Commentaries

Week: June 30th - July 4th, 2025

6/30/2025 -Created Equal

It’s a great time to teach your family about America’s heritage rooted in biblical thinking.

For instance, America’s founders were strongly influenced by John Locke, an English political philosopher who lived 100 years before. In his famous Two Treatises of Government, Locke wrote about all men being created equal.

He wrote, “…that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions. For men being all the workmanship of one omnipotent, and infinitely wise maker; all the servants of one sovereign master, sent into the world by his order, and about his business; they are his property...”

Just in time for July 4th, you can download our free family devotional, Faith of Our Fathers: Family Devotions from the Words of America’s Founders.

7/1/2025 - Refilling the Cultural Fuel

Students will not cherish what they do not understand. Sadly, in too many cases American students are not given the kind of education that inspires them to cherish the uniqueness of America's Christian heritage.

Think of our society like a car. Students grow up taking for granted that their cultural “car” is running and have no idea that it requires a continual re-filling of the tank. It is vital that each generation re-fill its tank with the cultural fuel necessary to keep going. But many of their teachers think they cannot re-fuel the tank because teaching about America’s Christian heritage is not allowed. You can be a gateway to better education. For more resources visit our HOME PAGE.

7/2/2025 - California Standards & The Gospel

The California Department of Education wants every sixth-grader in California’s public schools to know the Gospel.

The California Department of Education’s academic standards for sixth-grade Social Studies says this when it comes to learning about the Roman Empire and the birth of Christianity:

[Students are to] “Note the origins of Christianity in the Jewish Messianic prophecies, the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament, and the contribution of St. Paul the Apostle to the definition and spread of Christian beliefs (e.g., belief in the Trinity, resurrection, salvation).”

What’s in your state’s academic standards?

You can get our summary of your state’s academic standards showing where the Bible and Christianity can be taught. Request your state standards at GoGateways.org/standards.

7/3/2025 - Religious Freedom Promotes Diversity

Religious freedom protects dissent and diversity. In his book, Free to Believe, Luke Goodrich states that diverse groups, which are mostly religious groups, are protected by religious freedom. It enables them to live differently from the rest of the country. They are protected by law.

The Amish are a perfect example of a minority that chooses to live a completely different culture because of their beliefs. The Mormon church even banned alcohol and coffee from being sold in certain areas of the state of Utah, and Jewish people can request a kosher diet in prison. Religious freedom promotes unity in diversity. It promotes the idea that is expressed on all of our money – e plurimus unum, Out of many, one.  For more resources, visit our HOME PAGE.

7/4/2025 - Religious Freedom and Social Harmony

Religious freedom benefits society by producing moral virtue. The Founding Fathers openly acknowledged that man is inherently sinful and selfish. They decided that, while they did not want to be ruled over, they still needed to be governed. Thus, producing a self-government.

If a country is going to self-govern then it needs to adhere to morality and virtue. George Washington even said that “Virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government.”

Being moral or virtuous means holding oneself accountable, remaining honest and truthful, taking responsibility for one’s actions, and following the Golden Rule. If everyone tried to live under these standards, true peace, unity, and justice would take place. Religious freedom promotes social harmony because it promotes a virtuous society.

For help in teaching your children and students why religious freedom is so important, visit this Webpage.