On May 11, 2026, in a video posted by Roman Catholic Bishop Robert Barron—a member of President Donald Trump’s White House Religious Liberty Commission within the Department of Justice—Bishop Barron invited Americans to gather on the National Mall in Washington on May 17 for the “Rededicate 250” celebration commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States. However, Barron placed special emphasis on what he described as the important role religion has played in the American experiment, stating that religion and America have come together in a “very beautiful way.”
Robert Barron made the following statement:
• “Hey everybody, it’s Bishop Barron. I want to take this opportunity and invite you to a very special event called Rededicate 250. It is an event in honor of our two hundred fiftieth anniversary as a nation, but with the special stress upon the role that religion has played in the American Experiment” (Video).
• “This will take place on the National Mall on May 17th. There’ll be a whole slew of speakers: Speaker Mike Johnson from the House of Representatives will be there, Dr. Larry Arnn from Hillsdale College, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary Marco Rubio, Reverend Franklin Graham will be there — and I’ll be there speaking as well” (Video).
• “The idea is to celebrate how religion and America have really come together in a beautiful way. So I invite everybody: take the time, come to Washington, National Mall. It’s going to be an all-day event beginning in the morning stretching into the afternoon. There’ll be speakers but also musicians and other forms of celebration. Hope to see you on May 17th. And God bless you” (Video).
The American experiment was never about the role religion would play in controlling the government, but rather about the role religion would not play in exercising civil authority over the conscience of the people. The founders understood from history—especially from Europe’s long record of state churches, religious persecution, inquisitions, and forced conformity—that liberty could only survive when government was forbidden from establishing or enforcing any religion.
America’s uniqueness was not that it created a Christian state, but that it created a constitutional system where people of all faiths could worship freely without the state favoring one church over another. The genius of the American experiment was the deliberate limitation placed upon religious power in civil government, protecting both the church from political corruption and the people from religious persecution.
Today, this foundation is gradually shifting from liberty toward control. Instead of emphasizing freedom of conscience, there is increasing pressure from many Catholic and Evangelical voices seeking greater religious influence within government to advance moral and social agendas. More and more, Americans are being told that individual rights must yield to the “common good” or the collective interests of the majority. At the same time, dissent is increasingly being portrayed as dangerous or divisive, while government is encouraged to take a larger role in shaping the moral and spiritual direction of society. In this environment, liberty of conscience risks being replaced by regulations and enforced consensus rather than the protection of individual freedom.
According to Bible prophecy, this shift signifies that history is repeating itself and that long-standing freedoms and constitutional protections will gradually disappear as church and state move closer together. Prophecy warns of a system in which religious influence becomes increasingly joined with civil power, allowing church doctrines to be advanced through the authority of the state. As this model develops, religious pressure from an apostate form of Christianity will seek to shape national life and influence the beliefs and behavior of society.
“In the movements now in progress in the United States to secure for the institutions and usages of the church the support of the State, Protestants are following in the steps of papists. Nay, more, they are opening the door for popery to regain in Protestant America the supremacy which she has lost in the Old World. And that which gives greater significance to this movement is the fact that the principal object contemplated is the enforcement of Sunday observance,—a custom which originated with Rome, and which she claims as the sign of her authority. It is the spirit of the papacy,—the spirit of conformity to worldly customs, the veneration for human traditions above the commandments of God,—that is permeating the Protestant churches, and leading them on to do the same work of Sunday exaltation which the papacy has done before them” (Great Controversy, p. 573).
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What a prophetic statement in the Great Controversy! Who on earth can think that in the present time the Church has a prophet? This is amazing. What is happening in the United States is already foretold in the Revelation 13 and the clearer picture in the Great Controversy by E G White must be read and compared with the fulfilment that is happening, I say, “that is happening.”
Amen!
“The idea is to celebrate how religion and America have really come together in a beautiful way”
This is exactly what they want!
Its a subtle way of saying how religion and the civil power are uniting.
This is the formation of an image or a direct replica of how the first beast / Papal Rome united with the civil power to enforce her dogmas and doctrines, including Sunday worship, and killed millions of those who refused her advances.
And they are celebrating it on the 250th year Anniversary of US Independence; an Independence from the same kind of tyranny in the past, of monarchies and religious institutions like the Roman Papacy. Can you imagine, prophecy is being fulfilled before our eyes, and the Catholics are singing praises.
This is not a celebration but a mockery to all who hold dear our Liberty and Freedoms:
“11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. ”
Revelation 13:11-14 KJV
“But Romanism as a system is no more in harmony with the gospel of Christ now than at any former period in her history. The Protestant churches are in great darkness, or they would discern the signs of the times. The Roman Church is far-reaching in her plans and modes of operation. She is employing every device to extend her influence and increase her power in preparation for a fierce and determined conflict to regain control of the world, to re-establish persecution, and to undo all that Protestantism has done. Catholicism is gaining ground upon every side. [See Appendix, Note 10.] See the increasing number of her churches and chapels in Protestant countries. Look at the popularity of her colleges and seminaries in America, so widely patronized by Protestants Look at the growth of ritualism in England, and the frequent defections to the ranks of the Catholics. These things should awaken the anxiety of all who prize the pure principles of the gospel.
Protestants have tampered with and patronized popery; they have made compromises and concessions which papists themselves are surprised to see, and fail to understand. Men are closing their eyes to the real character of Romanism, and the dangers to be apprehended from her supremacy. The people need to be aroused to resist the advances of this most dangerous foe to civil and religious liberty.” Great Controversy, pages 565.3 – 566.1
“These records of the past clearly reveal the enmity of Rome toward the true Sabbath and its defenders, and the means which she employs to honor the institution of her creating. The word of God teaches that these scenes are to be repeated as Roman Catholics and Protestants shall unite for the exaltation of the Sunday.
The prophecy of Revelation 13 declares that the power represented by the beast with lamblike horns shall cause “the earth and them which dwell therein” to worship the papacy—there symbolized by the beast “like unto a leopard.” The beast with two horns is also to say “to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast;” and, furthermore, it is to command all, “both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond,” to receive the mark of the beast. Revelation 13:11-16. It has been shown that the United States is the power represented by the beast with lamblike horns, and that this prophecy will be fulfilled when the United States shall enforce Sunday observance, which Rome claims as the special acknowledgment of her supremacy. But in this homage to the papacy the United States will not be alone. The influence of Rome in the countries that once acknowledged her dominion is still far from being destroyed. And prophecy foretells a restoration of her power. “I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.” Verse 3. The infliction of the deadly wound points to the downfall of the papacy in 1798. After this, says the prophet, “his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.” Paul states plainly that the “man of sin” will continue until the second advent. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8. To the very close of time he will carry forward the work of deception. And the revelator declares, also referring to the papacy: “All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life.” Revelation 13:8. In both the Old and the New World, the papacy will receive homage in the honor paid to the Sunday institution, that rests solely upon the authority of the Roman Church.” Great Controversy, page 578.2 – 578.3
Saw the AP title article “Rejecting church and state separation is on the wish list for Trump’s religious liberty commisson.” Historically, whenever the church has gained control of the civil power she has used it to punish dissent from her doctrines, intolerance and persecution have been the sure result. “They say separation between church and state,” Trump said. “I said, all right, let’s forget about that for one time.” That one time is all it took for the fox to get control of the hen house. His so-called Religious Liberty Commission which was supposed to guarantee religious freedom FOR ALL has been a front to hand the church control of the civil power. “The people of the United States have been a favored people; but when they restrict religious liberty, surrender Protestantism, and give countenance to popery, the measure of their guilt will be full, and ‘national apostasy’ will be registered in the books of heaven. The result of this apostasy will be national ruin.” —Mar 216.