GN Commentary: August 28, 2009 - God Is Unconstitutional

Is there anything wrong with declaring that we believe in God as our protector in our official documents?

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Video Transcript

This week, God was declared unconstitutional by a judge in the state of Kentucky.

Can you believe that?  It was determined that God was a "religion" to be avoided in all state documents.

Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate ruled that references to a dependence on "Almighty God" in the law that created the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security is akin to establishing a religion, which both the U.S. and Kentucky constitutions prohibit. Ten Kentucky residents and a national atheist group sued to have the reference stricken.

The judge wrote in the 18-page ruling: "The statute pronounces very plainly that current citizens of the Commonwealth cannot be safe, neither now, nor in the future, without the aid of Almighty God."
Wingate interpreted this statement as forcing citizens to depend on God.  Because of that interpretation he ruled the statute unconstitutional.

Forcing citizens to depend on God?  Is that true and is there anything wrong with declaring that we believe in God as our protector in our official documents?

The Kentucky state office of Homeland Security was created after the 9/11 attacks.  In the intervening years there have been two amendments to the law.  One required that training materials must emphasize a "dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the Commonwealth." The other called for a plaque to be placed at the entrance to the state's Emergency Operations Center in Frankfort stating, "The safety and security of the Commonwealth cannot be achieved apart from reliance upon Almighty God."

This language was added in 2006 by State Representative and Church of Christ pastor Tom Riner.

He has steadfastly refused to change the language in the law, declaring that he would not water down the principle in order to win over the atheists who filed the lawsuit. 

Representative Riner stated in defense of the current wording:  "This is no small matter, the understanding that God is real."  He went on to say, "There are real benefits to acknowledging Him. There was not a single founder or framer of the Constitution who didn't believe that."

United States history is clear in showing that the founding fathers looked to God—the Supreme Creator and Protector of human life—for their support and defense.  Our nation is currently in the process of distancing itself from the creator God, who promises great blessings for obedience, including our protection. 

The Bible tells us that when a people reject the knowledge of God then they will get what they asked for – a society from which God removes Himself.  That means a society that no longer has His protection or His blessings.  The prophet Hosea writes "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge I will also reject you…" (Hosea 4:6)   It is the knowledge of the true God that people are rejecting today.

Considering all the tragic events that have occurred within our country in the past few years, one must wonder if we haven't given up our title as "one nation, under God"…and along with the title … the blessings and protection.

For GN magazine, I'm Jim Franks.