Customer Reviews

The Foundations of American Government [VHS]

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I has seen this program on cable (not this video). I watched this series, not because it is done by a Christian organization, but because I am interested in our country and our freedoms. This is a series that contains a lot of religious references so balance that with what you intend for your audience. Even though Mr Barton refers to the Bible for some of his supporting arguments, I think what he argues for is sound for ALL Americans. I prefer to refer to his view as Judeo-Christian philosophy instead of Judeo-Christian religion because what he says is an excllent guide to being a just citizen in a republic such as the USA, which is something for all Americans, not just Christians or Jews. He may not have intended it that way, but this is how I approached it and I found the video intriguing and I think it will help you glean more from it, no matter your religious affiliation. Key questions he asks: Can unjust & immoral people select good leaders? Does scandalous conduct in private affairs mean anything on the public activities of a person? How is the First Amendment being misconstrued to restrict religious freedom instead of ensuring it? I think these are absolutely relevant questions for every American to ask. I think if you watch the videos with my afore mentioned caveats in mind I think you will find this video intriguing as well.

If you're looking for the real history on the foundation of American government, this documentary is an excellent tool. Anyone who says this video is "slanted toward religion," as one reviewer has done, simply must not like the cold, hard facts that the video presents. This program presents important information about America's founding that most public school textbooks leave out. Every key claim in the presentation is documented. This is an excellent teaching tool.

For those who love American history and want the true facts about the founding fathers and their belief in God, this is an excellent documentation to see.

It has been a long time since I have seen a documentary which portrays the true, accurate views of the founding fathers on the role of Religion in the foundation of our country.

Religious freedom was one of the principles on which the country was founded, and the founding fathers were men who believed in God. They surely would not have stood for removing the Ten Commandments from the Courthouse in Alabama, and they would not have permitted the stifling of the teaching of religion in the class room that the liberal activists courts have shoved down our throats today.

This video is an attempt to spread a particular religious and political ideology, Christian Americanism--the idea that America was founded as and should remain a distinctively Christian nation. Its arguments consist of various quotations from the Founding Fathers, mostly taken out of context, and arguments and claims that don't hold up to logic, scrutiny, or further research. The video ignores any evidence contrary to its viewpoint. (Jefferson Bible, anyone? How about the writings of James Madison?) David Barton is neither a historian nor an educator; he is a political activist who runs a company dedicated to opposing the separation of church and state. There is no shortage of good, readable scholarship on the very important topic of religion and the founding of America--read the books and skip this video.

I bought this to show in my Civics class. It is very misleading. Instead of being about the more historical aspects of the Constitution and foundations of govt, it is about the seperation of church and state with a very slanted view toward religion. It is something I would never show to a class in a public school for fear of parental anger and being fired for potential lawsuit. I was very disappointed. I have a BA and MA in government and political science and an MA in teaching. I was expecting something more and there was no description of the video or review. It was a waste of my money.