Question---Is This America?

About two months ago, I received an invitation to open the North Carolina Legislative session in prayer.  However, I did not seek the opportunity to pray.  Evidently, someone must have given my name to the appropriate person.  The invitation requested that if I was available, I was to choose three weeks offered in the letter and they would choose one of the three weeks and confirm that week with me.  I received correspondence that I was to open the session in prayer beginning May 31 through June 3, 2010.  I accepted the invitation. 

The May 31 session was to begin at 7:00 PM and I was requested to appear in the chamber fifteen minutes early to discuss the procedure.  I entered the chamber at approximately 6:45 PM and met the appropriate person.  At the beginning of the conversation, I was asked not to pray in the "Name of Jesus".  I was told that other religions were present and they might be offended at the "Name of Jesus".  I reminded the individual that Christians can also be offended and that I was highly offended when asked not to pray in the "Name of Jesus".  The lady told me that she would have to check with Speaker Hackney and he would make the determination. In the mean time, she showed me where to sit and where to stand.  In about ten minutes she returned and informed me that Speaker Hackney had given me permission to open that session in prayer "but my services would not be needed the remaining part of the week".  At the appropriate time, I was introduced and closed my prayer in "The Name of Jesus".  My tenure had ended for the week because I choose not to be politically correct but Theologically honest with the Scriptures. (More information is forthcoming which I cannot at this time divulge.) 

Our Forefathers Knew The Answer!

We recognize that our nation has forgotten its foundations.  A perverted view of history has given us a generation of people that are historically illiterate. It was at this time of the year in 1774 when our forefathers came together to declare their independence.  It was determined that a pastor should be brought into the assembly to invoke the blessings of Heaven upon their endeavor. That prayer, the first recorded prayer in our Nation's history was closed "In the Name and through the merits of Jesus Christ thy Son and our Saviour, Amen." Patrick Henry stated;  "It cannot be emphasized too clearly and too often that this nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason, peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here." [May 1765 Speech to the House of Burgesses]  Alexander Hamilton stated that two truths made America great; "Christianity and a Constitution formed under Christianity."  John Quincy Adams further stated:  "Why is it that, next to the birthday of the Savior of the world, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day [the Fourth of July]?" "Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the Gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer's mission upon earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity?" [Given in 1837, at the age of 69, when he delivered a Fourth of July speech at Newburyport, Massachusetts]  John Adams said;  "We Recognize No Sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus!"  [April 18, 1775]  How appropriate that Samuel Johnston said: "It is apprehended that Jews, Mahometans (Muslims), pagans, etc., may be elected to high offices under the government of the United States. Those who are Mahometans, or any others who are not professors of the Christian religion, can never be elected to the office of President or other high office, [unless] first the people of America lay aside the Christian religion altogether, it may happen. Should this unfortunately take place, the people will choose such men as think as they do themselves." [Elliot's Debates, Vol. IV, pp 198-199, Governor Samuel Johnston, July 30, 1788 at the North Carolina Ratifying Convention]  Noah Webster stated: "In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed...No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people." [Source: 1828, in the preface to his American Dictionary of the English Language.]  George Washington stated: "What students would learn in American schools above all is the religion of Jesus Christ." [speech to the Delaware Indian Chiefs May 12, 1779]

Forsyth County Prayer Issue

Forsyth County is being sued by two women who are offended that the County Commissioners dare to be fair in their prayer policy.  Each year, Forsyth County sends out invitations to all religious organizations in the county giving each equal opportunity to open the County Commissioners meetings in prayer.  The policy states in part that the "clerk is to invite everyone from the community, every faith, every belief and to send them letters inviting them to come and do [the] invocation, and she is to send those letters out once a year.  She is to use the Yellow Pages, any form that she can find that verifies any faith, and she is to-she is to make sure that everyone in the community has been included."  We do not believe our Founding Fathers would have been as generous and included some of the religions in their invitation.  We do believe and are sure that they would have no problem praying in "The Name of Jesus".  History records that they invoked "The Name of Jesus" in many of their prayers and special days.  However, some ill intended people who know nothing of our history want to change the history of Forsyth County.  The County Commissioners are now in the appeals process.  The case is before the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond, Virginia.  The Plaintiffs-Appelles had until June 21, 2010 to file their Response Brief.  Other legal wrangling will follow.  A decision should come down in the immediate future.  If the Fourth Circuit is true to our historical position, there will be no question that the verdict will vindicate the Forsyth Commissioners and allow them to continue the present prayer policy.

George Washington and Nancy Pelosi
Would Have A Serious Problem

General Washington, upon learning that a homosexual was in his army, ordered that he be drummed out of the camp.  Now, we learn that the press secretary for Nancy Pelosi, Mr. Drew Hammill was married to another man in Washington recently.  Mr. Hammill's so called marriage partner graduated from Abilene Christian University which is affiliated with The Churches of Christ.   That which God calls an "abomination" is more and more accepted among many religious movements and political elites.  The Scriptures spare no words in calling these people "sodomites".  (I Kings 15:12)  May God have mercy on these so-called religious institutions which have abandoned the truths of Scriptures.  They have no reason for their existence other than to recruit infidels to their ungodly cause!

Upcoming Speaking Engagements

July 4, 2010
Zion Hill Baptist Church
Marion, NC
11 am

July 5, 2010
Pilot Mountain Tea Party Rally
Dotson Street
Pilot Mountain, NC
10:15 am

July 5-7, 2010
McDowell County Camp Meeting
Marion, NC
7 pm

July 19-22, 2010
Pinnacle Baptist Church
Pinnacle Church Road
Nebo, NC
7 pm

New Supporting Churches

We are thankful for the following churches who have placed Return America in their missions budget:

 Acorn Ridge Baptist Church
Robbins, NC

Monthly Issue
June 2010

Dr. Ron Baity, President

Web Site

Pictures are up of the rally.  We have received dozens of applications from people desiring to become part of our mailing list.

Board Members

Dr. Ron Baity, President

Mr. Dwight Creech, Vice President

Dr. Richard Callahan, Secretary

Rev. Donnie Oates, Treasurer

Dr. Joe Haas