How to Celebrate the Fourth

Taken from the Stands To Reason Blog

Some atheists are taking this national holiday to advocate returning to the founding principles - specifically freedom from religion. But that's just inaccurate. They wish to expunge any public or government expression of religion. Certainly, religious expression isn't compulsory - that's fundamental to our religious freedom. But the intent of our freedoms isn't to rid the public square of religious expression.

Our Founders understood religion and the principles they drew to establish the rationale for freedom and independence as necessary grounding. Religion is baked into the framework of our country. The rationale for freedom is God-endowed rights the government is beholden to respect. Religion is a key part of America, even a way to celebrate the country. As an example, here's how John Adams advising commemorating the founding of our country.

Writing to his wife Abigail, he said:

“[The day] ought to be commemorated, as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward, forevermore.”