The Magnificent Fifty: Foundation of Faith (Introduction)

Reason for Series of Posts

Since 1978 the Freedom From Religion Foundation (Madison, WI) has fought to completely secularize every aspect of American public life. Part of the Atheist Alliance International and the Secular Coalition for America, FFRF pushes not only a secularist agenda but promotes atheism (“nontheism”) every chance it gets.

Despite the evidence suggesting our founding fathers were far more religious than not, and despite the fact that our Declaration of Independence starts off with the once-common assertion that our “unalienable Rights” are given by God, FFRF claims the very Constitution meant to protect those rights “was very purposely written as a godless document…” Therefore they claim God, faith, and any expression of religion – even cross-shaped memorials for the dead and prayer before local city council meetings – should be eradicated from the public square.

So, in response to their regular attacks on anything religious, and especially in response to what is nothing short of propaganda-like attempts to rewrite history, I felt compelled to respond with series of posts depicting actual history.

Contrary to what many people believe, our nation has a strong foundation of faith, and I want to prove it with some art.

The Magnificent Fifty

As some of you may know, two of my daughters attend Bryan College in Dayton, TN. Therefore, I have had more than a few opportunities to roam the corridors.

The first two floors of the main building at Bryan (Mercer Hall) house a permanent art exhibit featuring the work of Susan Cassidy Wilhoit. On display are paintings she made of every state capital building, along with a brass placard below.

The art collection is called “The Magnificent Fifty: Foundation of Faith“ because the placard below each painting includes words demonstrating “the foundational belief in and acknowledgment of God’s providence and blessing within each state’s heritage.”

Therefore, tomorrow I am going to begin a series of posts featuring photos I’ve taken of the state capital building paintings (in alphabetical order), along with the words engraved on the placards below them.

The following posts will not attempt to argue that America is a Christian nation, but that our nation’s founding documents were anything but “godless.”

Contrary to what the Freedom From Religion Foundation says, our nation has a foundation of faith.

Tomorrow: Alabama