Second American Revolution: Howard Phillips (2 of 4)

Question:-- Were the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution drafted to uphold the moral laws of God -- or were they Deistic humanist documents? If they were Christian documents, where have we gone so far off track?

Howard Phillips: The Declaration of Independence is, in effect, the articles of incorporation or the preamble for our federal union and the Constitution of the United States is the bylaws. The Declaration says that "we are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights." It acknowledges that our rights are a gift from God, that we are His creatures. It is a simple statement of fact that if God is "Sovereign," as the framers acknowledged Him to be, that law is inevitably the will of the Sovereign. The laws of God cannot be overturned by a two-thirds vote of Congress or even a unanimous decision of the Supreme Court. Abortion is always illegal in the sight of God. If a civil government chooses to permit it, that doesn't make it legal in His sight. It simply criminalizes the civil government which advances it.

The Declaration goes on to make the point that government derives its just powers from the consent of the governed. There is a theological principle there in that the governed are God's creatures who owe a duty to their Creator to the degree that they delegate policy setting functions and control of resources to civil government. They have an obligation to God to hold civil government accountable to them so that they may be accountable to Him. The link between the Declaration and the Constitution can be seen in the very first sentence of the Constitution after the preamble which says that "all legislative powers shall be vested in a Congress of the United States." "All" ... "vested," mean they "can't be surrendered."

One of the problems is that Congress simply is not doing its constitutional duty. Look at the question of impeachment. That's not an independent counsel's responsibility. Under the U.S. Constitution, impeachment is the responsibility of the U.S. House of Representatives. If the House determines to bring charges against the president, then it's the responsibility of the Senate to determine whether he should be convicted and removed from office. The Republican congress pushed for giving the President line item veto authority. It was unconstitutional for them to do so. I am glad the Supreme Court recognized that. The Constitution permits the President, indeed mandate that he shall be, our chief executive. But it does not authorize him to be our chief legislator. Congress cannot delegate legislative functions to the President. Congress has given policy setting functions to regulatory agencies. That violates the letter of the first sentence of the body of the Constitutional law.

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[feistygeek]

so, why does it follow that "our creator" refers to your conception of god? Why not Thomas Jefferson's conception? He was a Deist, believing that God created the world and forgot about us, and he seemed to believe that we should forget about Him. What makes your conception of God any more valid than mine?

[jcr4runner]

Deists don't believe in the Declaration of Independence's God who is a "Divine Providence" and a "Supreme Judge.

Jefferson was an unconverted theist.

He may not have been a true Christian, but he was not a Deist and never claimed to be.

He once wrote, "I am a Christian."

He may have been Monarchian or Unitarian, but he was constrained by the Congress to use orthodox Christian language in the Declaration.

It wasn't ONLY Jefferson who wrote the Declaration of course.

[peppercub]

I love how you mention the Declaration of Independence (which is nothing more than a glorified letter of intent), but you fail to point out that the Consitution (you know, where the laws actualy come from) mentions neither God or Jesus, and the framers made sure that the first amendment was clear: No establishment of a church. What part of that do you not understand? Why do you interpret that to mean that you have free reign to control the actions of society?

just asking.

[jcr4runner]

I don't believe in a state established church. But I do not separate the idea of civil freedom from God.

[Anela365]

i get enough of this at skool!

[jcr4runner]

It must be a govment funded publik skool then?

[Mastr9]

50 billion dollar deficit in 1939...........now we're at 9 Trillion in 2008.

WE NEED A REVOLUTION.......THATS 50,000,000,000 TO 9,000,000,000,000........DO THE MATH.....WAKE UP AMERICANS

[SultanBorat]

Thomas jefferson never invoked the name "jesus christ our lord" whatever, He was in fact a deist and not a Christian and the god he spoke about in the declaration of independence reflected his view of the deistic god and the Judeo christian religion, The document is also not the charter of rights in which America ever operated on its value is only historical.

[JohnO318]

because apart from the God of the Bible there is no ultimate standard that can make consistent sense of the reality & invisible laws which we all take for granted, for instance the laws of logic.

[billy2bob]

OK. What other God is there that operates in a Trinitarian covenant as in this trinitarian form of government?

And what is your concept of God? Do you believe there are two? Yours and mine?

[DucatiMo22]

Still feel that way a year later?

Let's do this. When?

[WallyGeorgeisRIGHT]

It is a worldview and a system of beliefs making it comparable to a religion.

[novusord]

Freemasonry is NOT a religion. Please don't confuse it with such.

[Snowflake70]

Look at the VIEW count...read the 2nd paragraph in the Declaration of Independence - - -then, if you can...tell me we are not there Now. Not tomorrow. NOW.

Go ahead...tell me. OK, give this message wings

[greasyjeezus]

Just as an individual may take whatever actions he deems necessary to ward off his destruction or the perceived threat of his destruction, so too may a people act in their self-defense against a magistrate's lawlessness or viciousness

do something.