Faithful Steward Ministries and FSM Women's Outreach

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Maybe it is just me, but more and more it seems that one side or the other is trying to twist or interpret the US Constitution to fit their agenda. We hear catch phrases like ‘it is a living, breathing document’ meant to be construed as the times change (Living Constitutionalism). I am of a differing opinion(Originalist). You too can study the abundant notes, letters, and other items of the Founding Fathers to understand their intent and recognize that the meaning in the Constitution and other documents of the time were intended to endure.¹

There was a time when these polar opposite views could live in peace with one another. Sadly, I think those times are of a bygone era. To be clear, I am not suggesting we are doomed to civil unrest, more like a lack of civility between those (especially the left) who have differing views. Are we too late to change this course down the slippery slope of disparagy? Maybe, I think for sure, we need to make Civics and US History mandatory in the classroom.

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ARTICLES

Constitution Day: If Its Light Goes Out, Darkness and Oppression Are Sure to Follow

Accurate American history comic books and the U.S. Constitution as a graphic novel

How to Respond to “Separation of Church and State”

The Visionaries Behind the Constitution: How the Founding Fathers Built a Nation

Happy Constitution Day: More Than a List of Rights

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From The Practical Guide to the United States Constitution… In the founders’ view, government exists for one reason only: to protect the natural rights of those who elect to be governed. That’s it. There’s a lot more going on behind the scenes than those few words might imply. For now, know that the founding of the United States was a novel and difficult thing.  Never before had a nation designed itself, from the ground up, under the guiding principles that man is born with inalienable, God-given, natural rights, that he can self-govern, and that he can voluntarily surrender certain individual rights to a government created solely to protect them.  The 40th President of the United States summed things up well… “We the people declared that the government is created by the people for their own convenience.” The interesting thing about freedom, at least in the context of the great American experiment, is that it requires submission to the government. But, if you were truly free, then how could you possibly be governed? You don’t have to read very far into the “Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America,” commonly known as the Declaration of Independence, to get a handle on how that apparent contradiction in terms works. Right near the beginning of the second paragraph, there’s an explanation. _ “…they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed….” It’s important to note that the Constitution grants nothing to people. It doesn’t, and can’t, grant rights because we, the people already own those free and clear. As the Declaration of Independence so eloquently states… “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 Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” This section of the Declaration of Independence sums up the whole philosophy of the Constitution. If all men are created equal, none can intrude on the rights and liberty of another. None can govern another unless it’s by force or via a voluntary arrangement.  So, the reason for the Constitution is to document the ground rules for a consent-based system of government.  It’s also important to note that the Constitution is just one part of the mix. There are three documents that, together, complete this grand idea of self-government by consent. Think of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights as three legs of a stool; all must remain in balance for the system to function as designed.,

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1. Founding Fathers’ Intent in Law ↩︎