Your Opinion: God and governing in Mayflower Compact

Dear Editor:

The Mayflower Compact, one of the first if not the first, document written to govern the affairs of men, states:

"In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign lord King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, etc. Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of another, covenant, and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation, and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, offices from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony: unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names; Cape Cod, the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our sovereign lord King James, of England, France and Ireland eighteenth and of Scotland fifty-fourth, Anno Domini 1620."

What do you suppose influenced these individuals when they set about writing the "rules" that would govern men? Was it what they thought would be good and proper? If so, where did they obtain the knowledge of what was good and proper? It certainly wasn't from where they had come, as the Pilgrims were being persecuted for their religious beliefs. They did give obeisance to King James, I think because he also caused the King James Bible to be translated into English in 1611. This was just the beginning of what would become the Greatest nation known to mankind, the United States of America.

A letter writer stated in part, "Religion does not have a place in governance or in any of the restrictions that government places upon liberty." That idea is totally contrary to the Declaration of Independence and leads to the despots of this world taking control and governing as they wish for their own personal gain. Many despotic leaders of countries have used "religion" to justify their actions so that they can keep their subjects at bay.