Avalon Chronicles #61: "Religion and Morality"

Avalon Chronicles #61: "Religion and Morality"

by Allen B. Clark                  allenbclark@aol.com

www.combatfaith.com          www.combatfaith.blogspot.com

     There are incredible gems of wisdom, patriotism, good government, and all matters of personal and public conduct in George Washington's Farewell Address.
     Actually he began writing this valedictory letter to the American people to be delivered after what he had planned to be only one term in office, but he decided to run for a second term as president due to the "...rancor between his Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton (later killed in a duel by Aaron Burr) and his Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson..." (Wikipedia) which reflected significant political disunity in the new country between the two new parties recently formed (Federalist and Republican). So what is else is new 220 years later? He believed his leadership was needed to keep America on a strong course. He put the letter aside until his second term was at its end and he declined a third term. He was completing 20 years of service to the new country.
     The Wikipedia page on the Address (accessed June 21, 2016) has this to say: "One of the most referenced parts of Washington's letter was his strong support of the importance of religion and morality in not only promoting private and public happiness, but also in promoting the public prosperity of the nation. He argues that religious principles promote the protection of property, reputation, and life that are the foundations of justice. Washington goes so far as to say that the nation's morality cannot be maintained without religion and, since morality is necessary in popularly elected governments, religious principle is vital in maintaining the popularly elected government of the United States. He writes."
     
      "Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked: Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."

     Amendment 1 to the Constitution states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;..." This amendment to the Bill of Rights was ratified (with the other nine) on December 15, 1791. A major reason for this amendment was so that no denomination or specific faith would be favored as had been the case for the Church of England's influence in the colonies. It did not abolish religion per se nor its freedom to be exercised by any means. It definitely did not preclude the free expression of morality so lacking then and especially as I view the landscape of our land today. My honor code at West Point was that a cadet would not lie, cheat, nor steal, nor tolerate those who did. This surely would be an appropriate practical application of Washington's passage above for private and public lives.