The Freedom FROM Religion Hoax

P.T. Barnum purportedly said “There are two kinds of people in the world, con men and suckers. Thank God for the suckers!”

The next time someone cries, “Separation of church and state!” immediately ask, “Do you think it is a one-way or a two-way street? Does it mean only that government may not require religious practice or speech? Or does it also mean that government may not censor religious practice and speech?”

My friends, the Constitution never says everyone has the right to freely exercise their religion except for bakers in Colorado.

The Constitution never says everyone has a right to free speech except for football coaches at public high schools in Washington State.

The Constitution never says everyone has the right to freely exercise their religion except government employees.

A few weeks ago, Auburn’s head football coach, Hugh Freeze, voluntarily helped baptize about 200 students. Immediately, the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) cried foul.

The phrase, “Freedom from Religion,” tells you everything you need to know about this group. “Freedom from” is merely “newspeak” for censorship. I suspect if Jesus were on a college campus today, they would probably try to “freedom from” him too.

The FFRF pounds the table demanding “Separation of Church and State,” pretending that the U.S. Constitution promotes atheism over religion—imagining it’s a one-way street.

Here is their game. The FFRF focuses exclusively on the Establishment clause of the Constitution: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” This means the government may not requirereligious practice or speech. Americans overwhelmingly support this clause in the Constitution—me included.

However, the FFRF religiously goes silent on the Free Exercise clause, which says, “Congress shall make no law…prohibiting its [religion’s] free exercise.” They even shoulder aside the Free Speech clause. It’s not an overt lie—just a deceptive omission.

When you combine the Establishment clause with the Free Exercise clause, it means the government may neither require nor censor religious practice or speech. Emphasizing one above the other breaches the Constitution.

Jefferson’s “wall of separation” between Church and State forbids the government from requiring or censoringreligious speech and practice anywhere, at any time. It emblazons a bright red line across the Constitution, thundering, “You shall not pass!”

The Freedom from Religion crowd promote what I describe as, “Segregation of Church and State.” They boot religious speech to the back of the bus. Years ago, we threw off the evil shackles of government enforced racial segregation. Now is the time to reject government sponsored segregation of religious speech as well.

The Constitution guarantees every American freedom of speech—and the right to freely exercise their religion. Of course, we all know you do not have the right to endanger other people’s lives by yelling “fire!” in a theater. But what rational person will equate free speech or religious speech with life-threatening speech?

Separation of Church and State slaps handcuffs on the government. Politicians, judges and bureaucrats may not forbid, censor, stifle, subjugate, coerce or restrict the religious or non-religious speech of We the People.

The Constitution obligates government to remain neutral, ensuring a level playing field for all speech—religious and non-religious. Protecting secular speech while censoring religious speech is not neutral. Every child knows that is called taking sides. The courts contemptuously disregard the bright red line of separation restraining both Church and State whenever they censor the religious speech of even one American.

Many Freedom from Religion folks allege that allowing religious expression in public education is “exclusionary by definition.” Do you know what is exclusionary by definition? Censorship.

They often say that to be “inclusive” of all viewpoints, you must exclude religious viewpoints. In other words, in order to be inclusive you must be exclusive. Welcome to George Orwell’s 1984 where: “War is Peace.” “Freedom is Slavery.” “Ignorance is Strength.” And Exclusivity is Inclusivity.

So, the next time someone utters, “Separation of Church and State,” listen closely for the deafening silence. Omissions often speak far louder than words spoken. Don’t be a sucker.

I applaud Coach Freeze for his courage and authenticity. He loves Jesus. He loves the Auburn students. He loves his neighbor as Jesus commanded. And he is more concerned about God’s approval than man’s. We should all aspire to be more like Coach Freeze.

Listen to my podcast: Separation of Church and State is NOT a One-Way Street. I show clips of Kyle Kulinski (an atheist and advocate for FFRF) as he tries to critique the hosts of Fox and Friends regarding their position about Coach Freeze, and I shred them. You can do it too!

God is the issue.

© Brad Bright 2023, All rights reserved.

From Crazy to Bizarre

Politicians often say crazy things, but last week New Mexico Governor Lujan Grisham crossed the line—from crazy to bizarre! She brazenly kicked the Constitution to the curb. She wasn’t the first and she won’t be the last, but she was the most brash.

After issuing a ban on carrying guns in the Albuquerque area, she said, “No constitutional right in my view, including my oath [of office], is intended to be absolute.”

Does she really believe the 13th Amendment to the Constitution abolishing slavery in the United States is not absolute? Does she really suppose the 15th Amendment granting blacks the right to vote is not absolute? Does she really mean the 5th Amendment—which guarantees that a person charged with a capital crime cannot be deprived of life without the due process of law—is not absolute?

Does she really think her oath of office is not absolute? That is unmistakably what she said. She presumes that she may disregard her oath of office (to defend and protect the Constitution), since, in her opinion, “no Constitutional right…is absolute.” That is terrifying—especially if you are black.

Apparently, Lujan Grisham thinks that as governor, she may, at her own discretion, usurp the authority of the Constitution. Folks, this is the very definition of insurrection. Websters Dictionary defines insurrection as: “an act or instance of revolting against civil authority or an established government.” We gave King George the boot 247 years ago replacing him with the U.S. Constitution. Apparently, we now have a modern tyrant-in-training who wants to supplant the Constitution.

However, the problem sinks much deeper than just insurrection. Her statement unmistakably mirrors how our society views absolutes in general.

Modern culture values “what works” over all else. If it stopped there, we might call it pragmatism. However, it mutates further. What our culture really means is “what works for Me.” That descends from pragmatism into the mire of narcissism. You often hear young people refer to it as “My truth.” But then it spirals even lower into primal narcissism: “what works for me—today.” In other words, “I want, what I want, when I want it.”

Our culture fixates on such short-term outcomes. Even in the Church we often hear the feel-good statement, “God just wants me to be happy,” which is frequently used to justify primal narcissism. We foolishly imagine that a well-intentioned end necessarily justifies the means. Therefore, you may shove virtually anything aside (including the Constitution) if you are pursuing the “correct outcome.” Stalin believed that. Pol Pot believed that. Castro believed that. Mao believed that. Hitler believed that. They all believed the end justified the means. Apparently, that is also what Governor Lujan Grisham believes. Absolutes be damned!

Sadly, the disease pierces even deeper—down to our very souls. If I don’t believe God exists, why would I suppose moral absolutes exist? If I don’t judge God as relevant, why would I consider moral absolutes relevant? Without God, absolutes wither to virtual fairytales. All that remains is “survival of the fittest.” And now we have arrived at the unsolvable riddle: how do you start with “survival of the fittest,” where the fit survive and the weak die, and then conclude you must “Love your neighbor,” or even “Be kind?” How do you deduce that violence (including gun violence) is morally wrong?

Our twisted view of God is our core problem—both in Western culture and as individuals. It is Governor Lujan Grisham’s bent notion of God, not her miserable view of the Constitution, that is the fundamental malady.

I applaud the governor’s instinctive empathy for those families whose children were murdered. I assume her intentions are good. But good intentions often pave the road to a land few of us wish to ever visit. She is profoundly confused. She thinks guns are killing children. In truth, it is people who believe God is irrelevant—the God who said, “Thou shalt not murder.” Deeming God irrelevant removes any moral obligation to respect the lives of others—obligation being the operative word.

Is it mere coincidence that as our belief in God as a culture continues to devolve that gun violence conversely soars? The upsurge in violence is largely the consequence of our muddled view of God.

If we continue to teach schoolchildren that God is irrelevant, we will never rid ourselves of the dark specter of ever encroaching violence. Until we place God back at the center of the cultural conversation the attacks on our children and the Constitution will most assuredly escalate.

What’s the solution? YOU are the solution. Only You can bring God back into the conversation:

in your home, your neighborhood, and your community. The choice is simple. The choice is yours.

God is the issue—in every issue.

© Brad Bright 2023, All rights reserved.

One Upon A Time

Once upon a time, our President, Congressmen, CEO’s, teachers and preachers were children. During the first 13 years of their lives the foundation upon which every decision they make today was laid. Their moral compass was established and their view of the world and of God was formed. Research confirms that the decisions they make, for good or for ill, are a direct result of the training and teaching they received before their 14th birthday.

My generation was among the first to be indoctrinated with the idea that there are no moral absolutes—that God is irrelevant and should be kept out of the public debate. We were brainwashed into believing that we can’t control our desires. So, guess what? Our desires ended up controlling us. This is the foundation many of our leaders now draw upon as they seek to shape my children’s future.

I know it’s not very encouraging, but there is hope!

You see, once upon a time, leaders like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King were children. The decisions they made came from a foundation that was laid before their 14thbirthday—a foundation built on the understanding and belief in who God is and why it matters.

If politicians really want to save our children’s future, they’ll fight to save our freedom to talk about God, pray to God, and bring our God-given moral compasses into ALL aspects of the public debate. Once upon a time we called that freedom of speech.

As you and I fight the escalating debt and give our life’s blood to reign in the moral depravity that darkens our great country, let’s also be diligent to lay a foundation for our children that will not fail them, no matter what the debt is. Their view of God influences every decision they make. As Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing.”

Brad and I did a podcast this week discussing “The Two Things Your Kids Need This Fall”. They need you to teach them who God really is and why it matters. It’s your most important job. Secondly, they need you to have at least 3-5 family meals each week. Listen to the podcast to find out why. It will blow your mind!

I know there are lots of reasons why those two action points are challenging. I must tell you, however, I have yet to hear a challenge that can’t be overcome with a little creativity and commitment. And your kids are worth the effort.

We are here to help you! BrightMedia.org has a section devoted to helping you teach the kids you love who God is and why it matters. Click on the DG4Kids tab. We have family Bible Times covering 13 of God’s attributes, family activities, and much more! If you sign up for our weekly eNewsletter at BrightMedia.org we will send you Table Talk Questions each week you can use to have conversations around the table that weave God into everyday life.

Finally, Brad and I wrote a fun family devotion, Because God is Awesome!, to use with the kids you love to help teach them who God is and why it matters. It’s simple, engaging and your kids will love it!

I hope you’ll use these resources with the kids you love. But whether you do or not, I implore you, teach them who God really is and why it matters before their 14th birthday. Their “Once upon a Time” is today.

Kathy Bright

©2023 Kathy Bright, All Rights Reserved.