Americanism As Taught by FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE.

 



FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE on the Sun Deck of the
Mount of the House of the Lord

FATHER and MOTHER DIVINE on the Sun Deck of the Mount of the House of the Lord.

Followers believe that America, as the amalgamation of all nations, was predestined to be the birthplace of the Kingdom of GOD on earth. They consider the official documents of the United States of America - the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution with its Bill of Rights and Amendments - were divinely inspired, and that they take their places with the Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bible as instruments of the synonymous teachings of Democracy, Brotherhood, Americanism, Christianity and true Judaism. Therefore they are patriotic, law-abiding citizens. FATHER DIVINE has said,

The system of rising in opposition to government and to organizations and to different groups and the like that is not according to MY Principle; but it is the amalgamation of all religions and the amalgamation of all organizations by scientifically working cooperatively and working in unison.

Furthermore, followers believe that the flag of the United States of America shall fly in every land as the universal symbol of Liberty, Unity, Freedom, Equity and Justice, through the eventual acceptance of the Constitution of the United States by all nations.

By HIS Personal Life of Independence and Brotherhood, FATHER DIVINE set the Standard for a real American by being a citizen of the world, without being limited to family, race, nationality or religion. Therefore even in the early thirties HE spoke out against the persecution of the Jews in Germany as HE did against the harsh treatment of the Scots Boys in Alabama.

FATHER DIVINE maintained HIS freedom of thought and action by repeatedly refusing all financial aid, including grants from both the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations and private donations, in one instance for as much as $700,000. HE maintained HIS integrity and stood unwaveringly for HIS religious and political convictions and could not be influenced by power or money. FATHER DIVINE was exceptionally adamant in HIS refusal to depend on money in any way. See the five affidavits in Chapter 7, Witnesses of the Truth - especially that of John Lamb, in which FATHER'S own Words on the subject are quoted.

At the same time, HE was feeding sometimes as many as 3,000 unemployed daily without charge, and running a free employment agency to help them find work, HIS goal being to produce a happy, independent citizenry with an understanding of their Constitutional rights and a willingness to help make laws in accord with same. HIS very Presence was an impelling moral force, which caused untold thousands to willingly forsake violence and crime as a way of life, throw away their weapons and to cooperate constructively for the advancement of others as well as themselves.

From the minds of this nucleus of people believing that FATHER DIVINE had ushered in a new dispensation for humanity, a platform for righteous government was drawn up in 1936, and sent to officials of city, state and federal Government, as well as to Heads of Government around the world.

This 'Righteous Government Platform' called for the enactment of legislation in the following specific areas:

 

MISCELLANEOUS LEGISLATION

1. Repeal all laws passed contrary to the spirit and meaning of the United States Constitution and its amendments.

2. Make it a crime to discriminate on account of race, creed or color in any public place; for landlords to refuse tenants, or for employers to discharge workers for this reason; also to discriminate in hiring practices or withhold any classification of work from qualified civil servants. Segregation in neighborhoods, schools and colleges, churches, theaters, public conveyances, etcetera, to be abolished.

3. Cause nations and individuals to destroy all firearms and instruments of war saving those used for law enforcement.

4. Make it a crime for publications to use segregated or derogatory terms or write abusively concerning anyone.

5. Repeal all laws providing for compulsory insurance.

6. Abolish capital punishment in all states and countries.

7. Enact legislation to make the medical profession responsible for the health and life of the patient when medical treatment is mandatory. The law must work both ways.

8. Abolish lynching and outlaw members of lynch mobs in all states and countries.

9. Immediately return to owners all goods and lands stolen by individuals and nations.

10. Establish a maximum fee for all labor union membership, causing them to accept all qualified applicants and give them equal privileges regardless of race, creed, color or classification; also to provide that any labor union which limits the hours and days of work per week, must guarantee at least that much work per week to its members, and if it calls a strike, pay its members while they are out of work, the full amount they are demanding from the employers; otherwise all obligations for dues must cease.

11. Repeal legislation requiring individuals to designate themselves as being of race, creed or color in signing documents.

The last 11 points are taken from the Principles Section of the Righteous Govt. Platform

 

ECONOMIC LEGISLATION

1. Authorize employment agencies to collect fees from employers and prohibit collection of remuneration from employees or sending them out for less than minimum wage.

2. Authorize Government control of all idle plants and machinery, tools and equipment, where owners are unwilling to operate them at full capacity; such facilities to be made available to workers on a cooperative, non-profit basis under supervision of Government experts; workers to be paid a living wage until income exceeds expenses, then the wage scale to be increased and maintained at as high a rate as conditions permit. The owners would have the privilege of operating the plants at any time they were willing and able to operate them at full capacity, or until some arrangement be made for change of ownership.

3. Abandon regulations requiring individuals to be on relief rolls to get work on relief projects.

4. Immediately provide, under Government supervision, work on useful projects for every unemployed worker according to his qualifications, with suitable pay for amount of work accomplished. Expenditures for many such projects, such as high speed tunnels, express highways, or whatsoever it might be, cooled quickly be regained by tolls, as in the case of the Holland Tunnel in New York City.

5. Abandon Government crop control and destruction of foodstuffs in all states and countries; equitable distribution to be established.

6. Institute free trade and abolish all the tariffs among nations.

7. Limit profit and permit individuals to sell for as little as they choose.

8. Authorize Government to print its own money and make it illegal to hoard it. Government to redeem all its bonded debts and to lend the money to the cooperative non-profit enterprises; abolish all interest and make it a criminal offense to take usury or interest, or to receive dividends that exceed 3.5 percent, or money without labor performed or practical service rendered.

9. Authorize Government ownership and operation of the financial system.

10. Make it a criminal offense to spend money for other than necessities while owing a just debt.

11. Request destruction of all counterfeit money by individuals or whoever may acquire it.

The previous 11 points are taken from the Economic Section of the Righteous Govt. Platform

 

POLITICAL LEGISLATION

1. Provide for nomination by the people of all candidates, including those for President and require them to meet specified standards to prove their qualifications for office, not as politicians but technical experts.

2. Appoint all civil servants according to qualifications without discrimination, patronage or intervention of political leaders.

The last two points are taken from the Political Section of the Righteous Govt. Platform.

 

EDUCATIONAL LEGISLATION

1. Provide universal education with same rights for all, including technical and professional training.

2. Abolish in all educational institutions and from books used for educational purposes all references to racial conflicts or differences, national glory through military feats, etcetera, with legislation making it a misdemeanor for any educator to teach such to his classes.

3. Abolish the greeting 'H-e-l-l-o' in educational establishments by substituting the word 'Peace.' Cooperation of telephone companies requested in this respect.

4. Adopt a universal language for all nations, languages, tongues and people.

These 4 points were taken from the Educational Section of the Righteous Govt. Platform.

The Full Text of the Righteous Government Platform Can Be Found in Chapter 14. (See Mother Divine's Book - Sec. 2.)

FATHER DIVINE has always endorsed the public school system and encouraged people to qualify themselves that they might work according to their calling and develop their capabilities. Around five thousand of HIS followers returned to school at this time (1936). They were working during the day and putting their savings into real estate at the advice of FATHER DIVINE, sometimes buying homes which were operated cooperatively to establish a pattern of integrated living in segregated neighborhoods.

Some of these properties were farms in upstate New York, for FATHER DIVINE had also in mind to make the land more productive and plots of land were offered free to those willing to build homes and begin cultivation.

FATHER DIVINE has always encouraged the people to be self-supporting and independent. It was estimated that during the years of HIS Ministry in New York, the city was saved three million dollars annually by HIS followers coming off the relief rolls, and the crime rate dropped in areas of HIS activities.

Followers of FATHER DIVINE, under HIS instruction, paid the cost of citizenship papers for aliens who desired to become first class citizens.

As the prospect of World War II drew closer, the Palace Mission Church in New York offered accommodation for hospitalization in case of an emergency and brothers and sisters volunteered as air raid wardens and first-aid personnel. There was no evasion of the draft when it was instituted; some followers enlisted; others, with the religious conviction not to fight for any cause, suffered imprisonment or went to work camps.

Meanwhile, on September 20, 1938 before hostilities commenced, FATHER DIVINE had suggested to the Heads of the American Government and of other countries concerned, that the disputed Czechoslovakian territory be purchased, as a practical way to pray for and attain Peace before rather than after war. When the war did break out in Europe, HE suggested that the Three Americas be united as a national and international defense for Peace. In this unification there would be ample national and natural resources, as well as manpower, to ward off any invasion of the Western Hemisphere. This proposal on December 9,1939, went unheeded, and when the United States became involved in war, in order to give every possible assistance to the Allies, that Democracy might win the battle against Fascism and Nazism, the followers bought millions of dollars worth of United States Bonds, in most cases making the Government the beneficiary. (Proposal made January 12, 1944.)

To provide much needed accommodation for the Coast Guard stationed on Brigantine Island near Atlantic City, the beautiful Hotel Brigantine on the ocean front, owned by the followers, was given gratis in 1942 for the use of the Coast Guard for the duration of the war, the only stipulation being that there be no segregation. The Coast Guard was already integrated; whereas the Armed Forces were not integrated until July 26, 1948.

FATHER DIVINE continued HIS proposals and declarations for Peace as follows:

July 6, 1944. Proposed the unification of all mutual and allied sovereignties of the universe that the united countries of the world be one big universal allied sovereignty.

May 7, 1945. Sent a letter to Premier Hirohito, demanding Japanese unconditional surrender or take consequences of being annihilated.

October 23, 1945. Urged re-conversion and reconstruction for universal Peace and tranquility, recommended unity and mass production to win the victory in Peace as it had been won in war.

July 1, 1946. Recommended an extension of price control.

December 9, 1946. Proposed that the United Nations accept Philadelphia as the capital of the United Countries of the world.

June 11, 1947. Appealed to the Federal Government to cross the borders of sovereign states and break all laws that are unconstitutional and endorse segregation.

April 29, 1948. Declared an international holiday commemorating the Marriage of CHRIST to the Church, to bring about the Universal Brotherhood of Man and the propagation of Virtue, Honesty and Truth.

August 6,1948. Declared that this is GOD'S Administration and that this whole civilization shall have a new birth of freedom.

April 25, 1949. Declared all nations shall be guided by the Pendulum of Equilibrium. The unification of all nations, or Allied nations is the only hope of the salvation of any nation.

March 14,1950. Declared HE had broken the line of demarcation between all nations, thus advancing the cause of Civil Rights; but it was being shown only gradually in different demonstrations of the present, such as the African Prince's marriage to the English schoolgirl.

March 16, 1950. Supported President Truman's decision to build the hydrogen bomb.

May 6, 1950. Proposed that Australia and New Zealand accept the United States Constitution and unify with America.

July 28, 1951. Proposed retroactive compensation for African slaves and their descendants, and other underprivileged subjects.

September 14, 1951. Advised acceptance of Chiang Kai-Shek's Government of Nationalist China, granting them full status with other Allied nations.

The full text of all these peace proposals , including a letter to Japan's Premier Hirohito requesting and demanding Japan to surrender, can be found in Chapter 13.

FATHER DIVINE continued HIS relentless crusade for the unification of men and nations by making known to officials of city, state and federal government within the United States and abroad, HIS proposals that would bring Peace and prosperity. Many of these proposals were published in the form of stickers that were sent out on all of HIS correspondence, and were available for similar use to all who were one with FATHER in HIS great Plan and Purpose.

Americanism, to the followers of FATHER DIVINE, is Christianity translated into Government and called Democracy, and HE has said,

'In the defense of Democracy I stand, recreating a civilization that will live the precepts of the Teaching of Jesus in deeds and actions. Herein lies the strength of Americanism!'

Because of this, the Churches which bear the Name of FATHER DIVINE in all parts of the world, fly the American Flag with their national flag. Whatever country they are in, they consider themselves Americans and live according to the Constitution of the United States.

FATHER DIVINE states,

'The American Ideal of Democracy, of Freedom, Equity, Humanity and Justice for all men, both at home and abroad, is a vision that I must fulfill, for America has pledged her faith in the Omnipotent One and placed her land under the guidance and protection of the almighty.'

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