One detail that is never mentioned is that in Washington, D.C. there can never be a building of greater height than the Washington Monument. With all the uproar about removing the ten commandments, etc., this is worth a moment or two of your time. I was not aware of this amazing historical information.

On the aluminum cap, atop the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., are displayed two words: Laus Deo.

No one can see these words. In fact, most visitors to the monument are totally unaware they are even there and for that matter, probably couldn't care less.


Once you know Laus Deo's history, you will want to share this with everyone you know. These words have been there for many years; they are 555 feet, 5.125 inches high, perched atop the monument, facing skyward to the Father of our nation, overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise the District of Columbia, capital of the United States of America.

Laus Deo! Two seemingly insignificant, unnoticed wor ds. Out of sight and, one might think, out of mind, but very meaningfully placed at the highest point over what is the most powerful city in the most successful nation in the world.

So, what do those two words, in Latin, composed of just four syllables and only seven letters, possibly mean? Very simply, they say "Praise be to God!"

Though construction of this giant obelisk began in 1848, when James Polk was President of the United States, it was not until 1888 that the monument was inaugurated and opened to the public. It took twenty-five years to finally cap the memorial with a tribute to the Father of our nation, Laus Deo. "Praise be to God!"

From atop this magnificent granite and marble structure, visitors may take in the beautiful panoramic view of the city with its division into four major segments. From that vantage point, one can also easily see the original plan of the designer, Pierre Charles l'Enfant a perfect cross imposed upon the landscape, with the White House to the north. The Jefferson Memorial is to the south, the Capitol to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west.

A cross you ask? Why a cross? What about separation of church and state? Yes, a cross; separation of church and state was not, is not, in the Constitution. So, read on. How interesting and, no doubt, intended to carry a profound meaning for those who bother to notice.

Praise be to God! Within the monument itself are 898 steps and 50 landings. As one climbs the steps and pauses at the landings the memorial stones share a message.

On the 12th Landing is a prayer offered by the City of Baltimore;

On the 20th is a memorial presented by some Chinese Christians;

On the 24th a presentation made by Sunday School children from New York and Philadelphia quoting Proverbs 10:7, Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6. Praise be to God!

When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on July 4th, 1848 deposited within it were many items including the Holy Bible presented by the Bible Society. Praise be to God!

Such was the discipline, the moral direction, and the spiritual mood given by the founder and first President of our unique democracy "One Nation, Under God."

I am awed by Washington's prayer for America. Have you ever read it? Well, now is your unique opportunity, so read on!

"Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."


Laus Deo!

When one stops to observe the inscriptions found in public places all over our nation's capitol, he or she will easily find the signature of God, as it is unmistakably inscribed everywhere you look. You may forget the width and height of "Laus Deo ", its location, or the architects but no one who reads this will be able to forget its meaning, or these words: "Unless the Lord builds the house its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." (Psalm 127: 1)

http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/monument.asp

My only question is....who is tall enough to engrave that?

IT MUST BE ALIENS! I GOT MY FOIL HAT READY!

god has been breed out of us..... to the point were the church is dying... and with that so does faith.. we look to science for what god could mean now

Also

The Heights of Buildings Act of 1910 (DC ST § 6-601) was an Act of Congress passed by the 61st United States Congress on June 1, 1910 to limit the height of buildings in Washington, D.C.[1] The original act was passed in 1899 when the 55th United States Congress passed the Heights of Buildings Act of 1899.[2] The original act restricted the heights of any type of building in the United States capital city of Washington, D.C., to be less than the United States Capitol building.[2] The United States Capitol building rises to 288 feet (88 m), which restricts the heights of other buildings in Washington to rise less than that specific height.[3] In 1910, the 61st United States Congress enacted a new law limiting building heights to the width of the right-of-way of the street or avenue on which a building fronts, which is the main law presented by this act.[2]

(There is a popular misconception that the law specifically states that no building may be taller than the Washington Monument, but in fact the law makes no mention of it).[16]

Make sure you read the whole thing....because it is not disputing the fact that it's there.....read all if you go to snopes.

Yupper, just manipulate the words and you magically have what you want people to believe..

No, I wasn't disputing it, just trying to give the whole background. And pointing out that most of these mass e-mails circulating around twist the facts so much as to be virtually unrecognizable from the truth. They don't give the whole story or all of the facts but most people don't know that and assume that the e-mail written is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Often, it's not.

I still want to know how the hell they got the words up there. I don't know any ladder thats as tall as the monument O_O

well I would say done before placed on monument....duh....gigglesnort

It is written on the capstone, they put that on last, after the monument was built

It may not have been in the original architectural design or the planning committees plans to create a cross…But I have a good idea exactly Who’s plan it was !

Amen to that......And whether people want to believe it or not. God has his hand in everything.......and I mean everything. Of course people have freewill but God will guide where Godly men and women are concerned...so to think a coinsidence..I think not....

That is, of course, if you (a) believe in God; (b) believe in a God who has nothing better to do than worry about the design of a back-water city that no one thought would last; or (c) believe in a God who actually has any control over this world. Myself, I think that if there is a God, he has far more important things he should be worried about than the Washington Monument. And, since technically speaking the Washington Monument is an icon, and God supposedly doesn't want people worshiping icons, then I would think he would have knocked it down to begin with as it's a tribute to a human being and not Him/herself.

Maybe He takes a break from important stuff and looks around at what humans make and says "hey, you know that monument looks like something i created for a man! Its great!"

You know, at night, it looks like a KKK person with glowing red eyes

Why does it have glowing things? I never been to D.C. so thats why i'm asking "stupid" questions about everything. I just learned too that people can go inside the Washington Monument! I always thought it was a solid brick structure, not a hollow one O_O

lol lol sorry suzin but we don't worship the washington monument. That is what is meant by false Gods or icons...Like when the israelites worshiped a cow....that is an icon.....

I'm actually not sure why the lights are red, however, they light it up at night because it's right across the river from the airport and they don't want the planes to hit it, sort of like a lighthouse

Nope, but the monument was put in place as a tribute to a man many consider(ed) to be right up there with God. Technically speaking, any image can be construed as an icon if people look to it as a source of strength or inspiration. Up until the Renaissance period, images of anything were strictly verboten in many faiths. Many faiths still practice that, they won't even allow photos of themselves to be taken for that reason.