Concerned About Moral Decline of Nation

To The Editor:

You reported on Feb. 6, 2013, “ACLU Says Jane Doe’s Name Will Be Kept Secret.”

Her identity does not concern me. However, the public rejection of Jesus and the moral decline of our nation does concern me. The ACLU, courts, media, and many Americans believe that the First Amendment says “Separation of Church and State.” While the words “Separation of Church and State” do not appear in the First Amendment or anywhere else in the U.S. Constitution they do appear in the constitution of the former U.S.S.R. communist state.

The First Amendment actually does say “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” The Establishment Clause states that the federal government will not establish a state religion. The people did not want the federal government to impose any one religion or denomination on all the states.

It should also be noted that acknowledging “God” has always been a tradition in our country as indicated by our national motto “In God We Trust.” Incidently, our national motto and as God is recognized by many faiths, it does not establish any one religion but rather embraces many religions and denominations.

The Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment states that the federal government will not interfere with the people’s freedom to worship God. We do observe National Day of Prayer and people do pray to God. However, when the Supreme Court starts to make rules about the practice of or prohibits worship, prayer or Bible reading then they have violated the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. When the courts prohibit prayer or Bible reading they act to establish a secular faith in our country, and in doing so violate not only the Free Exercise Clause but also the Establishment Clause.

The Supreme Court is always in danger of creating a new de facto law if it fails to follow the Constitution of the United States. In 1962 and 1963, the Supreme Court in effect added an exception clause to the First Amendment. The exception clause in effect said you are free to worship, pray, or read the Bible except if you are on school property. Altering the First Amendment with an exception clause is not within the powers of the judicial branch of the government. Article V of the Constitution defines the process by which the Constitution can be altered (any changes require two-thirds approval of both houses of Congress and then the proposed amendment must be ratified by the legislation of three-fourths of the state). Sadly, the Supreme Court has repeated the same mistake in numerous cases since 1962.

These cases have impacted our school system and society. A nation that refuses to teach its children right from wrong, good from evil, will become a corrupt nation, where sin prevails and evil abounds and children do as they please!