Thank you for returning to Common Sense Civics and Citizenship and this newsletter. Today, we are looking at the third in a series of Neo-Communist goals described in the book “The Naked Communist” by W. Cleon Skousen in 1958. If you’ve been with us on this page for a while, you know Skousen is one of my favorite authors. I admire his love of country, civics, and communication. Let’s continue with goals #11 and #12 from Skousen’s list. (You can find the first two articles about Neo-Communist goals by going to civicsandcitizenship.org and looking under the subtitle “Articles.”)
Goal #11. “Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with “social” religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity, which does not need a “religious crutch.”
Has your son or daughter ever discredited your faith by calling it a “crutch?” I’ve been told that very thing by a loved one. My gut reaction is to say, “Don’t knock it ‘till you’ve tried it,” but that does little good. You and I cannot change people who truly believe in their own intellectual superiority. Our best defense is to listen with our hearts. What really is behind all of this? Listen carefully but stop fighting them. One day these loved ones may be open to God. Meanwhile, take heart in the fact that you now know where this idea of faith being a “crutch” originated. You also can understand why young people cling to many social movements with religious fervor.
Goal #12 “Eliminate prayer or any phrase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of “separation of church and state.”
Find where it says in either of our founding documents-The Declaration of Independence or the U.S. Constitution- the words “separation of church and state.” In all the years I’ve taught, no student has ever found that phrase in our founding documents. They may have seen it in private correspondence from Thomas Jefferson in his letter to the Danbury Baptists, but that is the equivalent of finding a phrase in an email, not a ratified document or even a founding document.
Furthermore, Jefferson’s original intent was to have no national church like they had in England. Our First Amendment says it well: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” We have no national established religion.
Saying a prayer in school does not establish a religion. Neither does a moment of silence. No one is forced to pray. Some time ago, I was in Europe during a moment of silence for a deceased prominent person. That moment was, like, 5 minutes long, and everyone came to a halt right where they were. There was no movement, no protests, and no arguments. The world simply stopped in that country at that time for remembrance: no religion, no prescription, just silent meditation. No church was established.
Goal #12 purports a separation of church and state where a Higher Power is only acknowledged in a church building, not in day-to-day life. Respect for others, moral values, and accountability for our one and only life is a daily practice and is foundational to a free society.
This is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship.🇺🇸
