The Conspiracy to Withhold the Truth – The Old Deluder Satan Law
The election is over. Trump won. Some people are giddy, others despondent and freaking out, but if there is a common denominator it seems to have come as a shock to nearly everyone – both to his supporters, as well the detractors. Why? Well, in part, the mainstream media has clearly had its collective thumb on the scale and has been “reporting” to us the news it wanted us to believe. The New York Times is hemorrhaging subscribers and is making apologies for its obvious bias, along with pledges ‘to do better.’ The public trust is at an all time low. We don’t know whom to believe anymore, because it doesn’t seem like anyone really tells the truth. Truth? What is truth? Lying has become the new normal and is almost an assumed ‘given’ at this point. You can say whatever you want, but in this brave new, absolutely hack-able world, it’s just a matter of time for the leaked emails to surface, and then we can find out what you really believe, what you did and said. How utterly tragic! How is it that we got here? And perhaps even more important, what are we going to do about it now?
In light of such realities, having a healthy skepticism is fair, and largely justified, but I would encourage you to avoid becoming cynical (adopting a basic distrust of other people’s motives, a sneering disbelief in sincerity and integrity, assuming that everyone is only governed by their selfish self-interest). That may be true of some, but there is still some good in this world that is worth fighting for. We’ve all heard the old adage: “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” But, I think the Bible says it better and more productively: “Test everything, and hold fast to that which is good.” (1 Thes.5:21)
As we sit in the aftermath of what seems to be a horribly divided nation, with a nearly irreparable cultural divide, a couple of things come clear. If ever we needed to pray for this nation, our leaders, and especially our new president, it’s now. And, as opposed to cursing the darkness, which only further magnifies it, perhaps the most powerful thing we can do is lift high what light we have and “let it so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:16) Perhaps like never before, the world is desperate, searching for people of true character, hungry for someone they can trust, yearning for something to believe in. Take courage, hope in God – for He is not finished with us, far from it. Not yet, not now, not ever! “Where sin abounds, grace much more abounds” (Rom.5:20) – not a grace that seeks to excuse, but rather a grace that has power to transform. Dare to believe that our best days are yet ahead of us – but for that to be true, there is some work that we must do.
Deception is only able to take hold where a knowledge of the truth has been lost. And sadly, for nearly a generation that has progressively become more and more true. Where the basic foundations of moral character were once commonly known, supported, and reinforced—that can no longer be said of us. As opposed to letting our light so shine, it seems a conspiracy of sorts has been perpetrated upon our culture. Whether it was because we were asleep at the wheel, or we simply chose not to contest when they started changing the rules, whatever the case was, someone reached for the light switch and decided to turn it off, suggesting that our public school education system was no longer a place fitting for the Bible, but rather it would be better if it were just deemed a secular domain.
What is so ironic is that our very foundation of education, the entire notion of why we have a public school system in the first place, was to address this very same predicament we now find ourselves in. Tired of the darkness, they wanted the light to shine, so that the darkness could no longer prevail unchecked, free from being challenged by those who knew the truth.
From The Founders’ Bible:
Revelation 12:9 | “The Conspiracy to Withhold the Truth-The Old Deluder Satan Law”
Short summary:
If you have ever wondered where our American system of public school education came from and why it exists, the answer will leave you dumbfounded. For the centuries during the Dark Ages when illiteracy was widespread, persecution ran unchecked as the Word of God was kept from the common people. Countless atrocities were perpetrated in the name of the Lord by wicked leaders seeking to control the masses. When the early colonists arrived in America, the Bible was still a relatively new book to them, having been sealed up for centuries. As they personally examined the Scriptures and saw how dramatically the Word of God differed from what they had been told, they became convinced that people never would have tolerated the atrocities if they had known God’s Word. Had they known, they would not have been so easily deceived. Never again! Therefore, they enacted America’s first public education law, known the “Old Deluder Satan Law” (passed in Massachusetts in 1642 and then in Connecticut in 1647): in every township where they had more than fifty households, it was ordered that a local school be started to teach all children to read, especially the Bible–so as to prevent “that old deluder, Satan” from “keeping men from the knowledge of the Scriptures,” as he had done in Europe for the previous several centuries.
Below is one of the beautifully illustrated pages for this article that you will find in both the Print Editions and Digital Editions of The Founders’ Bible.
Many early colonists who came to America had been victims of vicious persecution at the hands of so-called Christians leaders. For the centuries during the Dark Ages when illiteracy was widespread, persecution ran unchecked as the Word of God was kept from the common people. Leaders across Europe wrongly taught that the Bible required both the State and the Church to rule its citizens with a heavy hand. With no access to the Scriptures, being illiterate and unable to read, they could not learn otherwise. As such, they not only permitted but even participated in horrible atrocities, both religious and civil, because they were told this is supposedly what God wanted them to do.
For example, their leaders told them that God wanted them to kill Jews. Why? It was explained that Jews had killed Jesus, so if the people wanted to please God, they therefore needed to kill Jews. They were similarly told that God wanted His doctrine and church kept pure, so citizens had a duty to report those who did not believe the State-established doctrinal orthodoxy. Citizens therefore turned in others to be tortured or killed, wrongly believing that this is what God expected of them. Countless atrocities have been perpetrated in the name of the Lord, but if the people could have read the Word of God for themselves, they would have completely rejected such evil counsel, for the Bible is clear that God wanted none of this. Wicked leaders understood that if they were to keep citizens in subjection, they had to prevent a widespread knowledge of the Bible.
Consequently, scores of Christian leaders were killed by civil government simply for attempting to make the Bible available to the average person or for teaching Bible doctrines not approved by the State. William Tyndale, George Wishart, John Huss, John Rogers, Jerome of Prague, and Thomas Cranmer were all burned at the stake for their efforts to educate others in the Bible; Martin Luther in Germany and John Knox in Scotland were declared outlaws and went into hiding; Robert Browne was incarcerated and died in prison; etc. Many Christian followers of these leaders suffered similar persecutions, providing an impetus for them to flee Europe and come to America.
When those early colonists arrived, the Bible was still a relatively new book to them, having been sealed up for centuries. As they personally examined the Scriptures and saw how dramatically the Word of God actually differed from what they had been told, they became convinced that citizens never would have tolerated the atrocities if they had known God’s Word. Had they known, they would not have been so easily deceived, but would have been able to fight the good fight. The Word of God came alive to them just as it states in Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword . . .” Their conclusion simply reflected what the Bible had long before affirmed in Psalm 119:11: “Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.” Knowing and internalizing God’s Word prevents sin, whether personally or nationally.
Revelation 12:7 reveals that there was a war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon and his angels, and the dragon and his angels were thrown down to the earth. Verse 9 reveals the great dragon as “the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world.” 1 Peter 5:8–9 warns us to “be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith . . .” James 4:7 says, “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Ephesians 6:11–18 instructs us to put on the full armor of God that we might be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. One of the weapons that is listed in our arsenal is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” As such, the Bible is one of our most powerful weapons with which to fight against the evil one. For a people who had lived in darkness for so long and been held captive to it in ignorance, the Word of God quickly became their most sacred treasure.
The early American colonists therefore enacted America’s first public education law in a deliberate effort to prevent the abuse of power that can be imposed on a Biblically illiterate people. That law, known as the “Old Deluder Satan Law” (passed in Massachusetts in 1642 and then in Connecticut in 1647), explained why students needed an education and how it was to be accomplished: “It being one chief project of that old deluder, Satan, to keep men from the knowledge of the Scriptures, as in former times by keeping them
This public school law was passed to prevent “that old deluder, Satan” from “keeping men from the knowledge of the Scriptures,” as he had
done in Europe for the previous several centuries. The law therefore required that local schools be started to teach all children to read, especially the Bible. Subsequent American literacy laws also stressed the importance of citizens knowing the Scriptures—as a 1690 Connecticut law, which declared: “This [legislature] observing that . . . there are many persons unable to read the English tongue and thereby incapable to read the holy Word of God or the good laws of this colony . . . it is ordered that all parents and masters shall cause their respective children and servants, as they are capable, to be taught to read distinctly the English tongue.”
Notice the reason for the literacy law. Some citizens were still illiterate and thereby “incapable to read the holy Word of God” or “the good laws of this colony.” Illiterate citizens could not read the Word of God, and therefore could not judge the laws of the colony against that standard; so civil leaders might pass evil laws without any opposition from the citizens—all because they could not read and measure the laws against the principles of God’s Word.
How successful was this educational approach that taught literacy through a knowledge of the Scriptures? Extremely successful. As John Adams affirmed: “A native of America who cannot read and write is . . . as rare as a comet or an earthquake.”
[ copyright The Founders’ Bible, reprinted by permission of Shiloh Road Publishers, LLC For more information, go to www.thefoundersbible.com ]Now, let your light so shine. Go tell someone what you just learned. Share this article with a friend. What we don’t know, doesn’t help up. You may be the only person in your circle of friends or family who know this. Don’t leave them in the dark. Only an educated and engaged citizenry is going to help turn this country around. If we are going to see America made great again—it starts with us pursuing the truth and bringing it back into the public square. Now is no time to keep your light under the bushel.
This brief synopsis of the article: “The Conspiracy to Withhold the Truth—The Old Deluder Satan Law” is but one example of the treasures you will find in The Founders’ Bible. If you have already purchased one, may I strongly encourage you to dig in and discover the riches of wisdom and insight that is there to be enjoyed. If you don’t yet have a copy, GET ONE!
I can think of no finer resource to suggest to you than The Founders’ Bible. If you have already purchased one, may I strongly encourage you to dig in and discover the riches of wisdom and insight that is there to be enjoyed. If you don’t yet have a copy, GET ONE! We can ill afford to remain ignorant of the lessons of history.
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