Happy Independence Day

On this date, the 4th of July, we celebrate the day our country declared its independence from Great Britain. On that date the 4th of July became more than the fourth day of July, it became our Independence Day. 

Pic via Kidz World

On this very important date for our country, I would like to share two very important parts of our constitution ~ the preamble and the 1st amendment. The first words of the preamble is easy mistaken for the beginning of the Declaration of Independence. The first amendment is believed by a lot of people to have the words "separation of church and state" in it, which it doesn't. Very few people really know what the 1st amendment says. 

The Preamble of the Constitution

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

The 1st Amendment to the Constitution

"Prohibits Congress from making any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances." 

The term "separation of church and state" came from a letter Thomas Jefferson pinned to the "Danbury Baptist Association in 1802. He was reassuring them that they had the right to follow their tenants of faith and that the state of Connecticut could not infringe upon their right because the 1st amendment thus building a wall of separation of church and state. His letter does not deny that religion had no part to play in the running of our country. It also doesn't say that religion should not play a role in a politician's life. He says it isn't up the the government to determine what or how a person chooses to believe and live out that belief in their lives. 

An excerpt from the letter: 

"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between church and State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.

I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection and blessing of the common Father and Creator of man, and tender you for yourselves and your religious association, assurances of my high respect and esteem."

For our country to continue having our liberty and for our republic form of government to survive, it is important for us to know and learn our history, especially the history of our founding documents. I feel is is our duty, our obligation as citizens to do so. Do you feel the same?

Happy Independence Day, my fellow citizens! Long may freedom and liberty reign!