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The 700 Club with Pat Robertson


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Credits

Recording Artist, Entertainer, ranked 7th among all pop artists by Billboard Magazine

Sold over 45 million records, 13 gold singles, 2 gold albums, and 1 platinum; hits include "Love Letters in the Sand" and "April Love"

B.A., Magna Cum Laude, Columbia University, 1958

Address
Pat Boone Enterprises
9220 Sunset Blvd., Suite 310
Los Angeles, CA 90069
Web Site
GUEST BIO

Pat Boone: A Patriotic Pledge

The 700 Club

CBN.comMUSICIAL MAINSTAY

One biographer recognizes Pat Boone as the second most famous music star ever in music industry history following only Elvis Presley. Pat has sung love songs, ballads, gospel, rock and roll, and covered a number of famous R & B tunes. He has the awards and gold and platinum records to prove that he has been loved and respected from the 1950s until today.

Pat has always had a way of being a history maker. In the early years of his career, when white radio DJs wouldn't play the music of talented black artists, Pat often recorded cover versions of the now famous songs. In some cases, Pat and the original artist both had big hits on the same song. Recently, Pat pulled out this tried and true method of his to record covers to an entire album of heavy metal music. The album was well received by audiences from several generations.

PATRIOTIC PAT

Besides his noteworthy talent, Pat possesses a wealth of historical knowledge and understanding. He can easily recite the events of the last 200 or more years that have shaped who America was and whom he fears she may become if conservative, Christian Americans don't take a stand. And his passion for our patriotic past is matched by his indignation for what he says is happening in the US today. He says conservative, patriotic Americans are having their rights and freedoms "cherry-picked, assaulted and then taken away one right after another." From Roe vs. Wade forward, Pat lists the litany of laws enacted by the Congress and interpreted by the courts which is eroding away America's very foundation.

Pat remembers June, 1954, when President Eisenhower signed an amendment adding two words to our Pledge of Allegiance, "under God." Eisenhower said, "…we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America's heritage and future; in this way, we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country's most powerful resource in peace and war." Pat wonders how many of our nation's leaders would have the gumption to utter such words today. Have we really changed that much in just 50 years? Eisenhower didn't say which God or whose God. He simply recognized God. As our leader and Commander in Chief, Eisenhower saw fit to place our great republic "under God". And Congress agreed, adding the two words as a statement against communism. Pat says, "Today's dragon is terrorism; is that any less a force than Communism? Could we need God any less?"

Pat points to the "hard, hard left-of-center 9th Circuit Court of Appeals' ruling" that the Pledge violates the first amendment's so-called separation of church and state. He points out the first amendment never mentions the word "separation", "church", or "state"? His opinion is that this court has opened the door to what will ultimately be a Supreme Court decision to change the Pledge.

Pat points out the many written references made by George Washington to God as another evidence that the Founding Fathers saw the nation as "under God". He says the Pledge is a symbol of real national pride. That it contains "under God" no more makes it a religious statement than when we say a hurricane is "an act of God". Both may conjure up a godly consideration, but neither would pass for prayer or the establishment of religion.

STRONG STAND

In October 2003, in an interchange with Michael Newdow on Crossfire, Pat pointed out that Newdow only ever quoted the part of the amendment that served his purposes: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion." Pat challenged Newdow to finish the quote, adding "or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Pat said, "That's the rest of it."

JUDICIAL ACTIVISM

Pat says polls indicate that 86 percent of Americans say they believe in God, so he suggests that we tell the remaining 14 percent who want "In God we trust" and the Ten Commandments and "under God" changed to simply "SHUT UP". He writes, "We're the greatest constitutional republic the world has ever known; we're a country that calls upon God's blessings and graces and prays His forgiveness. You 14%, GET OVER IT!"

Pat encourages us to get involved by calling our elected representatives both locally and nationally to let them know "under God" ought to stay in our Pledge of Allegiance. And Pat's own contribution is his newest CD, American Glory. He thinks that one way to combat the attack of the media and the left on America's knowledge of her own heritage is to make available the music he calls the "hymns" of patriotism and faith. He says the songs baby boomers were taught in school simply can't be bought today, and he wants to change that. In an effort to provide this musical heritage to both the generations that knew and love it and to a generation that has never heard it, Pat recorded the songs of our history. This new CD also contains the song called Under God. This song literally lays out how the title words became part of the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. Pat sang a portion of the song on Crossfire, a factor he believes sent it to No. 15 on the Billboard charts.

PARTING THOUGHT

Pat's hope for his country is this: "God Bless America, and God grant that our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren forever live in the land of the free, the home of the brave."



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