I quote one part of that here: “Of all the habits that lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would men claim the tributes of patriotism who would work to destroy these great pillars of human happiness.”

Here in Maine, we might appeal to a somewhat later, but more local acknowledgement of the same principles. Maine Governor Joshua Chamberlain, in an official proclamation, called upon the people of Maine to recognize “our utter need of His saving power in Christ”, and to “humble ourselves before God, as to be spared the chastisement which our sins deserve, and obtain the blessings of His grace upon ourselves, our country, and our fellow men”. Both of these men are icons of American history and their writings are a reliable source of the traditional mindset of our state and nation. It does not take a genius to note the importance of religion and morality to the good of our society.

One immediate conclusion we can draw from the above quotations is that the “new religious right” is not new at all. The foundational thinking of our society and government was built upon assumptions of morality and religion. That does not mean we are, or should be a theocracy. Nor does it mean that government should promote one denomination over another. But it does mean that we have long held to a standard of faith and morality to guide us. Those who want us to follow another standard have the burden of proving the need to abandon our established traditions. read more >>>