Dear Friend,

One of the crucial debates in America today is whether or not our nation was founded on Christian principles. Quite frankly, to suggest otherwise requires an enormous amount of revisionist thinking. The historical evidence leaves little doubt. Here is just one example of many: In 1835, after nine months of travel throughout America, French Aristocrat Alexis de Tocqueville wrote “Democracy in America” considered to be the "the most comprehensive... analysis of character and society in America ever written.” In it he describes the inherent roots of Christianity that ran deep in the young nation.

"There is no country in the whole world in which the Christian religion retains a greater influence over the souls of men than in America: and there can be no greater proof of its utility, and of its conformity to human nature, than that its influence is most powerfully felt over the most enlightened and free nation of the earth."

He goes on to write about the seamless merger of religion and government.

"Upon my arrival in the United States the religious aspect of the country was the first thing that struck my attention...In France I had almost always seen the spirit of religion and the spirit of freedom marching in opposite directions. But in America I found they were intimately united."

And finally he writes,

"The Americans combine the notions of Christianity and of liberty so intimately in their minds, that it is impossible to make them conceive the one without the other...They brought with them into the New World a form of Christianity which I cannot better describe than by styling it a democratic and republican religion."

Ironically, there is a resurgence of popularity of Tocqueville’s book “Democracy in America” especially on College campuses. As difficult as it is for an honest student or professor to deny the strong Christian heritage of America, they are attempting to do just that. But regardless of the revisionist history being foisted on us by those who would deny the obvious, the truth is America was founded on Christian principles and our success as a nation has been based on those principles. They are so woven into the fabric of our national cloth that only at our peril do we dare remove them. As Christians we must stand firm for what we believe in and for the preservation of our Christian Heritage.

Thank you for being a part of the TLN family and may God richly bless you this Holy Christmas season.

Prayerfully,

Jerry Rose, President