God has also been said to be on the side that demolishes other people in His name sake. “God, help us do thy will” was part of the prayer said on both sides of the line in the Civil War. God reportedly has directed Islamic warriors to “Kill the Infidel.” The Israelites were convinced God wanted them to have the land of Canaan (Palestine). Pretty much when ever ambitious men decide to take land from another they evoke the will of God somehow to cleanse what they are about to do. How many Protestants died for blasphemy in the dark ages, 50 million or so?
The founding fathers were so concerned that the Church of England not become as powerful in the colonies as it was in England, they put the separation between church and state phrase into the Constitution. This basically said there couldn’t be an official religion for the country. It did not say one in high office couldn’t have a personal belief system just that he couldn’t elevate that religion to being the official one for his constituents.
Recently the governor of Georgia held prayer services off state grounds to pray for rain. This act has caused some serious concern in various circles. I don’t see the problem. He has that right as a citizen to pray to his God. The fact that he did so at a announced place and time is unfortunate, but still his right to do so. The time to get really concerned is the day a national Sunday law is passed where all citizens are required to worship on Sunday, that they will not be able to buy or sell on that day and people are urged to report any and all violations. That’s the kind of thing the founding fathers were greatly concerned about, not whether some governor of a drought plagued state offers up a prayer.
The fact that over an inch of rain fell the next day is beside the point.
By Lloyd H. Frye
Op-Ed Columnist
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