David Barton's Junk History a Grave Threat to Our Secular Future

[cleanhippie]

The past causes the present and the present causes the future.

That in a nutshell explains the importance of history to our lives. Studying history helps us understand how we came to be where we are. It helps us map our future by comparing our paths to the successes and failures of past civilizations. So when those posing as historians pass off blatant falsehoods as legitimate history-and people actually begin to believe it-we should be very alarmed.

Unfortunately Americans throughout the country are being fed a false version of history that attempts to downplay bedrock American values like the separation of church and state, and teaches instead that the United States was founded as a "Christian nation." These lies come largely from David Barton, a self-proclaimed historian who holds a bachelor's degree in "Christian education" from Oral Roberts University-an evangelical college that teaches students to insert their religion into their professional lives. (Rep. Michele Bachmann-the only 2012 presidential candidate to receive an "F" grade in every category in the Secular Coalition's Scorecard-is also an Oral Roberts alumnus.)

In an ironic twist, Barton's book "Jefferson Lies" was recently pulled by its publisher after it found that "basic truths just were not there." In the book Barton claimed that Jefferson was an orthodox Christian who started church services at the Capitol. He also claims the Founding Fathers were deeply religious and based the Constitution on the Bible-even directly quoting from it at times.

Among some of Barton's False Claims debunked by historians:

America was founded as an explicitly "Christian nation."
The "wall of separation" between religion and government was meant to protect the church from religion, but not to keep religion out of government.
The Founding Fathers debunked the scientific theory of evolution and Thomas Paine said, "You've GOT to teach creation science in the classroom. Scientific method demands that." (Charles Darwin had not yet been born.)
The Constitution quotes the Bible extensively. Barton said, "You look at Article 2, the quote on the president has to be a native born? That is Deuteronomy 17:15, verbatim."
Congress published the first American Bible in 1782.
Congress intended for the first American Bible to be used in public schools.
Jefferson was "not a secularist", he was a devout orthodox Christian.
Jefferson started church services at the Capitol.
Jefferson ordered the Marine Corps band to play at the Capitol church services.
Jefferson funded a treaty to evangelize the Kaskaskia Indians.
Most Founding Fathers had Bible or seminary degrees.

"It's what I would call historical reclamation," Barton told NPR. "We're just trying to get history back to where it's accurate. If you're going to use history, get it right." Get it right, indeed.

http://secular.org/node/1071

What is even sadder, is that we have some right here on DU that subscribe to these same inaccurate ideas as "truth." You know who you are, please feel free to defend these "facts."

[Agnosticsherbet]

1. I though you meant David Barton wrote a history of his "junk."

[cleanhippie]

2. I'm not sure which would be worse.

Having to read about his junk would probably be less damaging to society, but equally as unimpressive.

[Agnosticsherbet]

3. If he practices what he preaches, it would be short.

[cleanhippie]

4. And without substance.

A very flaccid and pitiful example.