Do you think Christianity is the historical heritage of the USA and a basis for the our legal system?

Question

Wording based on KDdid answer on this linked question:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AtWRGce0UZUU1xN0SNC7XF3zy6IX?qid=20060815173335AAJP6jQ

Answer 1

Absolutely not. The most prominent of the founding fathers were deists. The philosophical basis for the US came from the secular humanist values that arose from the Age of Enlightenment, in Europe. The law of the land came from English common law, the Code of Hammurabi and the Constitution of the Iroquois confederacy. Nothing Christian about it.

P.S.: These people that are answering that Christianity is the basis for our legal system are either uneducated morons, or they have been lied to by their trusted religious puppet masters.

P.P.S.: Unless we do something about it, within the next 20 years, the constitution will be down the toilet, and we WILL be governed by biblical law. Its most common form, Dominionism, represents one of the most extreme forms of Fundamentalist Christianity thought. Its followers, called Dominionists, are attempting to convert the laws of United States so that they match those of the Hebrew Scriptures. They intend to achieve this by using the freedom of religion in the US to train a generation of children via home-schooling and in private Christian religious schools. Later, their graduates will be charged with the responsibility of creating a new Bible-based political, religious and social order. One of the first tasks of this order will be to eliminate religious choice and freedom. Their eventual goal is to achieve the "Kingdom of God" in which much of the world is converted to Christianity. They feel that the power of God's word will bring about this conversion. No armed force or insurrection will be needed; in fact, they believe that there will be little opposition to their plan. People will willingly accept it. All that needs to be done is to properly explain it to them.

All religious organizations, congregations etc. other than strictly Fundamentalist Christianity would be suppressed. Nonconforming Evangelical, main line and liberal Christian religious institutions would no longer be allowed to hold services, organize, proselytize, etc. Society would revert to the laws and punishments of the Hebrew Scriptures. Any person who advocated or practiced other religious beliefs outside of their home would be tried for idolatry and executed. Blasphemy, adultery and homosexual behavior would be criminalized; those found guilty would also be executed. There are two conservative Christian pastors in Texas who have advocated the execution of all Wiccans. Ralph Reed, the executive director of the conservative public policy group the Christian Coalition has criticized Reconstructionism as "an authoritarian ideology that threatens the most basic civil liberties of a free and democratic society."

By failing to openly confront this insidious agenda, we have sown the seeds of our own destruction, while these religious wing-nuts are paving the way to Armageddon with gleeful anticipation.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/reconstr.htm
http://www.yuricareport.com/Dominionism/HistoryOfReconstructionMovement.html
http://www.yuricareport.com/Dominionism/Clarkson_RiseOfDomionism.html

Answer 2

It's about as much thusly as it is the other way around. Most societies, Christian or non, have some very fundamental things that are illegal that are common to one another. And traditionally, their respective religions support these laws. But it's just as likely that the laws actually support the religion. For manmade religions, the laws that exist are then brought into the religion. However, the religion creates laws of its own (often extrapolating "the next step" from existing laws), which then create new laws. So it's an interaction.

Law doesn't require religion, but merely a sense of social effeciency: I'm all for that. Religion has some aspects based of social effeciency, and some that aren't. Most of the ones that follow from social effeciency (no murder) can probably be associated as not being derived from religion, but things like anti-pornography laws are largely as a result of appeal to what people "want from a society" which admittedly becomes one whose laws are the same as their moral values.

Answer 3

Pretty much, yes. Any time a country has a few hundred years behind it, its culture and laws will be aligned fairly well with the beliefs and practices of the majority of the people who live there. Since this country was founded largely by people seeking religous freedom, and those people were also christians, they brought this with them and it was part of the culture here from the beginning.

The legal system we have is based on english common law, but there is no question that the idea of "do unto others..." is part of what has developed.

Answer 4

I'm not African-American, but I've long be mystified that Blacks, once they were freed from slavery, would continue to embrace Christianity. After all, their owners used the Bible to justify the evil of slavery. I know very little about native African religions, but if they are anything like other indigenous religions, they are earth and nature based and not as violent as the Christianity and Islam forced upon Africans so long ago.

Answer 5

If that is our heritage we are screwed. But definitely is not the base for our legal system, Christianity is a religion and Jesus never talked about laws, only what had to do with god and our soul, he even said that his kingdom was not from this world, our legal system comes straight from the roman system, with the senate and all the trimmings

Answer 6

No. The English debtor's prison is the basis for our penal system, and our legal system is based on the Constitution, which DOES NOT set any religion higher than any other.

Answer 7

The US legal system is NOT based on the bible or anything in the bible. It is based on laws first established in ancient Sumeria and Babylon that were modified by the Greeks, Romans & English.

If we lived under biblical laws, we would have no elections and would be ruled over by priests.

Answer 8

Absolutely, our laws have a historical connection to religious beliefs. To some extent it still does in reference to no alcohol sales on Sunday. Can you think of a practical reason thats illegal?

In this country's early documents there are repeated references to God and even Jesus Christ...such as old governing documents from the colonies and things such as the Mayflower Compact.

Answer 9

I think Athens and Rome And English law are the basis of our system of government'
Tammi Dee

Answer 10

Christianity may have been very present and prevalent at the time of our country's birth, but it sure hasn't kept with it. We're one of the richest most fortunate countries on the planet and we don't use our resources in any Christian way. Our legal system may have similar origins, but again, I don't see Christianity in any way when I look at our legal system today.