Why I'm a Christian

Really, it all boils down to John 3:16;

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

There is almost NOTHING I would not do for my little boy. My mundane life revolves around him. The idea that God sent his son to the cross to pay for my sins and all the sins of mankind is staggering. I would undergo any torture for my son, but I wouldn’t submit him to a single hurt. So, for God to send Christ to take my place and offer me eternal life with him and his son… Well, I just don’t have the arrogance, the chutzpah, to say “Thanks, but no thanks.”

I can’t summon up the hubris to do anything other than thank him for this unimaginable sacrifice and revel in my blessings. It would be the epitome of ungratefulness to do otherwise.

If you acknowledge John 3:16, then you truly understand John a few verses later in 14:6 when he writes,

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”

Those two verses are the whole core of human life. God loves us. God sacrificed his Son for our sins. And if we accept that, we gain eternity with God. Everything else is window dressing.

In How Many Kings, Downhere sang:

How many kings, stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
How many Gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?
Only one did that for me

So, this Easter holiday, celebrate the most important event in the history of the world and acknowledge Jesus as your redeemer.

What's the Deal With Palm Sunday?

Jesus’ ministry has brought him to Jerusalem to reveal himself as The Messiah. The nation of Israel had been waiting for their savior to arrive and deliver them.

Zechariah 9:9 foretold, “...your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a

donkey.”

People came out from Jerusalem and laid palm fronds and tree branches and cloaks out on the road for Jesus, mounted on a donkey to ride across as he entered. Thus, Palm Sunday and the fulfillment of the prophecy.

The Jews of Jesus’ time expected a military leader who would end Roman rule and restore them to power. But the Pharisees and the Sadducees were blind to the very scripture they were supposed to be expert in. Jesus had been born in a manger. He rode into his city on a donkey. He was there to bring salvation by triumphing over sin, not by wielding a sword and conquering men.

Palm Sunday represents Jesus’ revelation as our savior by being the Lamb of God, not the sword of God. Later in Holy Week he would tell of his Second Coming, which will be the opposite. In Matthew 24:30, we read, “T 

That’s from the Olivet Discourse, which Jesus gave to his disciples on Thursday of Holy Week. It’s one of my favorite passages in the Bible and I’ll be posting a missive on it on…you guessed it, Thursday.

Jesus entered the world as a lamb: A sacrificial lamb, to be more precise. Though man and Satan thought that they triumphed over Jesus by crucifying him, Jesus showed them it was God’s victory by rising from the dead three days later. As Paul tells us in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Jesus has come as a lamb. Next time, he will come as a lion. Palm Sunday represents Jesus revealing himself as the Messiah of scripture, not human perception. While that is a glorious thing, it is also bittersweet, as the Jews’ failure to recognize their savior dooms them. As Jesus says in Luke 19:41-44:

^{41 “}As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it ⁴² and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. ⁴⁴ They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

'So do not fear, for I am with you'

Mouthbreathers United would be a more apt title

So, the protestors outside our church are finally starting to get some attention from the local media.

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/faith_and_values/2013/07/12/christian-activists-target-churches-not-in-the-fight.html

This group's signs got a lot less hostile and more cooperative about the same time that the press started paying attention to them. Coincidence or being disingenuous? That seems like a pretty easy pick.

I said from the start they were like a little dog, yapping around the paws of a big dog, wanting attention, like that Sylvester the cat cartoon with the little terrier and Spike the bulldog. And that's pretty much what they've said they're about.



They've cobbled together their own doctrine, rooted in the Old Testament (the Gospel need not apply), and attack anyone who dares disagree with them. That's a cult, not "Christian Activists."

Matthew 3:12 says, "His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Those who bastardize His message like these protesters are the chaff.

Or, as Duke Nukem used to say, "Let God sort 'em out."

They should change their name to "Mouthbreathers United."

Sean Byrne - My Son; Not a Choice

As I saw pictures of teens and college students cheering at the conclusion of yesterday's Texas Senate session, I felt compelled to write this:

When Mia was pregnant with Sean, one of the tests came back that indicated he was at risk for Down’s Syndrome. Obviously, this was a jarring report from the doctor. I grew up with a severely mentally retarded sister. She will never be more functional than a two year old: in many areas, she isn’t even that developed. So, I understood better than most prospective parents what having a Down’s Syndrome child could entail.

Some of the advice we received was supportive of Mia having an abortion. I can tell you, not for one millisecond did we consider that option! It wasn’t even an option. God had blessed us with a child to be raised. If it turned out that he needed extra love and care than a “normal” boy, then He had picked the right parents for the job.

Sean was born on December 22, 2007. Within two days, he was so jaundiced that he was rushed to the emergency room at Children’s Hospital. He went into the Nic-U and doctors told us that if his condition did not improve within 24 hours, they were going to have to remove all of his blood and recycle it back into his system. He wasn’t even a week old!

Sean recovered and is a healthy and happy five and a half year old boy. He is the greatest blessing in our lives.

Sean, you were NOT a "choice": you were and are my son and I love you.

Vineyard Columbus and Servant Leadership

Vineyard Columbus' vision statement is to "be a relevant church that does not exist for itself, but for Christ and for the world."

To celebrate its 25th anniversary, approximately 4,000 members worked all over Columbus in a massive community service project.

Today's society doesn't just ignore servant leadership, it denigrates it. This past Saturday, Vineyard practiced servant leadership. In addition to the "work projects", boxes of supplies for local schools and care packages for overseas military personnel were packed and distributed, as well as mats (made out of plastic grocery bags: you would never have known!) woven and provided to the homeless.
...

But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first - Matthew 19:30

The Gang of 8 - Heard of the Gospels?

Wow. I understand the needs the need for an immigration system. My wife came over from Indonesia after high school and is now, proudly, a US citizen. She jumped through the (expensive) hoops.

The Gang of 8 has quite a plan there. It's sad that both parties have no concept of a Biblical perspective on immigration.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
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We can look to Matthew 25 for Jesus' thoughts on social responsibility. Stunningly enough, he does not say we should take away health insurance from immigrants, get the homeless off of our downtown sidewalks and lock up and forget about our criminals. Boy, talk about out of touch with modern society...

³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

The same yesterday, today and forever

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever” – Hebrews 13:8

In ancient Greece, it was standard practice for unwanted babies to be left outside to die. Either the weather or wild animals killed them. Or, someone would take them and they would be raised as slaves. Those were the lucky ones!

It wasn’t just sickly babies. Unwanted babies of all types, including females, were simply discarded (men got to make the decision on this and girls weren’t desirable in those days). We look back on this horrific practice with disapproval. Really? Today, instead of waiting for them to be born, unwanted babies are simply ripped from their mother’s womb and discarded. It was the law in ancient Greece and we call it barbaric. It is the law in the US and the rest of the world and we call it a woman’s right to choose.

One reason Christianity grew so quickly was because women, not empowered in the ancient world, flocked to it. This was in large part because Christians said, “Don’t kill babies.” God says a life is important (‘thou shalt not kill’). Jesus says children are important (‘If anyone causes one of these little ones…to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.’)

Society says it’s okay to murder your unborn children, just as it did several thousand years ago. But the message of the Bible is the same yesterday, today and forever. I am still convinced that many people deny Christianity because at its root, it requires a person to acknowledge there is something greater: it’s not all about them. And today, more than ever, that is the exact opposite of our “Look at me!” culture.

The fact that society insists on framing the issue of abortion as being about a woman’s choice, rather than about the life of an unborn child…. Jesus’ words and the words of the Bible offer a foundation that is unchanging. Society and modern culture blow with the wind. And in today’s reality television world, society says, “It’s all about ME.” That’s not quite in line with Jesus’ proclamation that He came to serve, not be served.

Because millions of babies are being killed each year (in America, almost 3,500 abortions are performed EVERY DAY), abortion is the most visible (and shameful) example of this secular disregard of the message of the Bible: But there are many more. Jesus said to welcome strangers. Modern culture says to take away immigrants’ health benefits and deport them. Jesus said to help the poor and homeless. Modern culture says to ban them from downtown streets. Jesus says that blessed are the peacemakers. Modern culture says to avenge every affront made to you and more guns are the answer. Jesus said that the meek will inherit the earth. Modern culture measures success by wealth and how much you own.

Clearly, many Christians don’t read their Bible, don’t know their Bible and don’t live their Bible. The neo-Christians protesting outside of Vineyard Columbus Church (I won’t give them publicity by naming them here) are an example of the extreme fringe who miss entirely the meaning of the New Testament. More common are those who declare themselves Christians and simply leave it at that.

I believe that today, Jesus would speak out against abortion. I do NOT believe that he would stand outside an abortion clinic and insult women going in, or murder abortion doctors. Nor would he hold up giants sign with aborted fetuses where children could see them. 

But the message of Jesus and the Bible remains the same. And the Christians who do read, know and live the Bible, choose to believe in what the Bible tells them, instead of what society tells them. And their compass will always point true north. Society’s compass will constantly change direction and those who follow it will wander along the path.

Wanna Know How to Resist Temptation?

And Today, the Debt was Paid

On this day in 33 AD, God's plan for man's redemption reached it's final stage. Though one glorious act remained, He who was without sin died for our sins. Isaiah 53:4-6, foretold of the act of our salvation:

Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,  
stricken by him, and afflicted.
⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
⁶ We all, like sheep, have gone astray, 
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

When Jesus was crucified, the Pharisees and Saducees and Essenes and Romans thought that they had conquered over Christianity. Satan thought that he had triumphed over God. It looked like evil had won out over good. But on the third day, it was revealed to be the very opposite. 

Today, modern culture thinks it has triumphed over Christianity. But just as during those days in 33 AD, Jesus will come again in glory. And the Bible tells us that while He came as a lamb the first time, He will return as a lion this time.

I was a former Christian for a chunk of my life. And I realize now that the main reason was because I refused to accept it wasn't all about me. That I was second and there is something greater than me. That is a humbling realization. And it's Jesus' death on this date that is at the core of it. If you are not a believer in Jesus Christ, look deep inside and ask why. It's quite possibly the same reason I had. Easter Sunday is the perfect time to come to that realization and accept the undeserved gift God gave us through His Son. Then you can truly say, "I am Free."

Holy Thursday - The Agony in the Garden

The most well-known event of Holy Week's Thursday is the Last Supper.

But before that, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane and prayed to his Father. Jesus, he who could call down a heavenly host of angels, prayed in his greatest hour of trial. Jesus gave Christians a blue print for dealing with temptation. I was stunned to see how clear it was when I really dug into the verses.


If you've ever wished you could resist temptation better, it's right here:
http://solarpons.com/MissiveI_Temptation.pdf

And I recorded this as well. At least check out the first slide. It's The Family Guy! Stick with it and you'll get Seinfeld, Monty Python and Animal House, among others.

http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/FromOlivet-1048374-byrne-s-serms-temptation/

Actually, it's not in the Constitution




Making NO COMMENT WHATSOEVER on the same sex marriage issue before the Supreme Court right now:

I'm a Christian who believes in the Bible. And I've got a couple dozen books on the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and the Framers of the Constitution in my library. I happen to think that the US Constitution is the finest model of government that man has created. Every American citizen should read a book about that Convention in 1787 (or at least read the Constitution, which I suspect most people haven't bothered to to do). The two books pictured here are excellent. And 'miracle' in the title of this one refers to the unlikelihood of what the Framers accomplished. It's not a religious look at the Convention.

Moving on to the point of this post: The US Constitution does NOT establish the separation of church and state. Read the Establishment and the Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment. Heck, I'll type them for you:

Establishment Clause: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..."

Free Exercise Clause - "...or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."

There you have the actual words written into the Constitution. Separation of church and state is a phrase coined by Thomas Jefferson and used in his letters. The incorporation of that phrase into Constitutional Law has been made by the US SUPREME COURT.

When Congress declares a religion for the United States; or doesn't allow someone to practice their religion of choice, then the government will be violating the US Constitution regarding religion. This public perception that the Constitution establishes a wall between the government and religion is, quite simply, ignorance of the actual Constitution.



If you want to argue that it's the Supreme Court's responsibility to interpret the Constitution and that the Court has decreed that there shall be a separation of church and state, fire away.

But Americans have been misrepresenting and misinterpreting the Constitution up to this day, including saying that it establishes the separation of church and state. No, it does not. It's written right there on the page. Or rather; it's not.

Holy Tuesday - Jesus Tells of His Second Coming

To a Biblical Christian (by this, I mean someone who has accepted Christ as their savior and tries to live their life by the words of the Bible), this is the most important week of the year. Holy Week culminates with Easter Sunday; God's redemption of the promise of salvation.

I have been working on my fourth missive; this one about The Seven Woes. Jesus' unloaded on the hypocritical Pharisees and law clerks in the Temple on Tuesday of Holy Week. His words still ring true to Christians today. However, this one has been much more difficult than my first three.

Holy Tueday was an event-filled day. Along with the Seven Woes, Jesus uttered the famous, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" on Tuesday.

And he took his disciples up on the Mount of Olives and answered their question about the 'End of the Age.' I have a shelf full of books on prophecy: some I consider very good, some the work of quacks (Hal Lindsey, anyone?).

The link below goes to my Missive on Jesus' Olivet Discourse. If you have any interest in predictions regarding the end of the world or Jesus' second coming, here are his own words on the subject.

http://solarpons.com/Missive_Olivet.pdf

I have sketched out a part two involving Jesus' parables as part of the Discourse: maybe in 2014..

Happy Easter, friends.

The Greatest of These is Love

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

A (Thoughtful) Christian Perspective on the Election

If you watch science fiction shows like Star Trek and whatnot, you’ve probably run across the word “anomaly” a time or two. Basically, it means an odd or bizarre circumstance (hey; I’m not Merriam-Webster. It’s good enough).

I don’t know that we will see a more perfect example of an anomaly during our time than millions of Christians being disappointed that a Mormon was not elected President. I’m not sure you can fully appreciate the unlikelihood of that. In any election year other than 2012, several million Christians rallying behind a Mormon in a campaign against a professed Christian, would be Twilight Zone-ish.

Mormons are not Christians. The very root, the one, fundamental thing that makes a Christian a Christian, is the belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and, quoting John 14:6, Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Period. If you don’t believe that Jesus is the Son of God, you are not an actual Christian (I mean, look at the root of the word!). Barrack Obama has presented himself as a Christian since before his run in 2008. Unfortunately, his actions and don’t bear out his professed beliefs. At best, he’s a misguided Christian.

So, Christians found themselves choosing between a pseudo-Christian and a faux-Christian. And millions chose the one who, admittedly is not a Christian. I’m reasonably sure this is because, the ‘Christ as savior thing aside’ (talk about ignoring the elephant in the room!), Romney better reflected Biblical values than Obama did. So, many Christians voted for someone who is diametrically opposed to their most fundamental belief. I get it: I voted for him.



Hey: when else am I going to get to use
an Ace Frehley album cover? I like Kiss. Which  may
be an anomaly itself...

But you want an anomaly? THAT is an anomaly.

There seems to be much gnashing of teeth, wailing and beating of breast among Christians with Obama’s re-election as President. 

The separation of powers built into the US Constitution is the bell weather of democracy. I assert that the single greatest power of the Presidency is the ability to nominate Supreme Court justices. The Supreme Court has more influence on the morality and foundation of this county than any other entity.

It was the Supreme Court that instituted the separation of church and State (it is NOT in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights. Look it up). And it was the Court that allowed abortion (do you think the Founders built in the murder of unborn babies?). And it is the Court that decides the balance of power between the national and local governments. So, the most enduring impact of Obama’s re-election will be related to how many Justices he gets to nominate in the next four years.

To the Christians who are morose, distraught and feel crushed that their candidate (again, a Mormon..) didn’t get elected, you  need to turn to your Bible (which is pretty much ALWAYS the right option).

Romans 13:1 says, Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.

And in verse 4, The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good.

God’s plan, right now, is for Barrack Obama to be President. I don’t know why. I don’t know why it’s his plan for my son to have asthma. I don’t have to understand: I just have to accept and to believe.

Psalm 27:1 tells us, The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom I shall be afraid?

The President of the United States is the leader of this country. But he is not the leader of your life. And his relationship with God and the actions he takes are between him and God. But the Lord of your life is Jesus Christ. And events are proceeding according to God’s plan. Keep that in mind as we move on in the next four years.

Anger in Parenting

I read a daily devotional, Parenting by Design. Today's message, was related to anger. I think my temper with Sean is my biggest failure as a dad so far. It's certainly the most common.

"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.  - Ephesians 4:26-27

Anger is not always wrong, but what we do with our anger determines whether we are acting righteously or sinfully. We should be angered by acts of ungodliness, unrighteousness, injustice, and inequity. These things anger God as well.

But if you are angry because someone has disturbed your pride, self-sufficiency, status, prestige, or power, your reaction will likely be sinful. And sinful anger is often expressed in harshness, cruelty, bitterness, and a lack of control.

We must examine our hearts when our kids make us angry. If it is righteous anger, let it motivate you to take action and deliver consequences. Sin needs to be addressed, and we honor God by delivering those consequences with empathy and love. If it is sinful anger, pray for the courage to confess it, repent, and resolve it.

Examine your anger to determine the motives behind it.


That's one of the most insightful thought provoking devotionals I've read so far in the series (I'm on day 68 of 260. My anger with Sean is almost always sinfully based.

Christians: an excellent little reminder

In a little over five minutes, the video above relates one of the best messages I have heard in years.

I believe that perhaps the biggest reason Christians seem to be at war with Society is because they don't read the Bible regularly. We have concepts from the Bible, or snippets we remember or hear, and then 'humanize' it and twist the whole thing up. One example: a Christian who reads the Bible is opposed to abortion. No discussion. But just as plain, said Christian does not fire bomb abortion clinics or murder abortion doctors.

John 3:17 tells us: "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

As Casting Crowns sings in Jesus, Friend of Sinners:

Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
...
Nobody knows what we're for only what we're against when we judge the wounded
What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and loved like You did?

We Christians all too often are looking down our fingers. If you really read the Gospels, you get a view of Jesus that is greater than your view of Christianity. Because, for most of us, they are not the same thing.

Of course, there is much more to the Bible. But for me, the core of it is the actual story of Jesus and what he said and did. Christians would better live up to their name if they read the Bible more.

Not In America...

Tens of thousands of Christians gathering at a sports stadium on Saturday, September 28th, to pray. Wonderful. Hopefully it won't be beset by legal challenges and protests that would arise from such an event here.

"And as for this house, which is exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, "Why has the Lord done this to this land and this house. Then they will answer, 'Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt and embraced other gods, and worshiped them; and served them therefore He has brought all this calamity on them." - 2 Chronicles 7:21

"Then, if my people who are called by my  name will humble theselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from Heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. - 2 Chronicles 7:14

 ^"But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." - Joshua 24:15

9/11/01

President Obama said he was a Christian

I find this to be an interesting piece from President Obama from 2008:



Especially at the 1:07 point, when he talks about living out what it means to be a Christian. If you are a Christian, and you read the Bible, I cannot see any possible way you could come to the conclusion that today he sincerely believes what he said in 2008. It's easy to say that one is a Christian. I know quite a few people who say they are, but have really created their own personal religion. And they'll realize what they've done when it's too late.

It takes a genuine effort to actually live as a Christian and to follow what the Bible tells us. Obama is the only one who knows whether or not he has truly accepted Jesus as his savior. But words and actions can be seen by all, and the man is not living as a Christian follower of God.

I voted for Obama in 2008. I find it disheartening that just four years later, as a Biblical Christian, I view a Mormon as the best choice for President. To give Mitt Romney credit, he is honest about what he believes in. And his beliefs are a lot more rooted in the Bible than Obama's.

I have never said this before, but I miss Ronald Reagan. Change Russians to radical Islamists and try to picture President Obama making this speech: http://www.nationalcenter.org/ReaganEvilEmpire1983.html

Now, someone recently said that Obama couldn't live out his Christian beliefs as President because "that's why separation of church and state is in the Constitution." You know what, No, it's NOT. 'Separation of Church and State' is a phrase used by Thomas Jefferson in a letter he wrote. He was referring to the First Amendment as a tool to keep government from interfering with religious practice. It was the Supreme Court under Earl Warren that turned the phrase on its head so that the restriction would be on the citizens, not the government.

What the Constitution does have is:

The Establishment Clause - "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..."; which is immediately followed by

The Free Exercise Clause - "...or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."

Separation of church and state is a general term used to describe a concept. It is NOT a concept written in the Constitution. Go look up the first amendment. BTW, the founding fathers didn't even include those two clauses in the original Constitution. James Madison got them added in the Bill of Rights, passed AFTER the Constitution was ratified.

When Congress tries to pass a law establishing a national religion, then it will be violating the Constitution. Supreme Court decisions regarding church and state have been used by uninformed individuals to create their own version of the Constitution (just like the personal religions mentioned above). Those decisions are part of the law, but they are NOT a part of the Constitution. Just semantics? I don't think so.

In 2008, it served Obama's presidential aspirations to say that he was a Christian. In 2012, he believes it furthers his chances to take actions that fly in the face of the Bible. The pilgrims (who seem to be forgotten today) came to America to found a Christian nation. In 2012, we're a far cry from one.