The Founding of America: What Is The Truth?

     In yesterday's post I broached the subject of the founding of this nation and our Christian roots.  Today I will attempt to put forth my personal opinion that, from the beginning, there was a battle between God and the Devil; between Christianity and false gods, for control of the destiny of this nation.

    Before I present my views, I have to admit that I have always unabashedly believed that America was a Christian nation from the beginning.  I can remember studying American history in school and learning how nearly all of the colonies were founded for religious reasons; by people seeking to worship the Christian God without interference from kings or governments.  

     Yet, as I have studied this phenomenon throughout the years, it has not escaped my notice that, at their formation, all of the 13 colonies had some form of state-supported religion, while only 8 of the 13 had an official religion.  If one takes the time to study this deeper, I think it is fair to say that we should understand this to mean that religion played a very important role in the founding of this nation.  Faith in God was seen as a positive and valuable commodity for the foundation of a successful society.  We, of a certain age, remember our history lessons of the Puritans and Pilgrims, who wanted to base the laws of their respective colonies on the laws of God.

     You can study the various charters of the original colonies and get a good idea of how important they felt Christianity was for the future of their citizens.  And the importance of worshipping the Christian God was always at the forefront.  In its Declaration of Rights, the colony of Virginia stated:  "That religion, or the duty which we owe to our Creator and the manner of discharging it, can be directed by reason and conviction, not by force or violence; and therefore, all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience; and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity towards each other."

     The 1683 New York Charter of Liberties and Privileges stated:  "THAT Noe person or persons which professe ffaith in God by Jesus Christ Shall at any time be any wayes molested punished disquieted or called in Question for any Difference in opinion or Matter of Religious Concernment".  

     The 1776 Delaware State Constitution required the following oath from anyone serving in the legislature:  "I _______, do profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, and in the Holy Ghost, One God, blessed for evermore; and I do acknowledge the holy scriptures of the Old Testament and New Testament to be given by Divine Inspiration."  I could go and on, but you get the picture.  If you'd like a closer inspection of the original colonies and their charters, click here.  

    But before I leave this portion of my argument, I just want you to see that early colonial laws and constitutions such as the Mayflower Compact, the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, and the Massachusetts Body of Liberties are filled with such language—and in some cases, they incorporate biblical texts without apology.  Perhaps more surprisingly, tolerant, Quaker Pennsylvania was more similar to Puritan New England than many realize. The Charter of Liberties and Frame of Government of the Province of Pennsylvania (1681) begins by making it clear that God has ordained government, and it even quotes Romans 13 to this effect.  (In all fairness, it is important to note that while the founding documents of each colony point to state-supported religion, the requirement that states support particular religions, or mandate participation in religious practices, was discontinued after 1850.  This does not mean that they opposed religion, but rather left it to the conscience of the individual, instead of being required by law).

     And that old familiar argument that the Founding Fathers were Deists, rather than Christians doesn't really hold up under closer inspection.  History tells us that only a handful of the Founders --  Benjamin Franklin, Ethan Allen, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and (if we count him as an American) Thomas Paine -- might have actually embraced this viewpoint.  But one cannot deny that they were heavily influenced by Christian doctrine and ideas.  That is not to discount the influence of the Scottish Enlightenment, which asserted the fundamental importance of human reason combined with a rejection of any authority that could not be justified by reason; or John Locke's "Natural Rights Philosophy" which stressed the rights of the individual to life, liberty and property.  There is strong evidence that the Founding Father's were greatly influenced by these philosophies some 150 years after Jamestown and Plymouth.  But there is equally strong evidence that they still believed in Massachusetts Governor John Winthrop's vision of “a shining city upon a hill” (a reference to Matthew 5:14). Like the Puritans, the Founders separated church and state, but they clearly thought the two institutions should work in tandem to support, protect, and promote true Christianity.

     I understand that if you are not Christian, and do not want to see our country as a "Christian nation", then nothing I can say will convince you.  And most likely, any mention that there was a competing force for the spiritual allegiance of America will fall on deaf ears, too.  But I would like you to consider the following...

     Is it possible that there is a very real paradox in regards to the founding of this nation?  Is it possible that our Founding Fathers were patriotic Christians while simultaneously pledging Masonic oaths?  It is certainly something that I cannot deny.  In fact, in the late 1950’s and early ‘60’s, the Masonic Service Association published a series of documents highlighting Freemasonry’s connection with the early history of the United States, and these are among the numbers they reported:  

•  Signers of the Declaration of Independence: 8 confirmed Masons, 24 possible, 24 with no affiliation.

•  Signers of the Constitution: 13 confirmed Masons, 7 possible, 19 with no affiliation.

•  General Officers of the Continental Army: 33 confirmed Masons, 15 possible, 26 with no affiliation.

     In a 2012 article, written by Jamie Brendan for Endtime Magazine, titled, Founding Fathers: Christians or Masons ... or Both? the author writes, "Not unlike many Masons today, it’s very likely that a number of the founding fathers who were members of the Lodge failed to understand the spiritual significance of Freemasonry – principally that the Lodge is a universal melting pot of religions and mystical concepts. In fact, of all the accusations made against Freemasonry, this is one which the Lodge gladly promotes—religious universalism."  

     And I contend that it is in fact, this very universalism, that the Bible predicts will overtake mankind as part of the New World Order, and a One World Religion.  Just read what the Masonic Service Association has to say:  “Masonry is not Christian; nor is it Mohammedan nor Jewish nor to be classified by the name of any other sect. The power which has held it together, the chemical which has caused its growth, the central doctrine which makes it unique, is the opportunity it affords men of every faith, happily to kneel together at the same Altar, each in worship of the God he reveres, under the universal name of the Great Architect of the Universe.”

     So, for those who have insisted to me that their fathers and grandfathers were Masons, and it is not a religious organization, but rather just "a union, of sorts; founded on the history of bricklayers, etc.", I would like to ask the following question:  who are they kneeling to at the Altar?  It certainly is not YHWH, the One True God!  And I do not disagree that those who are at the lower levels of Masonry do not have any idea of the true purpose of the Lodge.  They will consistently proclaim that it is to do charitable work and to provide needed services to the poor.  But believe me, I have read the oaths taken at the highest levels (30th - 33rd degrees) and they are blasphemous to my God!  

      And it does not give me any solace that, as Jamie Brendan writes, "the one place where historical Freemasonry is most evident is in Washington DC.  It’s at this vital governmental hub that Masonry has left an indelible mark on the nation’s fabric. The Capitol Building, the White House, and many other federal buildings were either designed by Masons or dedicated by a Masonic ceremony of “corn, wine, and oil.”  In fact, the entire city of Washington DC - including large sections of its street layout – is liberally laced with the fingerprints of Freemasonry and astrological symbolism.  Moreover, Washington Monument, the tallest structure in the capital city, is an openly recognized Masonic edifice, with a meaning directly connected to ancient Egyptian belief systems [so too are many other obelisks scattered across the United States]."

     I'm sorry that I am unable to explore this paradox to the extent that it deserves... it would take several days of research and posting to do it justice.  But suffice it to say that the paradox is real, and both sides of the argument have merit.  America does have a Christian heritage.  The earliest Americans recognized the importance of Christian morals, church life, and a degree of common sense based on God’s Word [the Ten Commandments, for example].  Also, our history of thousands of immigrants who fled to America because of the persecution they experienced while standing for Christ in their homeland proves that America was a beacon of Christian hope.  And I do not think we can deny that there were real, faithful men of Christ among those who forged our new nation.  

     But it is not the whole story.  While the founding of America was based on Christian values, we also must admit that America has been guided by men who belonged to secret societies (not only the Masons, but the more modern Skull and Bones Society, comes to mind).  We need to realize that America, along with Europe is experiencing a clash of our historic roots; that is what we are seeing today.  We Christians need to stop focusing on the past and denying that our influences have changed, and that outside forces are attempting to transform us.  As much as it hurts me to say this, we need to face who we are becoming as a nation.  We Christians have no intention of changing, but there are those spiritual forces who are combining with those who embrace secret societies in order to force us to change.  Yes, I am still prepared to say that we were founded as a Christian nation... As I said yesterday, God intended for this nation to be dedicated to Him -- but the devil was not going to let that happen, if he could help it.  As noted above, freemasons had influence on our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution.  

      The truth is, there has been a battle over America since its founding.  Our Christian roots are real and they are solid.  We are the heirs of our forefather's commitment and obedience to Jehovah.  But we need to realize that there is a battle for the soul and spirit of America, and the Enemy's forces have been organizing and following their plan for nearly 240 years.  We need to get on board with God's battle plan if we are to save this nation.  Our Founding is in the past.  We need to let go of the romantic vision and come together to defeat the Enemy.  His forces are marching toward globalism, ecumenicalism, and his New World Order.  Maybe we need to concentrate less on preserving the sentimental image of the United States of America, and join forces with the angelic hosts to bring in the Kingdom of God.

Job 12:23-24    He makes nations great, and He destroys them; He enlarges nations [and then straightens and shrinks them again], and leads them [away captive].  He takes away understanding from the leaders of the people of the land and of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no path.