I am amazed to be thinking this, but there is a time for civil disobedience. Christ demonstrated it with the clearing of the money changers from the temple. We must never let laws of any sort tell us how we must worship. Churches need to be united rather than fragmented such that their voice may be heard. There is such power in unity. We must never let the threat to take away tax free status to reduce the ability for our freedom to express ourselves. The "left" expresses its self prolifically in the media. Let us not pale to the threats that will continue against Christianity. It is "with" God that we have any hope at all.

Mr. Colson,

I do understand what you are saying and I agree wholeheartedly. I read your commentaries on an almost daily basis and save the majority of them to my computer for future reference.

I write for The Cypress Times (www.thecypresstimes.com) and understand the importance of words and the way their sometimes subtle nuances can be exploited by those wishing to conceal their truth intent. As you have shown, the expressions "Freedom of religion" and "Freedom of worship" are an excellent example of this.

But what I find most disturbing about this exploitation is that it is not coming from an individual or corporation or even a well-organized ideological movement, but from the federal government. It is disturbing because the State, by it's deceptive use of language, is attempting to enthrone itself as God.

I wrote an article called "The Spirit Behind Hate Crimes Laws" (http://www.thecypresstimes.com/article/Columnists/Terry_L_Brown/CHRISTIAN_PERSECUTION_AND_THE_HOMOSEXUAL_AGENDA/26077) that details an example of this.

The State is attempting to get us to break the first commandment: "You shall have no other gods before me" (Ex. 20:3 ESV), the foundation upon which all other commandments rest, by the use of stealth language. And once we give the State the authority to define our rights it has in essence become God.

I submitted a Forum Article to my local newspaper this week; if it is accepted it will appear in this coming Saturday's edition of The Rapid City Journal:

In a recent letter to the editor, Ms. Meric of California accuses Pastor Williams of “boasting of openly defying our Constitutional separation of church and state.”

Excuse me?

The separation metaphor is not written in our Constitution nor in any of our founding documents! It is found in a letter written by Thomas Jefferson, although it has been lifted out of context and given meaning he never intended.

In 1801 the Danbury Baptist Association wrote to newly elected President Jefferson, expressing their pleasure at his election, but also their concern that the First Amendment was not specific enough to provide adequate protection for religious freedom. The separation metaphor appears in his kind reply, but one must include the context to assess his meaning.

Jefferson addressed their concern by clarifying the Founder’s intention, writing, “Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights.” Don’t miss the point here – his assurance was that religious rights were considered “natural rights”, and therefore among those inalienable rights that can neither be granted nor retracted by the government.

In his book Original Intent, David Barton supplies multiple original quotations, making it quite clear that the framers of the First Amendment intended only to prevent the Federal establishment of a national denomination, thus preserving religious freedom. In the written records documenting the months of debate surrounding the First Amendment, the “separation of Church and State” is not mentioned once by any of the 90 Founders who framed it. The First Amendment is designed to limit the government, not the people!

Of course with rights comes responsibility. We must keep in mind that the Court has rightly identified certain acts perpetuated in the name of religion, such as human sacrifice, polygamy, etc. in which the State does have authority to act. It is “overt acts against peace and good order” that government may legitimately prohibit, not traditional religious expression such as public prayer.

So how did we come by the current situation, in which states, communities, churches, and individuals are denied free exercise? During the first 150 years of the Court’s existence, the separation metaphor was practically unheard of. It wasn’t until 1947 that the Supreme Court invoked it in Everson v. Board of Education, lifting it out of context and abrogating the First Amendment’s guarantee of the free exercise of religion, such that the Court now prohibits the very thing the Founders intended to protect.

In recent decades, the courts have cited the separation phrase more frequently than the First Amendment itself. In a 1989 ruling, Justice Kennedy described the Court as “a national theology board”, and in 1985 Justice Rehnquist wrote that “’the wall of separation between Church and State’ is a metaphor based on bad history – a metaphor which has proved as a useless guide to judging. It should be frankly and explicitly abandoned.”

Allowing religious expression is not the same as respecting an establishment of religion, and free exercise guarantees not just a freedom of belief, but also of action based on those beliefs. Citizens should not be afraid to boldly exercise their First Amendment rights and resist judicial tyranny.

I don't think I would have noticed the difference freedom of religion and freedom to worship if you had not pointed it out. I'm sending your "Two Minute Warning" video to the participants of several Bible Study Groups in our area that I attend.
I've been getting "BreakPoint" for many years and "ViewPoint" when it became available. I didn't know what "Christian World View" was when you first started mentioning it on "BreakPoint". I was so glad to find out that I had a "Christian World View" even if I didn't know what the term meant.
Thank you for your ministry.
Joe

Dear Chuck,
First I want to thank you for your diligence in keep us informed regarding current events in the light of a Biblical Worldview.

We have been involved in Worldview Weekend for several years and are engaging our culture right where we live.

Upon reading BP on the government’s initiative to change the wording from freedom of religion to freedom of worship I immediately sent out the article to my distribution list and emailed my pastor and church staff with the link. I expressed my concern that we are going to lose the opportunity to speak out if don’t speak out NOW.

Glenn Beck has been doing a great job reminding us of the impact of George Whitefield and the Black Robe Brigade. He recently had several pastors speak to the issues of our times. I have recorded this and am sending it out for others to listen to. We consider you one of the current members of the Black Robe Brigade.

May the Lord watch over you and keep you in fight. We need your insights.

Mike & Cheryl Ryan :)

Discerning believers recognize the coordinated efforts this administration is making to remove all Christian influences in America and the world. Thanks to Chuck for speaking out, providing resources such as "Framing Your Worldview" and other material. Thanks also for encouraging the church to stand strong and speak out, even when it's an unpopular stand. John Adams said, "duty is ours, results are God's."

Thank you so much for all you do. You have been an inspiration ever since I heard you on the radio several years ago.
I have been a pastor for only one year but I have used your books and commentaries often in our weekly Bible studies. I pray that God will give you health to continue the courageous fight for the soul of our nation. I too have been somewhat frustrated at the lack of response from Christians in the face of repeated attacks on our religious freedoms. In my mind there are only a few explanations that make sense: #1 Many feel powerless and just don't know what to do. #2 Many are too caught up with the pleasures of this world to step out. #3 Many are to fearful to move because they fear persecution. #4 Many believe politics is too dirty to get involved in. #5 The body is so divided that many won't even listen to you because you are not a member of their denomination.#6 Way too many are sleeping and don't have a clue what is really going on.
Now, what can we do? I think it is going to take some sort of painful persecution to wake the majority of Christians up. I hope I am wrong.

The bible tells us that these things will come to pass, and surely these times are in the making and will be upon us . We must be prepared to stand firm in our right to worship anywhere we so chose, be it in the privacy of your home , or at your choice of place of worship , in your car , or be it in the town square. My son was at a resturant and when their meal was brought to them , he preceded to bow his head and lead his family in a blessing over their meal, granted theyre was stares, but theyre was also another family the watched then bowed theyre head and blessed their meal, and then theyre was several families that blessed theyre meal . While theyre was some who you could tell obviously were quite perturbed and down right angry, the christians took theyre stand and did what they knew was theyre right, what i guess im trying to say is if we stand together as christians and in the works for our heavenly father all things are possible, mountains will crumble, and the victory is ours. See they might can tell us where we can pray and when we cant, but they cant break whats in our hearts, and people our heavenly father knows whats there. And if we as christians stand together and fight for this right, we will not not loose the battle , because even when the trails fall upon from the book of revelation . We may loose the earthly fight of life here on earth for not taking the mark but we gain everlasting life with our heavenly father and how i ask can that be considered a loss? So in closing all fellow christians unite , be strong , we already know how this story ends ! God Bless you all : )

Chuck I know this is a little late,but here goes anyway. Yes, we are listening, I frequent your site on a daily basis and receive "Viewpoint" daily. I have read two of your books and use a lot of your material and STR's material. I have just started teaching a weelend group at my church and you can be sure that what i have learned from you will be taught. please don't be like Elijah who thought he was the only one left. Their are many of us and we will not be silent.