Got this email. Interesting read...

Laus Deo! On the aluminum cap atop the Washington Monument in Washington DC, are two words: Laus Deo.

No one can see these words. In fact .... most visitors to the monument have no idea they are even there and ... for that matter ... probably couldn't care less! But there they are ... 555 feet, 5.125 inches high ... perched atop the monument to the father of our nation .... overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise the District of Columbia ... capital of the United States of America.

Laus Deo! Two seemingly insignificant, unnoticed  words...out of sight and, one might think, out of mind ... but very meaningfully placed at the highest point over what is the most powerful city in the world.

And what might those two words ... comprised of just four syllables and only seven letters ... mean?

Very simply ... "Praise be to God!"

Though construction of this giant obelisk began in 1848 when James Polk was President of the United States, it was not until 1888 that the monument was inaugurated and opened to the public. It took twenty-five years to finally cap the memorial with the tribute Laus Deo! Praise be to God!

From atop this magnificent granite and marble structure ... a visitor can take in the beautiful panoramic view of the city with its division into four major segments. And from that vantage point one can also easily see the original plan of the designer, Pierre Charles l'Enfant ... a perfect cross imposed upon the landscape ... with the White House to the North ... the Jefferson Memorial to the South ... the Capitol to the East .... and the Lincoln Memorial to the West. A cross ... you say?

How interesting! And ... no doubt .... intended to carry a meaning for those who bother to notice. Praise be to God! Within the monument itself are 898 steps and 50 landings..

As one climbs the steps and pauses at the landings the memorial stones share a message. On the 12th Landing is a prayer offered by the City of Baltimore; on the 20th is a memorial presented by some Chinese Christians; on the 24th a presentation made by Sunday School children from New York and Philadelphia quoting Proverbs 10:7, Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6. Praise be to God!

When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on July 4th,1848 deposited within it were many items includ-ing the Holy Bible presented by the Bible Society. Praise be to God! Such was the discipline, the moral direction, the spiritual mood given by the founder and first President of our unique democracy ... "one nation, under God."

I am awed by Washington's prayer for America. Have you never read it?

Well now is your opportunity ... read on!

"Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United states at large." "And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Laus Deo!

As you might have guessed ... I kind of like the idea that our Pledge of Allegiance includes the phrase "under God." It is clear when one studies the history of our great nation that Washington's America was one of the few countries in all the world established under the guidance, direction and banner of Almighty God, to whom was given all praise, honor and worship by the great men who formed and fashioned her pivotal foundations.

And ... when one stops to observe the inscriptions found in public places all over our nation's capitol ... one will easily find the signature of God.

We are a nation under God!!! Laus Deo!!! Praise be to God!!!

"Unless the Lord builds the house its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain."

SHHHHHHH!  Don't let anybody know.  I guess it'll be alright, though.  Those who would remove any trace of God and his Word from our country's monuments don't know that the words are there, because they wouldn't bother to visit those monuments.  That would be too patriotic.

Hey, Bueller, without this "sect's" beliefs you wouldn't be typing your little fingers to the bone on this forum. You'd be haulin pigshit from the pen in your duties as His Royal Highness' farm boy.  So why don't you just shut-up and go back to defending abortion rights over there in the Ann Coulter thread.

i always thought that thing was a pagan fertility monument

Apparently, you have believed everything that the revisionist history books have lied to you about.  Government schools are working, I guess.  Maybe you've forgotten that this country undeniably, unequivocally and absolutely was founded upon Christian ideals.  Those Europeans who came to North America and founded Jamestown were seeking freedom from religious persecution and structured their socio-political world around their Christian faith.  And you reap those benefits on a daily basis.  Why do you think it was so easy to make citizens of other countries give up their arms and so difficult for the Left in this country to get ours?  Because the foundation of America is wholly rooted in individual choice.  And the concept of choice and the right of the individual is a central tenet of Christianity.  The very religion you mock is wholly based on choice.  You, Aimless, choose to dis-believe that there is a supernatural power out there.  I call Him God.  And that the Founders of this Union believed thus and framed their writings with those beliefs cannot be denied without absolutely lying.  And as long as there are some of us who will not forget this, you might continue to be free to rail against the Chritianity that gives you that freedom.

                                                                                                                                                                                        In America we all(hopefully)have the absolute "right"to worship,or not worship,as we as individuals please.I for one have been in the Washington Monument many times ovr last 50 years.The defacing that has occured as a result of vandalism inside the monument is inexcusable.I am not a "thumper."But I am a United States Army war Vetern.I feel that I at least have paid my dues to have an opinion on this matter.I do not want to see any more Christian Propoganda mixed in with my governments buildings,it's policies,it's laws or it's doctrins.I believe in the seperation(sp)of church and state which the framers of the U.S.Constitution apparently also believed in.It seems like the "fundalamentists"do not agree with this "division."It seems to me that the "thumpers"want to see a return to the dark ages when the "church"was the sole governing body."If you disagree with Official Church Dogoma,you will be tortured and burned at the stake."Seems like most of the "thumpers"find that a lack of any education except that which spews from the mouth of some T.V.angelest,to be a good thing.I respect your desire to be "blisfully ignorant"of the sum total of secular knowledge,however,You go to your church and I will go/not go to mine.If because of my beliefs you now want to kill me.....see above.      

I don't know where that came from, must be "left" field.  You assume my ignorance of the sum total of secular knowlegde?  Well of course I am.  The "sum total" is an awful lot of knowledge.  So am I to assume that you are cognizant of the "sum total" of secular knowledge.  You must have written the Encyclopedia Brittanica.  Maybe you can categorize me as a Bible Thumper, but that is hardly the case.  But when my religion is attacked daily by the likes of you and Aimless it puts me on the defensive.  Are you not on the defensive about your RKBA?  If you're not, then why are you a poster on this forum.  Every religion is fair game as long as it's Christianity.  All I want is the acknoledgment that without a belief in a Christian God, and his Commandments, this country would not be the bastion of freedom and liberty it is.  But of course you would not do this.  You speak of my close-mindedness?  You equate Christianity only with the Inquisition.  How about the millions of dollars given yearly to feed, clothe, educate and vaccinate millions of people around the world in the name of Christianity.  You neglect to mention that.  And if you did, I'm sure you would only see an effort to proselatize and convert.  Before you point a finger, how about you smell it first.

You win!Jimmy and Tammy Fay Baker for President!

Does that mean you're represented by Jessica Lynch?  No, I've got it.  General Wesley Clark is your man.

I like pie

Personaly when I see a Star of David or a Budda, I don't freak out.

I often wonder why many of you others do when you see a Christian cross?

What's the big deal...seems to me in the quest to not have others force their veiws on you, you are forcing yours on others.

I really don't see anything wrong in celebrating our religious diversity as a nation regardless of the religion.

BTW, Campy I walk on you God alot. [:D]

Tj

Well I guess the Comies love this stuff!! One of the first things they do is Diefy the state and denounce religion. Once a country loses its morality then it is a downhill ride to the destruction of that particular country. We need Gods help .....BAD!

Our nation has lost ground, morally and economically, coincident with the move away from the religious foundation that was unarguably what our nation was built upon.  

The question of separation of church and state vs. this religious foundation:

There is no conflict.  The founders had strong moral and religious beliefs and our country was built upon not just those beliefs, but on RESPECT for those and other belief systems.

Though we walk on ground that was made by God, our government that dwells upon that ground does not seek to provide a religious education to anyone.  That is not its function, task, or purpose.    

So there is no conflict.

If we had a church and state system like England does, now THAT would be a conflict.  The King or Queen is head of the Church of England.   THAT is not separation.



CJ

Freedom of religion does not mean freedom from religion.

Aimless is my hero.[hail2]

There is only ONE religion that teaches its followers to either kill or enslave anyone who is not a fellow follower of that religion.


It is Islam.


It's the black sheep of the religious world, and the one that is truly the enemy of all the rest of us.  Never forget that.

CJ

The words "seperation of church and state" are nowhere to be found in the constitution. You either take the constitution as it is written, or you agree that the morons who believe the word "people" in the constitution doesn't garantee an individual right have a valid point.

"You can think that the 10 commandments blah blah made america free as it is, there is no PROOF of that. The United States Army and Marine Corp probably had more to do with that. I never heard any church come out to protect free speach or any other right, churches usually want to spread their beliefs, which involve dictating how others behave" ***************************************************                                                                                                   Hate to bust your bubble aimless(although your name fits)  When I was sworn into the United States Army there was a preacher with a bible present at the ceremony. There was a bible in the courtroom too for swearing in.Everything about this country was about the bible including the armed forces.

Ah come on Aimless, you can do better than this.  The removal of religious artifacts from government buildings is a far cry from state advocation of prayer.  Besides don't have a problem with that either for I am raising my son not the Government so he would know better.

Tj

OK, Aimless.  You're lucky you pulled a Frenchie and raised the white flag.  I had the end to this argument right on the tips of my fingers, but I'll have to withhold it.  For sympathy's sake.