Separation of Truth and History

[William Korach]

It seems as though the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is everywhere these days demanding that God be removed from the public square, that public prayer cease, that the Ten Commandments be removed, that Crosses be removed from all public property. The ACLU and their media allies often say they are defending the Constitutional doctrine of “separation of church and state.” Apart from the fact that the term “separation of church and state” appears nowhere in the Constitution” the ACLU ignores the long and deep history of public prayer by American leaders. The ACLU, their media and political allies also ignore the profound influence of Judeo Christian tradition on American law and ethics. What is really going on is separation of truth and history. Two recent ACLU cases and one complaint letter illustrate the extreme position of the ACLU and their media cheerleaders.

Deep in California’s Mojave Desert amidst cacti, Joshua trees and fire ants there stands a monument erected in 1934 by veterans of World War I to honor their fallen comrades. The monument is a simple cross, a symbol that has marked the graves of American veterans since the founding of America. Other crosses marks thousand of graves of fallen veterans engraved on stones at Arlington National Cemetery, rows of crosses at the United States cemetery at Normandy Beach, and hundreds of other places across the United States. ACLU, the plaintiff’s attorney, demanded that the cross be torn down. The radical and much reversed Ninth Circuit Court agreed with the ACLU. Fortunately veterans and other patriots appealed to the Supreme Court. On April 28, 2010 the Supreme Court voted 5-4 the cross could stay.

Last year, a St. Johns County elementary school, an “offended” parent and the ACLU sued the Webster School because the teachers lead the class in “In God We Still Trust” an old Diamond Rio tune. The school district, short of funds, succumbed to the ACLU case, ordered the song out of the schools, and was ordered by the court to pay $140,000 to the offended parents.

On June 23rd the ACLU sent a letter to the Jacksonville City Council demanding that the Council chaplain cease praying. The chaplain is District 1 council member Clay Yarborough who prays in Jesus’ name. Councilman Yarborough says that the city council has a long history of such prayer, and as long as he prays, he will pray in Jesus’ name. Never mind the long history of American leaders praying in public, never mind that Franklin Roosevelt, as President, said in a prayer service with Winston Churchill, aboard the British Warship HMS Prince of Wales: “We are all Christian Soldiers now.” Never mind that President Harry Truman said: “The fundamental basis of this nation’s laws was given to Moses on the Mount. The fundamental basis of our Bill of Rights comes from the teachings…from Exodus, and St. Matthew, from Isaiah and St. Paul.” Never mind any of that because we have allowed the separation of truth from history, and the ACLU has exploited ignorance of history and the intent of the Framers of the Constitution for their own reasons.


Our public schools now teach a version of American history where any discussion of God in public life is simply deleted. I call these efforts “Separation of Truth and History” because a careful study of American history shows that Judeo Christian principles for the basis for American Law and ethics. Not only that, but from the time of America’s founding though the 20th century, American leaders prayed in public for deliverance during times of crisis, and gave public thanks to God when America was delivered from the crisis.

The author believes it is timely and urgent to teach our children about the origin of our laws, morality and ethics. The intent of the Founders and Framers of the Constitution are made clear through their speeches, writings and public prayers. Benjamin Franklin’s stirring prayer at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 is a clear reminder of America’s Judeo Christian traditions. From the first Pilgrim through the 20th century, America’s leaders have prayed for God’s help in time of crisis, and set aside Thanksgiving to God when those prayers were answered. In addition to ACLU effort to remove our cultural heritage, schools are failing to teach American history accurately or sometimes at all. Dr. Diane Ravitch, an educator with a doctorate from Columbia has found that textbook publishers employ “Sensitivity Review Committees” who can and do re write history to make the outcome more to their liking. The McCarville report says that only one in four high-school students can name the first president of the United States. In Oklahoma new citizens get a test in America. The pass rate is 92%. High school students in Oklahoma scored a pass rate of 3.2%.

An honest study of American history show that American political, academic, and community leaders believed and taught Christian morality and built upon Christian principles in writing the Declaration of Independence, the Federal Constitution and State Constitutions. Our Founding Fathers believed that man’s liberties were rights bestowed by God, and not rewards parceled out by men. These beliefs were rooted in God’s Word, and were reflected in the writings and actions of America’s leadership from the beginning. John Adams stated: ""We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridles by morality and religion...Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

David McCullough Pulitzer Prize winning author of “1776” and “John Adams” says that Americans are so ignorant of history that it constitutes a threat to national security. When you think about it, Mr. McCullough is right. If Americans are ignorant of our history, then anyone can come along and invent a history to suit their needs. It is long past time to end the separation of truth and history, and restore truth to the teaching of history


William Korach is author of “Rock of the Republic” a history of the influence of Christianity on American Law and Ethics. Published by Teaching-point, Jacksonville. www.rockoftherepublic.org