Editor, Times-Union: America was founded on religious freedoms established from Bible principles by many Bible believing Christians, whose faith is clearly stated in America's founding documents and founder's writings. Yet ironically, the Biblical Christian faith of our fathers is the one religion banned from public discourse by judicial infidels. We can thank Christian preachers, mostly Baptist, who were willing to go to jail for refusing to take a government license to preach the Bible in Virginia and other colonies. James Madison knew these brave Virginia men and he authored the First Amendment to our Constitution guaranteeing freedom of speech and religion. That is not freedom from free speech and religion, as our courts would have you believe. Is it any wonder that since the Bible was banned from the public schools in 1962-1963 by the US Supreme Court, that Bible principles which made America great are disappearing or have disappeared. Like what? How about common courtesy, respect for elders, diligence, hard work and moral purity to name a few. The Bible book of Proverbs teaches young people to seek after wisdom, to avoid bad friendships, the evils of strong drink, and many other important character traits. Sex education classes were not necessary in bygone days, because young people were taught the plain fact that intimacy was for marriage only. There is no need for me to defend the eternal Word of God, the Bible, against some who would reply that the Bible teaches violence. Any violence in the Old Testament came about with the full awareness of the Lord of all Heaven and Earth, and is for our learning. America's moral compass, the Bible, which guided America to a great and respected position in the world, is banned today from public education and discourse. America defended the defenseless in two world wars, and rebuilt Europe afterwards out of Christian duty. America was where children were taught to do unto others as they would have them to do unto themselves. But without the Bible as its guide, America has produced more criminal activity, a drug culture, a welfare mentality, many children born from unwed parents, and unborn babies legally murdered for convenience (for which America will be judged). President Eisenhower, in 1955, had a very astute vision of the future of American public education when he wrote, "To give Washington the responsibility for the perpetual support of the educational function would, I was convinced, ultimately bring on federal control of education.” Washington, D.C., controls curriculum today. Tablet computers and "smartphones" are replacing books. Teaching America's distinctly Christian history is replaced with teaching about diversity and multi-culturalism. Remember home economics class? Every girl was taught to sew a dress or skirt. That old fashioned learning has been replaced with girls on sports teams, in immodest apparel. The Bible is needed back in public education today, without question. The First Amendment right to free speech guarantees its inclusion. May America figure that out soon.
