Matt Walsh:
I would like to make an appeal to the disciples of the Church of Atheism, the Secular Sacramentalists, the Progressive Proselytes:
Please, let’s just be honest with one another.
My guidance counselor always told me that conflict resolution must begin with honesty.
So can we finally take these words to heart, for God’s sa– well, for our sake, anyway?
Today, President Obama attended the National Prayer Breakfast. He got up and spoke piously of his faith in Jesus Christ. He even made some remarks about how “killing the innocent” is the “ultimate betrayal of God’s Will.” A curious statement, considering the person saying it. I guess he was being sarcastic.
In any case, there he was. The President of the United States, like most every other president for the last five decades, publicly promoting religion.
And once again, the conversation turns back to the “Separation of Church and State,” and the ridiculous myth of the First Amendment’s “freedom from religion” guarantee. I don’t mind having this debate. But I wish, friends, that we could have it honestly.
Here is how the honest argument would go:
You: I would like to fundamentally change the United States of America – all of its customs, its traditions, its laws, and the philosophy that serves as the foundation for its mission of freedom and liberty — transforming it into a nation of secularism and agnosticism, BECAUSE…
Me: Horrible idea. Here’s why…
And we could proceed to go back and forth, yell and scream, before eventually, possibly, maybe, hopefully, theoretically, reaching SOME sort of consensus or understanding of SOME kind about SOMETHING. Then we’d shake hands, and go get Italian ice together. It would be fun.
But, unfortunately, our arguments tend to be less fruitful than this, and they never end with us exchanging warm smiles and eating delicious treats. We rarely reach an understanding at all, and it’s hard to find anything constructive about the whole exercise.
Why is that?
Because the argument isn’t honest. The argument isn’t honest because it usually goes something like this:
You: I insist that the United States of America was founded as a bastion of secularism, and it was never intended that God or religion be recognized in any official capacity at all, for any reason, and that the First Amendment guarantees me the right to be insulated from any mention of the Divine in the public square.
Me: Here’s a thousand reason why you’re wrong about that…
You: Religion causes war! Catholic priests are pedophiles! Leviticus says funny things! Imaginary Sky Wizard! Crusades! The Pope wears a funny hat!
I wish I was being hyperbolic here.
See, I don’t mind arguing against your Atheistic Ideal.
You think the country would be better served if God and religion were contained solely in our churches and our homes? Fine. I don’t agree, but that’s a fine point of view. It’s a point of view we could discuss.
But, instead, you try to claim that your ideal is actually how our country was alwayssupposed to look. Defying all proof to the contrary, you say that this is what our Founders were trying to establish. You claim that the First Amendment fundamentally protects us from being exposed to religion, and that it forbids any “official” mention or recognition of God. You say that the First Amendment, from the start, was meant to ban things like manger scenes outside of town halls and Ten Commandment posters in public school hallways.
These claims are erroneous.
Indeed, they are lies – and you know it.
The country was founded on a belief in a creator God and has OFFICIALLY endorsed the concept from the very beginning. That is the reality. It is not really up for debate. You may wish to turn America into something else, but do not pretend that you are turning it into what it was always designed to be. Have the courage of your convictions. Make your case for an Atheist America, but do not stand there and tell me that America has always been atheist.