Constitution
EditorThe Utah StatesmanUtah State UniversityTSC Room 319
Ben Nilson321 East Center StreetLogan, UT, 84321752-2987Student id number: 529631162
Editor,
There is a pervasive and growing misconception about our country’s Christian heritage in society today. Three recent letters to the Editor illustrate this misconception. This false idea is that God had no place in either the American Revolution or in the principles upon which our country is grounded. It is my belief that, after a careful reading of the founding documents of our nation, including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution itself, as well as words of the Framers and other symbols of our nation, the evidences of these strong Christian beliefs are unmistakable. Christian values and principles were some of the basic ideas used in the creation of our unique system of government.
From a brief study of only the few national symbols that I have space to mention here, it is abundantly clear how much God influenced the American Revolution and the Founders. Congress adopted the Great Seal of the United States in 1782. On the back, the motto ANNUIT COEPTIS appears. Translated, it reads, “He (God) Hath Favored our Undertaking.” The all-seeing eye floating above the pyramid, which represents the 13 colonies, is the eye of the Creator, the symbol of the power of Divine Providence. Each session of the Supreme Court is opened with the words, “God save the United States and the Honorable Court.” The Ten Commandments, familiar to all Christians, stand boldly displayed above the head of the Chief Justice. The Liberty Bell, 1752, proudly boasts a scripture from the Christian book, The Holy Bible. On it, e read Leviticus 25.10: “Proclaim Liberty throughout the land to all the inhabitants thereof.” The motto, “In God We Trust” first appeared on U.S. coins in 1864.
These Christian that lead to the founding of our country and our great constitution have kept America strong and safe for 200 plus years. Without them, we will follow in the footsteps of most other nations in history: decadence and destruction. Consider the words of Alexis de Tocqueville, “America is great because America is good and if she ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.”
Sincerely,
Ben Nilson