Madison is the "architect of the Constitution," not Jefferson.
Furthermore, there is good evidence that Jefferson's religous views were not in align with most of revolutionary America, inlcuding the other Founding Fathers.
For example, when Jefferson sent his first draft of the Declaration of Independence, it was missing a few key phrases we all know and love today. There was no appeal to the judge of he universe, no mention of a creator, and no call on God to witness. Then what happened? The Congress rejected it, the Congress overrode Jefferson's wishes and forced the inclusion of the references to God we see today. His views on this issue were out of line with the great majority of American leaders.
As I stated earlier, Madison is the architect of the Constitution, not Jefferson. And Madison had a few interesting things to say about civil government and religion.
"Before any man can be considered as a member of Civil Society, he must be considered as a subject of the Governour of the Universe. . . Religion is the basis and foundation of government."
"We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not ipon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all out political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern outselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments."
Sure Madison was a great supporter of religious tolerance, so am I, but he realized what the foundation of our government is. He also knew what its future success was based on, the Christian religion.
Would you say George Washington was important during the formation of the Constitution?
"It is impossible to rightly GOVERN without God and the Bible." Governing is an act of the state is it not?
"Whereas it is the DUTY of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly implore His protection and favor. Now, therefore I do reconmmend and assign Thursday. . . to be devoted by the people of these United States. . that we may all unite unto Him our sincere and humble thanks. . "
"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. IN fain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness. And let us with cuation indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained wihtout religon. . . reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail, in exclusion of religion principle."
He certainly seems to think Govenrnment and religion have mutual interest and are involved with you. Oh yeah, did you know that Washington favored a "general assesment" for his state? Thats a tax on all citizens to support the chuches of that community.
John Witherspoon, signed the Decl. of Indpendance and member Continental Congress.
"God grant that in America true religion and civil liberty may be inseperable and that the unjust attempts to destroy the one, may in the issue tend to support and establishment of both."
Patrick Henry, Member, Continental Congress,Patrick Henry was a more driving force behind the first amendment than Jefferson.
"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ! For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here." Religous tolerance and Christian principles were not considered mutually exclusive, the founders believed that religous tolerance was a Christian principle.
John Jay, Co-author of The Federalist Papers, member Continental Congress, First Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
"Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilegeand interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers."
By the way, John Jay was the President of the American Bible Society for severals years.
John Adams, Signed Dec. of Independence, Member Continental Congress, and supporter of the Constitution.
He was also a minister to France, and commented that their revolution would not succeed because it was "A republic of thirty million athiests." Alas, he was right. Without the BIblical foundations we utilized their revolution soon turned to tryanny, thousands and thousands died.
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religous people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
"Religion and virture are the only foundations, not only of republicanism and of all free government, but of social felicity under all governments and in all the combinations of human society."
Alexander Hamilton, Co-author of The Federalist Papers. "Of all the disposition and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports."
Proposed the establishment of a "Christian Constitutional Society", the purpose of which would be to promote the two factors that had been most influential in America, "1st: The Support of the Christian Religion; 2nd: The Support of the Constitution of the United States."
John Quincy Adams, Minster to France, Secr. of State, President of the United States.
"The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected, in one INDISSOLUBALE bond, the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity."
Adams recognies a key truth that escapes many revisionists today. Christianity and Republicansim were inseperable, Christian principles were what made good civil government possible.
Noah Webster, Constitutional Convention, Coneecticut General Assembly.
"The religion which has introduced civil liberty, is the religion of Christ and his apostles. . This is geneune Christianity, and TO THIS we owe our free conistutions of governemnt. The moral principles and precent contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all civil constitutions and laws"
A small qoute from Websters sums up all of these qoutes, from Madison, Jay, and Hamilton (Authors of The Federalist Papers) to Presidents Washington, Adams, and Quincy Adams. . . . .
"The genuine source of correct republican pricniples is the Bible, particularly the New Testament or the Christian religion."
The writings are there for anyone to see, what I have compiled here is just indicitive of the powerful connection between Christianity and Government. As for Jeffersons speech, there are a few conclusions that fit with the above statements I have cited.
He was once again (remember his rejected draft of the DI) beyond the mainstream other founding fathers. Or, he was implying something that does not remotely resemeble what liberals today are attributing to him. All in all, taking his minimal involvement in the actia; framing process, the overwhelming contradictory qoutes from the vast majority of those most actively involved; we must be guided by the statements and writings of those actually writing the Constitution. There thoughts, Christian principles are both the justificiation and basis for Constitutional government. And to remove those principles, to erect a "wall" between these ideas is to remove the basis for the United States Constitution.
