8.22.2011

Discount for Facebook Fans

As you may have heard we have a TV commercial for One Nation Under God which has begun today!  It's a special offer we have never done before for the purpose of spreading the word that we are ONE NATION UNDER GOD!    To see the commercial click here:  www.buyonenationundergod.com

I am offering a five dollar discount to any of my Facebook fans who enter the promo code: JMDISC5


What makes this offer so amazing is that not only do you save $5.00 on the regular price of the print, but you also recieve a detailed Reference Guide with the key to the painting, three 5X7 Gift Cards, a Constitution Booklet, and an hour long documentary about the painting explaining every detail and symbol and my story behind the painting!  It's awesome!!  Now is the best time to get a copy of this for your self or a friend.

After it arrives in the mail, please let me know how you like it!

Sincerely,
Jon McNaughton

8.16.2011

What About African Americans?

I had the following question about my painting One Nation Under God:

I love the painting...I really do.  But as an African American...where do we really stand in this country?  I see Fredrick Douglass and Harriett Tubman in the painting but they are in the back and this really shows where we are an ethnic group in America.

This world is just what it is...and as we both know WE ALL will face GOD even the unbelievers. Not trying to make a fuss, but just saying what needs to be said. Thanks for letting me give an opinion.

I responded:

I appreciate your point of view. The subject of race is a sensitive issue. I feel there has been improvement in the white community in regards to racism, although there is obviously room for growth. In my painting I have nine figures directly related to Civil Rights. In the background there are twenty three figures—only three are black. I suppose I looked at the painting to some extent with color blindness. I never meant to make a statement that African Americans are less important. In the Constitution it says that all men are created equal. In the beginning, because of states that disputed the issue of slavery, this part was not complete. With the addition of the thirteenth amendment we moved closer to equal freedoms. You asked, “As an African American…where do we really stand in this country?” Under the Constitution we are now all equal. I believe that as an “AMERICAN”, you can stand for God, you can stand for truth, you can stand for equal rights, and you can stand for liberty. And in the sight of God we are all equal.


8.14.2011

Pregnant Women Are Not Evil

I received the following letter concerning my painting One Nation Under God:

I picked up (whether intentional or not) the symbolism of the people in the front of Jesus Christ as being gracious on the right and wretched on the left. However, the pregnant women who wants to keep her baby is on the left side. Any specific reason for this? She seems to be out of place and should be on the right. Your thoughts?

I have strong feelings about the subject of abortion.  By putting her behind the Supreme Court Judge who represents the legalizing of abortion, it amplifies the message.  The people on the bottom right side are not damned souls.  They are those who are caught in the struggle.  The judge and the pregnant woman are actually listening to the voices of change.


8.13.2011

Do You Know Jesus?

Someone sent me the following letter:
AFTER READING THE EMAIL I GOT WITH YOUR PAINTING AND YOUR COMMENTS, I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION YOU WILL EVER BE ASKED AND YOUR ANSWER WILL DETERMINE WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY............DO YOU KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS YOU PERSONAL SAVIOR?
> THE PAINTING IS BEAUTIFUL....A GOD GIVEN TALENT YOU HAVE SIR.

Thank you.  That is a question that applies to all of us.  I believe that each individual at some point has to decide whether they accept Jesus as their Savior.  It is a personal realization and goes beyond simply speaking the words.  In answer to your question, yes, I know Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. But this answer only has meaning between me and God.  I believe to know Christ is to do the works of Christ.  I found this scripture that I have applied to myself:  2 Timothy 2:19-26 (remarkable scripture)


8.12.2011

Pushing Towards Socialism?

I was asked the following question:

Under the #2 explanation information of the painting, you state, “Except for the pregnant woman, these are people who pushed our country toward Socialism.”  I don’t understand why you would say that.  Please explain.  Thank you.

This is a good question.  My first thought was, “How can I answer this briefly without outraging a political science instructor?”  The people in the bottom right corner could be of any political persuasion.  I use these metaphorical figures to highlight what I consider to be some of the problems we face in America today.  When I talk about socialism I am referring to a government which would have ownership or control of all means of production and distribution.  This is obviously the antithesis of a free market society.  I believe those who are proponents of a larger federal government advocate “taking from the haves and giving to the have nots.”  The Constitution is a standard for equal rights, not equal things.  Our country has been steadily moving toward a socialistic form of government and this is alarming to most conservatives.  When I say, “These are people who have pushed our country toward socialism” I am referring to the liberal mindset that believes in more federal government control. 


Click on image to learn more.



8.11.2011

Painting Borders On Fascist?

As the title of your painting suggests, ours is "One Nation Under God" -- not "One Nation Under Christ" as your painting depicts. At best, your painting is offensive to non-Christians or those who exercise their right not to believe in the God. At worst, the painting borders on fascist. I guess this just goes to prove one thing -- that fundamentalism is not restricted to just to regions like the Middle East and countries like Yemen. It is alive and well in the US of A.  I pray that you will see the light -- that history has proven that mixing religion into politics is a lethal combination. I would have though that 9/11 had proven that.
Rev. Fr. Anastasios Gounaris
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Christian Church


This is an interesting perspective coming from a Christian minister.  Are you not familiar with our country’s Christian roots?  The symbolism of Christ holding the Constitution should not be offensive if you believe the Constitution was divinely inspired.  And then you state that that the painting “borders on Fascist?”  Fascism is where the state becomes more important than the individual, usually with a military run authoritarian government—the exact opposite of a Republic! Fundamentalism is a strict coherence to one’s beliefs.  In an age of compromise we need more good Americans to stand up for what they believe in. 

8.10.2011

Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged

I get angry letters on a regular basis from confused people regarding my painting, "One Nation Under God."  Here is one letter followed by a short response from me:


So EVERY politician, judge (which I am, thank you), and hollywood professional is automatically "left wing" and awful and on the wrong side? What about the philanthropists in these groups? Without these "liberals" there would be many starving, homeless and orphaned people in this world. Nice concept for art, but your random "grouping" and mass condemnations are not worthy of print. A lot of those you randomly put on the "wrong" side are very good Christ-loving people. P.S. Where are Jesus' family of Messianic Jews depicted?


If a man wearing black leather, chains and covered with tattoos was charged with a crime in your court, would you immediately think he was guilty? If you had taken only a few minutes to read my comments you would find the true intention of these symbolic figures. There are good philanthropists (and Jews) from all walks of life, but that wasn’t the point of the painting.

Click image to learn more.