FROM D. JAMES KENNEDY
MINISTRIES
THIS IS KENNEDY CLASSICS
♪
WELCOME TO KENNEDY CLASSICS
NOBODY SPOKE TO THE
CULTURE-AND THE SOUL-THE
WAY DR. KENNEDY DID.
AND AVAILABLE NOW, AS
WE CONTINUE HIS LEGACY,
IS THE NEW, IMPROVED
IMPACT MAGAZINE AND
DEVOTIONAL FROM D. JAMES
KENNEDY MINISTRIES.
THIS GLOSSY, FULL-COLOR
MAGAZINE FEATURES
THOUGHT-PROVOKING
ARTICLES,
GREAT BIBLICAL RESOURCES,
AND DAILY DEVOTIONAL TRUTH
FROM DR. D. JAMES KENNEDY-
DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR
MAILBOX EACH MONTH.
FEED YOUR SOUL-AND IMPACT
THE CULTURE WITH THE
GOSPEL, THE
LORDSHIP OF CHRIST,
AND A BIBLICALLY INFORMED
VIEW OF THE WORLD.
FOR YOUR FREE TRIAL
SUBSCRIPTION TO THE NEW
IMPACT MAGAZINE AND
DEVOTIONAL, SIMPLY CALL,
WRITE, OR VISIT US ONLINE.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
I'M JERRY NEWCOMBE.
AND I'M JENNIFER KENNEDY CASSIDY.
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY
TO ALL OF YOU DADS!
AS I REMEMBER MY
OWN FATHER, DR. D. JAMES
KENNEDY, I'M THANKFUL
THAT HE WAS SO PASSIONATE
TO PROCLAIM THE WORD OF
GOD-AND THAT HE REFUSED
TO BE DISSUADED BY
ANYONE WHO TRIED TO STOP HIM.
SADLY, IN TODAY'S AMERICA,
PEOPLE SPEAKING GOD'S WORD
ARE SILENCED
LEFT AND RIGHT!
ONCE AGAIN IN RECENT
GRADUATION CEREMONIES,
STUDENTS WERE WARNED
AGAINST MAKING REMARKS
ABOUT GOD AND
QUOTING THE BIBLE.
AND ALL OF THIS MUZZLING
OF CHRISTIAN SPEECH IS
ACTUALLY BASED ON A LIE.
ON TODAY'S PROGRAM, WE'LL
EXPOSE THAT LIE AND SHARE
A SPECIAL NEW RESOURCE
THAT SHINES LIGHT ON THE
TRUTH.
AND AS WE BEGIN TODAY, WE
SEE THAT CHRISTIANITY HAS
BEEN DRIVEN OUT OF SCHOOLS
AND SILENCED IN THE HALLS
OF GOVERNMENT BECAUSE OF
A MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE
SEPARATION OF
CHURCH AND STATE,
ATTRIBUTED TO
THOMAS JEFFERSON.
BUT THE SECULAR THOMAS
JEFFERSON YOU'RE FAMILIAR
WITH IS A FICTIONAL
CHARACTER-A LIE.
HERE'S MY FATHER'S
CLASSIC MESSAGE,
"THE REAL THOMAS
JEFFERSON."
TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO
INTRODUCE TO YOU SOMEONE
THAT I AM QUITE CONFIDENT
99.5% OF YOU DON'T KNOW.
I WOULD LIKE TO
INTRODUCE PRESIDENT
THOMAS JEFFERSON.
AND AS VIRTUALLY EVERYBODY
TOLD ME ON THE WAY OUT
AFTER THE FIRST SERVICE,
THEY HAD NEVER MET THAT
MAN BEFORE.
HE'S BEEN CALLED AN
ATHEIST, AN INFIDEL,
HOSTILE TO RELIGION,
RARELY EVER ATTENDED
CHURCH, EXPUNGED THE
MIRACLES FROM A BIBLE AND
MADE THE JEFFERSON'S BIBLE
WHICH HAD NO MIRACLES IN
IT.
HE ORIGINATED THE
"SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND
STATE" DOCTRINE TO
KEEP RELIGION OUT OF
GOVERNMENT, OUT
OF THE SCHOOLS,
OUT OF THE PUBLIC LIFE OF
AMERICA WHAT I HAVE JUST
DESCRIBED TO YOU IS A
FICTIONAL CHARACTER THAT
HAS NEVER LIVED
ON THIS PLANET.
HE'S ABOUT AS REAL AS
SANTA CLAUS OR THE EASTER
BUNNY.
HE IS THE CREATION
OF THE SECULAR ELITE.
HE IS THE CREATION OF
OUR SECULAR EDUCATIONAL
SYSTEM.
HE IS THE CREATION
OF THE MEDIA.
HE IS THE CREATION
OF LIBERAL JUDGES.
HE NEVER REALLY, AS
DESCRIBED, ACTUALLY LIVED.
THOMAS JEFFERSON HAS BEEN
CREATED BY THESE PEOPLE
FOR THE PURPOSE OF GETTING
RID OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
IN THE PUBLIC
SQUARE OF AMERICA.
I REMEMBER A COUPLE
OF YEARS AGO,
WHEN WE CAME TO THE
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER,
THE MAYOR OF FORT
LAUDERDALE OPENED THE
COMMUNITY ROOM TO
ALLOW CITIZENS OF FORT
LAUDERDALE WHO WISHED TO,
TO GATHER THERE AND PRAY.
ONE PRESIDENT OF FLORIDA
ACLU WROTE A LETTER TO THE
PAPER, A WHOLE ARTICLE,
IN WHICH HE EXPRESSED HIS
HORROR THAT SUCH A THING
AS THAT COULD BE DONE.
AND HE SAID TO THE MAYOR,
"DON'T YOU KNOW THAT
THOMAS JEFFERSON
INTRODUCED INTO THE
CONSTITUTION THE
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND
STATE?"
WELL, HE WASN'T TOO
SURE ABOUT THAT.
THE FACTS ARE: HE DIDN'T.
THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH
AND STATE HAS NEVER BEEN
IN THE CONSTITUTION-IS
NOT NOW A PART OF THE
CONSTITUTION OF
THE UNITED STATES.
IT IS, INDEED, A MYTH THAT
HAS BEEN IMPORTED INTO
THAT CONSTITUTION
BY OTHERS.
MAY I INTRODUCE THOMAS
JEFFERSON: BORN IN
VIRGINIA IN AN EPISCOPAL
FAMILY, OR ANGLICAN,
AS THEY WERE KNOWN THEN.
HE ATTENDED CHURCH
REGULARLY ALL OF HIS LIFE,
WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH.
ALSO ATTENDED
PRESBYTERIAN, METHODIST,
AND BAPTIST CHURCHES AND
WAS PARTICULARLY THRILLED
WHEN ALL FOUR OF THOSE
DENOMINATIONS HELD
SERVICES IN...
THE COURTHOUSE.
ALAS AND ALACK.
WELL, MAYBE WHEN HE
GREW UP HE KNEW BETTER.
WELL, THE TRUTH OF THE
MATTER IS: THOUGH HE HAD
FOLLOWED THE ANGLICAN
FAITH IN ITS ORTHODOXY ALL
OF HIS LIFE, THOUGH HE
WENT TO A CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
AND WAS TAUGHT BY
CHRISTIAN PASTORS,
HE ACTUALLY,
AS A GROWN MAN,
SERVED ON THE VESTRY OF
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH,
WHICH MEANS THAT HE WAS THE
EQUIVALENT OF AN ELDER IN
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, AS WE
ALL KNOW, TOM JEFFERSON,
AS SECRETARY OF STATE,
WENT TO FRANCE.
NOW FRANCE WAS THE
HEARTLAND OF INFIDELITY
IN THAT DAY.
THE REVOLUTION HAD
JUST TAKEN PLACE,
AND CHRISTIANITY HAD BEEN
DEVASTATED -- UNBELIEF,
SKEPTICISM REIGNED.
DO YOU REMEMBER THAT
ABRAHAM LINCOLN WENT TO
SPRINGFIELD AND FELL AMONG
THE SKEPTICS THERE AND HIS
FAITH WAS DEMOLISHED?
IT TOOK YEARS BEFORE
IT WAS RESTORED.
ALAS, WITH JEFFERSON
SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED
WHILE HE WAS THERE.
HIS WIFE, WHOM
HE ADORED, DIED,
LEAVING HIM WITH HIS
TWO-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER,
AND SHE DIED, AND
HIS MOTHER DIED,
AND HIS BEST FRIEND DIED.
ORDINARILY, HE WOULD HAVE
GONE TO THE CONGREGATION
OF THE CHURCH WHERE HE
SERVED AND FOUND SOLACE
AND CONSOLATION FROM THEM
AND HIS PASTOR WOULD HAVE
BEEN THERE TO HELP HIM,
BUT APPARENTLY THERE WAS
NO ONE THERE TO GUIDE HIM,
AND HE CAME TO A REJECTION
OF THE DEITY OF CHRIST.
BY THE WAY, THE JEFFERSON
BIBLE IS ANOTHER MYTH.
THERE NEVER WAS A
JEFFERSON BIBLE.
NO, HE CUT, YEARS
BEFORE THIS,
HE CUT THE MIRACULOUS OUT
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT,
OUT OF THE GOSPELS, AND
FROM THE GOSPELS HE
PRODUCED A BOOK ON ETHICS,
THE ETHICS AND MORALS OF
JESUS CHRIST FOR THE
PURPOSE OF EVANGELIZING
AND EDUCATING THE
AMERICAN INDIANS.
THEY WERE A GREAT
CONCERN OF HIS.
THAT HE BELIEVED THAT THIS
SIMPLIFIED STATEMENT OF
THE ETHICS OF JESUS CHRIST
WOULD HELP TO CIVILIZE AND
EDUCATE THESE PEOPLE.
HE NEVER EVER
CALLED IT A BIBLE.
HE CALLED IT A
SYSTEM OF ETHICS.
IT IS, HE FELT, THE MOST
MARVELOUS SYSTEM OF ETHICS
THAT THE WORLD HAS
EVER, EVER KNOWN,
AND HE SAID LATER IN ONE
OF HIS STATEMENTS THAT THE
RELIGION OF JESUS CHRIST
IS THE BEST RELIGION THAT
THE WORLD HAS
EVER BEEN GIVEN,
AND THAT THE ETHICS AND
TEACHINGS OF CHRIST ARE
INCOMPARABLE,
AND THEREFORE,
AS CHIEF MAGISTRATE
OF THE UNITED STATES,
HE WOULD LEND ALL OF THE
POWER OF HIS EXAMPLE TO
SUPPORTING THAT SYSTEM.
AND BY THE WAY, LET ME
ALSO MENTION THAT THE
PHRASE OF THE SO-CALLED
SEPARATION OF CHURCH
AND STATE HAS BEEN
AGAIN TOTALLY TWISTED,
TURNED UPSIDE DOWN, AND
MADE TO BE THE VERY
OPPOSITE OF WHAT JEFFERSON
INTENDED IT TO BE.
WHEN HE WAS PRESIDENT, HE
RECEIVED IN LATE 1801 A
LETTER FROM THE
ASSOCIATION OF BAPTISTS IN
DANBURY, CONNECTICUT AND
THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT
THE NEWLY FORMED
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT,
THIS LEVIATHAN THAT HAD
BEEN CREATED COULD,
THEY FEARED, BECOME A
GREAT DANGER TO THEIR
CHRISTIAN FAITH AND
TO THEIR CHURCHES.
AND JEFFERSON, WHO, BY THE
WAY WAS OUT OF THE COUNTRY
WHEN THE CONSTITUTION WAS
WRITTEN AND WHEN THE BILL
OF RIGHTS WERE PROPOSED
AND PASSED AND HAD NOTHING
TO DO WITH IT.
HE SAID THAT HE WAS
GREATLY IMPRESSED THAT THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE, THROUGH
THEIR REPRESENTATIVES,
THROUGH THE FIRST
AMENDMENT HAD, IN EFFECT,
ERECTED A "WALL OF
SEPARATION BETWEEN THE
CHURCH AND THE STATE, SO
THEY NEED HAVE NO FEAR
THAT THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT WAS GOING TO
INTRUDE UPON THEIR
RELIGION OR IN ANY WAY
DISTURB THEIR FAITH.
BUT LIBERALS HAVE TAKEN
THAT AND TURNED IT AROUND
COMPLETELY.
YOU SEE, THE FIRST
AMENDMENT WAS GIVEN,
AS ALL OF THE
TESTIMONY INDICATES,
TO DO TWO THINGS: TO
PREVENT THE CONGRESS FROM
ESTABLISHING A STATE
CHURCH LIKE THE ANGLICAN
CHURCH IN ENGLAND, FROM
WHICH THEY HAD MOSTLY
FLED, AND SECONDLY, FROM
INTERFERING WITH THE FREE
EXERCISE OF RELIGION.
THAT HAS BEEN GROSSLY
DISTORTED IN OUR DAY.
AND I HOPE THAT MAYBE AS
THIS MESSAGE GOES OUT TO
MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE ACROSS AMERICA,
THAT WE WILL BEGIN TO
UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE
BEEN DECEIVED, THAT THIS
WHOLE SEPARATION THING OF
THOMAS JEFFERSON HAS
BEEN TURNED INTO A TOTAL
DISTORTION AND PERVERSION,
AND IT IS A LIE.
AND I HOPE THAT MAYBE
AMERICA WILL WAKE UP TO
THE REALIZATION THAT
THEY HAVE BEEN DECEIVED,
THAT THE TOM JEFFERSON
THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO
THEM IS A MYTH AND A
LIE, AND THAT HE NEVER
INTENTIONED ANYTHING LIKE
WHAT THE ACLU AND OTHERS
TODAY SAY THAT
HE INTENDED.
FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT HE DID
AS PRESIDENT INCLUDED,
AMONG OTHER THINGS,
LEGISLATION ...
LEGISLATIVE CHAPLAINS,
MILITARY CHAPLAINS,
ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL
SEAL USING A BIBLICAL
SYMBOL, INCLUDING THE
WORD GOD IN OUR NATIONAL
MOTTO, OFFICIAL DAYS OF
FASTING AND PRAYER-AT
LEAST ON THE STATE
LEVEL, PUNISHING...
SABBATH BREAKERS, IS THAT
REAL ENOUGH FOR YOU?
PUNISHING MARRIAGES
CONTRARY TO BIBLICAL LAW,
ALLOWING CLERGYMEN TO
HOLD PUBLIC OFFICE,
AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO
DO SO, NO, MY FRIENDS,
THE REAL THOMAS JEFFERSON
IS THE ACLU'S WORST
NIGHTMARE.
HAVE YOU INVITED JESUS
CHRIST INTO YOUR HEART TO
TRANSFORM YOU AND
TO MAKE YOU NEW?
HE'S WAITING EVEN
NOW TO DO THAT TODAY.
IN FACT, HE DIED ON THE
CROSS TO PAY THE PENALTY
FOR OUR SINS - YOURS AND
MINE - AND HE PURCHASED A
PLACE FOR US IN HEAVEN
WHICH HE OFFERS NOW AS AN
ABSOLUTELY FREE GIFT.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO RECEIVE
THIS GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE,
WE CAN GO TO GOD TOGETHER
IN PRAYER RIGHT NOW.
SIMPLY PRAY, "LORD
JESUS CHRIST,
I KNOW THAT I'M A SINNER,
I ASK YOU TO FORGIVE ME OF
MY SINS.
SAVE ME AND CLEANSE ME AND
HELP ME TO TURN AWAY FROM
THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE
DISPLEASING TO YOU.
I RECEIVE THE FREE GIFT OF
ETERNAL LIFE AND THANK YOU
FOR IT IN YOUR
NAME I PRAY.
AMEN".
I HOPE YOU PRAYED THAT
PRAYER AND IF YOU DID,
WE HAVE A SPECIAL BOOK
THAT WE'D LIKE TO
SEND YOU.
IT'S WRITTEN BY DR.
KENNEDY TO HELP NEW
BELIEVERS, IT'S CALLED
BEGINNING AGAIN.
IN THESE PAGES, YOU'LL
LEARN HOW TO READ AND
STUDY THE BIBLE SO THAT
YOU CAN GROW IN YOUR NEW
FOUND FAITH.
TO RECEIVE YOUR COPY
OF BEGINNING AGAIN,
JUST WRITE TO OUR ADDRESS
OR CALL OUR TOLL-FREE
NUMBER.
GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU DO!
AS MY FATHER
SHOWED US TODAY,
THOMAS JEFFERSON WAS THE
FURTHEST THING FROM AN
ANTI-GOD SECULARIST.
HE WANTED CHRISTIANITY TO
HAVE A STRONG VOICE IN
PUBLIC LIFE.
FINALLY, IN RECENT YEARS,
HISTORIANS ARE CATCHING
BACK UP WITH THE REAL
THOMAS JEFFERSON.
DR. MARK BELILES IS
A HISTORIAN, PASTOR,
AND CO-AUTHOR OF THE NEW
BOOK DOUBTING THOMAS: THE
RELIGIOUS LIFE AND LEGACY
OF THOMAS JEFFERSON.
HE JOINS OUR OWN DR. JERRY
NEWCOMBE-HIS CO-AUTHOR ON
THAT BOOK-FOR MORE.
MANY PEOPLE TODAY CLAIM
THOMAS JEFFERSON WAS A
VIRTUAL ATHEIST---OR AT
LEAST A CLOSET UNBELIEVER,
WHO BELIEVED IN THE
COMPLETE SEPARATION OF
CHURCH AND STATE---MEANING
THAT GOD WOULD HAVE
NOTHING TO DO
WITH GOVERNMENT.
BUT IS THAT TRUE?
TODAY, WE LOOK AT THE REAL
THOMAS JEFFERSON WITH
DR. MARK BELILES, A PASTOR
FROM THOMAS JEFFERSON'S
HOME TOWN IN
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA,
WHO'S MADE A LIFELONG
STUDY OF THE RELIGION OF
OUR 3RD PRESIDENT.
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO
CO-WRITE WITH DR. BELILES
A NEW BOOK, MARK IS THE
PRESIDENT OF AMERICA
TRANSFORMATION COMPANY,
AND THE BOOK IS CALLED
DOUBTING THOMAS: THE
RELIGIOUS LIFE AND LEGACY
OF THOMAS JEFFERSON.
MARK, WELCOME.
THANK YOU JERRY.
WELL YOUR RESEARCH REALLY
SEEMS TO INDICATE THAT
JEFFERSON WENT THROUGH
DIFFERENT PHASES OF LIFE.
MODERN BIOGRAPHERS TRY
TO PORTRAY SOMETHING
DIFFERENT AS IF HE WAS
A LIFELONG SKEPTIC AND
THEY'LL USE SOME OBSCURE
WRITINGS THAT REALLY WE
HAVE NO WAY OF PROVING IF
JEFFERSON BELIEVED CERTAIN
THINGS, BUT THAT'S BUT
THE ONE THING THAT REALLY
DEFINES JEFFERSON VERY
WELL IS WHAT HE DID RIGHT
AFTER AUTHORING
THE DECLARATION OF
INDEPENDENCE.
WHICH WAS?
WHICH HE FORMED, HE WROTE
THE FOUNDING DOCUMENT OF
WHAT WAS CALLED THE
CALVINISTICAL REFORMED
CHURCH, A NEW INDEPENDENT
CONGREGATION IN
CHARLOTTESVILLE.
WELL LET'S ACTUALLY HEAR
WHAT JEFFERSON WROTE IN
THAT DOCUMENT FROM 1777:
AND THE MINISTER WHO WAS
CALLED TO THIS
WAS THE PATRIOTIC
REVEREND CHARLES CLAY WHO
WAS AN ANGLICAN BUT HE WAS
ALSO ONE OF THE 15% OF
VIRGINIA ANGLICAN
MINISTERS WHO WAS AN
EVANGELICAL.
CORRECT, SO HE
WAS OUTSTANDING,
HE REALLY BIOGRAPHER OF
THE EARLY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
SPEAKS OF HIM AS BEING
AN UNUSUALLY STRONG
EVANGELICAL
AMONG ANGLICANS,
IN FACT IT'S REALLY
AMAZING I'VE DISCOVERED
HIS MANY OF HIS
HANDWRITTEN SERMONS FROM
THIS TIME PERIOD AND THEY
READ LIKE JONATHAN EDWARDS
TYPE OF PREACHING, I MEAN
IT'S QUITE AMAZING THAT
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LOOK AT
THESE VERY SERMONS THAT
JEFFERSON WAS HEARING
IN THE COURTHOUSE OF
CHARLOTTESVILLE.
MARK, AS WE TALK ABOUT
THOMAS JEFFERSON'S FAITH,
WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE
ISSUE OF THE SO-CALLED
JEFFERSON BIBLE.
YES, THE JEFFERSON BIBLE
IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE
MAIN REASONS PEOPLE HAVE
A DISTORTED VIEW OF HIS
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, AND
HIS OWN TITLE FOR THIS IS
WHAT'S REALLY TELLING,
HE GAVE IT THE TITLE THE
PHILOSOPHY OF JESUS
OF NAZARETH BEING AN
ABRIDGEMENT OF THE NEW
TESTAMENT FOR THE USE OF
THE INDIANS UNEMBARRASSED
WITH MATTERS OF FACT OR
FAITH BEYOND THE LEVEL
OF THEIR COMPREHENSION.
THIS IS THE PURPOSE, NOW
MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE
THIS WAS LIKE IN A
SENSE AN EVANGELISTIC TOOL
HE HAD KIND OF IN
MIND ORIGINALLY.
HE DIDN'T TAKE
OUT ALL MIRACLES,
IT'S JUST THAT
HE TOOK OUT SOME?
BY THE NATURAL PROCESS OF
JUST TRYING TO COLLECT THE
TEACHINGS OF JESUS, NOT
THE WHOLE LIFE STORY OF
JESUS, THE ACTIONS OF
JESUS, HIS MIRACLES,
WERE LEFT OUT.
THE WORDS OF JESUS ABOUT
HIS MORAL PHILOSOPHY WAS
WHAT HE WAS
TRYING TO COMPILE.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO
JEFFERSON AND HIS
RELIGION, CERTAINLY YOU
SEE IN THE EARLY PARTS OF
HIS LIFE, HE'S A
BELIEVING CHRISTIAN,
DURING THIS TIME THAT HE
GIVES US THE DECLARATION
OF INDEPENDENCE WHERE HE
SAYS THAT OUR RIGHTS COME
FROM THE CREATOR, BUT
LATER IN LIFE HE CAME TO
ADOPT UNITARIAN VIEWS,
SUFFICE IT TO SAY
JEFFERSON WAS NOT A
LIFELONG SKEPTIC.
NOW LET'S SHIFT GEARS AND
TALK ABOUT JEFFERSON IN
HIS VIEWS ABOUT GOD AND
GOVERNMENT OR CHURCH AND
STATE, AND LET'S
BEGIN WITH A STORY,
THE KIND THAT IS BECOMING
ALL TOO COMMONPLACE IN
MODERN AMERICA, THIS ONE
OCCURRED ABOUT A YEAR AGO
RIGHT HERE IN BROWARD
COUNTY, FLORIDA.
DECADES OF CONFUSING
AND CONTRADICTORY COURT
DECISIONS HAVE LED MANY
SCHOOL OFFICIALS TO THINK
SO.
CONSIDER WHAT HAPPENED TO
12-YEAR OLD GIO RUBEO,
A 5TH GRADER AT PARK LAKES
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN SOUTH
FLORIDA, DURING PERIODS
OF "FREE READING TIME,"
WHERE STUDENTS WERE
ALLOWED, THEORETICALLY,
TO READ WHATEVER
THEY WANTED TO.
FOR ONE INDIVIDUAL, A
SCHOOL OFFICIAL TO SAY,
YOU COULD READ ANYTHING
YOU WANT EXCEPT FOR THE
BIBLE, THAT'S CLASSIC
VIEWPOINT DISCRIMINATION
OF THE KIND THAT IS
NEFARIOUS TO OUR
CONSTITUTION AND IS
COMPLETELY ILLEGAL AND
UNLAWFUL.
THANKFULLY, THAT
STORY HAD A POSITIVE
RESOLUTION, SOME OF THESE
CHURCH AND STATE STORIES
DON'T HAVE A POSITIVE
RESOLUTION BUT THEY ALL
GET BACK TO A
MISUNDERSTANDING OF THOMAS
JEFFERSON HIMSELF,
TELL US ABOUT THAT.
WELL I THINK THIS
IS THE PROBLEM,
PROBABLY JEFFERSON IS
QUOTED FOR THESE KINDS OF
CASES AS THE FOUNDER WHO
SUPPORTS SUCH RESTRICTION
OF RELIGION IN
MODERN DAY AMERICA,
BUT YOU SEE
IN THE PUBLIC ARENA
YES IN THE PUBLIC ARENA,
AND IT ALL GOES
BACK TO WHEN HE WAS PRESIDENT
IN 1802 HE RESPONDED
TO SOME FRIENDS, SUPPORTERS,
BAPTIST IN DANBURY,
CONNECTICUT WHO WROTE TO
HIM WITH THEIR THANKS FOR
LEADING FOR THEIR EFFORT
FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM BUT
EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT
SORT OF A NATIONAL CHURCH
WOULD EMERGE AND SO HE
REPLIES TO THEM WITH
BASICALLY AGREEMENT THAT
WE CAN READ IN HIS LETTER.
HERE'S WHAT JEFFERSON SAID
IN THAT LETTER:
THAT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE
HERE IN THE VERY LETTER
THAT GIVES US THE IDEA OF
THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH
AND STATE, JEFFERSON
VIOLATES THE SO-CALLED
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND
STATE BECAUSE HE SAYS 'HEY
I WANT YOU TO PRAY TO GOD
FOR ME AND I'LL PRAY TO
GOD FOR YOU.'
YEAH IT'S A VERY
PRO-RELIGION LETTER
STATEMENT, BUT YOU KNOW
WHEN YOU BUILD THIS WHOLE
CARICATURE OF THOMAS
JEFFERSON AS BEING A DEIST
AND NOT HIMSELF RELIGIOUS,
THIS IS THE WAY IT'S ALL
SPUN IN THE MODERN KIND OF
WAY AS SAYING JEFFERSON IS
TRYING TO PROTECT US FROM
THOSE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE,
BUILD A WALL KEEP RELIGION
OUT OF ALL PUBLIC
GOVERNMENTAL INSTITUTIONS,
BUT THAT'S CLEARLY NOT
WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT.
AND YET IN 1947 THE SUPREME
COURT TOOK THAT LETTER
WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT
JEFFERSON WROTE TO THE
DANBURY BAPTIST AND MADE
THAT THE SOLE ARBITER
OF WHAT THE ESTABLISHMENT
CLAUSE MEANT THEREFORE
THE SUPREME COURT WROTE
THIS:
FROM 1947 UNTIL A FEW
YEARS AFTER THAT THEY
BASICALLY THEY OPENED THE
FLOODGATES TO REINTERPRET
WHAT IT MEANT SO NOW ALL
OF A SUDDEN THE KIDS
COULDN'T PRAY IN SCHOOL
BECAUSE THAT VIOLATED THE
SEPARATION OF
CHURCH AND STATE,
THEY COULDN'T HAVE THE TEN
COMMANDMENTS ON THE WALL
BECAUSE THAT VIOLATED THE
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND
STATE, AND IT GOES ON AND
ON AND ON TO THIS VERY
DAY.
YEAH THE WALL WAS
CHANGED IN ITS MEANING,
IT WAS TAKEN NOW TO BE A
WALL AGAINST ALL RELIGION
AND ALL PUBLIC AFFAIRS,
ALL KINDS OF STATE
FUNCTION AND THAT'S NOT
AT ALL WHAT JEFFERSON WAS
TALKING ABOUT WHEN HE
WROTE THAT TO THOSE
BAPTISTS.
CHRISTIANS NEED TO REALIZE
WHEN THEY STAND UP IN THE
PUBLIC SQUARE AND
EXPRESS THEIR FAITH,
THEY'RE DOING WHAT OUR
FOUNDING FATHERS INTENDED
FOR THEM TO HAVE
THE RIGHT TO DO.
THEY'RE NOT DOING
SOMETHING THAT'S VIOLATING
WHAT OUR FOUNDERS WERE
TRYING TO CREATE IN THIS
COUNTRY.
MARK SOME PEOPLE MIGHT SAY
'WHO CARES ABOUT HISTORY,
THAT'S A LONG TIME AGO.'
WHY DOES THIS
MATTER TODAY?
WELL WITH JEFFERSON IT
MATTERS A LOT BECAUSE HE'S
SORT OF THE ICON, I MEAN
HE'S THE FOUNDING FATHER
THAT'S OFTEN QUOTED FOR
SO MUCH OF THE MODERN
POLICIES WE'RE GRAPPLING
WITH TODAY OF SEPARATION
OF CHURCH AND STATE AND
SO THIS IS, IT MATTERS,
IF WE THINK IF WE SHOW
THROUGH GOOD EVIDENCE THAT
HE WASN'T THIS DEIST
SECULARIST TO BEGIN WITH
THEN IT UNDERMINES THEIR
WHOLE ARGUMENT THAT
SOMEHOW WE'RE THE ONES
TRYING TO BRING SOMETHING
NEW INTO AMERICAN LIFE.
WELL MARK, THANKS SO
MUCH FOR JOINING US,
APPRECIATE EVERYTHING
YOU HAD TO SHARE.
WELL APPRECIATE THE WORK
THAT YOU'RE DOING AND IT
WAS AN HONOR TO WORK
TOGETHER WITH YOU ON THIS
BOOK.
WE'VE PUT IT ALL THERE
GOOD, BAD, AND UGLY.
JEFFERSON THE MAN THAT
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO
LEARN ABOUT AGAIN, AND I
THINK IF WE DO WE'LL HAVE
I THINK GREATER
OPPORTUNITY FOR DEFENDING
OUR FREEDOMS THAT HE GAVE
TO US THROUGH A LOT OF
HIS EFFORTS.
THE REALITY IS THAT
CHRISTIANS ARE BEING
SILENCED, AND HAVING
THEIR RIGHTS TAKEN AWAY,
BECAUSE OF THE FALSE
NOTION THAT THE
CONSTITUTION CALLS FOR
A STRICT SEPARATION OF
RELIGION AND
THE GOVERNMENT.
IN 1947, THE SUPREME COURT
PULLED ONE OUT-OF-CONTEXT
QUOTE FROM JEFFERSON IN
HIS LETTER TO THE DANBURY
BAPTIST ASSOCIATION-AND WE
HAVE BEEN STEADILY LOSING
OUR FREEDOM EVER SINCE.
AND THE REASON THEY'VE
BEEN ABLE TO DO IT IS
BECAUSE OF IGNORANCE.
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW
THE TRUE HISTORY,
AND SO THEY BELIEVED A LIE
THAT'S BEEN REPACKAGED AND
SOLD TO THEM OVER
AND OVER AGAIN.
BUT IT'S TIME FOR THAT LIE
TO BE PUT TO REST FOREVER.
WE WANT TO SEND YOU
THE GROUNDBREAKING NEW
HARDCOVER BOOK, DOUBTING
THOMAS: THE RELIGIOUS LIFE
AND LEGACY OF
THOMAS JEFFERSON,
BY DR. MARK BELILES
AND OUR OWN DR. JERRY
NEWCOMBE, WHEN YOU GIVE A
GIFT OF $50 OR MORE TO THE
ONGOING WORK OF
THIS MINISTRY.
OUR FISCAL YEAR
ENDS ON JUNE 30TH,
JUST DAYS FROM NOW, AND
WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU
RIGHT AWAY SO THAT WE CAN
MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS,
FINISH THE YEAR STRONG,
AND MOVE INTO THE SECOND
HALF OF THE YEAR ON
A FIRM FOUNDATION.
SIMPLY WRITE TO US AT:
OR CALL TOLL FREE:
OR GO ONLINE AT:
TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
GIFT OF $50 OR MORE,
WE'LL THANK YOU BY
SENDING YOU THE NEW,
HARDCOVER BOOK DOUBTING
THOMAS BY MARK BELILES AND
DR. JERRY NEWCOMBE, WHICH
CONTAINS THE MOST CUTTING
EDGE, CURRENT HISTORICAL
RESEARCH ON THOMAS
JEFFERSON'S TRUE
BELIEFS-PLUS
NEVER-BEFORE-PUBLISHED
MATERIAL,
INCLUDING SOME OF
JEFFERSON'S OWN LETTERS ON
THE SUBJECT.
THERE'S SIMPLY NEVER BEEN
ANOTHER BOOK WITH THIS
MATERIAL.
WE'LL ALSO INCLUDE A HANDY
"FAST FACTS" CARD ON THE
SEPARATION OF
CHURCH AND STATE,
FEATURING KEY POINTS
ON THIS ISSUE,
WHICH YOU CAN KEEP IN YOUR
BIBLE OR ON YOUR READING
TABLE.
SIMPLY WRITE TO US AT:
OR CALL TOLL FREE:
OR GO ONLINE AT:
SOME GENEROUS FRIENDS
OF OUR MINISTRY HAVE
ESTABLISHED THE $100,000
FREEDOM NOW CHALLENGE FUND
TO HELP US MEET OUR
FISCAL YEAR-END GOAL.
WHEN YOU GIVE RIGHT NOW
FOR OUR FISCAL YEAR END,
EACH DOLLAR WILL BE
MAGNIFIED IN IMPACT AS YOU
HELP US TO MEET
THIS CHALLENGE.
BUT WE MUST HEAR FROM YOU
BY MIDNIGHT ON JUNE 30TH,
SO DON'T DELAY!
SOME OF YOU CAN GIVE $50.
OTHERS CAN GIVE $100,
OR EVEN $500 OR MORE.
EVERY DOLLAR YOU GIVE WILL
HELP US FINISH OUR FISCAL
YEAR STRONG, READY TO FACE
THE MANY CHALLENGES OUR
NATION STILL
FACES THIS YEAR.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU
AS YOU JOIN US.
AND MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US
TODAY AND WE'LL SEE YOU
NEXT TIME.
TODAY'S PROGRAM IS
AVAILABLE ON DVD OR AUDIO
CD FOR YOUR GIFT TO THIS
MINISTRY OF ANY AMOUNT.
PLEASE CALL, WRITE, OR LOG
ONTO OUR WEB SITE TODAY.
NEXT WEEK ON
KENNEDY CLASSICS.
SO WE ARE ENGAGED IN A
GREAT SPIRITUAL WAR,
IT IS A WAR LITERALLY
FOR THE SOUL OF AMERICA.
WE REALLY NEED TO
UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS
AN ALL-OUT WAR AGAINST
FREEDOM OF RELIGION,
SPEECH, AND
CONSCIOUS IN AMERICA.
THAT'S NEXT WEEK
THIS HAS BEEN A
PRODUCTION OF
D. JAMES KENNEDY MINISTRIES
