What if much of what you believe about America isn’t true? That’s a serious question, but it deserves to be asked. Because when you look at the original historical documents, it becomes obvious that many Americans have been given a distorted version of our own story.
I’ve often said it’s like a person with Alzheimer’s. If someone loses their memory, they can still be alive, but they can’t function the way they should. In many ways, our nation has lost its memory of who we are, how we were formed, and what made this country different. When a nation forgets its history, it loses its way.
Recently on my Gospel Truth program, I sat down with my friends David and Tim Barton of WallBuilders.com. They have one of the largest privately owned collections of early American historical documents in the nation, including the largest collection of Founding Fathers’ documents. What I appreciate about them is that they don’t ask people to accept opinions; they point them back to the source. And when you go back to the source, the story of America sounds very different than what many have been taught.
When a Lie Is Taught Long Enough
David shared how, ironically, when he was growing up, he didn’t want anything to do with history. That started after he was told things about George Washington that made him despise him and the other Founding Fathers. But later in life, he came across original documents, including George Washington’s Farewell Address, and realized that what he had been told didn’t match the record. That happens more than people realize.
The claims today that America was founded as a secular nation and that Christianity was something added later by tradition just fall apart when examined honestly.
Tim mentioned that the authors of a book often used to argue for a secular nation, The Godless Constitution, actually admitted they left out the normal scholarly footnotes and documentation. That alone should tell you something. Truth does not need to hide from examination. The problem is that people have been taught a lie for so long, they believe the lie is truth.
What Really Shaped America
One of the most revealing studies examined thousands of writings from the Founding Fathers to see who influenced them most. The number one cited source was the Bible. Not a philosopher. Not a politician. Not a European thinker. The Bible.
Researchers found that around 34 percent of direct quotations in the Founders’ writings came from Scripture. And even that likely understates the case, because many biblical references were so familiar they didn’t bother using quotation marks.
Think about that. The men who framed this nation thought in biblical terms. They understood human nature, justice, liberty, morality, and government through a scriptural lens.
That doesn’t mean every Founder was perfect or that they all agreed on every doctrine. But it absolutely means the moral and intellectual framework of this nation was deeply shaped by God’s Word.
Why This Matters
I’m not suggesting the people who founded this nation were flawless. But you can’t focus only on their failures. For example, if all you knew about Noah, Abraham, Moses, or David were their failures, you wouldn’t know their stories very well. It’s the same thing with nations. When a country forgets its foundations, it often misdiagnoses its problems. And when you misdiagnose the problem, you usually apply the wrong solution.
Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Freedom doesn’t come from pretending truth is flexible. Freedom comes from knowing truth. And that truth isn’t just something that shapes nations—it’s something that transforms individual lives as well.
If you’d like to keep growing in your relationship with the Lord, I encourage you to visit awmi.net for countless hours of free teachings, testimonies, and life-changing resources. I know they’ll be a blessing to you. And if you need someone to stand with you in prayer, call our Helpline at 719-635-1111. Our trained prayer ministers are available night and day to pray with you.
We love you,
Andrew and Jamie Wommack (Provider of this Article)
