"Thou shalt fear
the LORD thy God, and serve Him, and shalt swear by His name." Deuteronomy 6:13
A lawful oath is a part of religious worship. . . .
The Name of God only is that by which men ought to swear. . . . Westminster Confession of Faith,
ch. xxii. (1647)
Every person who shall be chosen
a member of either house, or appointed to any office or place of trust . . . shall . . .
make and subscribe the following declaration, to wit: "I ________, do profess faith
in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, and in the Holy Ghost, one God,
Blessed for evermore; and I do acknowledge the holy scripture of the Old and New
Testaments to be given by divine inspiration." Delaware Constitution, 1776
"It should not be assumed
that oaths will be lightly taken; fastidiously scrupulous regard for them should be
encouraged." U.S. Supreme Court Justice Felix
Frankfurter, 1950
An oath is an appeal to God, the Searcher of hearts, for the truth of what we say and
always expresses or supposes an imprecation [a calling down] of His judgment upon us if we
prevaricate [lie]. An oath, therefore, implies a belief in God and His Providence and
indeed is an act of worship . . . . Persons entering on public offices are also
often obliged to make oath that they will faithfully execute their trust . . . . John Witherspoon, Lectures on Moral Philosophy
Delaware Constitution, Art. 22
(adopted Sept. 20, 1776), 1 Del. Code Ann. 117 (Michie, 1975). See also T.
Skillman, The Constitutions of All the States According to the Latest Amendments,
181 (1817). [Back to text]
[Atheists Should Not Hold
Public Office]
Concurring in American Communications
Association CIO v. Douds, 399 U.S. 382 at 420, 70 S.Ct. 674 at 695 (1950). Emphasis
added. [Back to text]
[The oath is now
taken lightly.]
(Works,. Ed. Ogle, 1815, vol VII, 139-140 "Lectures on Moral
Philosophy," Lecture 16 on Oaths and Vows.) [Back
to text]
John Locke, Treatise of Civil Government and A Letter Concerning
Toleration, Chas. Sherman ed., (NY: Appleton-Century, 1937) pp. 212-13. [Back to text]
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WHY A CHRISTIAN
CANNOT BECOME
AN AMERICAN
INTRODUCTION
At the time the Constitution was ratified, an
atheist was not allowed to hold any public office. An atheist was not even allowed to
testify in a court of law.
This state of affairs did not come about out of mean-spirited intolerance
by Christians against atheists, but out of a sincere desire to protect the legal system.
The exclusion of atheists was based on the belief that an
oath was an act of religious worship. Atheists cannot engage in an act of worship
"in good faith," so the Bible requires offices of public
trust to be held exclusively by Christians.
The Constitution of 1787 did not alter the legal exclusion of atheists in
the states. Before they would ratify the proposed Constitution, the states demanded the
First Amendment, which prohibited the Federal Government from interfering in the way the
states' dealt with religious matters. It was not until 1961 that this changed, when the
nine members of the U.S. Supreme reached down into the state of Maryland and amended the
Maryland state constitution precisely where it touched on the issues of an establishment
of religion. The links above show that not a single person who signed the federal
Constitution would have agreed with this decision. (Torcaso
v. Watkins)
It is now the case that anyone who believes as the Founding Fathers did
cannot become an attorney at law, or hold any political office. A Christian cannot even
become an American citizen. In some jurisdictions, a Christian who is an American citizen
by birth cannot become a licensed elevator inspector or draftsman.
This web site explains why, and advocates direct
action to change this dangerous trend. In fact, this website calls for the abolition of
the United States Constitution and the establishment of a decentralized, non-political
Theocracy.
- Religious Exclusion and Intolerance is Inescapable
The Question is not "Whether," the question is
"Who."
Why Christians are Now Excluded, Rather than Atheists
Overview of Plan for Change
Religious Exclusion and Intolerance is Inescapable
It is obvious that if we are going to form "A
Christian Nation," we would exclude atheists
from public office. We would ban polygamy, human sacrifice, sex with children and
other sins as defined in the Bible even if some
"religion" claimed them as "divine commands." Ultimately there is
no such thing as "freedom of religion." The survival of the nation depends on
exclusion and intolerance. As one Founder put it,
Lastly, those are not all to be tolerated
who deny the being of God. Promises, covenants, and oaths, which are the bonds of human
society, can have no hold upon an atheist. The taking away of God, though but even in
thought, dissolves all; besides also, those that by their atheism undermine and destroy
all religion, can have no pretence of religion whereupon to challenge the privilege of
toleration
John Locke
Conversely, In the modern world of "pluralism,"
"multiculturalism," "cultural relativism," and "democracy," those who hold to moral and
cultural absolutes are labled "exclusive" rather than "inclusive" and
"intolerant" rather than "tolerant." They are "threats" to a
democractic and pluralistic society. They will be excluded.
Why Christians are Now Excluded, Rather than Atheists
I passed the California Bar Exam and was completely qualified for admission to
practice. I have pretty good moral character; no
criminal record. It is required of attorneys to take an oath to "support the
Constitution," but it is also a rule, set down by the
United States Supreme Court, that Christians will not be allowed to take this oath
even if they want to. This rule is completely logical, based on the premise that the
United States is no longer a Christian nation. As
a result, I am a Christian, but not an attorney. If I were attempting to become an
American citizen, I would be put on a boat back home.
To fully understand this state of affairs, it is necessary to review American history,
to understand its Theocratic origins, and
appreciate its modern character as a Secular Humanist Theocracy,
with Man being the new god.
Those who understand and oppose America's decline from Christian Theocracy to
Humanistic theocracy are ready to consider my proposed steps toward reconstruction.
Overview: A New Approach to Politics
Fighting the Battle where it Needs to be Fought
Christians want to influence politics. They want to see Christian
values replace selfish man-centered values which result in abortion, homosexuality,
illiteracy, and crime. They hope to elect Christian statesmen, pass Godly laws, or win
well-researched lawsuits which will lead our nation to Godliness, peace, and prosperity.
Obviously they have failed. Their greatest triumphs have been those occasions
when they have merely slowed down (temporarily) the relentless march toward destruction.
In election after election, they vote for candidates who promise to return us to Christian
values, only to have them legislate the same secular "liberalism" once in
office.
What is the answer? I would like to suggest an answer you have never heard
before. I would like to suggest a return to the "test oath."
"Left" vs. "Right" For decades, politics has
been a battle between Secular Conservatives and Secular Liberals, with Christians on the
sidelines waiting for the "Rapture." More recently, the battle has been between
Secular Conservatives, joined by Secular Liberals, against Christian Conservatives who
think Secular Conservatives are their allies.
The lines have been re-drawn. The battle in the next millennium will be between
Christians and Secularists. Christians will not distinguish themselves by their membership
in any political party; they will be distinguished by their repudiation of 200 years of
secular constitutionalism and their willingness to take a Christian "test oath"
upon their public inauguration.
The Oath The need for Christian statesmanship will be met when
we return to the doctrine of oaths which was held by our Puritan forefathers, and then
build upon it. In studying that oath, we will learn much and be open to a new way of
thinking.
In this Internet Monograph I argue that the oath of office is as important as it is
ignored. When Christians begin to take seriously the Biblical requirements concerning the
oath, it will have a profound, radical effect on national politics and on our quest for
authentic Christian Statesmanship. It will turn politics upside down.
This claim will certainly strike many as an exaggeration. The oath is widely believed
to be a mere formality. Even the U.S. Supreme Court has said the oath is
little more than an "amenity."[1] But the Supreme Court has
been wrong before. Very, very wrong. The Bible proclaims an altogether different
perspective as do diligent Christians (like the Puritans) who study the Scriptures.
What is a "Test Oath?"
Doesn't the Bible forbid all oath-taking?
Why should I take a "test oath?"
What About the "Separation of Church and State"?
Website Table of Contents
The Oath: The Key
Why do conservatives get involved in politics?
Clearly, they see a rise in crime, or a threat to traditional values, and they seek to
protect social order or prevent social chaos.
Voting for candidates of the right political party is not the answer, if those
candidates do not understand The Key.
The oath is the key. The lock is the Court-imposed
"separation of church and state," which is really the obliteration of
Christianity from the public square.
George Washington reflected the views of the overwhelming
majority of the Founding Fathers when he said this in his "Farewell Address":
Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and
morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of
patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness - these
firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the
pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their
connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked,Where
is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious
obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in
courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be
maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined
education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect
that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.[No Footnote]
If there are three items on every conservative's agenda, they are here in Washington's
Address:
- security for property
- politicians with reputations for Godly character
- pro-life policies.
The Father of his Country says to toss these out the window if religion is ever
separated from oaths.
You cannot separate religion from an oath without destroying society.[2]
But notice: The myth of the "separation of church
and state" attempts to separate religion from every area of
government, including oaths, including the oath of office. Courts have declared that oaths
no longer have any religious significance. Even the phrase "so help me, God" has
been declared to have "no theological . . . impact." It is an instance of
"ceremonial deism" says the courts. (It is a
violation of the Third Commandment, says the Bible!)
What this website argues is that the oath of office must again be
religious; all oaths, in fact, must be religious, and every area of government must be religious. This is an all-or-nothing affair.
It's a "package deal."
If our commitment is to the Constitution alone, we are doomed. Only a commitment to the
God of the Bible can save us.
Go to Table of Contents
NOTES
Actually , every oath and every area of
government is already religious, and is always and inescapably religious. Either
the religion of Christianity, or the religion of Secular Humanism. When Washington used
the word "religion," he meant "Christianity." The Founding Fathers were not deists.
But neither was Washington a "theocrat." Nor were most of the Founders. They
"halted between two opinions" (1 Kings 18:21). They admired the legal systems of
Greek and Roman Humanists, but they wanted Christianity to keep their Republic from
crumbling like Rome. This website in a nutshell: "You can't have it both ways."
[Back to text]
If you want politicians to honor their oath to "support the
Constitution," you must be willing to abandon the mythological doctrine of
"church-state separation." [Go there now.] [Back to text.]
1. Cole v. Richardson, 405 U.S. 676, 685, 92 S.Ct. 1332, 1337;
31 L.Ed.2d 593 (1972). [Return to Text]
2. Imbrie v Marsh, at 71 A2d 353, 18 ALR2d 243, citing
Omcychund v. Barker, 1 Atk 21, 34 (Ch 1744). ("No country can subsist a twelve-month
where an oath is not thought binding; for the want of it must necessarily dissolve
society.") The oath to "support the
constitution" is no longer binding. [Back to text]
This is not a footnote. If you want to "check my
sources" but don't have a copy of Washington's Farewell Address somewhere in your
home or office, or can't find it on the Internet, shame on you! [Back
to Address]
TAKE A STAND FOR CHRIST!
Are you afraid to stand up in a court of law and announce that you are a Christian?
When asked to swear that you "support the Constitution," are you afraid to
explain to your prospective employer that your allegiance to Christ is greater than your
loyalty to the State?
When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also,
He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up
his cross, and follow Me. {35} For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but
whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. {36} For what will it
profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? {37} Or what will a man
give in exchange for his soul? {38} For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this
adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes
in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."
Mark 8:34-38
Almost without exception, when Christians seek to place their loyalty to the State
"under God," they are denied employment and even American citizenship. After
passing the California Bar Exam and all other hurdles for admission to practice law, I
asked the State Bar of California to allow me as an individual to modify the oath required
for admission to practice law. I wanted to use the words from the 1776 Delaware
Constitution. This web site attempts to answer three questions:
- Why did I think it Biblically required to use the words from the 1776 Delaware oath?
- Why did the California State Bar, the California Supreme Court, and the United States
Supreme Court all refuse to even consider my First Amendment grounds for requesting this
modification? Why was I denied a hearing of any kind when Quakers and New Agers are
routinely granted modifications of oaths?
- Why would I want you to make the same request if you are ever required to
take a civil oath?
My answer to the second question is: because my petitions went to the heart of the
mythology of "church-state separation." My petitions argued that this nation is
ethically obligated to be a Christian nation.
I hope that this web site will encourage you to stand up for Christ, and also help you
to do so by being as wise as serpents and gentle as doves. Although I will never be able
to practice law in California, I believe the experience I gained will help you become
wiser and more gentle than I was during my appeals. I believe it's possible to make a
judicious appeal which will allow you to be faithful to Christ and still keep your job.
Even if you disagree, I believe you'll find this web site challenging, and I hope that
you'll keep me in your prayers.
More about the Case
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