Constitutionalists !! -- Here's Your Big Chance To Educate Us All !! -- What Do You Make Of This Quote ?

Question

"Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other." -- John Adams

And while you ponder , please enjoy a little musical interlude .

What I Am - Edie Brickell & New Bohemians

I'm not aware of too many things
I know what I know if you know what I mean

Philosophy is the talk on a cereal box
Religion is the smile on a dog

I'm not aware of too many things
I know what I know if you know what I mean

Choke me in the shallow water
Before I get too deep

What I am is what I am are you what you are or what?

I'm not aware of too many things
I know what I know if you know what I mean

Philosophy is a walk on slippery rocks
Religion is a light in the fog

I'm not aware of too many things
I know what I know if you know what I mean

Choke me in the shallow water
Before I get to deep

What I am is what I am are you what you are or what?

Don't let me get too deep
Don't let me get too deep...

Answer 1

Our Constitution is about protecting individual freedom and liberty. However, Adams recognized that immoral people with freedom will do immoral things, leading to the collapse of society (see ancient Rome, and our current culture). The only way a society based on freedom can endure is if that society is a moral society, meaning people will use their freedom for the good of society instead of hurting it.

"Brothers, you are called to be free. But do not use your freedom for the pursuits of the flesh, but to serve one another in love." Galatians: 5:13.

Answer 2

That is true, the phrase "separation of church and state" does not actually appear anywhere in the Constitution. There is a problem, however, in that some people draw incorrect conclusions from this fact. The absence of this phrase does not mean that it is an invalid concept or that it cannot be used as a legal or judicial principle.

There are any number of important legal concepts which do not appear in the Constitution with the exact phrasing people tend to use. For example, nowhere in the Constitution will you find words like "right to privacy" or even "right to a fair trial." Does this mean that no American citizen has a right to privacy or a fair trial? Does this mean that no judge should ever invoke these rights when reaching a decision?

Similarly, courts have found that the principle of a "religious liberty" exists behind in the First Amendment, even if those words are not actually there:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...

Can anyone deny that the First Amendment guarantees the principle of religious liberty, even though those words do not appear there? Similarly, the First Amendment guarantees the principle of the separation of church and state - by implication, because separating church and state is what allows religious liberty to exist.

Answer 3

Lilyput and Freedom for all covered most of it. We as citizens have a right to change things that need changing. Basic freedoms were covered in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Ammendments have been made as needed to go along with societal changes. When ammendments are proposed that try to change our basic freedoms I start getting very upset.
Our forefathers did a good job when they put down on paper their plan to run our government. They put in checks and balances that keep everyone honest. We as citizens have a right to elect officials who we think best embody our ideals. Because of the fact that we are not lawyers, we are not statesmen, and we are not all educated, we have people who are leading our nation. The President is actually only part of the process. That is what the Constitution tells us all. The Bill of Rights tell us what our rights as citizens of the nation are and I hope those rights never change.
If you talk to lawyers they will explain that the Constitution is a living document that changes with new ammendments. The people of our nation sometimes forget what we came from and why we drafted the Constitution in the first place.

Freedom from tyranny. It has taken years for us as a people to actually follow all of our Bill of Rights.

Religious freedom is for all religions. NOT JUST CHRISTIANS.
Pagans, Jews, Every Christian Religious Sect, Wiccan, Druids ...etc.

We did not always follow that all men were created equal either.
We are learning and changing daily and hopefully we catch up with the changing times.

As a constitutionalist I could not hope for a better outcome than our Bill of Rights for every Nation in the World.

Answer 4

The think about Madison's quote, it's a huge concept, one that needs to be addressed. The Founders believed that we have Rights given by God, or to be politically correct, an external, supernatural being which is above and beyond mankind.
Now with that external source set. These rights cannot be taken away by government. This is the sole reason, "We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights..." was put into the Declaration of Independence, The Founding Document for the United States. The theories and principles espoused within that document set the backdrop for the Constitution. You cannot have one without the other.

God creates Man creates Government

Without an understanding, belief, superstition that there is a God, excuse me an external, supernatural being which is above and beyond mankind who endowed us with these inalienable rights, then there can only be one source for these rights: the government that be.

What is government outside of legitimized force?
"Government is not reason. It is not eloquence. It is force. Like fire it is an dangerous servant, and a fearful master."-George Washington

Without the external source for our Rights, they can no longer be considered inalienable. They can only be considered "man-made." Nothing made by man is permanent. Without the concept of God behind... oops sorry, the concept of an external, supernatural being which is above and beyond mankind, behind the Constitution's limiting Government to protect our Rights, the Constitution would truly become "just a g*d-d*****d peice of paper."

Answer 5

I would have to disagree with the quote. First of all, since it's directed towards constitutionalists, that would mean we strictly interpret the constitution, so one man's quote pertaining to it has no merit. It is merely his opinion. Second, I admire our constitution and fail to see why it is inadequate for any people of the world. In fact, we pioneered many of the ideas in it which were subsequently copied by other countries, some of whom are more or less religious than we are.

Answer 6

Another example that the founding fathers concept of separation of Church and State meant that no Church would be established as the US church as in England with the Anglican Church, but the foundation of the government and Constitution was on Judeo-Christian values.

Answer 7

I would think by moral he meant more than private behavior and how we conduct our sex lives which is what the public discussion of morality centers around today. Religion use to place more emphasis on social responsibility, and peoples relationships with each other.

Answer 8

My thought is that this is why we have so many problems today. We, as a country, no longer have morals or a strong faith base. It's extremely heartbreaking.

Love the song, btw!

Answer 9

I already know I'm going to get alot of thumbs down for this but here goes.........

My sister and I when we were younger, in our teens, decided that Catholicism was wrong. Our family is a staunchly Catholic family.

We came up with our own little ditty changing the words of the song "Take this job and shove it". Remember that song?

Take your God and shove it it's not working here no more.
The country's turned left and took all the reasons you've been working towards.
You better not try to stand in our way cause we're headed for the door.
Take your God and shove it it's not working here no more!

Yeah pretty sarcastic but that's how we felt at the time. Considering the fact that at least we came to our own conclusions from inside the religion I think we are entitled to them. This wasn't something we just decided from the outside looking in!

To get back to your original question I think many people forget that there were also many pagans that were involved with establishing this country, not just Christians.

America isn't just made up of believers. Then or now.

Answer 10

I would say the exact thing as Freedom for All but that would be unnecessary duplication. Just for the fun of it, read his again...