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<div>Here is Bill Sali in today's Lewiston Tribune. If there's someone
other than G_d that he listens to, will they please tell him that many
religions share the same principles such as peace and
compassion?</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>"<font color="#000000">when principles outside of the
Judeo-Christian tradition begin to be promoted within Congress, we
should all recognize that the government given to us by the Founding
Fathers will be at risk</font>."</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>m.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>******</div>
<div><br></div>
<div><font color="#000000">Turnabout: Congress should pray to God of
the Bible<br>
<br>
Bill Sali<br>
<br>
Sunday, August 26, 2007<br>
<br>
This nation was founded on the principle of freedom of religion - a
principle that I emphatically embrace and have taken an oath to
defend. But our nation's freedom of religion does not mean, as some
history revisionists would like us to believe, that our Founding
Fathers weren't religious, nor that they didn't embrace Christian
principles. They most certainly did. The Founders recognized that
"it is impossible to rightly govern the without God and the
Bible." It is unfortunate those words, which come directly from
George Washington, would be deemed narrow-minded or bigoted if they
were spoken today.<br>
<br>
James Madison and John Adams would also be viewed as bigoted. Madison
spoke of how the Almighty had extended his hand at critical stages of
the American Revolution, allowing our nation to survive and
thrive.<br>
<br>
Adams wrote, "The general principles upon which the Fathers
achieved independence ... were the general principals of Christianity.
... I will avow that I believed and now believe that those general
principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the
existence and attributes of God."<br>
<br>
Was Benjamin Franklin culturally insensitive when he noted that it was
difficult to imagine that our country could have come into being
without the guidance, influence and governance of God? Franklin wrote
that the Founders had "daily prayers for divine protection,"
and that their prayers were "graciously answered."<br>
<br>
"I have lived a long time," Franklin wrote, "and the
longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that
God governs the affairs of men! And if a sparrow cannot fall to the
ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise
without his aid?"<br>
<br>
And when I say that continued reliance on Christian principles have
benefited this country in its past and will in its future, you need
only look to Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln urged "intelligence,
patriotism, Christianity and a firm reliance on him" to get our
country through our country's darkest hour, the Civil War.<br>
<br>
He made a promise to God that once Union soldiers won the battle at
Antietam, he would issue the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the
slaves. And he did.<br>
<br>
Trib Biz Directory<br>
I'm sorry that my comments in support of my faith have been taken
grossly out of context. But I'm not sorry to defend my faith, nor
should I be.<br>
<br>
I believe it is important to reach out to the hand of God for guidance
and his protective hand and continued blessings upon our country. That
is something that I do each morning and each night. I believe the
invocation in Congress is an important matter and that we ought reach
out to the God of the Bible, because it is he who continues to allow
this country to prosper and he is responsible for the country's
longevity.<br>
<br>
That is what I was trying to convey in the radio interview a couple of
weeks ago. It was difficult to do that in a limited amount of time. I
suppose I could have done a better job explaining my position, but I
also think it is wrong to take one small part of that interview and
claim that is the whole of my position.</font><br>
<font color="#000000"></font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">The Judeo-Christian principles on which our
republic was founded can be embraced, defended and practiced by people
of any faith. Anyone doing so will find an ally in me. But when
principles outside of the Judeo-Christian tradition begin to be
promoted within Congress, we should all recognize that the government
given to us by the Founding Fathers will be at risk. That should give
every American serious pause.</font></div>
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