Throwback Truths: Multiculturalism - Good or Bad for American?

At the Institute on the Constitution, we believe that safeguarding our future begins with understanding and reinforcing our foundations. That’s why we’ve created Throwback Truths — a series that revisits classic video presentations from Michael Anthony Peroutka, founder of IOTC. These timeless messages encourage us to reflect on who we are as a nation and the principles that define true liberty.

In recent decades, a growing number of voices in public discourse have questioned whether America remains a Christian nation. Some argue that the United States has evolved into a society defined not by a singular religious foundation, but by a diverse tapestry of beliefs, including Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and secularism. This vision of America as a pluralistic, multicultural society is celebrated in many academic, political, and media circles. But has this shift truly strengthened the nation?

Multiculturalism, as it is promoted today, is often viewed as a virtue—an ideal that celebrates diversity, tolerance, and inclusion. Its proponents suggest that a society enriched by multiple religions, ideologies, and lifestyles is inherently stronger and more resilient. Evidence of this belief is visible in the effort to remove references to God, Christ, and the Bible from public schools, courthouses, and other civic institutions. Under the banner of inclusion, many argue for a sanitized public square, free from any dominant moral or religious influence.

However, this raises a vital question: is multiculturalism truly beneficial for American society, or is it leading us away from the foundations that once defined and unified the nation?

To explore this, one can look back at the voices of early American leaders and thinkers. Jedidiah Morse, a respected educator known as the Father of American Geography, offered a warning that remains relevant today. He argued that the civil freedom and political happiness enjoyed by society were owed to the influence of Christianity. According to Morse, the erosion of Christian doctrine—whether through unbelief, corruption, or neglect—would directly result in the loss of genuine freedom and the rise of despotism.

He went so far as to assert that the fall of Christianity would precipitate the fall of the American republic itself. To him and many of his contemporaries, Christianity was not merely a personal belief system—it was the moral backbone of the nation’s institutions and civic life.

In today’s culture, where traditional moral standards are frequently challenged or dismissed, one must ask: are we moving closer to freedom, or further from it? When a society no longer holds anything to be objectively right or wrong, what exactly is it standing for—or against? If there is no absolute moral truth, what principles did our founders fight to protect? What evils did they seek to overcome?

Psalm 33:12 says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” This verse served as a guiding principle for many in America's founding generation. It reminded them that freedom was not merely the absence of tyranny but the presence of a righteous foundation rooted in divine authority.

As the nation continues to navigate questions of identity, culture, and belief, it may be wise to revisit the values that gave birth to its liberty. The American experiment has always balanced freedom with responsibility, diversity with unity. But without a shared foundation, can that balance endure?

This reflection is part of a broader conversation, a perspective that encourages citizens to remember the historical and spiritual roots of American liberty and governance. Whether one agrees with Jedidiah Morse or not, his words invite an honest evaluation of where the nation stands today and where it is headed.

The question is not whether America can survive without its Christian foundation, but what kind of nation it becomes if it tries. The further we drift from the truths that built our republic, the more we risk losing not just our identity—but our liberty.