I just finished watching a speech by President Ronald Reagan on
“Now, I realize it’s fashionable in some circles to believe that no one in government should order or encourage others to read the Bible. Encourage — I shouldn’t have said order. We’re told that will violate the constitutional separation of church and state established by the Founding Fathers in the first amendment.
Well, it might interest those critics to know that none other than the Father of our Country, George Washington, kissed the Bible at his inauguration. And he also said words to the effect that there could be no real morality in a society without religion.”
“So, when I hear the first amendment used as a reason to keep the traditional moral values away from policymaking, I’m shocked. The first amendment was not written to protect people and their laws from religious values; it was written to protect those values from government tyranny.
I’ve always believed that this blessed land was set apart in a special way, that some divine plan placed this great continent here between the two oceans to be found by people from every corner of the Earth — people who had a special love for freedom and the courage to uproot themselves, leave their homeland and friends to come to a strange land. And, when coming here, they created something new in all the history of mankind — a country where man is not beholden to government, government is beholden to man.
I happen to believe that one way to promote, indeed, to preserve those traditional values we share is by permitting our children to begin their days the same way the Members of the United States Congress do — with prayer. The public expression of our faith in God, through prayer, is fundamental — as a part of our American heritage and a privilege which should not be excluded from our schools.
No one must be forced or pressured to take part in any religious exercise. But neither should the freest country on Earth ever have permitted God to be expelled from the classroom. When the Supreme Court ruled that school prayer was unconstitutional almost 21 years ago, I believe it ruled wrong. And when a lower court recently stopped Lubbock, Texas, high school students from even holding voluntary prayer meetings on the campus before or after class, it ruled wrong, too.
Our only hope for tomorrow is in the faces of our children. And we know Jesus said, “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for such is the kingdom of God.” Well, last year we tried to pass an amendment that would allow communities to determine for themselves whether voluntary prayer should be permitted in their public schools. And we failed. But I want you to know something: I’m determined to bring that amendment back again and again and again and again, until — [applause] — — “
Click here to see the whole speech. I could quote a LOT more, because I like the whole speech. I don’t remember seeing or hearing this before. Let’s see, on January 31, 1983, I was a soon to be 20 year old. If I did see or hear it, did I appreciate it? No, I’m sure I wouldn’t have.
Click here for the site where you can find and search all his speeches.