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Megan West
A Conversation with E.W. Jackson: The lie of "Separation of Church and State"
Pastor, attorney, and former Lt. Governor nominee in Virginia, E.W. Jackson joins Jason Yates to challenge Christians to stand and take action in the public square. Discussing some of the cultural lies intended to convince Christians to not be active in the voting booth, E.W. Jackson challenges us to think biblically about the issues and understand our valuable history.
Here is the full transcript. (Watch the video here)
Jason Yates: E.W. Jackson, I am so thrilled to have you here. You have said that there is that the Left is focused on social injustice in America. Talk about that a little bit. What is it that they want Americans to believe?
E.W. Jackson: Well, you know, social injustice is really a euphemism, in my view, for socialism, because justice doesn't need a qualifier. I mean, things are either just or they're not. What they've done is to create this concept, which pulls in things which are inherently unjust. I mean, so for example, right now, there's a debate around the country about being able to transgress the parents wishes and teach kindergarten children things that the parents don't agree with in the name of social justice.
And if you oppose this, somehow you are hateful and bigoted. But there's a sacred relationship between parents and children that is being trampled in the process, which is why I say it's not that at acknowledging that relationship is proper justice. Social justice is the exact antithesis of that. So that's a concept I don't subscribe to because I think it's it's a Trojan horse that is used to bring in ideas that are completely antithetical to justice.
And by the way, you know who can oppose social justice, right? I mean, it sounds so benign, but it's really quite wicked in its effects.
Jason Yates: And if that's the word of God says that he sits on the throne of righteousness and justice. And so there is biblical justice. And of course, the left doesn't want to talk about that.
E.W. Jackson: And you can't have justice without righteousness because justice requires righteousness. In fact, we know that the word just in justified in the New Covenant is is synonymous to made righteous. If God justifies you, he makes you righteous. And so you can't separate the two, you know, Dr. King famously said, “let justice run down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream”, because without righteousness, you can't really have justice. What you end up having without the righteousness of God is people making up their own concepts and ideas about what they think is just so.
So for example, to me, it is supremely unjust to tell a child that you are by virtue of your skin color an oppressor, or oppressed, a child who is barely able to kind of understand what life is all about. But already you're putting them into these categories, which make them either guilty or makes them victims. That's not just at all. It's the opposite of it.
And so one of the things that I've been thinking a lot about, I want to write an article about this is the twisting of our vocabulary, the twisting of words and the redefining of words to basically sell lies packaged as truth. And we Americans have really got to rebel against that.
Jason Yates: I was reading on your website, have you even call out hyphenated and the dangers of even hyphenated what it does to our culture to divide versus unite.
E.W. Jackson: Yeah. Look, in order for us to have a future, we're going to have to be one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. And I believe, I believe, the only way to have liberty and justice for all and to be indivisible is to be under God. In other words, without unifying principles to which we all agree to which we all submit voluntarily, there can be no unity and there certainly can be no justice as we're witnessing now where we're at odds with one another.
I refuse to use the term that nobody will ever hear me unless I'm quoting someone else, use the term “African American” or “Irish American” or “Hispanic American,” because I believe either we're Americans or we're not. If we are Americans, that's first. That's who we are. We are a nation of Americans. We are. And to me, it. It accentuates the fact that we are unique because I can't move to China and become Chinese, right? I can't I can't really move to France and become French.
But you can come from anywhere in the world. You come here legally. You go through the process and you become American. It's just such a wonderful thing. And I really believe that this country better reflects the kingdom of God than any other nation just in the way we're constructed. Because God's kingdom is like that. No matter who you are, where you're from, you repent. You received Jesus Christ as your lord and savior. You become part of God's family. You become a Christian. And I think America was really inspired by God to reflect his kingdom and his desire to bring us all together.
Jason Yates: There are certainly foundational principles of our nation that reflect our Judeo-Christian values, for sure.
E.W. Jackson: Amen.
Jason Yates: Yes, as you say, they want a de facto communism without the name. What is what do you think is behind that? I mean, because you can't look at the history of communism and say, that's a good thing.
E.W. Jackson: Yeah, well, I get calls a lot because I do a radio program and I get calls a lot from people with conspiracy theories, I say, well, there is a conspiracy theory and the person behind it is the devil. I mean, he's he's the ultimate conspirator. He conspired in heaven against God.
Look, I think we are we are really in a spiritual battle. I think that whatever God creates and I know there are people who will disagree with me on this, but I really believe that America is a providential nation. I believe America was inspired by Almighty God.
As I've said, you don't become the most, you don't as four percent of the population become the wealthiest, most powerful, most successful nation in the history of mankind. And God look up one day and say, Oh wow, how did that happen? I'm shocked. Obviously, his hand was on our Founding Fathers and his hand has been in the development of this nation from the very beginning. And therefore, therefore the devil hates it. He hates America and hates what we represent and hates what we can become. And I think he is using anything to inspire people to believe in something else and to hate what we represent. And of course, Jesus said he's the father of lies, which means he's got to convince them that a lie is the truth.
I mean, I'm a great grandson of slaves, and I tell people all the time, you know, you have to think about how and when America was birthed. America was birthed in the 17th century and this continent was populated the 17th century. Do you know what the world was like then? I mean, slavery was existence in existence around the world.
There's no people on Earth other than those who might be direct descendants of some kind of royalty or something whose ancestors have not at one point been enslaved because the whole nature of the world was the subjugation of people. You take that as a given, but only one nation was born of the principle that all men are created equal and endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights, life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, which means that, yes, America was subject to the context of fallen humanity. We made some of the same mistakes, but we've also transcended those mistakes, unlike any other nation.
And so we've got to help our young people understand the greatness of our country, the nobility of our country. In the context of the word, I say no. If you want to compare America to heaven, OK, yes, you got a lot to complain about, you know, because America is not heaven. But if you want to compare America to the rest of the world, find me a better place that has done more for people, raise the standard of living, help more people to fulfill their God-given potential that our country, it doesn't exist. So, you know, I try to help people understand that so they can truly be grateful to God for the privilege of being Americans.
Jason Yates: I think what you just described, is the principles behind your organization, Stand America. It's all about the uniqueness of America and our need to be able to stand for it. I've heard people say that America has fallen for two main reasons. Number one as Christians, we're not sharing our faith. And as Americans, we're not standing for the uniqueness of our nation.
E.W. Jackson: And I think both are true, both are true. Look, our founding fathers wisely did not want us to have an official religion. And I believe in that. I believe that America should not try to somehow designate something. This is our Christian religion because I think the moment you do that, you kill it because now it's no longer voluntary. It's now sort of by government edict. On the other hand, American culture is Christian. I mean, it's just undeniable no matter how much people try to deny it. Most of our Founding Fathers were Christians.
I mean, there are some questions about a couple, but I've said, but I'll take Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin, who are arguably the ones you could say, Well, they weren't really Orthodox Christians. I say, I'll take them over some of the Christians I know today, you know, because they still believe in those Judeo-Christian values and principles. And so. We have got to reassert that for our country, that we're not ashamed. You know, America's predominant culture, India is Hindu, 98 percent of the people in India are Hindu and you can say, Well, India is not really Hindu. No, India is really Hindu.
Well, still, about 70 percent of Americans identify as Christians. America is a Christian nation, and the more we run away from those principles than the more we miss that destiny. Staying true to America's national destiny, I believe, means that God establish us as a providential nation and that we have a destiny that he had in mind for us that can only be fulfilled to obedience to him.
You know, George Washington, his first Thanksgiving proclamation said it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits and to humbly implore his favor and protection.
That's the first president of the United States in the first official presidential proclamation. What did he say to America? Obey God. Let's do his will. That's who we are. That's our legacy and those who try to deny that or try to deny us our true identity.
Jason Yates: I think we're falling into the lie, the deceit of separation of church and state. Too many are believing, no, we can't, because of our religion, bring that into the public square. And of course, we know that's a lie.
E.W. Jackson: That was right, but that was intended to protect. The church and Christians from the state, right, right, stop Christians from getting involved in the political and public policy arena. So yeah, but that's been here again. That's another lie. That's another way in which our history has been twisted.
Jason Yates: So we need to stand. We've seen that you're in Virginia. So we've seen this happen recently where people are starting to wake up to this attack on families, on kids, and we see it in the school boards. And I think it's probably a reason why the governor got elected is because people are saying, Hey, we need someone who's going to stand for true values, traditional values. We're sick of all this nonsense.
E.W. Jackson: And the governor is a Christian. Lieutenant governor is a Christian and the attorney general is a Christian. And in that election, Republicans and conservatives took back the House. But that's why I love your organization. My Faith Votes leading up to that election. I had a lot of people call me on the radio and say, and I hear you, but you know, what's the point? Because they're going to steal it and we're going to be cheated out of it. And I would always say, you know, you don't, you can never win if you take that attitude, you've got to do everything in your power.
Well, let's make sure that the elections have integrity. But you've got to vote or you're not even in the arena. That's right. And then when we wanted Virginia, I would say to people I told you, you know, it is possible to win, but you've got to stay in the fight. So yeah, I am encouraged by Americans. I think all over the country waking up, and I think Virginia was a bellwether.
Jason Yates: Well, here's and here's what happens as consequences of elections. So we have that governor's race in Virginia, and the governor comes in and immediately starts putting into place, new policies. Yes, new policies that you know are for the family are for traditional values.
Then on the flip side, you have California in a recall election that doesn't go that way, and immediately after that election, the governor there starts putting into place antithetical biblical, you know, mandates and such that just go against our Christian values. They have consequences. And I just thought 2021 was a clear example in those two states of California and Virginia of why it matters.
E.W. Jackson: Oh, I mean, it matters. Ultimately, our governor, the governor of Virginia, is where I'm from. And I know the governor and lieutenant governor know the attorney general. I'm close friends with the lieutenant governor.
He immediately came in and said, Hey, no parents will have a say in what their children are taught. I mean, wow, what a radical idea. Yeah, I mean that parents should actually have some impact and some ability to influence what their children are taught. And he implemented that. And then he said, and from now on, parents will decide whether their child to wear masks or not the state. And here again, that he's being sued for it, but he's restoring the principle of individual liberty. He's restoring the principle of allowing Americans to assess and make decisions for themselves.
I mean, we're all finding out that a lot of the information we were given was not true. It was given to manipulate us to make us do certain things. And he's saying, You know what? Americans are smart enough wise enough to make their own decisions. And so we've also learned how many children have been affected by having to wear masks all day long.
Jason Yates: It's affecting their mental, and emotional state.
E.W. Jackson: And yet it's pushed as if questioning it is somehow like, you know, to violate some great principle. It's just bizarre. But thank God that the election demonstrated what happens when people stand up for what they believe in and go to the polls and express those, which I hope is what's going to happen in twenty.
Jason Yates: So in 2022, we have nearly 100,000 elections that are happening. 81,000 school board elections. Not to mention everything in Congress. What is the word you would give to that person who's questioning whether or not they would vote?
E.W. Jackson: I would say 2022 is the year of breakthrough. But you've got to do it.
If you want to see this country reverse this direction, we've been on the slide into this radical progressivism, this sort of anti-American mindset of literally teaching kids to hate our own country. You want to see that reversed? You've got to take the action. I believe God is with us because we're standing on biblical principles. So I know he's with us. But if we don't do anything, if we sit back, if we take it for granted, then we will end up perhaps in worse condition than we were before.
So I would say to every single American who believes in our way of life, believes in our Constitution, believes in Judeo-Christian values and believes in personal responsibility. You got to get out there and you've got to vote. You've got to support people who represent your values at every level from the school board. Of course, we don't have a presidential election, but all the way to the White House at every level, we've got to get fully engaged and involved.
You know, I'm a Marine Corps veteran and you know, we were taught in the Marine Corps. You don't quit. You don't back down. You don't stop until you win.
And that's the attitude I think of Americans. I think that's an American attitude.
We got a kid in Virginia Beach in, I love talking about this kid. He was born with no legs. He is the champion wrestler in high schools in Virginia because he just wouldn't quit. He just wouldn't. He wouldn't allow the fact that he has no legs to stop him from wrestling. And when you get into the ring with your brother, you've got a battle on your hands because his upper body strength is made up for the fact that he has no legs. And I just say to me, that's iconic America, that's Americana, because that's who we are as a people.
So if Americans will stand up for who we are and what we believe in without hatred, they can call us haters all they want, without hatred, without venom, just doing what we know is right. We're going to win.
Jason Yates: Well, that's a good word. E.W. If people want to get connected with you, how do they do that?
E.W. Jackson: They could just go to our website, StandAmerica.us. People can learn more about that at our website. StandardAmerica.us
Jason Yates: Excellent. Thanks for being here.
E.W. Jackson: Thanks for having me.
Learn more about E.W. Jackson and his work with STAND at: https://www.standamerica.us/
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My Faith Votes—is a nonpartisan movement that motivates, equips and activates Christians in America to vote in every election, transforming our communities and influencing our nation with biblical truth. By partnering with national faith leaders, My Faith Votes provides resources to help Christians Pray, Think, and Act to create an America where God is honored in the public square.
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