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In God We Don't Trust  /  Chapter 27: The Myth of the Valley Forge Prayer  /  Discussion Questions
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Question 10
Bercot ends by saying Washington showed “no more genuine trust in God” than most other colonists; what would “genuine trust in God” look like in measurable habits and choices (not slogans), and where might Christian nationalism—or the desire for “founding fathers” heroes—quietly replace that trust with something else?
Another way to ask: What would real trust in God look like in daily habits and choices, not just words? How might Christian nationalism or hero-worship of the founders quietly replace that trust?

Direct Answer From Bercot’s approach, “genuine trust in God” would show up in observable patterns like prayer, Scripture attention, worship commitment, and spiritual reflection—things he says are absent in Washington’s diary—while hero-making myths can replace trust in God with trust in national legends.

Support from Transcript:

  • Bercot measures spirituality by private evidence: he looked for prayer, Bible references, and “spiritual reflections” in the diary and found none.
  • He notes “a complete absence” of references to “God or to Jesus Christ” in the diary.
  • He uses church participation as another measurable habit: Washington “rarely even attended church” in a key period and later “missed church frequently.”
  • Even when attending, Washington recorded no sermon content and did not reflect on worship.
  • Bercot warns about public religious language: leaders can put on a “religious facade” with “spiritual dressing” in speeches.
  • He critiques faith-promoting national myths (Valley Forge prayer) as “pious” but false, originating with unreliable Weems.
Discussion Follow-ups What national stories do we want to be true because they make us feel spiritually secure? In what ways can reliance on “Christian America” narratives function like a substitute for repentance and obedience?

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