DEMOCRACY, RELIGION AND MORALITY

Human beings are incorrigibly religious. In the entire known history of humanity, it is difficult find a group of humans that had no religion. And until recently, Americans have been quite religious, with high percentages of the population believing in God and attending church and synagogue.

Religion has been in America from the beginning. The Mayflower Pilgrims of 1620 came here for religious freedom and economic opportunity, as did the Massachusetts Bay Puritans arriving in the 1630's. They were led by Governor John Winthrop who preached a sermon during their voyage aboard the Arabella. In it he said that they were to be "as a city upon a hill" as an example to the nations. Seventeen more vessels arrived in the 1630's to bring more Puritans to be "as a city upon a hill," based on religious convictions.

Religion was important in the thirteen colonies. And our Founding Fathers were religious. Most of the signers of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, were members of churches--Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Baptists, Episcopalians and other groups. Several were Enlightenment Deists such as Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin (although Franklin seems to have been several things at various times!)

In the opening paragraphs of the Declaration, reference is made to the Colonist's entitlement to independence by the laws of nature and of Nature's God. The Declaration continues in these famous words: "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among them are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Religion was foundational for America.

Religion is important for democracy because it provides a moral code for behavior. The Church and Synagogue are among the few institutions that teach God-centered morals and ethics on a consistent basis for all ages from preschoolers to octogenarians. However, Stephen Carter of Yale Law School, in his book, The Culture of Disbelief, says many people want to take religion out of the public square and make it merely a private matter. People are expected to worship God as a kind of personal hobby with no relevance to public life.

But that would mean ignoring one of the major forces of our nation's life. America needs the morals and ethics of Christianity and Judaism. Recently, a popular TV news anchor blandly announced that we cannot legislate morality. But that is precisely what much legislation attempts to do with laws against theft, fraud, sexual misconduct, false witness, violent crimes, etc., etc. We can and do legislate morality. And historic religious teachings are at the core.

After a list of grievances against King George, the Declaration goes on to say that it is appealing "to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions." Then the Declaration closes with these famous words: "And for the support of this Declaration with firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor." Then, in heroic courage, they signed their names, John Hancock proud to be the first.

Religion has been foundational in American life from the beginning. And God needs to be taken out of the closet to be central to our life and morality once again. For as British author and theologian, G.K. Chesterton, once observed, when people stop worshiping God, the government often steps in to take the place of God as the supreme power (much like King George!).