Prayer has played an important role in U.S. history

by Tony Phyrillas

And the secular left can't explain away the fact that the words "wall of separation" appear nowhere in the Constitution. There's no language in the Constitution that would lead anyone to conclude the United States was established as a secular nation.

Even the Declaration of Independence, which was written by Jefferson, makes references to God. The first paragraph refers to "the laws of Nature and of Nature’s God." The second paragraph refers to unalienable rights "endowed by their Creator." The Declaration ends with a reference to "the protection of Divine Providence."

The Founding Fathers were deeply religious men. They couldn't comprehend a nation where God played no role in the affairs of men, including helping guide the country's elected leadership. The concept of "secularism" was foreign to the Founding Fathers. These were men who believed the United States gained its independence in large measure because of the divine will of God. George Washington, who breathed life into the Constitution as the nation's first president, often mentioned God in carrying out his public duties.

Even the First Amendment, which the secular left often relies as its justification for suppression of religious displays and customs, clearly states that faith has a role to play in public life. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." That's the entire reference to religion in the Constitution.

Clearly Congress cannot establish a national religion. That doesn't mean religion cannot play a central role in how the nation is governed. The First Amendment gives us freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. The second half of the sentence — "or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" — means government has no authority to suppress the expression of religion as long as other laws are not being broken. Why do liberals insist on questioning the motives of the Founding Fathers?

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