Thomas Jefferson, our Third President, remarked “The reason that Christianity is the best friend of Government is because Christianity is the only religion in the world that deals with the heart.”  And George Washington the Father of our Country said, “Do not let anyone claim to be a true American if they ever attempt to remove religion from politics.”

Today, under the false doctrine of separation of church from state, the very principles upon which our Republic was founded and which have made us a free nation are being systematically removed.  The voice of Christianity is being systematically shut out of the public sphere.  Let me be quick to add that no other religion faces the same discrimination.  In New York City public schools for instance, even the word “Christmas” is banned, though students are required to participate in lessons on Hanukkah and Kwanza.  Parents who refuse are threatened with children being held back until they can learn tolerance.

In a suburb of Detroit (Hamtramck, MI), the courts ruled that the tolling of musical bells by the church at noon was an infringement upon the rights of those who did not want to hear Christian music.  A few months later, when the local Mosque erected a loudspeaker system to call Muslims to prayer and to broadcast those prayers to the community, the same court system approved their actions.

In California Christian students are forbidden from wearing any symbol of faith, yet Muslim students are permitted to wear their traditional clothing advertising their faith. 
And then there is the issue of prayer.  It is common to hear stories of schools forbidding children to pray.  One of the most recent examples was the kindergarten student who bowed her head to quietly say grace before lunch, her teacher promptly corrected her telling her that such behavior was inappropriate in the public school.  Yet Muslim students are allowed time during school so that they can meet their prayer requirements, some schools even allowing the students to make a public display of those prayers in the school cafeterias.

And then there is the political process.  Christians are told that we cannot let our beliefs affect the way we vote on any issue, yet no other view is held to that standard.  Let me give you an example.  If I heard it once I’ve heard it a dozen times from various politicians, “I don’t personally believe in abortion, but I cannot let my personal beliefs affect the way I vote.”  Excuse me?  Why do we agree with such dribble?  Why do we put up with it?  I have never heard someone from the opposing side say, “Well, I personally believe in a woman’s right to an abortion, but I cannot let those personal beliefs affect the way I vote.”  Let someone say something like that and we’d vote them out of office in a heart-beat.

The truth of the matter is, whatever our belief system may be, it is reflected in our actions, and if it isn’t, you really don’t believe it anyhow. How ludicrous to insist that those who hold a Christian-world view not be allowed to act on their beliefs, but that is in fact what we are doing as a nation.  Doctors are told that they cannot allow their moral stance to keep them from performing certain procedures.  Religious groups have been told that they must suspend their right to moral judgment and perform acts we believe to be wrong.  Catholic charities are having to close down because of laws that infringe upon their beliefs.

Don’t try to use the ridiculous argument “You can’t legislate morality.”  Every law we pass is a legislation of some form of morality (or lack thereof)! 
It is time to wake up and smell the coffee.  The further we get away from the Christian consensus, the more intolerant we as a people will become.  The Bible reminds us, “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”” (Psalm 11:3, NIV).

Dr. John Pearrell is pastor of Gateway Community Church in Covington. He can be heard Thursdays on the radio on WMVV 90.7 (FM) at 8:30 p.m.