why did lincoln use the word "god" in this speech?

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since everyone has such a heightened respect for him now

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
 
It was the thing to do at the time; the all-purpose word to toss into any conversation. Sort of like "LOL" today.

Fortunately, we don't have any kind of knee-jerk compulsory additions like that these days.

God Bless America!
 
Why wouldn't he use it? I mean, I say "Jesus!" whenever I hit my thumb with a hammer.
 
Maybe he was worried about the odds. That if even 1% of what is said in the bible is real...it could be this one percent.

The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men…. Blessed is he in the name of charity and goodwill Sheppard’s the weak through the valley of darkness for he is truly his brothers keeper and the finder of lost children…. and I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers! And you will know my name is the lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee…
 
Probably because he was religious or at least wanted to seem so. And?

Perhaps you forget that Lincoln was an attorney... I'm sure he understood the concept of keeping church and state separate.
 
Patrick Henry – “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ!”

John Quincy Adams stated, “The highest glory of the American Revolution was this… it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.”

John Jay the Chief Justice and the most influential writer of the constitution stated, “Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of a Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers. ” We need to elect Christians to office if we want to have righteous men making good laws to rule our country.

James Madison, the Chief Architect of the Constitution, said, “We have stated the whole future of American civilization not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.”

Ben Franklin and the Constitutional Convention stated, “We need God to be our friend not our enemy. We need Him to be our allay not our adversary. We need to make sure we keep God’s concurring aid. If a sparrow cannot fall without God’s notice, how can our nation rise without His aid?” He further called for regular daily prayer to keep Him close to us

1774 - Ben Franklin stated, “Introduce into public affairs the principles of Christianity and it will change the face of the world.”

Charles Finnay said, “ The church must take right ground in regard to politics. Politics are part of religion in a country as this, and Christians must do their duty to the country as a part of their duty to God. He will bless or curse this nation according to the course Christians take in politics.”

In summation from George Washington’s farewell speech, speaking to the citizens of The United States, he touched on these points: Do not let anyone claim to be a true American if they attempt to remove religion from American politics. If they do they are not true Americans.


1802 – Thomas Jefferson addressed those Danbury Baptist. He said that the first amendment has erected a wall between church and state, but that wall is a one directional wall. It keeps the government from running the church and Christian principles will always stay in government. The First National Church never happened and Jefferson’s writing was put away until 1853. Today, we only hear half of this statement, that is: the separation of church and state.
The first amendment was written so that there would not be a single national church.

Thomas Jefferson, upon leaving the office of president, said, “Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot not sleep forever.”
 
"hat this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom"
Because God was a part of 99.9% of peoples life, and no one debated the fact he could not be real as we do in our secular society today.

separation of church and state is a modern literalistic idea, Lincoln would have no such thoughts.
 
He was a politician and understood that most people he served probably believed in God, as well as himself..

For such an intelligent articulate person, you really should lay off the crack.
 
God was constantly used in speeches, letters, and books. Back then, people were more religious. Back then there was also less crime, less immorality, etc..
 
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