SJOI endorses an every year:
Constitution Day to Christmas Day - The Celebration of Christian Principles:
September 17th In 2004 Congress passed Public Law 108-447 which, among other things, declares September 17th of each year as “Constitution Day and Citizenship Day.” On that day each educational institution that receives Federal funds shall hold an educational program on the U.S. Constitution for the students served by the educational institution. (This year, 2011, on September 17th, a movie produced by the Tea Party, “A More Perfect Union,” was given nationwide to public schools.) SJOI proposes a one-to-two hour video identifying the history and scope of Christian Principles (as the foundation of our Constitution) be written and produced and given free to Catholic and Christian Schools, and ultimately public schools.
Christmas Christmas is the time for all Americas (not just Christians) to respect and reflect upon the ultimate of all Christian Principles “Love God. Love your neighbor as yourself.” There is an award-winning mainstream Christmas novel actually featuring the birth of Jesus, dealing with His love and hope - a heartwarming exposition of love your neighbor as yourself - Mary’s Son, A Tale of Christmas, by Darryl Nyznyk. SJOI urges Mary’s Son be put in the hands of all middle-schoolers in Religious Education classes, and in Catholic and Christian schools, and ultimately public schools.
THE PROBLEM
We live in a time of great divisiveness and diversity. New Secularism (a softer term for an active attempt by old Atheism to destroy religion) is holding sway, when the U.S. Ninth Circuit of Appeals gives a high school teacher the right to tell his class that “creationism” is “superstitious, religious nonsense,” while it prevents another teacher from displaying signs in his class that state “one nation under God,” “in God We Trust,” and others slogans found on our currency and our Pledge of Allegiance . The YMCA dropping “Christian” from its name and replacing it with “The Y,” is terribly disconcerting. Every mention of Jesus Christ in public is considered blasphemy under this New Secularist movement. A mention of the Power of Prayer taking its rightful place in the public school studies of self-help doctrines is met with loud screams and shuddering. Even though Jesus is the most influential historical figure in the growth of Western civilization, and even though it is His Christian Principles that are the fountainhead of our Constitution and fundamental to the governing of this country, the greatest country in the history of the world, studies of Him are prohibited. (Unless maybe public schools could study Jesus if He was gay. California law mandates social studies include gay persons accomplishments.) Governing the diversity of our population is a daunting task. (The Los Angeles Unified School District must deal with almost 100 languages.)
When we were a Christian nation it was governable. The Constitution was not written to protect people from each other but rather to protect people from their government. It was assumed the Christian population would comply with the 10 Commandments and society could function. Jefferson said he saw Religion as another arm of government even though he created the wall between Church and State. Adams said if people don’t voluntarily follow the Law, this government can’t work.
"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religions, but by Christians, not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded freedom of worship here." PATRICK HENRY
"Our constitution was made only for moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other." JOHN ADAMS
CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES
The historical fact is without doubt. Christian Principles are the underpinning of our Constitution. Principles that guaranty freedom of expression to all creeds and religion. Principles that make self-evident the Constitutional Rights of all countrypersons.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are (emphasis added) life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” That, of course, is from the Declaration of Independence. It’s also clear that all the unalienable rights have not been enumerated. There are other self-evident rights. The so-called unenumerated rights. Where do we find these rights? The answer is simple - in the Christian Principles (also properly described as Judeo-Christian Principles):
* Which started with Abraham and then the Ten Commandments of Moses;
* Enhanced through the 300 B.C.s by the Natural Laws of Aristotle ,which refers to the use of reason to deduce binding rules and moral behavior;
* Added-to and created by Jesus who added “Love your neighbor as yourself” to the mixture. This was a new element, not found in the Old Testament, or elsewhere, but essential to the governance of a society that encourages and protects the diversity of all races, creeds, and beliefs;
* Then St. Thomas Aquinas compiled and synthasized that which was to be the essence of the “Christian Principles;"
* This was then pondered and promulgated by the philosophers of the Enlightenment Era of the eighteenth century;
* Then picked up by the Founding Fathers as “self-evident” rights who embodied the Christian Principles into our Constitution to create the greatest government and country in the history of the world.
How do we protect these self-evident rights? By fighting for the protection, understanding, and teaching of Christian Principles. A video to be seen by all on Constitution Day, September 17th, and a Christmas novel featuring the birth of Christ, is a good way to start.