Liberty:
America’s New Secular Religion and New
Secular Law
One
of the ruling principalities over America has a name that is familiar to all
who live in the United States. That name
is “Liberty”. The image of Liberty, also
called “Freedom”, sits as a statue atop the U.S. Capitol building, which also
serves as her temple. She was the basis
for America’s new secular religion, replacing Christianity as America’s official state religion and was the
impetus behind America’s new secular law.
This was law based not upon Christian precepts or the Bible, but law
based upon historical precedents introduced by men considered as lawmakers, but
who, for the most part, were pagans.
Iconography
Iconography, images and symbolism
used in art, is a form of visual communication that America’s Founding Fathers
used to both reveal and conceal their ideology concerning the founding of
America and its new government. Though
certain ideas were conveyed to the public – the full meaning of the allegories
incorporated into their iconography remained hidden. It’s what the iconography meant to conceal
from the public that is the most revealing. Why the need to conceal? They wanted to conceal their personal beliefs
concerning government and religion, but even more so, they wanted to conceal
that
“We the People” did not include “All the People”. (See article titled We the People)
What God (god)?
George
Washington and Thomas
For
example, even though Thomas
It
takes a daring man to rewrite the New Testament based on his own
reasoning. However, when it came to
religion and God, Thomas
Like
Scripture
reveals that the way and the only way to God the Father is through the Son, Jesus
Christ (John 14:6). Consequently, the
god that
The Design of the U.S. Capitol and its Iconography
Unlike
the Apostle Paul who was grieved because the city of Athens was full of idols,
the Capitol’s iconography reveals that many of America’s lawmakers, like the
Athenians in Acts 17:16-23,[1] were
“very religious” in the sense that they were “very reverent to pagan
gods”. Surviving documentation reveals
that Washington and
Thomas
Due to the secrecy of
Freemasonry, we should be aware that Washington and the many other Freemasons
involved with the design of the Capitol never meant for the public to
understand the true meaning behind the architect of the Capitol or its
iconography. Carl Claudy explained: “Any condensed history of Washington’s
fraternal life must necessarily omit most of his Masonic correspondence and
many occasions which have Masonic significance, even if of minor importance.” [2]
Interestingly, those who considered themselves the more
intellectual and accomplished Freemasons intentionally kept the true meanings
of Freemasonry hidden even from other Freemasons. Only high-ranking Freemasons like Washington
were knowledgeable of the hidden meanings of the symbols. Even today, Freemasons in general are
oblivious to the hidden things of Freemasonry.
According to Albert Pike:
“[The Blue Degrees are but the outer court
or portico of the Temple. Part of the
symbols are displayed there to the Initiate, but he is intentionally misled by
false interpretations. It is
not intended that he shall understand them; but it is intended that he
shall imagine he understands them. Their
true explication is reserved for the Adepts, the Princes of Masonry. The whole body of the Royal and Sacerdotal
Art was hidden so carefully, centuries since, in the High Degrees, as that it
is even yet impossible to solve many of the enigmas which they contain. It is well enough for the mass of those
called Masons, to imagine that all is contained in the Blue Degrees; and whoso
attempts to undeceive them will labor in vain, and without any true reward
violate his obligations as an Adept. Masonry
is the veritable Sphinx, buried to the head in the sands heaped round it by the
ages.]” (emphasis added) [3]
Nonetheless, as Christians, we know that what is hidden will be
brought to light (Luke 8:17). We also
know from Scripture (Ephesians 6 and Daniel 10) that a Christian’s warfare is fought in
the spiritual realm. Therefore, to
understand the hidden spiritual meanings that America’s forefathers
incorporated into the Capitol’s iconography, we need to consult Scripture, which
will bring into the light and give meaning to those things done in secret.
The Apostle Paul explained to the Athenians (Acts 17:16-34) that
at one time God had “winked” at their objects and images that portrayed their
reverence to demons because of their lack of knowledge of who He was. Now, Paul explained, God will no longer
overlook their images because He was revealing Himself to them. At this point they were without excuse. Like the Athenians who were now being called
into accountability, all of mankind will be called into accountability for
their images of pagan deities. According
to Romans 1:19-21, He has made Himself known to everyone; therefore, no one is
without excuse.
Yet, when designing the Capitol, America’s forefathers, George
Washington and others, very carefully chose symbols and images to convey their
reverence for pagan deities. Like the
city of Athens in Acts 17:16, the United States Capitol, as well as the city of Washington, is
full of idols.
The
Temple of Liberty
Therefore, let’s begin with
In Biblical times, Roman pagans believed the god Jupiter came down
in human form:
“And
when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in
the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are
come down to us in the likeness of men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because
he was the chief speaker.” (Acts 14:11-12, KJV, emphasis added)
Therefore, we should not be surprised that America’s lawmakers
approved of Jupiter being portrayed in the likeness of George Washington in The Apotheosis
of Washington. Like those in Biblical times, our forefathers
exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man
(Rom 1:21-24).
When
plans for the United States Capitol were made, it was to be a “civic temple” to
serve a “quasi-religious function”.
“To plan a dome as the Capitol’s central
element implied that the building was to serve a quasi-religious function
– indeed to be a civic temple. … During
the American Revolution, several actual or metaphorical secular ‘temples’ had
been … erected, each extolling some aspect of the young country’s purpose and
history or the conduct of American patriots.
… These temple-like structures were deemed appropriate because liberty
was a new secular religion in Revolutionary America. On September 11, 1787, jurist and signer of
the Declaration of Independence James Wilson, … prophesied that the new federal
government would ‘lay a foundation for erecting temples of liberty in every
part of the earth.’”[5] (emphasis added)
Thomas
In
antiquity, there was no separation between Church and State. Rome’s civic leaders, in particular, the
Emperor, believed they were the earthly representatives of the gods. They took oaths before the gods, sacrificed
to the gods, before going to war they consulted the gods of Capitoline Hill,
and in victory, they thanked the gods. Similar
to the senators of Rome, the iconography throughout the United States Capitol
clearly portrays America’s Founding Fathers reverence for the pagan gods of
Capitoline Hill.
Minerva: the Patroness of American Liberty and a Ruling
Principality
As
already stated, both Capitoline Hill and the Pantheon were dedicated to the
gods. In like
manner, our Founding Fathers dedicated America’s Capitol to one of Capitoline
Hill’s “triad gods”: Minerva.
When a new deity was introduced into a country, the natives of
that country would worship that deity in
their own way according to the customs of their country, in addition to the already
accepted traditions of other countries. For example, one country would often change the name of the
god or goddess from another country and add symbols to the deities’ imagery
that would then link the deity to their country. It was for this reason Minerva became known
as “Liberty” in America and the American Eagle and American Flag were
incorporated into her imagery.
“Minerva had long been associated with
figures of Britannia and was successfully allied with new figures of
America. Traditional attributes of
ancient personifications of Liberty merged with the Indian Princess, … to
create a new American figure sometimes called America, sometimes
Columbia, sometimes American Liberty.
The British Britannia-Minerva was easily assimilated with this versatile
new American figure, who borrowed attributes from her and took on several
related meanings to become a composite representing multiple civic virtues in
the Capitol.” [6] (emphasis added)
However, even though Minerva is known as Liberty in America, it’s
important to remember that she still maintains her original identity of Minerva
and that the names Minerva and Liberty are used interchangeably. Hence, Minerva became known as the Patroness of
American Liberty and the Capitol became her Temple.
“Latrobe may have intended this figure to
synthesize several allegorical concepts key to the Capitol’s iconography, an
updated and Hellenized version of Giuseppe Ceracchi’s Minerva as the Patroness of
American Liberty, … This interpretation strengthens his vision of the
Capitol as a synthesis of Roman and Greek political and artistic
principles. Athena had been the mythical
founder of Athens; her temple had been the Parthenon. ‘Liberty’ had founded the United States as
well as the city of Washington; her temple was the Capitol.” [7] (emphasis added)
That Minerva was the Patroness of America and that the Capitol was
her temple reveals that some of America’s Founding Fathers “invoked” the spirit
operating behind this goddess to function as “Spiritual Guardian and Protector”
over America. As such, she is
identified as one of the “ruling principalities” over America
The
spirits that operate behind pagan deities are angels that fell with Satan. Scripture clearly reveals that these pagan
gods rule over geographical areas and have human
representatives that maintain places of worship for them (Jeremiah 48:7, 49:1-3 &
Judges 11:23-24). Daniel 10:13-21 reveals that these geographical
principalities are high in rank and are opposed to the Lord and His
people. “Patroness” identifies Minerva
as a high-ranking deity within the hierarchy of gods and goddesses. As guardian over America, many other deities
would be subordinate to her rule. For
that reason, Minerva, or more specifically the personification of the spirit of
Liberty operating behind her as Patroness of America, was significant to those
who were responsible for the Capitol’s iconography.
Unquestionably,
That the religious beliefs of the pagan gods of Capitoline Hill
were woven into the Capitol’s iconography is significant given that the First
Amendment of the Constitution, which according to
Liberty Became America’s New Secular Religion
The Capitol was designed as a bona fide “Temple to Liberty” to pay homage to America’s New Secular
Religion and America’s New Secular Law: Liberty. Liberty means to be liberated from something
or someone and we know that the American Revolution was fought to gain
independence from England and the laws of England. But how does freedom from England equate to
religion?
Christianity was the official state religion of England before the
American Revolution and was the official state religion of England’s colonies
in America. However, it is clear from
Thomas
Obviously, not all the people were in agreement with
Reverence for “Liberty” and “Freedom” and the ideology behind
these gods that was incorporated into the Capitol’s iconography was meant to
convey the liberation of
For example, because most states at the time required lawmakers to acknowledge the infallibleness of the
Christian Bible and the doctrine of the Trinity to hold public office, [8]
Article VI of the American Constitution excludes religious test as a
qualification to hold a public office.
Furthermore, the First Amendment of the Constitution ensures equality
for all religions.
Obviously, Article VI and the First Amendment were specifically aimed at the Christian community. In other words, after
Liberty became the new secular religion and new law in America, the Bible was
rejected as America’s ultimate source of authority as it had been before America
gained her independence from England. The
authors of the American Constitution left no doubt as to where they stood
concerning Christianity. The message to
the Christian community was clear:
America was founded on liberty and America had been liberated from
Christianity.
The most that the Constitution offered Christianity was
that Christianity, like all other religions, would be tolerated! It was a fallacy to think that the American Constitution
could replace God’s Word as the ultimate source of authority in America. America’s laws may set God’s precepts aside,
replacing them with manmade laws that give people the liberty to sin, however,
God will not be mocked. There will be consequences
to those “sins of liberty”, which include abortion, same sex marriage and
others. Laws that are contradictory to
the precepts of God will never negate God’s laws.
“Do not be deceived and
deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned,
disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts
begin set aside). [He inevitably deludes
himself who attempts to delude God.] For
whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap.” (Gal 6:7,
Amplified Bible)
The Statue of Liberty is Satan’s
Monument to Secular Liberty
The Statue of Freedom is Satan’s
monument to America’s self-determination to establish “secular liberty”
throughout the world. The symbolism of
the Statue of Liberty speaks volumes saying to the rest of the world that
America is synonymous with secular liberty – that they are one and the
same. Without speaking, the principality
behind the image of the Statue of Liberty exalts America’s secular liberty –
elevating worldly liberty over the true spiritual liberty found alone in and
through Jesus Christ.
Jesus said:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke
upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find
rest unto your souls. For my yoke is
easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt 11:28-30, KJV)
The Statue of Liberty, without
speaking, makes the below statement. It
is the last stanza of a poem by Emma Lazarus called “The New Colossus”,
which is engraved on the pedestal on which the Statue of Liberty stands.
“… cries she with silent lips. ‘Give me your tired,
your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of
your teeming shore. Send these, the
homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!’”
Originally known as “Liberty
Enlightening the World”, the Statue of Liberty embodies ideology that that is
counter to the liberty that Jesus Christ offers. True liberty that brings freedom is the
freedom of the Gospel of Jesus Christ – not that of secular freedom which will
only bring death.
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ
hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Gal
5:1, KJV)
America’s New Law - The Law of Liberty
Needless to say,
if Liberty was to be America’s new secular religion, then America would need a
new secular law based upon Liberty. The
American Constitution became America’s “New Law of Liberty”.
This new law of Liberty
meant liberty from all laws that opposed the goals of America’s Founding
Fathers, including liberty from God’s laws and England’s laws. The Founding Fathers not only wanted freedom
from England’s laws, they wanted freedom from the teachings of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ – the only faultless “Law of Liberty”. The perfect law of liberty in Scripture
(James 1:25, 2:12) refers to the New Covenant, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the law
by which all men of this age will be judged (Rom 2:16).
America’s
new law of liberty, the American Constitution, is imperfect at best having
evolved from the writings of twenty-three lawmakers, mostly pagans, whose
writings were considered authoritative by American lawmakers. To acknowledge their contribution to the development
of the American Constitution, portraits of these twenty-three lawmakers were
placed over the gallery doors of the House of Representatives in their
honor.
While righteous Moses was included in the twenty-three, Jesus
Christ was not. This is interesting
given that Jesus Christ and the Gospel, which is the perfect law of liberty,
replaced the imperfect and faulty Law of Moses (Hebrews 7:12, 8:6-7). Therefore, since there was a change in the
law (Heb 7:12) under the New Covenant based upon better
promises (Heb 7:22), then it seems that our Founding Fathers would have
considered the teachings of Jesus Christ more authoritative and beneficial to
the well being of America than even those of Moses. Such was not the case.
While America’s lawmakers excluded the teachings of Jesus Christ, they
considered the codes of a pagan king of Babylon to be significant to the
evolution of the American Constitution.
The Codes of Hammurabi were developed by King Hammurabi who believed
that Babylon was under the rule of the pagan gods and that the god, Marduk, had
called him as his earthly representative to govern both the land and the
people. Scripture clearly reveals that
the spirits behind these pagan gods do indeed rule over geographical areas and
have human representatives that maintain places of worship for them (Jeremiah 49:1-3, 48:7; Judges
11:23-24; Daniel 10:13-21). However, the Lord had this to say about the
Kings of Babylon and Marduk:
“This is the Word the LORD
spoke through Jeremiah the prophet concerning Babylon and the land of the
Babylonians. Announce and proclaim among
the nations, lift up a banner and proclaim it; keep nothing back, but say,
Babylon will be captured; Bel will be put to shame, Marduk filled with terror. Her images will be put to shame and her idols
filled with terror.” (Jer 50:1-2, NIV)
The Hammurabi Code was found engraved in rock with a relief of Hammurabi
portrayed receiving the laws from the sun god – the god of Justice. Interestingly, this concept was embraced by
America’s lawmakers as well. On the
north side of the marble base of a monument to Chief Justice John Marshall, there
is “a panel in relief, ‘Minerva Dictating the Constitution to Young America’. A companion panel on the south side, ‘Victory
Leading Young America to Swear Fidelity at the Altar of the Union’ is
depicted…” [9] To acknowledge King Hammurabi is consistent with the Founding
Father’s belief that the gods were involved in the everyday lives of men.
The
authors of the American Constitution left no doubt as to where they stood
concerning Christianity. The message to
the Christian community was clear:
America was founded on Liberty and America had been liberated from
Christianity. Again, the most that the
Constitution offered Christianity was that Christianity, like all other
religions, would be tolerated.
Even
today, this concept continues to be echoed in America. Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee for president
in the 2008 presidential election, delivered a speech in 2006 to a group of
Christian leaders that echoes the ideology of America’s Founding Fathers: the acceptance of all religions.
“In the speech, Obama argued for religious diversity and
acceptance and prodded liberals not to cede issues of faith to Republicans. ‘Whatever we once were, we are no longer just a Christian
nation; we are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist
nation, a Hindu nation and a nation of nonbelievers,’ Obama said. ‘And even if we did have only Christians in
our midst, if we expelled every non-Christian from the United States of
America, whose Christianity would we teach in the schools? Would we go with James Dobson’s, or Al
Sharpton’s?’ … In response to Obama’s
contention that religious voters had an obligation to ‘translate their concerns
into universal, rather than religion-specific, values,’ Dobson asked: ‘Am I required in a democracy to conform my
efforts in the political arena to his bloody notion of what is right with regard
to the lives of tiny babies?’” [10]
(emphasis added)
While
this attitude would be expected of a non-believer or a civil government, the
context of his speech is disturbing because he is a professing Christian. While we are to live at peace with everyone,
Christians are not to place other beliefs on the same level as
Christianity. Jesus Christ is the Way and the
only way! It is our responsibility as Christians to speak the truth
that sets people free, which is that Jesus Christ is the Way and the only way
to salvation.
Not only does Barack Obama echo the beliefs of America’s Founding
Fathers, but sadly, there are Christian pastors who also share the same belief
that Christians should accept the beliefs of other religions as well as
non-believers. The following quote is from
an article titled, “Pastors Focus on
Faith, Morals in Private Meeting”, as reported by The Washington Post
concerning a private meeting between Barack Obama and Christian Pastors who are
considered to be leaders within the Christian Community:
“When Sen. Barack Obama held a recent
closed-door meeting with an A-list assortment of Christian leaders, the
majority of the time was spent discussing abortion, homosexuality and the
Democrat’s faith. That focus didn’t
please some participants who had flown to Chicago hoping to also talk about
domestic and foreign policy matters.
‘They focused on abortion, gay marriage, and then Franklin Graham tried to get
Senator Obama saved,’ said the Rev. Eugene Rivers of Boston. Rivers, who was representing the presiding
bishop of the Church of God in Christ, … said Graham asked about the Illinois
senator’s Christian conversion and his father’s connections to Islam. Rivers, who supports Obama, said the senator
said of his father: ‘The least of the
things he was was Islamic.’ When asked
about whether he believed Jesus is the only way to salvation, ‘Obama said, brilliantly,
‘Jesus is the only way for me. I’m not
in a position to judge other people,’” Rivers recalled. The Rev. Romal Tune, a Washington pastor …
said Graham’s line of questioning was inappropriate for a politician running to
represent a religiously pluralistic country. ‘The elephant in the room with that question
is the condemnation of people of other faiths and of no faith. What is that question saying about the rest
of society and God’s judgment on them?’ said Tune, who did not attend the
meeting.”[11] (emphasis added)
King David cried out to the Lord because he found himself in a
situation where he realized that no man cared for his soul.
“I looked on my right hand,
and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man
cared for my soul.” (Psalm 142:4, KJV)
Reverend Graham was the one pastor in attendance who cared enough
about Obama’s salvation to ask him the most important question that we as
Christians can ask anyone. Yet, he was
rebuked by other Christian pastors who were more interested in Obama’s politics
than his salvation or the salvation of others.
The same satanic spirits operating behind the goddess Liberty that
Psalm 2 speaks to this very situation. The heathen rulers of the earth take counsel
together against the Lord and His son, Jesus Christ. They imagine that they can devise a plan to
be free from God’s government and His Word.
They may set themselves against the Lord and His anointed, but God’s purposes
will not be thwarted by any man or the principalities that operate through
them. Scripture reveals that the
government rests on the shoulders of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 9) and His kingdom
and His government will be established in the Millennial Age (Revelation 20). The Son Himself warns that unless they submit
to His authority they will perish.
America’s Founding
Fathers may have taken counsel among themselves and devised plans that they
thought would break the bands and cords of Christianity from them as well as
all of America. However, the plans of
the heathen are only vain imaginations and will never prevail.
Scripture reveals that every form of
government exists by the authority of God (Romans 13). Just as democracy exists by the authority of
God, monarchies and dictatorships exist by the authority of God as well.
During the lifetime of Jesus Christ, Israel was under the
oppressive rule of the Roman government.
Even though Jesus made it perfectly clear to Pilate that he had no power
over Him, neither Jesus nor His disciples ever attempted to overthrow the civil
government. Even when the chief priests,
rulers and the people of Israel falsely accused Jesus of inciting the people to
rebellion, Pilate and Herod found no basis for their charges.
“Pilate called together the
chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, ‘You brought me this man as one who was
inciting the people to rebellion. I have
examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us;
as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death.” (Luke 23:13-15, NIV,
emphasis added)
Without hesitating, Jesus Christ submitted to the authority of the
dictatorship of the Roman government, even to the point of going to the cross. Why? Because
the Roman government existed by the authority of God. Jesus never attempted to thwart the purposes
of God the Father or the power that God gave Pilate to crucify Him. He
willingly came to do the will of His father.
“And went again into the
judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no
answer. Then saith Pilate unto him,
Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou
not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus
answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given
thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater
sin.” (John 19:9-11, KJV, emphasis added)
Four hundred years have passed since America rebelled against
England’s government. Yet, like their
forefathers, many politicians still have the mistaken belief that America has
the responsibility to rise up against countries when they disagree with their
form of government even though those governments exist by the authority of
God. Whether they understand or not, when
they interfere with governments that exist by the authority of God, they are
rebelling against God.
September 11, 1787
It was on September 11, 1787 that James Wilson, one of the signers
of the Declaration of Independence, prophesied that the new federal government
would “lay a foundation for erecting temples of liberty in every part of the
earth”.[12] Interestingly,
September 11th corresponds to the day and month that terrorist
attacked America in 2001.
Because America is attempting to fulfill this prophecy of establishing “liberty” in all
parts of the earth, on September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against America
began and they will continue as long as America interferes with governments that
exist by the authority of God. Muslims
are fighting back because their religious beliefs are everything to the Nations
of Islam. They are resisting a democracy
that would change that.
If “liberty”, as defined by America, is established in their countries,
they understand that liberty would become their new secular religion and the
Koran would no longer be their ultimate source of authority. Muslims do not want to be liberated from
Islam and the teachings of the Koran. Liberty threatens the very existence of
Islam, beliefs that they and their forefathers have fought for since the early
seventh century and will continue to fight for – hence their holy wars.
Islam and their government are opposed to the Gospel of Jesus
Christ; yet, God still has His purposes for this remembering that His ways and
thoughts are not those of man. Our
battle is to be fought in the spiritual realm.
It is not a matter of a democratic form of government replacing the
governments of Muslim nations. The
spiritual battle is much more multifaceted than a democratic form of government
being the all-in-all. You cannot fight a
spiritual battle with carnal ideology.
Christians living in America may not even agree with our own civil
government and find themselves asking, Can anything good come from the civil
government? The answer is yes. However, why would the Lord command us to
submit to a civil government made up principally of unbelievers? The reason lies with the heart.
Scripture reveals that pagans know right from wrong for the same
reason that Christians do: the Lord has
written it on all our hearts and has equipped each of us with a conscience to
carry out that law (Rom 2:12-15). Each
of us have the choice as to how we will respond to what is written on our
hearts, which explains why some unbelievers keep the law, why some believers
don’t keep the law, and why some Christian lawmakers make laws contrary to what
pleases the Lord.
Because God wrote the Law on everyone’s heart, the unbeliever is
equipped to make just laws accordingly and can apply this when making laws that
protect our society. Whether the
understanding of the Law on someone’s heart is from his knowledge of Scripture
or simply from his sense of right and wrong (conscience), the important thing
is that in either situation, the understanding is from the Lord and for His
purposes.
While a Christian has a spiritual understanding of the Law, the
unbeliever has only a secular understanding.
Even though the unbeliever doesn’t know who God is or His divine nature,
he still knows right from wrong. This
secular understanding of the Law instills within the unbeliever a desire to
live in a society governed by laws that produce an environment that is neither
chaotic nor overrun by those who have a law unto their own.
“Moral” laws or “civil” laws don’t mean that they are “righteous”
laws. They are simply laws that provide
guidelines to ensure the peace and welfare of law-abiding citizens. However, we are not to be influenced by the
laws made by man when they are apart from God, calling good evil and evil good;
rather, we are to be obedient to God’s commandments (see Acts 5:29, 4:19).
The government rests on the shoulders of Jesus Christ – so why is
there a civil government? The Jewish
nation had long awaited prophecy to be fulfilled concerning the coming of their
Messiah. When He came, He would
establish His earthly kingdom – a righteous kingdom that would replace the
oppressive Roman rule under which they were governed. However, the religious leaders rejected Jesus
Christ and instead, had Him crucified by the civil government from which they
wanted to be delivered. Why? Simply put, the religious leaders were
envious of Jesus and placed their interests above the Lord establishing his
Kingdom. Therefore, until Christ returns
at His second coming and establishes His Kingdom we will all be required to
submit to the civil government in our respective countries.
Like the Sanhedrin who rejected the
government of Jesus Christ,
Likewise, many other presidents resisted the idea of Jesus Christ
as part of their administration, other than the customary references. The following is a quote from the December
17, 2007 edition of Newsweek.
“Fights about faith and politics have been
with us always. In 1800, there were
advertisements saying voters could have ‘Adams and God, or
National gods
“Because that they have
forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth
the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom
the god of the children of Ammon,
and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to
keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.” (1 Kings 11:33, KJV, emphasis added)
While principalities are over all nations in the sense that they
are interested in the earthly affairs of mankind, it doesn’t mean that every
nation has invoked a principality as their guardian. However, the iconography at the United States
Capitol reveals that principalities were invoked as guardians over America.
Scripture
reveals that when Satan usurped man’s dominion in the garden of Eden, the earth
came under his dominion and for the present age, he is god of this world (Matt 4:8-9, 12:24-30; John
12:31; 2 Cor 4:4). Nonetheless, as Christians we have been given
the authority to take that dominion back (2 Cor 10:4; Luke 10:17-19).
When Satan fell, one third of the angels, known as principalities,
fell with him and many of these principalities are geographical in nature. These geographical principalities or
guardians can be understood according to Daniel 10, which reveals their
existence and some of their nature. For
example, Gabriel, the angel who stands in the presence of God (Luke 1:19), was sent with a message to Daniel in answer to Daniel’s prayer. However, he was detained by the Prince of
Persia, a geographic principality, for twenty-one days. Only when Michael, the guardian archangel of
Israel (Dan 10:21,
12:1), came to help him was he able to reach
earth (Dan 10:12-13).
“One Out of Many –
Out of Many, One”
The satanic spirits operating behind Liberty that
In his heart Satan said that he would be like God (Isa
14:13-14). Therefore, because God the
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are One (1John 5:7), we should not be
surprised that Satan’s counterfeit of “one” were composites of multiple gods
portrayed as one. The goddess, Liberty,
eventually became a composite of various other gods and goddesses, including
their various forms of worship. This
coalition is summoned up in the motto on the Great Seal of the United
States: E pluribus unum meaning, “One Out of Many” or “Out
of Many, One”.
Atop the
Capitol’s dome, Liberty stands on an orb inscribed with E pluribus unum and inside the Capitol’s Rotunda, she is portrayed
seated alongside George Washington in The
Apotheosis of Washington, which also bears the inscription E pluribus unum. As the dome was considered the focal point of
the Capitol, there is much to learn from its design and iconography. Therefore, let’s begin with The Apotheosis of Washington
The Apotheosis of Washington
The
Apotheosis of Washington
is the most important feature of the Capitol’s Rotunda. It is an allegorical painting over the eye of
the dome as seen from inside the Rotunda and portrays historical figures of
American leadership combined with those of pagan deities. For example, Washington is deified as a
triune god, including the personification of the god Jupiter,[14] the Persian god, Mithra, and as a god
himself in human form. Washington is
surrounded by numerous other deities, including a composite of Minerva, Liberty,[15] Bellona,[16] and Mithra, seated to his right, a
composite of Victory, Fame[17] and Juno seated to his left, and finally,
the goddess directly beneath Washington was a composite of America and Freedom [18]. As
composites, the deities can be understood as One deity Out of Many as
well as Many deities Out of One.
“The focal point of the great Rotunda is
the canopy of the dome where the fresco, ‘The Apotheosis of George Washington,’
may be seen 180 feet above the Rotunda floor. … It is an allegorical painting which
combines mythological and historical figures. In the center, Washington apotheosized, is
seated in majesty. On his right
is the Goddess of Liberty and on his left is a winged figure, symbolic of
Victory and Fame, sounding a trumpet.”[19] (emphasis added)
“The iconography of the canopy fresco,
with its conjunctions of deities and humans, may seem strange to us today. However, in the mid-nineteenth century the
personification of abstract ideas by means of figures drawn from classical
mythology and the association of historical figures such as George Washington
and Benjamin Franklin with these was part of the cultural vocabulary. The gods and goddesses stood allegorically
for universal virtues embodied in popular historical personalities. Thus Washington sits enthroned in the pose
of all-powerful Jupiter, …”[20] (emphasis added)
The Apotheosis of
Washington is an
excellent example of the double use of iconography.
What is Revealed:
the theme of gods and goddess are not generally viewed as out of the
ordinary, rather, they are accepted as part of secular history and are commonplace
– harmless so to speak. As a result, the
public would not object to Washington being defied as a god or portrayed as the
human representative of the pagan god Jupiter.
Rather than be offensive The Apotheosis of Washington would be
accepted at face value: a beautiful work of art, but meaningless in
nature. That is exactly what was meant
to be conveyed to those they felt could not even begin to grasp the deeper
things of the spiritual realm (i.e., meaningless and harmless in nature).
What is Concealed: On the other hand,
antiquity appealed to the intellect of
“Because that, when they
knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain
in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed
the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man,
and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.”
(Rom 1:21-23, KJV, emphasis added)
In The Apotheosis of Washington, they changed
the glory and majesty of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and
animals. The following is a picture of The Apotheosis
of Washington [21] in its entirety. As we go along, several close-ups will be
included as well.
In his heart, Satan said that he would be like God (Isa
14:13-14). Therefore, because God the
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are One (1 John 5:7), we should not be surprised that Satan’s counterfeit of
“One” were composites of multiple gods portrayed as one, as can
be seen from inside the Rotunda as well as atop the Capitol’s dome.
The focal point of the dome viewed from outside is a statue of the
goddess, Liberty, atop an orb that reads E
pluribus Unum. The focal point of
the dome as seen from inside the Rotunda is The Apotheosis of Washington with its
only inscription: E pluribus Unum. In addition
to the portrayal of composites in The
Apotheosis of Washington, the
thirteen goddesses surrounding Washington, three of which are shown below, [22] are symbolic of “many”, but at the same
time, holding hands indicates that they are “one”. The banner they are holding is the focal
point and the inscription E Pluribus Unum
clearly reinforces that the “Many Out of
One” or the “One out of Many” are
referring to pagan deities.
Unquestionably,
The
Apotheosis of Washington is just one
example where the personal beliefs of
It’s
important to understand that the objectives for the design of the Capitol were
closely guarded and implemented by those political leaders that served after
them., as attested to when the “final iconographic decoration” completed in
1916 repeated the same “basic themes first propounded as appropriate in the
1790’s” [23]
“The process of imagining, designing, constructing,
and decorating the Capitol occupied statesmen, architects, and artists from
1791 to 1916. Washington and
“Designing the Capitol demonstrated the imperceptible
merging of architectural and political interests in 1792 and 1793. Washington’s and
Liberty
– One out of Many
The iconography from early America
reveals a great deal about George Washington, who he was, his ideology
concerning the founding of America as well as how his contemporaries viewed
him. As mentioned above, the Capitol’s dome is the focal point of the United States
Capitol both outside and inside. The
American goddess, Liberty, is the spiritual connection between the two
focal points. Therefore, of Liberty’s
many identities, the “many out of one” that we want to explore are her roles as
“Liberty” and “Freedom” that link her to the dome.
Atop the Dome: In this role, she was
originally identified as “Armed Liberty”.
However, she is now more commonly recognized as “Freedom Triumphant in
War and Peace”. She stands atop an orb
inscribed with the inscription, E
pluribus unum.[26] (see below picture)
Inside the Dome: In The Apotheosis of Washington, Liberty is portrayed seated alongside
George Washington under the banner with the inscription, E pluribus unum.
The following two quotes touch on the representation of Liberty in
her role atop the Capitol’s dome as “one god fashioned out of many gods”:
“Once again, one single concept was not large
enough to encompass the spirit of America, and Crawford combined features
associated with Athena, Hercules, Liberty, and America to create a suitable
symbol.[27] (emphasis added)
“This third and final version of the dome
statue of Liberty addresses concerns about Indians and slavery. Freedom, according to the artist, remains the
focus of the statue, whether in the official title, Statue of Freedom,
preferred by the current (1991) Architect of the Capitol, or the more accurate
title given by Crawford and used by
As can be seen, Liberty is a composite of at least seven deities:
Liberty, Freedom, Minerva, Mithra, Athena, Hercules and America. Hence, “One
Out of Many” and “Out of Many, One”.
Liberty is also a composite of the different forms of worship
associated with each of the deities incorporated into her personification and as
a result, she became America’s New Secular Religion. In other words, out of one religion came many
religions. As a result, America embraces
freedom of religion and religious toleration.
The Center of America
The orb on which Liberty stands ties her to both the heavens and
the earth and thus identifies her as the geographical principality who is the
guardian deity over America. As already
mentioned, in her role as Minerva she was portrayed as “Minerva, Patroness of American
Liberty”.
The Capitol dome was believed to be the center of America and the
focal point of the dome as seen from outside the Rotunda is Liberty atop the
Dome’s orb. Just as the Sovereign Lord
set Jerusalem in the center of the nations with countries all around her (Ezekiel
5:5), America’s Founding Fathers considered the Capitol and Washington D.C. as
the geographical center of America.
“’To
found a City in the center of the United States, for the purpose of making it the
depository of the acts of the Union … is [to create] a temple erected to liberty.’ The Capitol’s location was in the center
of Washington, ‘as the city is the center of The American empire,’ with
its streets ‘directed towards every part of America, to enlighten its inhabitants
respecting their true interests.’”[29] (emphasis added)
Just as the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord was deposited by
Solomon in the temple at Jerusalem (1Kings 8:1-6), the Capitol, America’s
temple to Liberty, was described as the “ark of the American covenant”:
“Henry James, writing in The American Scene, perceptively
described the Capitol as the ‘ark of the American covenant, … as a
compendium of all the national terms and standards, weights and measures and
emblems of greatness and glory …’” [30] (emphasis added)
Revered as a temple and considered the center of America, as well
as the ark of the American covenant, leaves no doubt that the Founding Fathers
viewed all aspects of the Capitol as being sacred. This would explain why the dome of the
Capitol was considered the key most crucial to the planning of the
Capitol. For that reason, The Apotheosis
of Washington, which is at the center of the Capitol’s Rotunda, is the key
of keys to understanding the hidden meanings of the Capitol’s iconography.
In ancient times, the dome of a temple was symbolic of the heavens. Whatever icon was portrayed in the dome and
elsewhere in the temple identified the ruling gods over that particular
geographical area. These “centers” were
considered “focal points” because they were believed to be geographical areas
where the natural was linked to the spiritual realms. For that reason, these particular
geographical areas became sacred meeting places.
The orb that Liberty stands on indicates that our Founding Fathers
also viewed America as the center of the world with Liberty the vital link
between the gods and America. The orb is
also key to understanding the identity of one of the more significant
principalities that was incorporated into America’s rendering of Liberty, yet
has remained hidden over the years:
Mithra, a military deity and god of the covenant.
Of his many attributes, when Mithra was portrayed standing on an
orb, he was portrayed with the head of a lion.
This would explain why part of Liberty’s headdress includes the paws of
a lion hanging over both sides of her face.
(see below picture[31])
The masculine attributes of Mithra were also incorporated into Liberty’s
personification, which makes her an androgynous god, both sexes, male and
female, united into one. This merger of
male and female is the perversion of Genesis 2:21-24. When a man and woman married, they were to become
one, forming an inseparable union. The spiritual
merger of male and female principalities was symbolic of this unity between a
man and woman becoming one – an inseparable union – again, one out of many and many out
of one.
Details of The Apotheosis of Washington
We have just discussed the focal point of the Capitol dome as
viewed from the outside. We now want to
look at the focal point of the dome as seen from inside the Rotunda, The Apotheosis
of Washington, which is located directly underneath Liberty atop the
Dome. As seen in the following diagram[32] (which has been annotated for clarity), the
goddess Liberty is positioned directly above The Apotheosis of Washington,
which identifies her as both a geographical principality and a ruling
principality over America. As such,
every deity located beneath her, including Washington deified, is under her
dominion.
It has already been pointed out that in addition to being the only
inscription in The Apotheosis of Washington, the same
concept of E pluribus unum was
incorporated into its iconography. The
thirteen goddesses surrounding Washington are symbolic of many, yet at the same
time, holding hands indicating that they are one (referring to pagan deities). Liberty, in addition to being portrayed
seated alongside Washington holding a copy of the Constitution, is portrayed in
other scenes of the canopy in her roles as “Armed Freedom” and Minerva, all
part of “America’s Capitol Hill Triad” – again E Plurbis Unum.
The
following picture is of a close-up of Washington, Liberty and Victory seated
alongside one another in The Apotheosis of Washington. Liberty is wearing
Mithra’s Phrygian Cap, known in America as the Liberty Cap. As the Phrygian Cap was one of Mithra’s main
symbols, we know that Mithra has been incorporated into this personification of
Minerva/Armed Liberty atop the dome’s orb.
The
Capitol Triad
In
ancient Rome, Jupiter was worshipped alongside the goddesses Juno and Minerva at
their temple on Capitoline Hill. It was
the worship of these three together that came to be known as the Capitoline triad. This concept was transferred to America’s own
“Capitol
Triad”: Washington, Liberty and Victory as portrayed in The Apotheosis
above seated alongside one another.
The
following is a picture of The Apotheosis of Washington in its entirety,
annotated to highlight the rainbow upon which Washington sits.
The
symbolism of the three seated directly over the rainbow is key to the spiritual
interpretation of allegory of The Apotheosis of Washington and the inscription,
E Plurbis Unum. Of Mithra’s many
manifestations, it was when he was portrayed seated over a rainbow
that he was identified as “god of the covenant” – the mediator between men and
the gods. Therefore, Washington seated
over the rainbow conveys the idea that as the human representative of Mithra, Washington
was acting as a mediator on behalf of the gods who had entered into a “spiritual
covenant” with mankind. The gods
surrounding Washington were witnesses to the covenant.
Scripture reveals that a cord of three strands is not easily
broken (Eccl 4:12). Whether it was Rome’s
Capitoline Hill Triad or Washington’s Capitol Hill Triad, the triad gods can be
understood in terms of a “triple braided cord”.
All three deities seated directly over the rainbow indicate that all
three were involved in the covenant between man and the spiritual realm. Coming together as a triple braided cord
meant that the covenant would not be easily broken. This “spiritual covenant” pertains to the
copy of the Constitution of the United States that Liberty is holding.
The idea that Minerva and Liberty had a bearing on America’s Constitution
from its inception is supported elsewhere.
As previously mentioned, one such example is the portrayal of Minerva
dictating the Constitution to Young America and Victory leading Young America
to swear fidelity at the altar of the Union inscribed around the base of a
statue in honor of Chief Justice John Marshall.
Even though all three of these gods are seated alongside one
another, they are not all equal. There
is a chain of command within the dominion of a principality; therefore, the positioning
and posture of the gods in relationship to one another is significant.
Minerva is seated shoulder to shoulder with Washington while
Victory is seated slightly below the two.
Minerva is seated to the right denoting the place of honor. Washington’s right foot is pointed towards
Victory, indicating that she is seated at the foot of Washington. (See the article on We the People of the United States of America)
When Washington points to the Constitution, he is directing our
attention to Liberty as well as to the Constitution. Liberty, not Washington, is the one who is
holding the Constitution and Washington acknowledges his regard for this
particular deity, which links the American Constitution to the spiritual realm
and to a spiritual covenant. In return, Liberty
sets her eyes towards Washington, yet Victory, who sits at the foot of
Washington, looks away from him. The symbolism here is of a man going into covenant with
pagan gods and even more significant, is that the man was the first president
of the United Sates.
Covenants and Pagan Deities
The
worship of pagan gods was and is not just a meaningless tradition of man
carried over from antiquity. It was a
bona fide religion. The spirits that operate behind these pagan deities
are the angels that fell when Satan fell.
As previously mentioned, Scripture clearly reveals that these pagan gods
rule over geographical areas and have human
representatives that maintain places of worship for them.
The Apotheosis
of Washington reveals that the first
President of the United States, like the Roman Senators of antiquity, went into
covenant with these principalities. The United
States Capitol was and is a place of worship for these same principalities and
there are those who knowingly continue to maintain the Capitol as a temple in
reverence of these pagan deities. Not only did
Capitoline Hill was at the very center of Rome’s political and
religious existence. The lawmakers
identified with the pagan gods and worshipped them accordingly. One did not exist apart from the other. Lawmakers were known to have taken their
vows in front of Jupiter who was concerned with oaths, treaties and leagues. Likewise, George Washington and the other
American patriots were also portrayed taking an oath before Jupiter.
“The iconography of the panels decorating
the south wing (which was to contain the House of Representatives) is derived
from the most powerful ancient god, Jupiter, … In the central panel, a single
standing figure (representing either collective American patriots or Washington)
takes
an oath before the seated Jupiter … king of the gods in Roman mythology
… Oaths in ancient Rome were taken at the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus,
located on the Capitoline hill.” [33]
However,
Scripture clearly warns man not to make covenants with pagan deities.
The God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was very clear that the Israelites were not to make
covenants with either the pagans or their gods:
“Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they
make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a
snare unto thee.” (Ex 23:32-33, KJV, emphasis added)
“That ye come not among
these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of
their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves
unto them” (Joshua 23:7, KJV)
Nonetheless, the Israelites entered into covenants with the pagan
gods, among them “Baal-berith”, the Canaanite “god of covenants and oaths”
(Judges 8:33, 9:4, 46). The angels that
fell with Satan are the satanic spirits operating behind Baal-berith and the other deities that the
pagans worshipped as their gods.
Baal-berith, as well as all other Baals, are the ruling principalities
within the hierarchy of the fallen angels.
The iconography at the Capitol suggests that America’s Founding Fathers
entered into covenants with these same pagan gods as well.
Over time, the worship of Baal-berith found its way into other
countries, including Iran and Rome, where this deity was known as Mithra. Interestingly,
Mithraism dates back to Biblical times when Cyrus was king of Persia (modern
day Iran) (Ezra 1:8). The name of
Cyrus’s treasurer was “Mithredath”, which meant that he was either “given by
Mithra” or “dedicated to Mithra”. Highly praised as a military deity as well as god of
covenants, Mithra along with Jupiter was eagerly embraced by the Roman military
as one of their foremost gods. Obviously,
as Jupiter was also a god concerned with covenants, treaties and oaths, somewhere
along the way the attributes of Baal-berith became incorporated into Jupiter’s
identity as well as that of Mithra.
Finally, the worship of Mithra, like Jupiter, was brought to
America where the attributes of these two military deities were combined with
the attributes of George Washington, America’s military hero. As such, they are portrayed as one deity with
Washington as their human representative in The Apotheosis of Washington. This is another example of E pluribus unum: One out of Many – Many out of
One.
In
antiquity, Mithraism was Christianity’s main rival. It is interesting that the symbolism of Mithra,
albeit hidden, was incorporated into the images of George Washington defied as
a god. Then again, our forefathers
wanted to be “Liberated from Christianity”.
As
in other countries, as the worship of the ancient gods were taken from one
country to another and given new names, America’s forefathers renamed the
ancient gods with names that Americans could identify with. However, the
manner in how one change came about is most surprising. When Washington was portrayed as the human
representative of the pagan gods Jupiter and Mithra, over time his
identity became more prominent than that of either Mithra or Jupiter. He was no longer only seen as a
“representation” of a pagan god – he was viewed as a god. In other words, Mithra and Jupiter became
“Americanized” through the image of George Washington.
The Pagan’s Symbolism of the Rainbow
Interestingly, the worship of Mithra was later embraced by the
Freemasons. As a Freemason, George
Washington would have participated in the many rituals that revolved around
this particular principality. As both a
soldier and a Freemason, Washington would have held this particular deity in
the highest regard.
Of Mithra’s many attributes, it was when he was portrayed seated
over a rainbow that he was identified as “god of the covenant”, the
“mediator between men and the gods”.[34]
Therefore, Washington seated over the rainbow conveys the idea that as
the human representative of Mithra, Washington was acting as a mediator on
behalf of the gods who had entered into a “spiritual covenant” with mankind. The gods surrounding Washington were witness
to the covenant. Washington, as a
military deity, was god of the covenant.
The pagan’s perversion of God’s rainbow as a sign of the Noahic covenant
(Gen 9:12-17) was only one expression of these satanic
spirits. Another was the color, purple.
The Pagan’s Symbolism of Purple
Purple in the Bible was symbolic of royalty and majesty. Just as the pagans misused the rainbow for
their own purposes, they dedicated the color purple to Jupiter and wore purple
as a symbol of their reverence to Jupiter.
According to Dr. Rex R. Hutchens, a 33rd degree Freemason and
author of A Glossary to Morals and Dogma,
“As Pike notes, the ziggurat of Borsippa
had seven stages of different colors.
These colors were dedicated to the seven ‘planets’ known to Babylonia: …
the third was purple, for Jupiter”[35] (emphasis added)
Knowing
that George Washington was the human representative of the Roman god Jupiter,
then it is understandable why he was portrayed as a
military deity dressed in the color dedicated to Jupiter – “purple” (sometimes
referred to as lavender, a shade of purple).
As a Freemason, George Washington would
have been aware that the color purple was associated with Jupiter and that would
explain why he introduced and designed America’s first military medal out of purple
cloth.
The Purple Heart, America’s first military medal “for military
merit”, was sewn on the military uniform of courageous soldiers at the request
of Washington. That he chose purple as
the color for a medal alone does not support that he was associated with the
practice of pagan gods. However, when we
look at his life as a whole, it’s obvious that not only was he knowledgeable of
paganism, but that he also embraced pagan beliefs.
The Pagan’s Symbolism of Jacob’s Ladder
The pagans also misused the account of the ladder in Jacob’s dream
that reached from earth to heaven with the angels of God ascending and
descending on it (Genesis 28:12). Their corruption was the “Borsippa”, mentioned above
and the “Mirthriac Ladder”.
The
initiates of Mithra were required to ascend the Mithriac Ladder, which
consisted of seven steps. The first step
of the ladder was symbolic of earth with the seventh step symbolic of the
heavens. To advance from one step of the
ladder to the next indicated that they were spiritually advancing toward heaven. Each step of the ladder of initiation was
under the protection of one of the corresponding seven planets. That Jupiter presided over the fourth step of
the Mithriac Ladder further supports the connection between the two deities.
The
following portrayal of George Washington further supports that Jupiter became
“Americanized” through the image of George Washington. Rembrandt Peale,
who personally met George Washington, painted one of the two most famous
portraits of Washington in existence: “Pater
Patriae” as shown below.
The last time that Washington sat for an artist before his death
was for Peale. As a contemporary of that
period of time, Peale personally understood the ideology of the Founding
Fathers and it was with that understanding that Peale portrayed George
Washington in the posthumous portrait, Pater
Patriae, as the earthly representative of Jupiter.[36]
The objective of Peale’s picture was to leave people with the
impression of the idea that Washington was a god. Peale’s portrait was only meant to be a
“likeness” of George Washington. Subtle
changes were made to show a resemblance between Washington and Jupiter. For example, the resemblance of Washington’s
nose and broad forehead with that of Jupiter was meant to identify Washington
as Jupiter’s earthly representative.
Peale meant to convey the idea accepted by himself and others that
George Washington was the human counterpart to the pagan god Jupiter, the
“father of the gods” and as such, Washington was the “father of men”. Washington became known as the father of
America because of those who believed that he was the earthly representative of
the “father of the gods”.
Jupiter’s head is placed above Washington’s head to symbolize the
relationship between man and pagan deity.
As father of the gods, Jupiter’s head was placed above Washington’s head
to symbolize his position in the heavens, while Washington’s authority is
linked to the earth, subordinate to Jupiter.
The objective of Peale’s picture was to leave people with the
impression of the idea of who Washington was.
To connect Washington to Jupiter would succeed in connecting Washington and
all of America to the Roman Republic, their ideals and their reverence for the
pagan gods and goddesses that so heavily influenced Washington.
That a human being was and is a god in human form is still
embraced by the Tibetans who believe that their spiritual leader, the Dali Lama,
is a god incarnate. Interestingly, in
October 2007, America’s lawmakers awarded the Dali Lama with their highest
civilian award – the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal. Alongside Congress, President Bush honored
the Dali Lama for being a man of peace and for supporting religious freedom. That the Dali Lama believes he is a god
incarnate was not offensive to America’s lawmakers. Then again, that belief was woven into
America’s secular foundation. It was not
offensive to those lawmakers who believed that George Washington was a god
incarnate either. As another example, during
World War II, Japanese considered their Emperor as a god incarnate.
Minerva
As already noted, the themes that were incorporated throughout the
design and iconography of the Capitol were subject matters decided upon by
The goddess Victory
Like Minerva and Washington, the goddess seated to the left of
Washington is a war deity. Her
symbolism alongside Washington implies that it was through the spirit operating
behind Victory that America would gain its victories.
Just as America’s Liberty is a composite of more than just one
pagan god, Victory is a composite of at least four pagan deities: Victory, Nike, Fame and Juno. These four spirits all are associated with
war and even though they have different manifestations, they operate together
as a braided cord. There is also at
least one other principality incorporated into the personification of Victory
(see the article titled We the People of
the United States of America).
Ancient icons that have
survived portray Minerva holding a small statue of Nike (Victory) in her hand,
which explains why Minerva portrayed as Liberty and Victory are seated on
either side of George Washington in The Apotheosis of Washington. That Minerva is holding Victory indicates
Victory’s subordination to Minerva. As
Minerva’s subordinate, Victory would support Minerva, the war goddess, in her
quest to be victorious in battle. The
spirit behind the concept of Victory is to be victorious in war
and as the goddess of victory, she came to be an everlasting symbol of victory
and dominance on the battlefields of ancient Greece (see the article titled We the People of the United States of
America for a fuller description of Victory and her role in America).
The
Greek word for “overcome” in the Bible is “nike”. For example,
“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh [G3528] the world: and this is the victory [G3529] that overcometh
the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that
believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1John 5:4-5, KJV)
The
New Testament was written in Greek and the word “overcome” in the Bible is the
Greek word nikao. Strong’s Concordance defines overcome as coming
from the Greek word nikao, meaning to
conquer, overcome, prevail, or get the victory.
Those who
Believe that they are Overcomers in Nike
As Christians we understand
that we overcome and are victorious through our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. However, Satan, wanting to be
like God, perverted the truth of what it meant to be an overcomer. He deceived the pagans into believing that
they could overcome by worshiping a pagan goddess by the same name, which meant
to gain victory and to overcome: Victory/Nike.
Sadly, some pagans who did not believe in Jesus turned to Victory
believing that is was through the worship of this deity that they would
overcome and be victorious over others.
Fame, one of the composite
goddesses of Victory has also influenced
America. For example,
“And ye shall hear of wars
and rumours of wars: see that ye be
not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.”
(Matt 24:6, KJV, emphasis added)
Again, the New Testament
was written in Greek, therefore we need to look at the Greek meaning behind the
word “rumours” to understand how the spirit behind Fame operates over
America. From Strong’s Concordance:
·
Rumours: akoe, Greek 189 Strong’s from
Greek 191 (akouo); hearing (the act, the sense or the
thing heard) :- audience, ear, fame, which ye heard, hearing, preached, report, rumoral
·
akouo, Greek 191 Strong’s; a
primary verb; to hear (in various senses) :- give (in the) audience
(of), come (to the ears), ([shall]) hear (-er, -ken), be noised, be reported,
understand.
As
we can see from above, the word “rumours” according to the Greek, means “to hear in various senses”. One of these ways heard is through a rumor,
which includes gossip. Rumours also can
be interpreted as “Fame”. If we look at
the word rumours in its context in Matthew 24:6, we
can understand that the spirit that operates behind the pagan goddess, Fame,
will manifest through gossip and rumours:
specifically – “rumours of war.”
A Rumor of War – The War in Iraq
President Bush
declared war on Iraq because it was believed that Saddam Hussein was
stockpiling weapons of mass destruction.
However, no evidence was found
that weapons of mass destruction were produced or stockpiled after 1991 when UN
sanctions were imposed. Those weapons
that were found were not of much use to Saddam because of their poor
conditions. It
turns out that this was only a “rumor”.
We know from Scripture that people,
even Christians, can be influenced by unclean spirits. When Jesus said to Peter: “Satan
get thee behind me”, He was rebuking both Peter and Satan. Jesus addressed the principality operating in
the spiritual realm who was influencing Peter in the natural realm.
“But He turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan:
thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but
those that be of men.” (Matt 16:23, KJV, emphasis added)
Realizing that there is nothing new
under the sun, then we shouldn’t be surprised that on September 10, 2007 that
many of our Senators and Congressmen, including many Christians, were
influenced by the same demonic spirits that were operating behind Jupiter. These same spirits had influence over George
Washington and the Senators and Congressman who approved of George Washington
being portrayed as Jupiter.
This brings us to General David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces
in Iraq, who like the ancient Roman generals, was received on Capitol Hill with
all the fanfare of a Roman Triumph. In ancient Rome, a general returning from
battle would appear in front of the senate on Capitoline Hill to receive honor
and to honor the god Jupiter. The
procession leading to the Senate was known as the Roman Triumph.
Scripture speaks of the “sins of our forefathers”. Their belief in foreign gods has given those
spirits operating behind Jupiter as well as other deities the legal right to
exert their influence over America.
According to news accounts, General Petraeus was received with all
the honor of a Roman triumph. His
arrival to appear before the U.S. Senate was America’s equivalent to the Roman
Triumph. Following is an account of
General Petraeus’ arrival to Capitol Hill as reported in The Washington Post.
“The best historical analog for Gen. David
Petraeus’s appearance before Congress yesterday might be found in the days of
the Roman Republic. Then, returning
generals wearing laurel wreaths and purple robes and riding in chariots were
greeted at the city gate by senators and led through a ‘Triumph’ ceremony that
included trumpeters and the slaying of white bulls. There were no animal sacrifices in the Cannon
Caucus Room yesterday, but Petraeus – even the name is a felicitous echo of the
Latin ‘patronus’ (protector) – enjoyed the modern equivalent: … It was, in all,
a welcome befitting a Roman general.
Better, even: Petraeus didn’t
even have to endure, as Roman generals did, the slave holding the crown over
his head and whispering in his ear: Sic transit gloria mundi. All glory is fleeting.” [38]
Victory is in Jesus
It is true that “all glory is fleeting” for those who fight
battles apart from the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For those who are fighting battles in the
name of pagan gods or under their influence, all glory is
fleeting! Our Victory is in Jesus
Christ who Triumphed over all Principalities and Powers –
including Jupiter of Capitoline Hill.
“And having spoiled principalities
and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Col
2:15, KJV)
The Lord says “thou shalt
have no other gods before me”; nonetheless, like the Greeks, many of
America’s early forefathers learned the ways of the pagan gods and
goddesses. Our secular Founding Fathers
used art, images and statues as a way to communicate their ideas and
beliefs. One only has to look at the art
in the United States Capitol, the White House and Washington, D.C. itself to
grasp to the degrees that they embraced the pagan gods. The influence of these spirits is
unmistakable in America.
Read the following comments
by Vivien Fryd, author of Art and Empire,
and then read the statement by President Bush made in 2002 regarding his
perception of America’s role in the world.
It is obvious that there is a demonic influence over how some of America’s
politicians view America in the grandiose way they do.
When reading the following
comments by Fryd, keep in mind that the goddess pictured to the right of
Washington as pictured in The Apotheosis of Washington is Liberty, the
composite of Minerva and Liberty. The statue of Armed Liberty that Fryd
refers to is the version of Liberty atop the United States Capitol.
“Freedom,
according to the artist, remains the focus of the statue, whether in the
official title, Statue of Freedom,
preferred by the current (1991) Architect of the Capitol, or the more accurate
title given by Crawford and used by Jefferson Davis, Armed Liberty, which
accurately conflates the two ideas manifest in this combined rendering of Minerva and
Liberty. … Crawford had earlier
chosen a placid image in his Armed
Liberty, in part to show that Liberty’s battles had been won
in North America, enabling her to stand watch over the Union and the world to
enforce her rule by the sword wherever and whenever necessary.[39] (emphasis added)
Now compare Fryd’s
comments to the following remarks made by President Bush during an interview
with Bob Woodward that reveals President
Bush would consider going to war with Afghanistan and Iraq because of what he
perceived to be America’s leadership role in the world.
“President Bush has
outlined an expansive, even grandiose, view of the role the United States must
play in combating terrorism and tyranny that suggests a tension in his own mind
– and the minds of his aides – between the need for international cooperation
and the belief that at times this country will have to act alone. …It is
perhaps Bush’s most direct statement on the need for unilateral action by the
United States as the shaping force in the world. … ‘As we think through Iraq,’ he said, ‘we may
or may not attack. I have no idea
yet. But it will be for the objective of
making the world more peaceful.’ … ‘At this moment in history, if there is a
world problem, we’re expected to deal with it, ‘President Bush said in an
interview at his ranch in August. ‘It’s
the price of power. It is the price of
where the United States stands.’” [40]
America
did invade Iraq. President Bush’s
actions in doing so reveal that he is “adamant” in his beliefs concerning
what he perceives to be America’s grandiose role in the world. Since America’s invasion, Saddam Hussein has
been captured and executed and America still “legally” occupies Iraq. However, as a result, the country of Iran has
become a stronger power in the Mideast and is proving to be a nation that no longer
feels threatened by America. More on this point later.
President
Bush is not alone nor the first when it comes to being “adamant” in his beliefs
– right, wrong or indifferent.
As
the Lord’s spokesman to Israel, Ezekiel would have to be bold, unyielding,
unwavering, immovable, resolute, steadfast and unconquerable. To be able to deal with those who had set
their foreheads and hearts as an “adamant stone” against the Lord. the Lord
made Ezekiel’s forehead as hard as an “adamant stone” as well.
“Behold, I have made thy face strong
against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. As an adamant
harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed
at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.” (Ezekiel 3:8-9, KJV,
emphasis added)
Just
as some of the Israelites set their foreheads as an adamant stone against
the Lord, others like Ezekiel would set their foreheads as an adamant stone for
the Lord. When it is said of someone
that he or she is being "adamant", it is understood that that person
is unyielding in his or her opinion; regardless of what others may say, they
remain unmovable. The implication is
that when someone is adamant, you may as well give up. Obviously, this can be either a positive or a
negative trait.
To
be adamant for the Lord, like Ezekiel, is a heart attitude and mindset, for
which we all should strive. However,
when someone is unyielding concerning beliefs that are opposed to the Lord,
then obviously to be adamant in this sense would be a detrimental way of
thinking.
Like
our Founding Fathers, America’s political leaders continue to be adamant in how
they perceive America’s military and political role in the world. Like our Founding Fathers, they are also
adamant when it comes to their personal beliefs concerning the spiritual realm
and while it is politically correct to tolerate all religions, we know this to
be a spirit of antichrist. (See Epilogue:
“Bush to attend UN dialogue on religions”)
Those
who are unyielding concerning their beliefs in a “Great Architect of the
Universe”, as defined by Freemasonry, or “Liberty as a new secular religion”,
then obviously to be adamant in this sense is to be adamantly opposed to the
Lord.
Thomas
Their
hearts were as an Adamant Stone or Diamond Point
Jeremiah
17:1 and Zechariah 7:12 describe the heart condition of those Founding Fathers
that were adamant in their beliefs that were opposed to the Lord. The hearts of the Freemasons, deists, Thomas
“The sin of Judah is written with a pen
of iron, and with the point of a diamond:
it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars”
(Jeremiah 17:1, KJV, emphasis added)
“Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the
law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the
former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts.”
(Zechariah 7:12, KJV, emphasis added)
Amplified reads: “Yes,
they made their hearts as an adamant stone or diamond point …” (Zechariah 7:12,
Amplified Bible)
In
Scripture, the "adamant stone" and the "diamond" are used
interchangeably – both being the hardest of stones.
America
likened to the Adamant Stone – Boundaries in the Shape of a Diamond Define
Washington, D.C.
As
was the custom of the Founding Fathers, they conveyed their beliefs through
symbolism. Interestingly, George
Washington chose a ten mile square in the shape of a “diamond” to identify the
boundaries of Washington, D.C., with the Federal City located at approximately
the center of the diamond. Furthermore,
he was “adamant” about the boundaries being mapped out exactly as he
instructed.
The
symbolism of the diamond was to liken America to an "adamant stone"
– a country that would be resolute in her beliefs, whatever those beliefs might
be. Like an adamant stone, America would
be unmovable, unyielding, unafraid, not dismayed, invincible and unconquerable
– right, wrong or indifferent.
The symbolism conveyed that America was a
nation that was adamant in her opinions and for that reason, America would set
her face as an adamant stone against any nation that opposed those
opinions. She would set her face as an
adamant stone with invincible armed forces whose courage was unshakable with
the belief that America would be unconquerable in war.
Even
today, like President Bush, many of America’s political leaders are
"adamant" in what they believe to be America’s role in the world and
in particular concerning their belief that America was obligated to the world
for going to war in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Yet, even though America has not been able to accomplish her military
goals in Afghanistan and Iraq nor her political goals of establishing a
democracy in Iraq, many American politicians are still "adamant" in
their attitude that America is "invincible" in war. While continuing to try and prove that point,
America has not only lost the respect of other countries worldwide, but she is
no longer seen as a world power to reckon with.
On
the other hand, the country that is now a threat in the Mideast, Iran, grew
stronger because of America’s occupation of Iraq. In fact, when America removed Saddam Hussein
from power they eliminated one of Iran’s foremost enemies. America’s inability to accomplish the
military victories hoped for in Iraq and Afghanistan has strengthened Iran and
is now the threatening presence in the Mideast and with America as well.
“Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina,
because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root
shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.”
(Isa 14:29, KJV)
What
has sprung up as a result of the invasion of Iraq is much more a threat to the
Mideast and America than Saddam Hussein.
Iran is a more formidable enemy than Iraq was and Iran will not hesitate
to attack America or Israel forcefully and with astonishing fierceness.
It
remains to be seen what fruit will be borne from those Iraqi leaders that have
taken the place of Saddam Hussein and new leaders to come. Not until America has removed all their
troops from Iraq will the world really know what has sprung forth out of the serpent’s
root.
Even
though it appears that the rod of Iraq that struck so many has been broken, it
is premature for America or the Mideast to rejoice in the death of Saddam
Hussein. It may be a temporary reprieve,
however, the danger for Israel, the Mideast and America still exists – even
more so. Could the future leaders of
Iraq prove to be that of a fiery flying serpent – worse than the serpent that
was operating behind Hussein?
For
example, the American politicians who support America’s role in Iraq have felt
pride and elation that because of America’s role in Iraq, the Iraqi people have
formed a democratic form of government. Or
have they? Although there has
been much rejoicing and expectancy in Iraq’s upcoming fall elections, due to
political disagreements and a power struggle within the Iraqi government the
elections have been cancelled, at least for the year 2008. This postponement was a clear setback for the
Bush administration:
“President Jalal Talabani said Wednesday that he would
veto a measure governing provincial elections scheduled for this year, … The
announcement was a setback for both the Bush administration and the government
of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, which hailed a preliminary election law
passed earlier this year as evidence of political progress in Iraq. The ongoing disagreements over the polling
have instead highlighted the sectarian fissures that still divide the country.”[41]
To
complicate matters, there have been politically motivated suicide bombings in
protest of those elections.[42]
While
Isaiah 14:29 is speaking to a specific event, it is also representative of all
ages. Throughout time there has always
been men, like President Bush, who believe that they are the leader or
conqueror to bring about world peace or to make another nation subject to
them. The motive is neither here or
there; the point is that history has proven that these men are only replaced by
other men who believe that they will be the one who will be able to do exactly
what the other believed he could do, but found out that he could not.
While
America believes that they and they alone can rule the world, history has and will
continue to prove them to be wrong. (See
Epilogue; “Financial crisis belies myth of U.S. independence”)
For all
America’s rejoicing that Saddam Hussein was brought down, their rejoicing is
premature. From that root will spring a
more poisonous viper. According to
Iran’s foreign minister:
“‘There was a day when the passage of a U.S. warship
offshore could change governments – that’s how much people feared the United
States,’ … Today, America has 150,000 troops in Iraq and it is unable to
provide security for Iraqis or even for its own forces.’ The Iranian diplomat
discounted the threat of U.S. or Israeli military action. Talk of an American attack was just
‘psychological warfare,’ he said. … Paradoxically, perhaps, the Iranians trust
American rationality – and are convinced it would be folly for the Bush
administration to attack Iran when so many U.S. troops are vulnerable in Iraq
and Afghanistan. …”[43]
To
prove their point and in spite of warnings from America, Iran test fired their
long range missiles in the Persian Gulf in the summer of 2008. This was to demonstrate to America that they
are not afraid of the United States and they can and will defend itself against
any attack by the United States or Israel.
For
at least two years, President Bush had been “adamant” that America would not
participate in any talks with Iran until they suspended its uranium enrichment
program. Yet, on July 19, 2008, just
days after America’s warnings to Iran to stop test firing long range missiles, Iran
gained a diplomatic victory when America altered their policy by sending a
senior U.S. envoy along with five other countries to the negotiating table with
Iran to discuss Iran’s uranium reprocessing program. This shift in U.S. policy was seen as a
weakness even among Americans.
America’s
ability as a nation to lead globally or here at home began to unravel in 2005
in a very unusual and unexpected way. When
Hurricane Katrina ripped into New Orleans, even third world countries were
shocked at America’s inability to respond to the crisis. The overwhelming chaos, lawlessness and
unnecessary deaths that occurred in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina took the world by surprise and drew criticism worldwide.
Nations
from around the world not only questioned America’s ability to lead their country
when faced with an internal crisis, but many also came to realize that America
is not the grandiose country they once thought.
Quite the contrary, America was humiliated and humbled when third world
countries as well as countries that America is not on friendly terms with
offered to send aid to New Orleans – aid that was not forthcoming from America.
For
example, according to Archbishop Paul Cordes who is the head of the Vatican’s
charity organization:
“‘The weakness experienced by the United States faced
with this catastrophe’ serves to ‘destroy all of our beliefs about
self-sufficiency,’ the Vatican official said.
‘Thurs, for me, in the bad part of this event there is also the hope,
for many citizens, of seeing that the world is greater than the United States,’
Cordes said.”[44]
The
question was asked why so many of New Orleans police force abandoned their
duties.
“Why did so many of his officers leave their posts as
the city descended in a chaos that left many residents afraid that either thugs
or the elements would kill them?" … "Aaron Broussard, the
America was Humiliated and Humbled: people around the world
were asking "How Could This Be
Happening in the United States?"
“London, September 3 -- People around the world cannot
believe what they're seeing.
From Argentina to Zimbabwe, front-page photos of the dead and desperate
in New Orleans, almost all of them poor and black, have sickened them and shaken
assumptions about American might.
How can this be happening, they ask, in a nation whose wealth and power
seem almost supernatural in so many struggling corners of the world?
Pick the comparison: New Orleans looks like Haiti, or Baghdad, or Sudan,
Bangladesh or Sri Lanka. The images of all the rubble and corpses and
empty-eyed survivors remind people of those places, not the United States.” 'Third World America,' declared the
headline in the Daily Mail in London on Saturday. 'Law and order is gone,
gunmen roam at will, raping and looting, and as people die of heat and thirst,
bodies lie rotting in the street. Until now, such a hellish vista could only be
imagined in a Third World disaster zone. But this was America yesterday.' ... In a
remarkable role reversal, some of the world's poorest developing nations are
offering help. El Salvador offered to send soldiers to help restore order, …
Beyond the goodwill, much of the reaction has been harshly critical of
the U.S. response and of Bush, who remains unpopular in many places outside the
United States, largely over the war in Iraq. The Independent newspaper in
London carried front-page headlines on Saturday that read, "Where
was the President in his country's hour of need? And why has it taken
him five days to go to New Orleans?" The paper also asked, 'How can the US
take Iraq, a country of 25 million people, in three weeks but fail to rescue
25,000 of its own citizens from a sports arena in a big American city?' … For
the French, who feel greater historical, cultural, linguistic and emotional
ties to New Orleans than perhaps any other American city, the daily front-page
images have been gut-wrenching. ‘The rage of the forgotten’ declared the
headline of Saturday's editions of Liberation newspaper beside a photograph of
a young woman on her knees, screaming in despair. Saturday's lead editorial in
Le Figaro questioned how the U.S. military could have been so quick
to arrive in South Asia for the tsunami, yet 'wasn't able to do the same within
its own borders.' … On Chinese Web sites, which have covered the
disaster closely, several postings contrasted the Chinese army's relief role in
recent floods and earthquakes with the U.S. response in New Orleans. 'Hundreds
of thousands of . . . soldiers were sent to those places to help local
residents, and they really did a good job," one posting said. ‘But the
United States, a superpower, only sent several thousand soldiers to help. What
a shame!' … Others said the looting and chaos in New Orleans reflected a
culture of violence in the United States. The English-language Times of India
on Saturday published a quote from Sajeewa Chinthaka, a 36-year-old from Sri
Lanka, where the tsunami killed more than 30,000: 'It's disgusting. Not a single
tourist caught in the tsunami was mugged. We can easily see where the civilized
part of the world's population is.' … The issue of race underlies much
of the global dismay over the situation in New Orleans. … In the Daily Mail of
London on Saturday, columnist Anthony Holden … 'Rarely,' he wrote, ‘has such
lurid evidence of the darker side of the American dream been so brutally
exposed.’”[46]
(emphasis added)
Even former
House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who shares President Bush’s grandiose views of
America’s role in the world, criticized the American government for its
inability to respond to the citizens of New Orleans when they desperately
needed assistance. For that reason,
Gingrich questioned America’s ability to respond to a world crises.
“‘I think it puts into question all of
the Homeland Security and Northern Command planning for the last four years, because
if we can’t respond faster than this to
an event we saw coming across the Gulf for days, then why do we think we’re
prepared to respond to a nuclear or biological attack?’” [47]
The
above comments by Mr. Gingrich are interesting given comments he made just six
years earlier praising America’s ability and responsibility to lead the world
as well as leading here in America. The
following remarks were made by Gingrich during the debate on the resolution
supporting the military strikes against Iraq in December 1998.
“I think this resolution offers us a very important
opportunity to talk with ourselves and to talk with the world. The United States represents two enormous
burdens that we have to live out:
First, that we are the center of freedom and that we are engaged in the
process of self-government. And Second,
that
we must carry the burden of leading the world, and that is an
operational, day-to-day activity which never suspends. … And we have an obligation to prove to
ourselves and to the world that we can simultaneously govern ourselves in
freedom under the rule of law and provide leadership wherever it is needed
around the world. …. The
United States has to lead. There
is no alternative. There is no
other country capable of organizing against an Iraqi dictator who wants to get
weapons of mass destruction. There is no
other country capable of sustaining freedom against a North Korean dictatorship
actively seeking to get nuclear weapons.
There is no other country that can lead the world financial system when
it is under stress. There is no other
country capable of bringing together on a global basis, people trying to solve
problems." … "Yes, it would be
nice to run and hide. …. But today, in the age of the Internet, in the age of
worldwide instantaneous financial communications, in the age of weapons of mass
destruction… for the United States to fail to lead is in fact to guarantee chaos and
to
guarantee pain across the planet and ultimately pain here in the United States. So let me be very clear. I believe the United States has to lead, and
I believe, as a practical matter, both under our constitution, and in the
nature of how human beings function, … We have a chance to say today to the
world: No matter what our constitutional
process, whether it is an election eve or it is the eve of a constitutional
vote, no matter what our debates at home, we are, as a nation, prepared to lead the
world. …. So I rise today to say to Saddam Hussein and any other
dictator who has any doubts: The United
States can both govern itself and lead the world simultaneously. And I say to our allies across the planet,
we have been, since 1941, the bulwark on which your freedom was based. We have been the arsenal on which your
freedom has been assured, and we have been the power on which your security has
been procured. We will retain those
capabilities, and no matter what the temporary arguments, no matter what the
temporary issues, no one anywhere on this planet should doubt the will of the
American people to support freedom and the will of the American people to
provide leadership and our capacity to subordinate our personalities and
subordinate issues to ensure that we as a nation are strong on this planet.’”[48]
(emphasis added)
Mr.
Gingrich was correct. For the United
States to fail to lead is in fact to guarantee chaos and to guarantee pain
across the planet and ultimately, pain here in the United States”. Mr. Gingrich’s grandiose views of America’s
stature in the world have been dispelled, at least to the rest of the world, if
not to those American politicians who continue to remain “adamant” in their
beliefs.
It
has already been pointed out that General Petraeus, in keeping with America’s
grandiose self-perception of America’s role in the world, was welcomed on
Capitol Hill with all the pomp of the “Roman Triumph”. Interestingly, another American hero was
received with all the pomp of the Roman Triumph. He is also portrayed as a god along with the
goddess Victory.
Christopher
Columbus
Christopher
Columbus’ self-portrayal reveals that like many of America’s Founding Fathers,
he too had a certain self perception of his own grandiosity. The District of Columbia is the namesake of
Christopher Columbus and even though he never actually set foot on land that is
now known as America, Columbus is one of few men who America has set aside a
day to be honored by all Americans.
In
an allegorical sketch personally drawn by Columbus, he portrays himself as a
god. Columbus drew this sketch of his “triumphal
entry” and upon returning to Spain, Christopher Columbus and his train was
received by the King and Queen with all the pomp and ceremony of the “Roman
Triumph”.
The
following (self) sketch of Christopher Columbus and text are taken from The
New Complete History of the United States of America by John Clark Ridpath.[49]
America
celebrates Columbus Day in honor of Christopher Columbus who is credited with
the discovery of the New World. This is
perplexing given that the lands he discovered were already inhabited. Further, the natives who inhabited the New World
were not at war with Spain nor was Spain being threatened by them.
In his sketch, Columbus portrayed the goddess Victory
hovering over him, which is an indication she influenced his desire to be
victorious in his endeavors. The goal of
anyone influenced by the goddess Victory becomes blinded to reality. Their goal is to conquer – to lord it over
others. Neither equality nor
righteousness are part of the equation.
Columbus and those who honor him called it discovery. Others, rightly so, call it “lording it over
others”.
It
was not unusual for men like Columbus to invoke pagan gods through prayer. However, his self portrayal would be more
than just symbolism to him – he would actually be revealing something about his
own beliefs to others.
His
sketch with Victory hovering over him indicated that Columbus had invoked
Victory to come to his aid and that he believed it was this pagan goddess who
brought him victory in battle. However, anyone
influenced by the goddess Victory becomes blinded to what it means to be
victorious in the Lord. Instead, like
Columbus, they call evil good and good evil to justify their victories in war and
whatever other endeavors they may engage in.
To take land that is already inhabited is not discovery, yet those who
honor Columbus call it discovery. Others
recognize that he only discovered people who he was able to “lord over” in
order to take their land.
After
their victory in battle, Roman generals paraded the people they had conquered
along their parade route when they were received with all the pomp of the “Roman
Triumph”. In similar fashion, Christopher
Columbus paraded some of the natives from the New World that he had triumphed
over when he was received with all the pomp of a “Roman Triumph” when returning
to Spain.
“When Columbus started to Barcelona, the
whole population along the way arose to greet him. His progress became a triumphal pageant. Curiosity to see and hear overmastered the
multitudes. Their Majesties knew not
whether to receive the Admiral as subject or as prince. A royal canopy was prepared in the
open air, and there thrones were placed for the sovereigns. Ferdinand and Isabella sat side by side. There Columbus with his train was received
and welcomed. He knelt and kissed the
queen’s hand. It was believed that the
discoverer had found the Indies. The
national imagination was inflamed to a fever of extravagant dreams. Columbus’ story was heard by the sovereigns
with the greatest interest. He
was confirmed in all his honors and emoluments. The court and the hidalgos who surrounded it
vied with one another in doing obeisance to the great Admiral. Several of the natives of the West Indies
had been brought home in the train.”[50]
(emphasis added)
The Pantheon: The Capitol’s
Dome
We have explored the influence of Rome’s Capitoline Hill, yet we
need to look at the Roman Pantheon and its influence on America before leaving
this section. We already know that Thomas
“
The symbolism of the Pantheon and its dome was considered crucial
to the design of the US Capitol. However,
the Pantheon was built during the height of the Roman Empire rather than during
the republic for which America stood! Why would
The
answer seems obvious: both the Capitol of the United States and the Pantheon
are structures dedicated to honor pagan gods.
Scripture is clear that we are not to learn
the way of the heathen (Jeremiah 10). It
is one thing to be aware that paganism exists – it is quite another to learn
the ways of the heathen and practice them.
Yet, the icons of pagan gods and their relationship with mankind,
as well as the mythology surrounding them, were incorporated into the
iconography of the Capitol.
Furthermore,
The
Dalai Lama
The satanic spirits that influenced our Founding Fathers continue
to influence our lawmakers. According to Scripture, there is nothing that is
hidden that won’t be revealed and there is nothing new today that hasn’t been
repeated before.
“Fear them not therefore: for there is
nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be
known. What I tell you in darkness, that
speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.”
(Matt 10:26-27, KJV)
and
“The thing that hath been, it is that
which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there
is no new thing under the sun.” (Eccl 1:9, KJV)
So
it was in the year 2007. America’s lawmakers
demonstrated that they too, like their predecessors, are “Most Religious and
Very Reverent to Demons”. On October 17,
2007, the Dalai Lama, referred to as “His Holiness” by both members of Congress
and President Bush, received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian
honor the legislative body of America can bestow. Not only did President Bush refer to a man
believed to be an incarnation of a heavenly being, like other Dalai Lamas, as
“His Holiness”, but President Bush also acknowledged his own personal
toleration of all religions.
As a
Christian, President Bush is to be an ambassador for Jesus Christ. Yet Bush’s remarks at the presentation
clearly reveal that he is an ambassador for all religions.
“O You poor and silly and thoughtless
and unreflecting and senseless Galatians!
Who has fascinated or bewitched or cast a spell over, unto whom – right
before your very eyes – Jesus Christ (the Messiah) was openly and graphically
set forth and portrayed as crucified?” (Gal 3:1, Amplified Bible)
While
President Bush may be politically correct, he is misleading those of other
faiths. Scripture tells us that the way
and the only way to the Father is through his Son, Jesus Christ, and as a
Christian we are to stand on that truth.
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6,
KJV)
The
world’s way is toleration; however, Jesus is more interested that no one
perishes. Am I intolerant? Yes, I am intolerant of anything other than
the truth because I am more interested in others salvation. In Acts 1:8, Jesus commands us to be a
“witness unto Him”, unto the uttermost part of the earth. The truth is that Jesus Christ is the way and
the only way. If I truly believe that,
then why would I not want others who are perishing to know the truth.
The
following are excerpts from President Bush’s remarks at the joint Congressional
ceremony honoring the Dalai Lama. They
leave no doubt as to what he believes America’s Founding Fathers meant by
religious freedom and leave no doubt that President Bush is “Most Religious”.
“THE PRESIDENT: Madam Speaker; … members of the
congressional delegation, … and Your Holiness [the Dalai Lama]. Over the years, Congress has conferred the
Gold Medal on many great figures in history – usually at a time when their
struggles were over and won. Today
Congress has chosen to do something different.
It has conferred this honor on a figure whose work continues – and whose
outcome remains uncertain. In so doing, America
raises its voice in the call for religious liberty and basic human
rights. These values forged our
Republic. They sustained us through many
trials. And they draw us by conviction
and conscience to the people of Tibet and the man we honor today. … Members of
both of our political parties and world leaders have seen His Holiness as a man
of faith and sincerity and peace. He’s
won the respect and affection of the American people – and America has earned
his respect and affection, as well. …
Knowingly
or unknowingly, President Bush’s words, while “most religious”, reflect a
reverence for demons. Scripture clearly
rejects the ideology of either incarnation (other than Jesus Christ) or
reincarnation, yet the followers of Dalai Lama believe him to be a reincarnation
of the original Dalai Lama who was the incarnation of a heavenly being. This spiritual deity supposedly has been incarnate
through all the other Dalai Lamas and will be incarnate in a baby who will be
born on the 49th day after the present Dalai Lama, who received the
Congressional Gold Medal, passes away.
We
know from Scripture that demons can indwell human beings, and when they do,
they will stay unless they are cast out.
In other words, what many believe to be the continuing incarnation of a
spiritual or heavenly being through the birth of a child when a Dalai Lama
passes away is nothing more than a demonic spirit. The spirit, known as a familiar spirit, leaves
the body of the Dalai Lama at his death and finds a child born on the 49th
day after his death to indwell.
As
mentioned earlier in this section, the pagan belief that the gods had human
representatives on this earth is not a new concept. As also mentioned earlier, George Washington
was portrayed as the earthly representative of a deity (Jupiter/Mithra). Ironically, the Dalai Lama received the
Congressional Gold Medal underneath the very mural portraying George Washington
as a pagan deity. Given these facts, we
should not be surprised that America’s civil leaders would embrace the Dalai
Lama, who is also believed to be an earthly representative of a heavenly being.
There
truly is nothing new under the sun – what has been will be again. Scripture is clear
that we are not to learn the way of the heathen. It is one thing to be aware that paganism
exists – it is quite another to learn the ways of the heathen and honor those
who practice them.
A Spirit of Confusion
At
times and in other articles, it may seem contradictory that George Washington
symbolized this or that. However, as a
Freemason, what he believed in, who is was, who he was not and what
he stood for was multifaceted. That is
why they used iconography to communicate – to reveal “and conceal” – and to
confuse.
Iconography
was meant to be confusing – the images at the United States Capitol are nothing
but confusion. “Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.”
(Isa 41:29, KJV, emphasis added) However,
according to Scripture, it is the spirits operating behind the images that will
eventually be confused!
“Declare ye among the nations, and
publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is
taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach
is broken in pieces; her idols are
confounded, her images are broken in pieces.” (Jer 50:2, KJV, emphasis
added)
When
America’s Founding Fathers failed to clarify the identity of God, a door was
left open for a spirit of confusion to operate.
Many Americans believe that our Founding Fathers were Christians –
others believe that they were not. This
confusion over who they were and who they were not has resulted in confusion as
to how to interpret the Constitution regarding church and state.
The
following quote from Morals and Dogma
makes it clear that Freemasons understood that the words spoken by
Freemasons regarding religion did not inform others of what that word
meant to them. Pike states
that:
“All
religious expression is symbolism … To present a visible symbol to the eye of
another is not necessarily to inform him of the meaning which that symbol has
to you. … For as with the visible symbol, so with the word: to utter it to you does not inform you of
the exact meaning which it has to me; …” [53] (emphasis added)
The
Apostle Paul explained that this type of communication is according to the
world and that as Christians we are not to communicate in this way. We are to let our yes mean yes and our no
mean no. Our communication is not to be
left open to interpretation where it can mean more than one thing. Our communication, regardless of the manner
in which we communicate, should be such that a spirit of confusion cannot operate.
Let
your yes be yes and your no be no
“Now because I changed my original plan,
was I being unstable and capricious? Or
what I plan, do I plan according to the flesh [like a worldly man], ready to
say Yes, yes, [when it may mean] No, no?
[18]
As surely as God is trustworthy and faithful and means
what He says, our speech and message to you have not been Yes [that might mean]
No. [19] For the Son
of God, Christ Jesus (the Messiah), Who has been preached among you by us, by
myself, Silvanus, and Timothy, was not Yes and No; but in Him is [always the
divine] Yes. [20] For as many
as are the promises of God, they all find their Yes [answer] in Him
[Christ]. For this reason we also utter
the Amen (so be it) to God through Him [in His Person and by His agency] to the
glory of God.” (2Cor 1:17-20, Amplified Bible)
Self-Glorification
A “famous” or “great” man does not mean that he is a “righteous”
man. Rather than boast in the Lord, George
Washington and Thomas
“However, let him who boasts and glories
boast and glory in the Lord. For [it is]
not [the man] who praises and commends himself who is approved and accepted, but [it is the
person] whom the Lord accredits and commends.” (2Cor 10:17-18, Amplified Bible)
Sadly,
today’s political leaders as well as Americans in general are just as eager to
set up monuments in honor of themselves and America as were our forefathers.
In
Conclusion:
America’s
Founding Fathers concept of Liberty is a fallacy. America’s ideology of liberty is liberty
apart from the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and because of that, Americans
in general as well as politicians have become blinded to the true meaning of
liberty. It was their concept of
Liberty that many Americans embraced and like the Founding Fathers, they too
have become enslaved to this deceptive liberty.
·
America’s
Ideology of Liberty is a form of “idolatry”
·
America’s
Founding Fathers were “superstitious”, “most religious” and very “reverent to demons”
Like
the Athenians, America’s Founding Fathers were “most religious and very
reverent to demons”. And those beliefs
included incorporating the images and objects of worship associated with those
deities into the iconography of the United States Capitol as well as the design
of the Capitol itself.
“Now while Paul was awaiting them at
Athens, his spirit was grieved and
roused to anger as he saw that the
city was full of idols. … So Paul standing in the center of the Areopagus
[Mars Hill meeting place], said: Men of
Athens, I perceive in every way [on every hand and with every turn I make] that
you are most religious or very reverent to demons. For as I passed along and carefully observed
your objects of worship, I came also
upon an altar with this inscription, To the unknown god. Now what you
are already worshipping as unknown, this I set forth to you.” (Acts 17: 16,
22-23, Amplified Bible, emphasis added)
In
verse 22, the King James version of the Bible reads, “I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious”. The word
“superstitious”, according to Strong’s Concordance (G1174) is the compound of a derivative of the base of G1169 and means to be “more religious than others – too superstitious”. Superstitious, according to Strong’s G1169 means “timid, i.e. by
implication faithless: fearful, and
superstitious, verse 22, is referring to a demon or supernatural spirit of a
bad nature: a devil.
In
other words, it is a demonic spirit operating behind superstition and it is
this spirit operating behind the concept of “Liberty” and religious freedom. America’s
politicians may be “awe-inspired” that America is a nation that embraces
religious freedom, yet their PRIDE is idolatry – and pride goes
before the fall.
Liberty
is not about “democracy” or “religious freedom” – it’s about Jesus Christ
setting the captives free! We are not at liberty to tolerate and
embrace the customs of other religions – we are to be Ambassadors for Jesus
Christ who is “the way” and the only way to God the Father.
Jesus
Christ is the “Perfect Law of Liberty” (James 2:12, 1:25). “Liberty”
is not about being liberated from Christianity – it’s about Jesus Christ “liberating”
those in captivity.
Secular
Religion is on the Rise Again
Biblically
we know that there is nothing new under the sun and what once was will be again
(Ecclesiastes 1:9). Revelation 17:8
echoes the same Biblical principle: even
though the beast that once was is not presently evident, it will once again
make its presence known. So it
is with “Secular Religion”.
The
manifestations of secular religion were not as obvious in our parents and
grandparents generation as it was when America’s forefathers wrote the
Constitution. However, in our
generation, secular religion is on the rise.
Further, the manifestations of the principality behind secular religion
in America are becoming more and more evident and widespread.
For
example, on August 16, 2008 Pastor Rick Warren hosted a “civil forum” at Saddleback
Church in Lake Forest, California where he is the senior pastor. In doing so, he distorted both the Biblical
and constitutional boundaries between church and state. This civil forum was designed to ask both
presumptive nominees for president, John McCain and Barrack Obama, questions
concerning their faith and politics more from a secular perspective rather than
just a Christian perspective. However, the
focus should be placed on Warren’s motives and role in the civil forum rather
than on the politicians.
Warren
stated that while he believes in the constitutional separation of church and state,
he does not believe in a separation of faith and politics.[54] Obviously, the civil forum is at odds with
his belief that there is a constitutional separation of church and state”. So, what does Warren actually believe?
The
Apostle Paul taught that we are not to speak in such a “worldly manner”. Rather, as Christians, we are to let our yes
be yes and our no be no:
“Now because I changed my original plan,
was I being unstable and capricious? Or
what I plan, do I plan according to the flesh [like a worldly man], ready to
say Yes, yes, [when it may mean] No, no?
As surely as God is trustworthy and faithful and means what He says, our
speech and message to you have not been Yes [that might mean] No.” (2Cor
1:17-18, Amplified Bible)
It
would be hard to know what Warren really believes concerning the separation of church
and state if it had not been for the civil forum that he initiated and made all
the arrangements for, including the use of his church as the meeting
place. Actions speak louder than words –
Warren’s civil forum not only echoes his belief that there is no separation of
faith and politics – the civil forum also clearly revealed that contrary to what
he says, he does not believe in the separation of church and state either.
Like
Warren, America’s founding fathers also said yes and no at the same time making
it almost impossible to know what they meant concerning the separation of church
and state. No one can deny that there is
confusion as to what the Founding Fathers really meant concerning the separation
of church and state. History bears
witness that whatever they meant, it has proven to be controversial,
questionable and disputable. Otherwise,
it would not be necessary for the Supreme Court to continually interpret the
Constitution, nor would their interpretations be apt to change as new Supreme
Court justices are appointed.
Anything
other than an unequivocal yes or no is in the middle. This middle ground allows a spirit of
Leviathan and confusion to operate.
Because the middle ground is neither a clear yes or no, it can be
interpreted in more than one way. For
that reason, the statement becomes controversial, questionable and
disputable.
For
example, prior to being interviewed, were the presidential candidates in a
“cone of silence” as Warren guaranteed they would be – or not? Once again, like the worldly man, we find
that Warren’s yes really meant no.
Since
both candidates would be asked the same questions, Warren guaranteed both
candidates that while he was interviewing the first candidate, the other
candidate would be sequestered in a “cone of silence” where they could not hear
the response of their opponent. This
guarantee was to ensure that the second candidate to be interviewed would not
have an advantage over the first candidate by being able to prepare his answers
in advance.
Even though this guarantee was stated by Warren to the
televised audience, with McCain concurring, McCain was not in a “cone of
silence”. While Obama was being
interviewed, McCain was in a motorcade on his way to the interview with the
availability of both a radio and other necessary technology that could be used
to pass on to McCain information that could help him to prepare for his
interview. For instance, McCain aides
who were in the audience as Warren interviewed Obama could easily have used
their blackberries to pass on to McCain the questions that he would be
asked. Obviously, this fact puts into
question the creditability of both Warren and the civil forum.
Nonetheless,
to those who don’t really care one way or another, including the carnal
Christian as well as the public in general, Warren’s approach to religion and
politics was considered brilliant! The
following quotes are from an article in Time Magazine reads in part: “Why Religion in America will never be the
same”:
“A shift away from ‘sin issues’ –
like abortion and gay marriage – is reflected in Warren’s approach to his
coming sit-downs with the candidates. He
says he is more interested in questions that he feels are ‘uniting,’ such as
‘poverty, HIV/AIDS, climate change and human rights,’ and still more in
civics-class topics like the candidates’ understanding of the role of the
Constitution. There will be no ‘Christian
religion test,’ Warren insists.
‘I want what’s good for everybody, not just what’s good for me. Who’s the best for the nation right now?’” [55] (emphasis
added)
When
all three men placed Christianity in a civil forum, they gave the unbeliever
the right to judge them, their faith and their motives for participating in the
forum. Interestingly, after the debate,
journalists and analysts alike took it upon themselves to determine who won the
debate: Obama or McCain. Likewise, Warren’s motives have been
questioned – and rightly so.
Warren’s
civil forum made a spectacle of Christians to the whole world. McCain and Obama were like two men on display
in an arena who are condemned to fight to the death (1 Corinthians 4:9). Warren, McCain, and Obama’s participation in
the civil forum misrepresents Christianity and Jesus Christ. “Christianity” is not a “civil religion”. Just as the Pharisees manipulated the Roman
Government to promote their agenda in crucifying Jesus Christ, Rick Warren is
using the Civil Government to promote his own agenda.
Were
McCain and Obama promoting their own agendas as well? Is that why they too were willing to say yes
and no at the same time to win the evangelical vote yet not loose the vote of
those who believe differently than evangelicals?
When
asked when life began, John McCain gained the approval of those in attendance
at the civil forum when he was unequivocal in his response that life began at
conception. Yet, within no more than
three days, many people were confused when they found out that in another
interview that McCain stated that is willing to work with those who favor
abortion rights. The following excerpts are
from a Washington Post article titled, “Candidates’ Abortion Views Not So
Simple”: [56]
“McCain’s performance at the forum seemed to hearten
many conservatives, not only because of his firm, uncompromising stand against
abortion but his broader appeals on global warming, genocide and the embrace of
causes greater than self. But
the clarity that McCain exhibited at Saddleback has been somewhat diminished
with his suggestion that his running mate might favor abortion rights. ‘Since Saturday night, I’ve seen a lot
of confusion in the younger Christian voting bloc because they thought they had
figured this thing out,’ said Cameron Strang, editor of Relevant
magazine, which is aimed at a new generation of evangelicals.”…“At Saddleback,
McCain won plaudits from conservatives when he said that life begins ‘at the
moment of conception,’ … But the inroads McCain made are now threatened by his
flirtation with a running mate who supports abortion rights. ‘I think that the pro-life position is one of
the important aspects or fundamentals of the Republican Party. And I also feel that – and I’m not trying to
equivocate here – that Americans want us to work together,’ McCain told the
Weekly Standard.” (emphasis added)
From the same article:
“Douglas Johnson, legislative director of the National Right to Life
Committee, charged that Obama is trying to have it both ways because the
Illinois bill he opposed was virtually identical to the federal law he said he
would support.”
The
above examples are excellent illustrations of people who say yes and no at the
same time to protect their own interests and further their own agenda, and in
this case, to win the votes of both those who are pro-life and
pro-abortion. The confusion that has
resulted is the fruit that is produced from those who plan according to the
flesh and like a worldly man, they are ready to say yes when it may mean no –
if it is to their advantage.
So,
what are we to believe? No one really
knows – and that’s the whole point.
Warren’s
secular perspective on Christianity is not new.
Those analysts who believe Warren’s civil forum sets a new standard for
Christianity and that religion in America will never be the same are only
witnessing “Liberty”, raising her head once again in a form acceptable to the
American’s of 2008.
Just as the Lord revealed to Elijah that He had 7,000
others who had not bowed the knee to Baal, the Lord has 7,000 in America who
will not bow their knee to the Baal of Secular Religion. These 7,000 will not misrepresent
Christianity. They are always truthful: their
message is not yes and no, it is yes and Amen in Jesus Christ.
Praise
the Lord!
© Gwen Thomas, October 2007/July
2008/November 2008
Epilogue
“Bush to attend UN
dialogue on religions”
The
following quotes are from the article entitled, “Bush to attend UN dialogue
on religions” found on the Washington Post website (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/31/AR2008103103402.html) as originally reported on
October 31, 2008 by Edith M. Lederer of the Associated Press.
“President Bush will join
several other world leaders at a General Assembly meeting to promote a global
dialogue about religions, cultures and common values, U.N. and U.S. officials
said Friday. The meeting is a follow-up to an interfaith conference in Madrid
organized by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and King Juan Carlos of Spain in
July which brought together Jews, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and
representatives of other religions and sparked hopes of a new relationship
among religions. … White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Bush ‘remains
committed to fostering interfaith harmony among all religions, both at home and
abroad.’ She said Bush also plans to
meet separately with Abdullah. … Abdullah, whose country bans non-Muslims from
openly practicing their religion, has called for religious tolerance and said
such dialogue is the duty of every human
being.”
“Financial crisis belies
myth of U.S. independence”
The
following quotes are from the Analysis/Opinion page (A4) of the October 30,
2008 edition of the Washington Times newspaper written by Edward
Goldberg: “Financial crisis belies myth of U.S. independence”. Shortly after the above article on Liberty
was published, the global financial meltdown began exposing the weaknesses and
folly of America’s political and economic systems and illustrating just how
dependent America is on the world economy.
Below are selected quotes from this article.
“The ongoing financial
crisis defines globalization, good or bad.
It is a clear demonstration of how money flows have surpassed the power
of individual countries to govern them. … From the beginning of his
administration, Mr. Bush has been implying that America is not part of the
larger world, that it is exceptional and therefore above it all … his
administration has served notice that America is separate and special … The
Bush-McCain myth of exceptionalism cannot shield the United States from the
super joint economic veto now demanded by the market forces of globalization –
a demand created by the administration’s lack of economic confidence in dealing
with the American economy. How ironic …
that the administration was compelled by the forces of globalization to follow
the lead of a perceived weak Europe to deal with the banking crisis. … Treasury
Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. was forced to do an immediate about-face. Globalization, acting in conjunction with
realistic European leadership, forced Mr. Paulson’s hand. When the Europeans decided to inject money
into their banks by buying bank shares, Mr. Paulson had no choice but to follow
their lead. … The financial crisis has pressured Mr. Bush to move belatedly
from dogma to practicality and to confront the reality that America is part of
the globalized world. But tragically, as
in so many other areas of his administration, realism follows only after the
deluge.”
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Endnotes