[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 185 (Friday, December 18, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H10700-H10703]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
OUR JUDEO-CHRISTIAN HERITAGE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 6, 2015, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert) is recognized
for the remainder of the hour as the designee of the majority leader.
Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, this will be the last session before we
enter Christmas. And, Mr. Speaker, I have noted from a couple of
articles that have been in the news this week, this one from December
17, a story from Minnesota, the title: ``Parents Question Choice to
Sing `Allahu Akbar' at Holiday Concert.''
It is intriguing that, in an age when groups are attacking our Judeo-
Christian heritage, trying to rewrite our history, trying to prevent
any mention of our Christian heritage--I am looking at the full face of
Moses directly above me in front of me because we have, in this
Chamber, profiles of people who were considered to be the greatest
lawgivers of all time. And until recent years, Moses was considered the
greatest lawgiver of all time. The Founders believed that.
The Supreme Court now has relegated Moses to the ash heap of history.
His revelation that he said came from God, that a man shall leave his
father and mother, a woman leave their home, the two shall become one
flesh. Jesus doubled down on that. He said not only is that what
marriage is, what God joined together, let nobody pull apart.
So we have relegated Moses to the ash heap. We have had the Supreme
Court, for years now, saying, first, you can't have prayer in public,
even though the Founders started each day of the Continental Congress
with prayer; and although the Constitutional Convention didn't start
each day with prayer, when they hit a brick wall and could go no
further, Benjamin Franklin made his powerful speech about how they had
begun each day with prayer, as he said, his exact words: ``In the
beginning contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger,
we had daily prayer in this room. Our prayers, sir, were heard and they
were graciously answered.''
He went on to say: ``If a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without
His notice, is it probable an empire could rise without His aid? We
have been assured, sir, in the sacred writing, that `except the Lord
build the house, they labor in vain that build it.' ''
He said: I also firmly believe that without His--God's--concurring
aid, we will succeed in our political building no better, than the
Builders of Babel: We will be confounded by our local partial interests
and we, ourselves, shall be bye words through time.
So I know our heritage. They didn't have money to pay for a chaplain
that they could all agree on to do the prayer every day. He pointed out
in the debate that we agreed on a chaplain. We didn't agree on any
specific person here to do the prayer for all the different
denominations. But we don't have a treasurer. We don't have money. We
can't hire a chaplain.
And that is when Randolph made his motion. Okay, basically, they had
hit a brick wall. They were making no progress. As Franklin had said,
we have more noes than ayes on virtually every vote.
So he moved that they recess--here it was the end of June--they
recess and reconvene to celebrate the country's birthday in early July,
and worship together. So they did. That one passed. They reconvened to
worship God at the Reformed Calvinistic Church there in Philadelphia.
You can go online, Mr. Speaker, and find what is reported to be the
prayer that he gave. It had a powerful influence. And when they
reconvened, there was a new spirit. They were able to come together and
end up arriving at the Great Compromise.
Founder after Founder, including Washington himself, pointed out that
clearly God's hand was upon them in the preparation of the
Constitution, and then, ultimately, resulting in the Bill of Rights.
{time} 1030
The first right within the Bill of Rights was basically to make clear
that government would never interfere with religion.
Basically, we have come to a place after all these years where the
United States Supreme Court has said not only can you not have the
Judeo-Christian God as part of any government--the same God that the
Founders were giving credit to and praying to--but now this year the
Supreme Court took the ultimate step of saying: Forget Moses. Forget
Jesus. We are the new God and here is what we pronounce in place of
Moses and Jesus and our founding principles. So this is a big year.
I know the President says we are not a Christian nation, and I won't
argue that point with him. I won't debate him. I think he is right. I
know where we started, and I know every time, according to my staff, I
mention God here where--in this Capitol, God's name has been invoked
from the very beginning of this Capitol and before this Capitol and
when it was in Philadelphia and when the first Congress was sworn in
and President George Washington was sworn in at Federal Hall in New
York City. It was his idea to bring his Bible and put his hand on the
Bible, his idea to add the words ``so help me God.''
It was all their idea that the first thing they would do as a
Congress together, after being sworn in, was to walk down, basically,
Wall Street to St. Paul's Chapel there in New York and dedicate this
country there in 1789 to God Almighty.
I won't debate the President saying we are not a Christian nation,
but the Bible has been quoted over our history in this Chamber more
than any other book as a reason for or against legislation passing. It
is a part of our heritage, to a much lesser extent in more recent
years, as the Supreme Court--at least the five majority in the Supreme
Court becoming our God instead of the God that was acknowledged by Ben
Franklin, George Washington, basically every President.
Mr. Speaker, we have a job to represent our constituents. We have an
oath to the Constitution. I know we take that seriously. Part of our
job in representing our constituents is to educate people on the issues
and what has been important and what has been our strength, what has
been our weaknesses. If you don't know our history, then, as the saying
goes, those who refuse to learn from history are destined to repeat it.
It is important to know history.
It is important to note the official words of the United States'
highest magistrate, our President. Jefferson was asked once as he rode
his horse
[[Page H10701]]
down Pennsylvania Avenue on a Sunday morning--he had a big Bible in his
hand, it was reported. I have had this verified by the Congressional
Research Service.
When Jefferson was President for those 8 years, when he was in
Washington, not only did he condone the church service, the largest
Christian church service in Washington that occurred just down the
hall, but he participated. He would even have the Marine Band come and
play the hymns on many occasions for the Christian church service.
As he rode down this one occasion, he was asked, ``Mr. President,
where are you going?''
He said, ``I am going to church up in the Capitol.''
The statement was made, ``Mr. President, you don't believe everything
they do.''
Because he had questions about some of the miracles reported in the
Bible.
But it was reported that his response was, ``Sir, I am the highest
elected magistrate in this country. It is imperative that I set the
proper example.''
Now, I asked the Congressional Research Service is it true what has
been attributed to the person people claim to be the father of the
Constitution, James Madison, that when he was President for his 8
years, that he also condoned and participated in church services just
down the hall here every Sunday he was in Washington?
The Congressional Research Service, a bipartisan, nonpartisan
service, reported, yes, but he was different from Jefferson. Jefferson
normally rode a horse down Pennsylvania Avenue whereas Madison would
normally come to church up here in the Capitol in a coach drawn by
horses rather than on horseback.
So, Mr. Speaker, as we take the traditional Christmas recess, no
matter what your religious preference is or no preference at all, it is
a fact this is a Christmas recess.
Although this was not a statement at Christmastime, the commander of
our military in 1778, George Washington, made this order as commander
of our military. Some say this is really the reason God blessed their
efforts, is because of their commitment and dedication. This is an
order of George Washington to the troops at Valley Forge. This is
George Washington's order, Mr. Speaker. I will read it verbatim:
The Commander in Chief directs that divine service be
performed every Sunday at eleven o'clock in each brigade
which has chaplains. Those brigades which have none will
attend the places of worship nearest to them. It is expected
that officers of all ranks will, by their attendance, set an
example for their men. While we are zealously performing the
duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not
to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the
distinguished character of patriot, it should be our highest
glory to laud the more distinguished character of Christian.
Those are George Washington's words as commander of our military.
Well, John Adams, without whom it is unlikely we would have arrived
at the place we did with the Declaration--he is the one that directed
Thomas Jefferson to do the first draft of the Declaration of
Independence. He was critical in holding things together. Even though
he only won one term as President, he was Vice President for two terms.
He was very important in arriving at our Constitution.
John Adams on October 11, 1798, said this to the First Brigade, Third
Division, of Militia of Massachusetts:
We have no government armed with power capable of
contending with human passions, unbridled by morality and
religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry would
break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes
through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and
religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government
of any other.
This is from a Founder that knew how the Constitution was forged,
made a difference in our country's beginning. He says our Constitution
is not fit as a governing document for any but a moral and religious
people. So over the years we have been taken down the road away from
being a moral and religious people.
Franklin Roosevelt started many social programs. He made a lot of
decisions, I think, that were dramatic mistakes. The man deserves
credit for leading this Nation through a time of war, mistakes being
made.
He got us through a war and helped with Winston Churchill and other
leaders to keep freedom alive so that it would be present in our
lifetime, even as we see our freedoms being taken by government the
further we go along.
Exactly 2 weeks after the surprise attack at Pearl Harbor on December
7, 1941, a day he said in this very Chamber from right up here at this
level--he had a marble podium and not this wooden one--but he said
that was a day that would live in infamy.
Exactly 2 weeks later, December 21, 1941, this was Franklin
Roosevelt's message to our Nation:
Sincere and faithful men and women are asking themselves
this Christmas: How can we light our trees? How can we give
our gifts? How can we meet and worship with love and with
uplifted spirit and heart in a world at war, a world of
fighting and suffering, and death? How can we pause even for
a day, even for Christmas day, in our urgent labor of arming
a decent humanity against the enemies which beset it?
Parenthetically, Mr. Speaker, he didn't mean holiday. He meant what
he said, Christmas day.
Roosevelt goes on:
How can we, as men and women, put the world aside in
peaceful years to rejoice in the birth of Christ? Looking
into the days to come, I have set aside a day of prayer and
in that proclamation I have said: The year 1941 has brought
upon our Nation a war of aggression by powers dominated by
arrogant rulers whose selfish purpose is to destroy free
institutions. They would thereby take from the freedom-loving
peoples of the Earth the hard-won liberties gained over many
centuries. The new year of 1942 calls for the courage. Our
strength, as the strength of all men everywhere, is of
greater avail as God upholds us. Therefore, I do hereby
appoint the first day of the year 1942 as a day of prayer, of
asking forgiveness for our shortcomings of the past, of
consecrations to the task of the present and of asking God's
help in days to come. We need His guidance that this people
may be humble in spirit, but strong in the conviction of the
right, steadfast to endure sacrifice, and brave to achieve a
victory of liberty and peace.
Franklin Roosevelt says our strongest weapon in this war is that
conviction of the dignity and brotherhood of man which Christmas day
signifies against enemies who preach the principles of hate and
practice them. We set our fate in human love and in God's care for us
in all men everywhere.
A year later, on Christmas Eve, Franklin Roosevelt said:
To you who serve in uniform, I also send a message of cheer
that you are in the thoughts of your families and friends at
home and that Christmas prayers follow you wherever you may
be. To all Americans, I say that loving our neighbor as we
love ourselves is not enough, that we, as a Nation and as
individuals, will please God best by showing regard for the
laws of God. There is no better way of fostering goodwill
toward men than by first fostering goodwill toward God.
{time} 1045
Then Franklin Roosevelt basically takes a quote from John 14:15 in
saying:
``If we love Him, we will keep His Commandments.
``In sending Christmas greetings to the Armed Forces and merchant
sailors of the United Nations, we include therein our pride in their
bravery on the fighting fronts and on all the seas.
``It is significant that tomorrow--Christmas Day--our plants and
factories will be stilled. This is not true of the other holidays we
have long been accustomed to celebrate. On all other holidays work goes
on--gladly--for the winning of the war. So Christmas becomes the only
holiday in all the year.
``I like to think that this is so because Christmas is a holy day.
May all it stands for live and grow throughout the years.''
Well, Mr. Speaker, 5 years later exactly, Harry Truman nationally
broadcast this address at the lighting of the National--not holiday
tree but Christmas Tree--on the White House lawn. Again, Mr. Speaker,
just as those who failed to learn from the mistakes of history are
destined to repeat them, we can avoid the mistakes by looking at what
strengthened America and what caused God to bless America.
We won a war against evil fascism that is raising its head yet again.
Just as Hitler colluded with radical Islam, agreed with some of his
fascist ideas against Jews, against Christians, there is so much
ignorance. Some people try to say Hitler was a Christian. It is the
farthest thing from it.
These are Harry Truman's words, December 1947 on Christmas Eve:
``My fellow countrymen: We are met on the South Lawn of the White
House.
[[Page H10702]]
Above the barren treetops rises the towering shaft of the Washington
Monument. The scene is peaceful and tranquil. The shadows deepen, and
the holy night falls gently over the National Capital, as we gather
around our Christmas tree.
``Down the ages, from the first Christmas through all the years of 19
centuries, mankind, in its weary pilgrimage through a changing world,
has been cheered and strengthened by the message of Christmas.
``The angels sang for joy at the first Christmas in a faraway
Bethlehem. Their song has echoed through the corridors of time and will
continue to sustain the heart of man through eternity.
``Let us not forget that the first Christmas was a homeless one. A
humble man and woman had gone up from Galilee, out of the city of
Nazareth, to Bethlehem. There is a sense of desolation in St. Luke's
brief chronicle that Mary `brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped Him
in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger because there was no
room for them in the inn.'
``For many of our brethren in Europe and Asia, this too will be a
homeless Christmas. There can be little happiness for those who will
keep another Christmas in poverty and exile and in separation from
their loved ones.
``As we prepare to celebrate our Christmas this year in a land of
plenty, we would be heartless, indeed, if we were indifferent to the
plight of less fortunate peoples overseas.
``We must not forget that our Revolutionary fathers also knew a
Christmas of suffering and desolation. Washington wrote from Valley
Forge 2 days before Christmas in 1777: `We have this day no less than
2,873 men in camp unfit for duty because they are barefooted and
otherwise naked.'
``We can be thankful that our people have risen today, as did our
forefathers in Washington's time, to our obligation and our
opportunity.
``At this point in the world's history, the words of St. Paul have
greater significance than ever before. He said, `And now abideth faith,
hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.'
``Let us then put our trust in the unerring star which guided the
Wise Men to the manger of Bethlehem. Let us hearken again to the angel
choir singing, `Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace,
goodwill toward men.'
``With hope for the future and with faith in God, I wish all my
countrymen a very Merry Christmas.''
A year later, Harry Truman, as President of the United States,
officially said:
``For of all the days of the year, Christmas is the family day.
Christmas began that way.
``The moving event of the first Christmas was the bringing forth of
the first born in the stable in Bethlehem. There began, in humble
surroundings, the home life of the Holy Family, glorified in song and
story and in the hearts of men down through the centuries. The great
joys and mysteries of that event have forever sanctified and enriched
all home life.
``The hallowed associations of Christmas draw all hearts toward home.
With one accord, we receive with joy and reverence the message of the
first Christmas: `Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace,
goodwill to men.'
``What could be more appropriate than for all of us to dedicate
ourselves to the cause of peace on this holy night. As a Nation, we
have a history of little more than a century and a half. But the
religion which came to the world, heralded by the song of the angels,
has endured for 19 centuries. It will continue to endure. It remains
today the world's best hope for peace if the world will accept its
fundamental teaching: that all men are brothers.''
Then he quotes from Scripture:
``God that made the world and all things therein hath made of one
blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the Earth.''
Then Truman says: ``In the spirit of that message from the Acts of
the Apostles, I wish all of you a Merry Christmas.''
I know, Mr. Speaker, there are people that go nuts when we talk about
these official pronouncements by government officials as part of their
government duty, but it is part of our history.
For those who go ballistic when this part of our history, that led us
to being the greatest nation in the history of the world--more assets
for individuals; a country where the number one health problem for the
Nation's poor is obesity; a country where we have sacrificed our
greatest treasure, American lives, for other people's freedom without a
demand for imperialism, without a demand that they convert to our
government's leadership--that is why they speak French in France,
Japanese in Japan, and German in Germany.
Dwight Eisenhower, who knew something about fighting, said this 7
years after the last statement I read from Harry Truman. This was his
official pronouncement. President Eisenhower said:
``This evening's ceremony here at the White House is one of many
thousands in America's traditional celebration of the birth, almost
2,000 years ago, of the Prince of Peace.
``For us, this Christmas is truly a sense of goodwill--and our first
peaceful one since 1949. Our hopes are bright, even though the world
still stands divided in two antagonistic parts.
``More precisely than in any other way, prayer places freedom and
communism in opposition, one to the other. The Communist can find no
reserve of strength in prayer because his doctrine of materialism and
statism denies the dignity of man and, consequently, the existence of
God.
``But in America, George Washington long ago rejected exclusive
dependence upon mere materialistic values. In the bitter and critical
winter at Valley Forge, when the cause of liberty was so near defeat,
his recourse was sincere and earnest prayer. From it, he received new
hope and new strength of purpose out of which grew the freedom in which
we celebrate this Christmas season.
``As religious faith is the foundation of free government, so is
prayer an indispensable part of that faith.
``Would it not be fitting for each of us to speak in prayer to the
Father of all men and women on this Earth, of whatever nation, and of
every race and creed--to ask that He--God--help us and teach us and
strengthen us and receive our thanks?
``Should we not pray that He help us?''
He always capitalized ``He'' when he spoke of God.
``Should we not pray that He receive our thanks? For certainly, we
are grateful for the opportunity given us to use our strength and our
faith to meet the problems of this hour. And on this Christmas Eve, all
hearts in America are filled with special thanks to God that the blood
of those we love no longer spills on battlefields abroad. May He--God--
receive the thanks of each of us for this, His greatest bounty--and our
supplication that peace on Earth may live with us, always.''
So the leader of our fight against fascism, world domination of hate
in World War II, Dwight Eisenhower, made those rather profound words.
But, Mr. Speaker, we see through our history when our Nation was
deeply troubled--whether it was Washington, whether it was Lincoln,
whether it was Franklin Roosevelt in World War II, Eisenhower in the
Korean war, Kennedy during Vietnam--all of our Presidents have known up
to this point that our greatest hope comes through prayer to God.
I am not speaking these words and reading our historic statements by
Presidents--by our leaders--to try to convert anybody, but just so our
history is understood, as our way continues to grow darker, critical
violence is escalating again, racial divides are growing deeper when I
thought we had--we have--we have come so far. We need to turn,
according to our former leaders, historically--what they said is: Turn
to God.
This is not to convert anybody. It is simply so that this record of
where Presidents, leaders, and Americans used to turn be part of the
Record today.
So John Kennedy's words, as President, December 17, 1962--at this
time, there were only advisers in Vietnam--at the official lighting of
the National Christmas Tree. It was still a Christmas tree for John
Kennedy:
``With the lighting of this tree, which is an old ceremony in
Washington and one which has been among the most important
responsibilities of a good many Presidents of the United States, we
initiate, in a formal way, the Christmas season.
[[Page H10703]]
``We mark the festival of Christmas, which is the most sacred and
hopeful day in our civilization. For nearly 2,000 years, the message of
Christmas, the message of peace and goodwill towards all men, has been
the guiding star of our endeavors.
``I had a meeting which included some of our representatives from
far-off countries in Africa and Asia. They were returning to their
posts for the Christmas holidays.
{time} 1100
``Talking with them afterwards, I was struck by the fact that in the
far off continents Moslems, Hindus, Buddhists, as well as Christians,
paused from their labors on the 25th day of December to celebrate the
birthday of the Prince of Peace. There could be no more striking proof
that Christmas is truly the universal holiday of all men. It is the day
when all of us dedicate our thoughts to others; when all are reminded
that mercy and compassion are the enduring virtues; when all show, by
small deeds and large and by acts, that it is more blessed to give than
to receive.
``It is the day when we remind ourselves that man can and must live
in peace with his neighbors and that it is the peacemakers who are
truly blessed. In this year of 1962 we greet each other at Christmas
with some special sense of the blessings of peace. This has been a year
of peril when the peace has been sorely threatened. But it has been a
year when peril was faced and when reason ruled. As a result, we may
talk, at this Christmas, just a little bit more confidently of peace on
Earth, good will to men. As a result, the hopes of the American people
are perhaps a little higher. We have much yet to do. We still need to
ask that God bless everyone.''
Of course, each President has made pronouncements of a similar nature
various times.
This was Jimmy Carter, President Carter, December 15, 1977, at what
he described as the Christmas Pageant of Peace Ceremony on the White
House Ellipse:
``Christmas has a special meaning for those of us who are Christians,
those of us who believe in Christ, those of us who know that almost
2,000 years ago, the Son of Peace was born to give us a vision of
perfection, a vision of humility, a vision of unselfishness, a vision
of compassion, a vision of love.''
President Carter in 1978 said:
``Rosalyn and I send our warmest wishes to our fellow citizens who
celebrate the birth of Christ and who rejoice with us in the coming of
the peace He symbolizes.
``We welcome this opportunity to offer our thanks to those who have
given us their encouragement and prayers.
``We also join in this season's traditional expression of
appreciation to God for His blessings in the past year, and we ask for
His continuing guidance and protection as we face the challenges of
1979.''
President George W. Bush, President Clinton, President George W.
Bush, and President Obama have delivered Christmas messages, and
President Obama his holiday messages.
I would like to conclude at this time with President Reagan's
message, as he says on the observance of Christmas, December 19, 1988,
his last Christmas message as President:
``The themes of Christmas and of coming home for the holidays have
long been intertwined in song and story. There is a profound irony and
lesson in this, because Christmas celebrates the coming of a savior who
was born without a home.
``There was no room at the inn for the Holy Family. Weary of travel,
a young Mary close to childbirth and her carpenter husband Joseph found
but the rude shelter of a stable. There was born the King of Kings, the
Prince of Peace--an event on which all history would turn. Jesus would
again be without a home, and more than once; on the flight to Egypt and
during His public ministry, when he said, `The foxes have holes, and
the birds of the air have nests; but the son of man hath nowhere to lay
his head.'
``From His very infancy, on, our Redeemer was reminding us that from
then on we would never lack a home in Him. Like the shepherds whom the
angel of the Lord appeared on the first Christmas Day, we could always
say: `Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is
come to pass, which the Lord hath made known to us.'
``As we come home with gladness to family and friends this Christmas,
let us also remember our neighbors who cannot go home themselves. Our
compassion and concern this Christmas and all year long will mean much
to the hospitalized, the homeless, the convalescent, the orphaned--and
will surely lead us on our way to the joy and peace of Bethlehem and
the Christ child who bids us come. For it is only in finding and living
the internal meaning of the nativity that we can be truly happy, truly
at peace, truly home.''
He concludes, as I will--President Reagan:
``Merry Christmas, and God bless you.''
I yield back the balance of my time.
____________________