Product Details

• Actors: David Barton
• Directors: David Barton
• Format: NTSC, Widescreen
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Number of discs: 1
• Studio: WallBuilders
• DVD Release Date: January 5, 2009
• Run Time: 95 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001U5JNFC
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #28,512 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

About the Actor

David Barton is the founder of WallBuilders, an organization dedicated to presenting America's forgotten history and heroes, with an emphasis on our moral, religious, and constitutional heritage. David is author of numerous best-selling works and a national award-winning historian who brings a fresh perspective to history.

Product Description

Discover the Founders' beliefs on the role of Biblical principles in government, education, and public affairs. Accompanied by color portraits and captivating scenes from America's history, this video provides an excellent overview of our Founders' design for America and prescribes step for restoring the values we have lost.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 66 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars NON-FICTION FROM A NON-CHRISTIAN........ January 22, 2005

By STEPHEN T. McCARTHY

Format:VHS Tape

In 1993, a friend / coworker loaned me his videocassette of David Barton's, 'AMERICA'S GODLY HERITAGE.' Knowing that I was not what the "orthodox" Christian Church would call a "Christian", he said almost half-apologetically, "I think you might find this interesting....but I don't know. Maybe not." Instead, he should have handed me the tape with immense boldness!

It is a great understatement to say that I was totally unprepared for the information contained in 'AMERICA'S GODLY HERITAGE.' Like most Americans, I had been brainwashed into believing that "SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE" was some foundational principle in our form of government. I had been conditioned by our social engineers (academia; the judiciary; the media; and the scoundrels that we continually send to Washington D.C. to represent us) to accept the seeds of secular Socialism. And being too "busy" (read: lazy) to read "THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND" for myself (Pssst. It's called, 'THE CONSTITUTION'), I didn't know any better. Shame on me! 'AMERICA'S GODLY HERITAGE' convicted me of ignorance, and viewing it was the first step I took on my way to becoming a bona fide "patriot."

I am appalled by how often I find deceivers misrepresenting the truth in their Amazon reviews; taking information out of context in order to distort it and deliberately mislead others. Often their own words expose the fact that they are not even familiar with the material they are pretending to review.

On this Product Page we have a "Christian HISTORIAN" who, ignoring the fact that the vast majority of America's Founding Fathers were members of orthodox Christian churches, seizes upon statements from a few of the less religious Founders to paint an inaccurate picture.... And quoting the Treaty of Tripoly out of context hardly reveals the whole story behind it!

Our "Christian HISTORIAN" neglects to tell us that........

John Adams said, "The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were...the general principles of Christianity."

John Jay declared, "Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty - as well as the privilege and interest - of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers." But what did John Jay know? He was only the original Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, and one of the 3 men most responsible for the Constitution!

Our "Christian HISTORIAN" would have us believe that the "Father Of His Country", George Washington, was not a Christian. This is the same Washington who told his troops at Valley Forge :

"To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to laud the more distinguished character of Christian." The same Washington whose June 14, 1783 prayer for the U.S.A. included this plea: "Almighty God, we make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy Holy protection...Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." You'll find that on a plaque in St. Paul's Chapel in New York City, and at Pohick Church, Fairfax County, Virginia, where this "non-Christian", Washington, was a vestryman from 1762 to 1784.

Yeah, our reviewer is a "Christian HISTORIAN" like I'm a six-year-old Hindu girl from Dogbreath Falls, Minnesota! As of this date, his total Amazon content consists of only 3 reviews: 2 of them bashing David Barton, and the third one praising some Rock album with "driving distorted guitars with a tinge of punk and attitude." Just what one would expect from a "Christian HISTORIAN", right? He titled his review of this videotape, "THIS IS FICTION." I agree with his title, but only if it is referring to the review he posted below it!

'AMERICA'S GODLY HERITAGE' holds a wealth of surprising information, and David Barton has so much to tell us that he must deliver it in double-time fashion. This tape probably won't "entertain" you, but it will quite possibly shock you! But this is just the tip of the iceberg. His masterpiece of research is the scholarly tome, 'ORIGINAL INTENT: The Courts, The Constitution, & Religion' - a Five Star book if ever there was one! David Barton is the owner of many original documents from the Founding era, and he maintains a great website: [...]

The "Christian HISTORIAN" says that America was not founded on Judeo-Christian principles, but was intended as a secular nation. This "non-Christian" says he's wrong! Believe who you will.

The 39 men who signed the U.S. Constitution concluded it with, "Done in convention by the unanimous consent of the States present, the seventeenth day of September, in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven."
Now which "LORD" do you suppose the Founders had in mind? Fauntleroy? Read more ›

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The forgotten history of America March 17, 2007

By A Fan

Format:DVD

This DVD presents the beliefs of the Founders concerning the role of Biblical principles in education, and government. This is an excellent introduction on the Founding Fathers' intent for the US. This is a history lesson that you probably will not find in our public schools and colleges. Highly recommended!

38 of 49 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beartruth May 19, 2002

By A Customer

Format:VHS Tape

Good exposure of our TRUE American Heritage and placing how we originally based our government morals and standards based on Jesus Christ...then demonstrating how our government drifted and distorted the Truth, leading us into a compromised, destructive society!

34 of 45 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars What did our founding fathers orginally believe? December 8, 2001

By Ashley

Format:VHS Tape

What is an atheist? A person who religiously practices non-religon. What does the first amendment really say? And what is the history behind Thomas Jefferson's 5 words of "seperation of Church and State"?

The fact is that religon is still taught is public schools, every religon. Yes, we have read the bible and the Koran (That is the correct spelling) and talked about what they say in my 10th grade history and english classes. The fact is that every person in the United States of America practices some form of religon. Halloween is orginally a Irish Celtic/ Roman Catholic holiday. Santa Claus is a Catholic saint. The fact that 99% of Americans celebrate this holiday says something.

The Founding Fathers believed that this should be a country built on the bible and God. I am a christian and I will proudly stand up and say it, so did the founding fathers. This is just one more view, but it has proof.

The courts did not have proof of their decision in 1962 that seperated church and state. It did have effects and that is what this movie tried to show. It is put out by a christian organization yet it gives information and quotes from historical documents. I would recommend watching it just to see what the Founding Fathers had to say. Interpert it in your own way.

33 of 44 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars David Barton should be president May 2, 2000

By John A Walz

Format:VHS Tape

This and all of David Barton's other work is outstanding (for lack of a better word). If you wish to be thoroughly entertained while learning a great deal of history (not only history, but studied, accurate, fact backed, history) Barton's work is for you. This material is so good that it should be shown in every school in the nation. The older kids are captivated by the material Barton presents that is not (but should be) presented in schools. Again, I cannot say in words just how good Barton's material is! Buy it, study it, learn it, and share it.

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Historian better check again... January 15, 2005

By Stephen T. Hopper

Format:VHS Tape

This is an excellent video, and every American citizen -- child and adult alike -- should see it with an open mind and learn. The media and other elitists are doing their best to, at best, water down these facts, or at worst, to keep these facts hidden from our citizens.

Speaking of "facts", our "Historian" friend in another review better check again. Our Founders were solidly founded on Judeo-Christian principles. See this website:

[...]

Barton's video is simply a must-see!

19 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars wish all could see October 15, 2005

By E. Prindle

Format:DVD

If only all of our history teachers would show this film. A wonderful video (with documentation) that explains the christian roots of our country. Buy it for you and your kids and learn some real history !

21 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A must see! January 14, 2009

By Palm Tree

Format:DVD

America's Godly Heritage is a video on the history of how God was indeed a core foundation to our American heritage and stayed that way until 1963 when a major tragic event took place; the Supreme Court decision to cease school prayer in public schools. Prior to this ruling, David Burton shows us proof of how God and His Holy Word (Bible) was integrated by our founding fathers and in our public, government school textbooks.

In this video, Burton covers several founding fathers quotes, old newspaper clippings, textbooks that included God, an overview of the truth behind the "Separation of Church and State" clause, other Supreme Court rulings, how our own government originally was formed based on scriptures from the Old Testament, et cetera.

In my opinion, the explanation of the Thomas Jefferson's Separation of Church and State clause, that has been blown out of context, was worth this video in gold alone. Not to mention the difference in number of precedents used in the Supreme Court ruling to cease public school prayers versus a prior ruling some years before. That tid bit of knowledge was also worth its weight in gold.

Burton does a good job of sticking to the point (no rabbit trails in this video) and really nailing the hammer on the head that there is, without a doubt, a certainty that God and His Word are the foundation of what this country was founded on. And to show the consistency of God's character, when a nation fears Him, they will be blessed. But when a country turns their back on God, expect the opposite. What I mean is that in this video, Burton shows us that after the 1963 Supreme Court ruling to cease all school prayer, various problems our society currently faces went from being a relatively low problem to skyrocketing over the years....

I especially enjoyed seeing the addition of the old primer's used in schools prior to 1963 and how scripture was used when teaching the ABC's. We have a few of the old primer's we use with our children and can confirm God's word is throughout them all. That was a nice addition to this video.

After viewing this video, you ought to feel the need to see it again or at least desire to pass it along to someone else to see that the roots of our country were grounded in God's Word. Then again, there will always be those who will disagree with the contents of this video and will somehow justify their ideology that God was not the foundation of this country, but that doesn't change the facts, which are clearly presented throughout the video.

While I felt this video was too short (just under 60 minutes), Burton does a good job of keeping your attention and enlightening you to the truth. He also includes some sarcasm that made us laugh, while we wondered how he kept a straight face. Wonderful video, highly recommend!

*FYI-at the time of this writing, this is available to view for Netflix subscribers in the instant play section.*

*****I originally posted this review in January 2009, but two years later, I must give a small update. A friend of mine challenged me to the idea that America was fully founded by mostly God-fearing men and Christian principles. My friend said there is no doubt that the pilgrims of the seventeenth century came here to gain religious freedom from Christians being persecuted for their faith by unjust Kings and Queens; that there were many people teaching the Word of God freely in their schools; and that God was referred to often within the government. However, my friend challenged me to look at the critics of David Barton's history with an open mind to see the opposing view. Not so open minded as to separate myself from the undeniable truth of God's Sovereignty in all the earth, even down to each ruler of a nation, but open minded to see why the opposing view came to the conclusions they do.

Up for the challenge, I viewed The Hidden Faith of the Founding Fathers. To say it challenged my thinking, is an understatement. That DVD helped me see why there is criticism of David Barton's history of America. I have just a few criticisms of the video, but it more so gave me hesitating thoughts on the glowing review I've given of this one, America's Godly Heritage. Though, that is not to say everything David Barton says is wrong, but that everything he teaches, should be tested to see if it's true. The Hidden Faith of the Founding Fathers has caused me to question much of what David Barton has told us about America's history, however.

The purpose of this update is not to give a review of the video I have just mentioned, but to inform the readers of this to be willing to see both sides of the argument. I am glad my friend challenged me and I hope I will equally encourage you to do the same. I am not encouraging an atheistic motive to disregard God from all of history, because all of history is, in fact, "His Story". However, as Christians, we need to be good Bereans in all things (scripture, most importantly) to see if what we're being told is true.

With that said, I hope to review this DVD again in the future, and take notes. I am still researching all this myself and have not reached any definitive conclusion. I hope you will also look further into both sides and perhaps come back here to tell us your conclusions. In the end, this world will pass away, but the Word of God endures forever. In Him our hope is found, nothing else, not even America. :) Read more ›