Original Intent: Courts, the Constitution, & Religion [Paperback]

Barton explores extensively the role of Christianity in founding this country and devastates the current revisionists who claim the founders were randy, atheistic and selfish. He uses so many quotes and original sources that I sometimes found myself thinking, "Enough already - You've proved the point." He explodes the current myths demonizing Washington, Jefferson, Franklin and the like with research rather than misleading rhetoric.

"Original Intent" is especially strong when discussing the title concept. There is no question that the current judicial legislation is directly opposite to what the Constitution intended.

In spite of studying the founding of this country for years, the author finds and quotes so many new sources that I am amazed that I've missed all of these for all these years. Which, of course, fits Barton's broad assertions of a society where truth is ridiculed and censored away from the people so that it is difficult to find the truth even if you try.

Read this if it's the only book on the subject you read.

Barton builds an impregnable case that the current liberal assertion of church and state separation, which has evolved into an all out attack, particularly on Christianity, is far from the original intent of the founders. Barton delves into how the anti-God crowd has distorted Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptists, where he mentions creating a "wall of separation", and how the left has continually assaulted the premise that America was created a "Christian" nation. Barton backs up his factual evidence with page after page of undisputable writings from our founders.

Barton examines numerous cases of judicial decisions in early American history, which have been omitted from modern judicial opinions. The reader follows the journey of how the anti-God crowd has meticulously destroyed the values of which our nation was founded. The reader is then presented with an insight to the religious beliefs of the founders. Barton then shows how selective history and revisionism history has been used to rewrite and ignore original intent.

Barton concludes with a chapter on how to return to original intent that is a must read for every American. All this in only the first two-thirds of the book! The reader is then given nearly two hundred additional pages of appendix which includes short biographical sketches of many of the founders and other American leaders referenced in the book. This is followed by an indepth bibliography that will add many new titles to the readers 'must have' list.

I cannot praise this magnificent book enough. It has already earned a place as one of my most cherished reference books. Couple this book with Michael Novak's, On Two Wings, and you will have all the necessary ammunition to challenge any argument on religion from the radical left. Buy a copy for yourself and learn the undisputable truth about original intent. This book would also make a tremendous gift to anyone interested in religion and the courts.