Originally posted by C4K:
Ray,
I would like to learn more. Can you document the thought that the founding fathers favoured an armed populace and a Christian govenment please?
Thomas Jefferson:"No man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselvs against tyranny in government."
Alexander Hamilton: "If the representatives of the people betray their constituents, there is no recourse left but in the exertion of that original right of self-defense which is paramount to all forms of positive government."
Tench Coxe: "Congress shall have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldieir, are the birth-right of an American. The unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people." (Note the contrast between militia and governments.)
Noah Webster: "The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword, because the whole body of the people are armed, and constiture a force superior to any band of regular troops."
George Washington: "Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence."
And, if you still have doubts about what was meant in the constitution by "militia". .George Mason: "Who are the militia? They consist of the whole people, except a few public officers."
Dear C4K:
This should make it clear that when the founding fathers referred to the militia they were talking about the armed citizens, not the government military. The purpose of the militia is to protect the citizens from the government.
Now, would that be possible today? I don't know. But that doesn't change the founding fathers' original intent. If we no longer like this idea and want to change it there is a process by which the Constitution can be amended. In the meantime, people should quit lying about the original intent.
The same is true for the First Amendment. The founding fathers intended for this to be a fully Christian nation. The "separation clause" was intended to simply prohibit a state religion, not to keep Christianity out of government. For a better treatment of the "myth" of the separation of church and state you could go to
www.wallbuilders.com