President Barack Hussein Obama announced to the world at a press conference in Turkey earlier this month that America is not a Christian nation. By so doing he contradicts the words and thinking of most—if not all—former presidents from George Washington to George W. Bush, which is rather audacious. He also contradicts the decision of at least one Supreme Court Justice, Brewer, who wrote, "These, and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation" (Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States, 143 U.S. 226; 1892).

Some believe that President Obama would find a defense in the writings of John Adams and John Tyler and also by appealing to the Treaty of Tripoli (1796-1797). I do not think so, but that effort has been made.

Certainly, the Judeo-Christian heritage upon our country cannot be denied or dismissed. Even Thomas Jefferson, who gave us the image of a "wall of separation" between church and state, was influenced by Judeo-Christian values reflected in the time and trouble he took to put together his own Jeffersonian Bible and the words inscribed on the walls of his memorial in our nation’s capital. Most prominent are the words which are inscribed in a frieze below the dome: "I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."

Mr. Jefferson did not want a state religion, but to remove religion itself from American life was unthinkable for Jefferson recognized and wrote that, "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."

The natural rights of individuals come from God, not from the divine rights of kings or congress or other legislative bodies. If God were removed from our thinking then tyrants would be unstoppable. What the government gives, government can take away. What God has put together, let no man tear asunder.

But, for the moment, let us for the sake of argument conceded that Mr. Obama is right. Let us say America is not a Christian nation. My response would be, "Mr. President, perhaps you are right. Perhaps America is not a Christian nation. Some say that we are living in a post-Christian nation. Truth is no longer believed in. Everything is deemed to be relative. One religion and one political ideology is viewed as being no better or nor worse than another. Mr. President, perhaps you are right. But, Mr. President, I would argue, America COULD be a Christian nation and, in my opinion SHOULD be a Christian nation and to that end I want to do my part to promote that noble objective for in Christ alone is the hope of the world."

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6). Jesus is not "a" truth or "a" way. He is much more. Christ is the only hope for individuals who wish to be saved from the power and pollution of sin. He is the only hope for this country. I say again, if America is not a Christian nation, it can be and should be.