Historical and Christian Myth-Busters

Ever played the game called Gossip? Line up ten people and tell the first one a secret. It is then whispered to the next, the next, the next on down the line to the last person. It never fails what is whispered to the first player is no where near what is heard by the last.

This is just the type of historical gossip that been foisted on American school children for more than 50 years. Inaccurate historical superstitions pass from classroom to classroom, unchallenged by students who gobble up regurgitated historical data coming from teachers who know more about NFL records than American history. Case in point:

Betsy Ross sewed the first U.S. flag. The story is based solely on oral affidavits from her daughter and other relatives, made public by her grandson in 1870, The only supporting documentation that Betsy Ross was involved in federal flag design is the Pennsylvania State Navy Board commissioning her for work in making "ships colors & c." in May, 1777

George Washington tossed a dollar across the Potomac River. Even if he did toss something, the gold dollar didn't come into being until after the U.S. gained independence.

Francis Scott Key wrote our national anthem. Key penned the words but set them to an old English drinking song. The poem, titled "Defence of Fort McHenry," was put to the tune of the popular British drinking song "The Anacreontic Song." It was recognized for official use by the Navy in 1889 and the President in 1916, and was made the national anthem by a Congressional resolution on March 3, 1931.

The midnight ride of Paul Revere carried the warning of the British invasion to the colonists. Longfellow's poem overstated the role of Revere in the night's events. Israel Bissell traveled 345 miles, compared to Revere's nineteen. Historian Ray Raphael, in his book "Founding Myths", mentions a number of other unsung messengers, such as Samuel Tufts of East Cambridge, Dr. Martin Herrick of Medford, and other messengers who set out from Medford and Charlestown, and Samuel Prescott, in fact, who carried the warning to Concord.

The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776. Only John Hancock, for the assembly, signed it that day. Congress, meeting in Independence Hall in Philadelphia, finished revising Jefferson's draft statement on July 4, approved it, and sent it to a printer. The other signatures were added to the hand-written document on August 2.

George Washington was the first U.S. President. John Hanson was the president of the Congress of the Confederation and carried the title of president of the U.S., as did eight men after him.

"Yankee Doodle" is an American song. It was a British ditty designed to harass ragtag colonists during the French and Indian War.

Likewise, many Christ-followers have fallen victim to inaccurate teaching that is often the result of lazy scholarship or doctrine that is designed to keep the disciple in-line:

All you have to do to be a Christian is "ask Jesus into your heart." That is an important step, but you must first repent, or "turn around and go the other way" from your present life style. There is no such thing as a saved thief, saved liar, saved prostitute, saved murderer, etc. etc. The temptations may always be there but the true Christ-follower has turned 180-degrees away from the life-style practices that are contrary to the teachings in the Word of God.

You have to go to church (a building designated for religious services) to prove your devotion to God. The Church (worldwide group of Christ-followers) is not limited to a facility. The Holy Spirit has chosen to indwell those who have given their lives to Christ thus making their physical bodies "members of the body of Christ God" according to 1 Corinthians 6:15. The woman at the well, in John 4, tried to sidetrack Jesus with the "where is the right place to worship God" -- Jesus response: "Those who worship Him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration." (John 4:24 Message) We may come together to celebrate our mutual faith, but that does not make you a Christ-follower any more than meeting in a donut shop makes you a baker. Jesus instructed "when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure I'll be there." (Matthew 18:20) Fellowship is for our benefit by exposing ourselves to the Gifts of the Spirit found in each other, not membership in the family of God.

When you accept Christ your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Biblical authors (all from Jewish backgrounds) frequently referenced the Book of Life. Job hoped to be found in it. Psalmist writers wanted to inscribed in this book instead of the Book of the Wicked Dead or the Book of the In-between (the Undecided). Writers of the New Testament said the Book of Life was actually the "book of life of the Lamb (Jesus Christ), slain before the foundation of the world." In Revelation 17:8 that names "written in the book of life from the foundation of the world." Revelation 3:5 and Psalm 69: 28 talks about being blotted out of the Book of Life by rejecting the overtures of grace from Christ. God, in his mercy, romances the individual to remain in the Book of Life despite our rebellious nature to defy the Divine love and reject the desires of God. Thus He is forced to "blot them out."

If you are a good Christian you will must take Sunday off as a day of rest and go to Church. To truly observe the Sabbath (day of rest), as a rigid literalist, you must start at twilight Friday night and end Saturday at twilight -- the "day of rest" mandated by God for the Jewish people. After Jesus rose from the dead, his followers celebrated the seventh and first day of the week as Sabbaths. They met in synagogues and in each others' homes. When Jesus was challenged by the hyper religious for over violations of multilevel rest vs. work regulations, Jesus said, "the Sabbath was created for man, not man for the Sabbath." (Mark 2:27)

You will know a person is a Christian by their adherence to the 15 Commandments. (11 Don't Dance, 12 Don't Gamble, 13 Don't Smoke, 14 Don't Drink, 15 Don't Date the People Who Do the Afore Mentioned.) While a person may benefit from the blessings of God in an obedient lifestyle, it is not the Laws of God that save us. Jesus said that the Laws of God were designed to show us what God expects to be a citizen of His kingdom, but "no man comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)" While religious and secular people have a list of qualifications for acceptance into their organizations, Jesus dismissed the us vs. them mentality of circle-defined organizations. "If you are not against me, is for me." (Luke 11:23) He defined being a Christ-follower as one moving toward the center (Jesus and His Father) not just stepping inside the circle.

As a Christ-follower for over 40 years, all man-made religious rules did were give me a false sense of security when it came to my eternal destination. They did not bring the "peace that passes all understanding" which came with a relationship with Jesus Christ. Once I grew in love with Him, I understood that His commands were to give me a richer life here and now, rather than a fire escape from hell and ticket into Heaven.

When it comes to discerning myths of modern Christianity, I received the best advice from a godly woman who had lived for God for more than 70 years. She told an aspiring group of preacher boys, "READ the Word, don't read INTO the Word."

It is amazing what you discover is not in the Bible that modern Christianity has accepted as fact. But the key is you have to read it for yourself, instead of depending on the Bible book report given to you from the pulpit, Christian television, radio, tapes, and downloads. The results will be a freedom from man-imposed religious regulations that you never imagined you could experience.