Mark Small

By writing “CONSTITUTIONAL” in upper-case letters does not give Mr. Beckwith’s views on the history of the United States or its Constitution greater credibility. 19/34

Rev Beckwith cites example of ppl who landed in North America in 1600s & 1700s to escape religious persecution. However, the Puritans promptly discriminated against those whose beliefs were different and hanged four Quakers deemed heretics. 20/34

Framers of Const had > recent experience w/bigotry Hundred Years War sprang fr Protestant Reformation Framers proscribed affirmation 2 deity re oath of office 4 members of Congress & judiciary U.S. Const., http://Art.VI , cl 3 & for Pres U.S. Const Art. II, sec 1. 21/34

Madison described quals 4 House of Rep: Under these reasonable limitations door is open 2 merit of every description whether native or adoptive, young or old & w/o regard 2 poverty or wealth or 2 any partic profession of religious faith Federalist 52. 22/34

Many Framers of Constitution were deists - not Christians. Ours: secular govt. Franklin, at the 1787 Const’l Conv proposed ea session begin w/prayer, but was voted down. Collier, Decision at Philadelphia, 1986 ed., p. 162; Stewart, The Summer of 1787, p. 103. 23/34

Article VI of the U.S. Constitution provides: “...no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” 24/34

Ours is a pluralistic society. Rev Beckwith’s rather odd beliefs are rejected by a majority of adherents to the Christian faith. An April, 2018, Pew Research Center survey found that one-third of Americans say ... 25/34

they do not believe in the God of the Bible, but believe there is some other higher power or spiritual force in universe Slim majority (56%) believe in God ‘as described in the Bible.’ And one-in-ten do not believe in any higher power or spiritual force.” 26/34