow that I believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.”

John Adams