Missouri Considers "Christian Nation" Resolution!

Representative David Sater of Missouri wants to make his state more Christian.

He has sponsored a resolution, House Concurrent Resolution #13 that states:

Whereas, our forefathers of this great nation of the United States recognized a Christian God and used the principles afforded to us by Him as the founding principles of our nation; and



Whereas, as citizens of this great nation, we the majority also wish to exercise our constitutional right to acknowledge our Creator and give thanks for the many gifts provided by Him; and



Whereas, as elected officials we should protect the majority's right to express their religious beliefs while showing respect for those who object; and



Whereas, we wish to continue the wisdom imparted in the Constitution of the United States of America by the founding fathers; and



Whereas, we as elected officials recognize that a Greater Power exists above and beyond the institutions of mankind:



Now, therefore, be it resolved by the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-third General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, that we stand with the majority of our constituents and exercise the common sense that voluntary prayer in public schools and religious displays on public property are not a coalition of church and state, but rather the justified recognition of the positive role that Christianity has played in this great nation of ours, the United States of America.

Mr. Sater and his co-sponsor, Rep. Barney Joe Fisher are confused. The majority has never had its rights protected as a group in the Constitution. Our Bill of Rights protects each individual American in their pursuit of freedom. To reserve special rights or privileges to the majority is exactly what is prohibited by our Constitution when discussing religious freedom!

James Madison, the author of the First Amendment, wrote of the dangers of establishing too close a relationship between Christianity and our Government in the writings of the Detached Memoranda (1817-1832):

"In the course of the opposition to the bill in the House of Delegates, which was warm & strenuous from some of the minority, an experiment was made on the reverence entertained for the name & sanctity of the Saviour, by proposing to insert the words "Jesus Christ" after the words "our lord" in the preamble, the object of which would have been, to imply a restriction of the liberty defined in the Bill, to those professing his religion only. The amendment was discussed, and rejected by a vote of agst (See letter of J. M. to Mr. Jefferson dated )1 The opponents of the amendment having turned the feeling as well as judgment of the House agst it, by successfully contending that the better proof of reverence for that holy name wd be not to profane it by making it a topic of legisl. discussion, & particularly by making his religion the means of abridging the natural and equal rights of all men, in defiance of his own declaration that his Kingdom was not of this world. This view of the subject was much enforced by the circumstance that it was espoused by some members who were particularly distinguished by their reputed piety and Christian zeal."

Our founding fathers never intended this to be a Christian nation!

America is a nation where every individual has an equal right to freedom and recognition by the government.

Where no religion has any advantage over any other religion.

Where the law respects the free exercise of religion of each citizen regardless of the number of fellow citizens who also follow those beliefs.

Shame on those Missouri legislators who would advocate the compromise of religious freedom protections from those least capable of defending themselves, the children of the state of Missouri! To advocate for school prayer is to trample on the rights of minorities who may not pray in the same fashion as the majority. To endorse a Christian God by state legislators is disrespectful to every non-Christian in the state and is an unnecessary prop to Christianity in America.

Let America know that it was the Republicans who threaten to trample on the Constitution in Missouri!

Let America know that it was the Democrats who voted against Intolerance.

We can deal with this wedge issue just fine, thank you. We are the party of diversity, the party of tolerance, the party of mutual respect.

And yes we are the party of religious freedom. You make the call.

Hey John Kerry! We got your back around here! We need you today for your leadership and inspiration; we need you in 2008 to help bring America home!

Bob