The US Bill of Rights
COGwriter
The fourth of July is considered to be ‘independence day’ for the USA as its Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.
Many do not realize why the colonies rebelled.
Typically, on the Fourth of July, many in the USA will have barbecues, watch parades, and/or view fireworks.
Those who live in the USA may wish to re-read its Declaration of Independence as its government in this century not only seems to have a disdain for more of the law of God, it also is probably more guilty than the old British rule for committing many acts that caused the colonists to revolt in the first place.
Many years ago, I read my family much of the Declaration and commented upon how the then current USA federal, state, and local governments had committed most of the same actions against our family (directly and/or indirectly) that the USA’s revolutionary leaders objected to from the British king.
In order to try to further protect the rights of the citizens of its new nation, the Bill of Rights came into effect as Constitutional Amendments on December 15, 1791.
In the past several years, the first amendment protection for religion has gotten trashed by various governments and courts in the USA. That amendment states:
- First amendment — Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Despite what that says, the USA has had real problems with federal courts as they have ruled against religious freedom. Here are links to a couple of examples: US Federal Judge rules religious freedom law unconstitutional and US Supreme Court delivers another blow to ‘freedom of religion’. And the Biden-Harris Administration has gone on record against religious rights in order to promote LGBTQ matters (e.g. ‘THE HARRIS-BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS ROLLING OUT AMERICA’S VERSION OF MAO’S GENOCIDAL CULTURAL REVOLUTION’ ‘California Ethnic Studies Curriculum Calls For ‘Decolonization’ Of America’). Additionally, the government has applied pressure to Big Tech to censor things it does not like–information on COVID-19 and biblical views related to LGBTQ+ issues immediately come to mind.
Now, notice the second amendment:
- Second amendment — A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed
As far as the second amendment goes, Joe Biden does feel that should be infringed.
Although the President of the United States takes an oath to defend its Constitution, notice something Joe Biden said last year:
April 8, 2021
President Biden on Thursday, in rolling out a set of executive orders on gun control, said “no amendment is absolute,” while maintaining that “nothing” he is recommending “impinges” on the Second Amendment. …
“No amendment, no amendment to the Constitution is absolute,” (https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-repeats-debunked-second-amendment-claim-says-no-amendment-absolute)
He made a similar statement last year. Notice:
May 26, 2022
“The Second Amendment is not absolute,” the president said. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-school-shooting-biden-second-amendment-is-not-absolute/
That being said, people such as Edward Snowden, despite whatever flaws he may have, have pointed out some of how the USA’s government intentionally violated portions of the Bill of Rights, such as the 4th-6th amendment rights. So, he has been in hiding for years because of that. Here is what those amendments were supposed to protect (some of which have been mishandled related to him personally by the US government):
- Fourth Amendment – Protection from unreasonable search and seizure.
- The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
- Fifth Amendment – due process, double jeopardy, self-incrimination, eminent domain.
- No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
- Sixth Amendment – Trial by jury and rights of the accused; Confrontation Clause, speedy trial, public trial, right to counsel
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.
The ramifications of the Snowden leaks are that those in the USA have realized that their government tends to ignore or pretend to reason around its Constitution, while the international community is outraged by the amount of spying that the USA has engaged in. The Obama-Biden Administration claimed it would be the most transparent administration in recent USA history, and instead it repeatedly was caught for espionage and trying to cover various matters up. The international community has called the USA hypocritical on all of this. Many in Europe and elsewhere are getting upset with the USA for what it has been doing–and yes, also for many things from the Trump Administration and the Biden Administration.
Furthermore, the government has applied pressure to Big Tech to provide information and conduct various types of searches without going through the courts, etc.
As far as the early foundations of the USA go, if it was written today and adopted, I suspect that the USA Supreme Court might rule the Declaration unconstitutional as it starts out with the following statements:
When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
And the Declaration ends with the following statement:
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
Also, the Bill of Rights has tended to be viewed as intending to provide citizens minimalist protection by the US Supreme Court, which is in violation of its intent. In the 21st century, July 4th does not truly find a court system or a country that is particularly keen on keeping the government out of most peoples’ lives. But that is what the signers of the Declaration wanted.
Let’s look at some of the grievances that the colonists had against King George and his government, from the Declaration:
The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
Both the current and last US president support ‘same-sex marriage.’ Back in 1973, the US Supreme Court decided that State prohibition against abortions would not stand and that unborn babies could be killed–and even if that is overturned, states like California intend to perform and promote abortions. Did the government of King George do worse?
Here is more from the Declaration:
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
The US Courts have told US States that they do not have the right to enforce various immigration laws.
Here is more from the Declaration:
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
There are enough scandals from Washington this past decade that suggest that various ones in the USA government have done this, including ones associated with the Internal Revenue Service under Barack Obama, and of course issues with Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
The Declaration also states:
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
The Bush Administration got Congress to approve the so-called ‘Patriot Act’ and establish the Homeland Security Administration and other offices. The Obama Administration has added other offices, and under his Administration, the Internal Revenue scandal demonstrated that various offices were harassing people for years because of their perceived political views. The COVID-19 restrictions suggested by the Trump Administration and expanded by various state and local governments is even worse that what the British king did.
The Declaration also states:
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
Many US presidents have signed agreements with the United Nations and others that, in theory, are similar to what the colonists revolted against.
The Declaration also states:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
The above happens all the time, but because it is done through administrative fees and/or with some legislative intent, this is considered acceptable to many. Yet, the amount of taxes raised, in terms of percentage of income, is MANY times higher than when the colonists revolted. And the taxes they mainly revolted from were tariffs.
The Declaration also states:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
Essentially the so-called Patriot Act and other measures supposedly designed to fight terrorism and/or drug-trafficking have resulted in the US government doing this probably much more than the representatives of King George ever would have considered, let alone done.
The Declaration also states:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
The US federal government, including through various of its courts, has effectively done the above many times.
The Declaration also states:
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
This is more subtle. The US Government treats its citizens as potential terrorists and criminals. It engages in massive espionage on its citizens, etc. Additionally, as the Snowden matter brought out, pretty much all communications that the US Government can monitor by its citizens is subject to being monitored.
The Declaration also states:
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
Because it tends to consider itself the world’s policeman, the government of the USA has been engaged in almost non-stop warfare, in one foreign country or other, since the early 1950s. Though it has less actual wars in the past couple of years or so.
Back in 2014, the US Supreme Court issued a couple of rulings indicating that it feels that the Obama Administration exceeded its constitutional authority (such as with the ‘Hobby Lobby’ case related to paying for abortive forms of birth control). But those rulings have not reversed the trend of the US government growing in power and taking away rights that the founders of the USA wanted its citizens to keep.
The Associated Press noted:
July 2, 2022
The world of federal regulation seems both boundless and microscopic. It touches what you touch. It lends a helping hand at every turn or sticks its clumsy fingers in everything, depending on your viewpoint. …
Thomas Jefferson sought freedom from bureaucracy as well as the achievement of American liberty when he wrote of the British king, “He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.”
What followed were several centuries of new offices and swarm upon swarm of bureaucrats come hither. https://apnews.com/article/government-regulations-supreme-court-climate-change-e75243253440e5809c7db4f1be7491a7
Those bureaucrats, while sometimes actually making things better, often make them worse. A tyranny that people like Thomas Jefferson had hoped could not happen in the USA– has.
Notice also the following from John Whitehead:
If there is one point on which there should be no political parsing, no legal jockeying, and no disagreement, it is this: for anyone to advocate terminating or suspending the Constitution is tantamount to a declaration of war against the founding principles of our representative government and the rule of law.
Then again, one could well make the case that the Constitution has already been terminated after years on life support, given the extent to which the safeguards enshrined in the Bill of Rights—adopted 231 years ago as a means of protecting the people against government overreach and abuse—have been steadily chipped away at, undermined, eroded, whittled down, and generally discarded with the support of Congress, the White House, and the courts.
Consider for yourself.
We are in the grip of martial law. We have what the founders feared most: a “standing” or permanent army on American soil. This de facto standing army is made up of weaponized, militarized domestic police forces which look like, dress like, and act like the military; are armed with guns, ammunition and military-style equipment; are authorized to make arrests; and are trained in military tactics.
We are in the government’s crosshairs. The U.S. government continues to act as judge, jury and executioner over a populace that have been pre-judged and found guilty, stripped of their rights, and left to suffer at the hands of government agents trained to respond with the utmost degree of violence. Consequently, we are at the mercy of law enforcement officers who have almost absolute discretion to decide who is a threat, what constitutes resistance, and how harshly they can deal with the citizens they were appointed to “serve and protect.” …
We are no longer safe in our homes. This present menace comes from the government’s army of bureaucratized, corporatized, militarized SWAT teams who are waging war on the last stronghold left to us as a free people: the sanctity of our homes.
We have no real freedom of speech. We are moving fast down a slippery slope to an authoritarian society in which the only opinions, ideas and speech expressed are the ones permitted by the government and its corporate cohorts. In more and more cases, the government is declaring war on what should be protected political speech whenever it challenges the government’s power, reveals the government’s corruption, exposes the government’s lies, and encourages the citizenry to push back against the government’s many injustices. …
We have no real privacy. We’re being spied on by a domestic army of government snitches, spies and techno-warriors. This government of Peeping Toms is watching everything we do, reading everything we write, listening to everything we say, and monitoring everything we spend. …
We are losing our right to bodily privacy and integrity. The debate over bodily integrity covers broad territory, ranging from forced vaccinations, forced cavity searches, forced colonoscopies, forced blood draws and forced breath-alcohol tests to forced DNA extractions, forced eye scans, and forced inclusion in biometric databases: these are just a few ways in which Americans continue to be reminded that we have no real privacy, no real presumption of innocence, and no real control over what happens to our bodies during an encounter with government officials. …
We no longer have a right to private property. If government agents can invade your home, break down your doors, kill your dog, damage your furnishings and terrorize your family, your property is no longer private and secure—it belongs to the government. Hard-working Americans are having their bank accounts, homes, cars electronics and cash seized by police under the assumption that they have allegedly been associated with some criminal scheme.
We have no due process. The groundwork has been laid for a new kind of government where it won’t matter if you’re innocent or guilty, whether you’re a threat to the nation, or even if you’re a citizen. …
We are no longer presumed innocent. The burden of proof has been reversed. Now we’re presumed guilty unless we can prove our innocence beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. https://thefreethoughtproject.com/the-state/13-examples-showing-the-constitution-no-longer-matters accessed 12/13/22
The US courts do not really believe in the Bill of Rights or individual liberty, unless the judge happens to like that side in a particular case.
Furthermore, the Declaration is too religious for many today.
Overall, the mainstream in the USA has essentially declared independence from God.
And while simply restoring practices consistent with the Declaration of Independence will NOT stop the USA from going down the path that will lead it to destruction (nor am I advocating violent revolt), ignoring God, as well as documents like the Bible and the Ten Commandments, will ensure the destruction of the USA.
National repentance is the only way to prevent it, and that does not look likely. The advocacy of homosexuality and abortion, and increased indebtedness and acceptance of various forms of pornography (including what would be considered soft pornography involving the former ‘first lady’ of the USA) that we have seen the past few years suggests that national repentance is about the furthest thing on the minds of the national political leaders and most of the mainstream media in the USA.
Personal repentance, however, is still possible. If you are an American, your personal future can still be much brighter than that of your country.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection; here is a message in Spanish: Me Está Llamando Dios Hoy? A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? Two related sermons about this are also available: Real Repentance and Real Christian Repentance.
The Snowden Leaks are Leading to the Destruction of the USA Can what happened with the leaks of what the NSA has done help the USA to be taken over? What does the Bible teach that seems to be related to this? Here is a related YouTube video titled Are the Snowden NSA leaks leading to the destruction of the USA?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be: Are Chinese threats against Australia for real?
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. Two sermon-length videos of relaled interest are available Physical Protection During the Great Tribulation and Might Petra be the Place of Safety? Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses Can you point to scriptures, like Daniel 11:39, that point to the USA in the 21st century? This article does. Two related sermon are available: Identifying the USA and its Destruction in Prophecy and Do these 7 prophesies point to the end of the USA?
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin? A related sermon is also available: The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West.
The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free draft/unedited pdf book explaining the what the Ten Commandments are, where they came from, how early professors of Christ viewed them, and how various ones, including the Beast of Revelation, will oppose them. A related sermon is titled: The Ten Commandments and the Beast of Revelation.
The Bible Condemns Homosexuality “Same-sex marriage” for “gays” and lesbians is becoming more acceptable to many. What does the Bible teach about homosexuality? Can homosexuals change? A related video sermon is titled What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality?
Pornography: A scourge on society Is pornography harmless fun? Does the Bible teach anything about it? What are the views of some involved with it? Here is a link to a YouTube video Pornography: Harmless Fun or a Scourge on Society?
Cross-dressing and other assaults against your children. What should you do? Is there an agenda to turn your children and/or grandchildren away from biblical morality and towards practices promoted by homosexuals? What does the Bible teach about cross-dressing? What should parents do? If there is an agenda, what has been going on? There is also a YouTube video on this, titled Cross dressing and Other Assaults Against Your Children.
Abortion, the Bible, and a Woman’s Right to Choose Do you know what the Bible teaches on this? Has the Roman Catholic Church allowed abortions? What about the real Church of God? Some may wish to view the YouTube videos: Abortion and Birth Control: History and Scriptures. Abortion, the Bible, and US Debt, American Infanticide, Euthanasia: Mercy killing or murder?, Abortion, the US Constitution, and the Bible, and Land of ‘Free’ Abortions and Debt.
Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction Can the USA survive two full presidential terms? In what ways are Joe Biden and Kamala Harris apocalyptic? This book has hundreds of prophecies and scriptures to provide details. A Kindle version is also available and you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to your free Kindle reader app (or if you already have one or a Kindle), you can go to: Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction (Kindle) to get the book in seconds.
Might the U.S.A. Be Gone by 2028? Are there prophetic reasons to believe that the USA will not last two complete presidential terms? Yes. There is a tradition attributed to the Hebrew prophet Elijah that humanity had 6,000 years to live before being replaced by God’s Kingdom. There are scriptures, writings in the Talmud, early Christian teachings that support this. Also, even certain Hindu writings support it. Here is a link to a related video: Is the USA prophesied to be destroyed by 2028?
