The time has come once again to exercise that incredibly important right as a citizen on the United States of America and vote!

Not everyone in the world today has this privilege and it has been handed to us at great price and sacrifice so allow me to encourage everyone not to overlook this opportunity or the sacrifice that was made to make it possible.

I heard a very profound quote not long ago that has stuck in my mind ever since.

In referring to the government leaders we have now in office, the speaker said “The sitting Congress and Senate of the United States of America does not reflect the values of all Americans. They only reflect the values of the Americans who voted in the last election.”

By the time I came of age, abortion on demand was already legal and the Bible was legally being escorted out of the classroom.

As far back as I can remember, the proclamation of God’s word and influence has faced opposition in our society, in the courthouse, the classroom, and in every arena of public life.

So I really don’t know the America that I’ve read about in history books, many of which are now out of print and or unused by the educational system’s leaders of today.

For example, did you know that George Washington in his farewell address warned “Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion? Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds… reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”

Washington was warning our nation that in removing religious principles we would lose our morals nationally. And it seems we have.

Did you also know that the United States Capitol regularly served as a church building; a practice that began even before Congress officially moved into the building and lasted until well after the Civil War?

The cornerstone of the Capitol was laid by Washington in 1793, but it was not until the end of 1800 that Congress actually moved into the building.

According to the congressional records for late November 1800, Congress spent the first few weeks organizing the Capitol rooms, committees, locations, etc.

Then, on Dec. 4, 1800, Congress approved the use of the Capitol building as a church building.

The approval of the Capitol for church was given by both the House and the Senate, with House approval being given by Speaker of the House Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg, a pastor by the way, and Senate approval being given by the president of the Senate, Thomas Jefferson.

From Jefferson through Abraham Lincoln, many presidents attended church at the Capitol and it was common practice for members of Congress to attend those services.

I have been told by many over the years that religion has no place in politics and that our founding fathers were not Christians nor was this country founded on Christian principles.

To arrive at that conclusion one must deliberately misplace the words spoken by their forefathers and mine.

“We can only depend on the all powerful influence of the Spirit of God, whose Divine aid and assistance it becomes us as a Christian people most devoutly to implore,” said Elias Boudinot, President of Congress, A Framer of the Bill of Rights in the First Congress.

“Therefore I move that some minister of the Gospel be requested to attend this Congress every morning during the sessions in order to open the meeting with prayer.”

How about this one by Washington, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness.”

Lastly, listen to this quote from The Rev. Matthias Burnet, in a sermon delivered before the Connecticut legislature in 1803, which addressed this very concern.

After preaching to the assembly, Burnet turned to the crowd in the gallery and said, “Finally, ye… whose high prerogative it is to… invest with office and authority or to withhold them, [by voting] and in whose power it is to save or destroy your country, consider well the important trust… Which God… has put into your hands. To God and posterity, you are accountable for them. Let not your children have reason to curse you for giving up those rights and prostrating those institutions, which your fathers delivered to you.”

Vote and by all means, vote your values. It is the American and the Christian thing to do!

Tim Throckmorton is the national director of Family Resource Council’s Community Impact Teams.