Is America based on Judeo-Christian values or Greco-Roman Philosophy?

Question

Given America's success and prosperity for the first two hundred years with institutions like Democracy and Republic governing, Free Enterprise and Markets, our municipal architecture, and Even the Checks and balance system all coming from the Greeks and the Romans are we a nation based on historical fact or faith.

Or is O'Reilly's Judeo-Christian value system to be credited for our dominance when Europe under Papel rule was abismal and The Hebrews were a complete political failure. Not to mention that the US has taken a slide since the conservative movement began to gain ground at the turn of the new millenium.

Answer 1

The Constitution is based on Enlightenment values, some of which originated in pre-Roman Greece. The Enlightenment followed the Renaissance, when Europeans finally began to throw off the tyrannical rule of the Christian churches.

Think of it - for a thousand years, from 500 to 1500 CE the Church forbade people to explore the natural world, ask questions, do experiments instead of relying on authority for answers, and live their lives without fear of burning at the stake by some fanatic who thought they might be witches.

Remove that thousand years of darkness from Western history and where might we be now? It's painful to contemplate how much time was wasted on superstition - and now the world seems to be sliding back into it. Just imagine the first moon landing happening in 969 instead of 1969...

Answer 2

Reading the USA constitution you will find the founding fathers of America got the best value from most of the world values. For example, All man created equal is a Muslim value that never existed Judeo-Christian values . and some of them were anti- Jews like B. Franklin. Do you know that the 1st country to grant the USA revolution a full government recognition was a Muslim country?

Answer 3

Democracy and Republic form of government did not exist any where in the world in 1776 and earlier. Ours was a revolution against tyranny but also a revolution of ideas that allowed Free Enterprise to expand.

I would suggest you do something unique. Go back and actually read the writings of the founding fathers and see what they thought of our Judeo-Christian hertitage. Don't take my word for it. Read it for yourself and draw your own conclusions.

Finally consider the Declaration of Independence which begins "We hold these truths to be self evident. That all men are CREATED equal and that they are endowed by their CREATOR will certain inalienable rights...................That sure does not sound Greco-Roman to me. In both Greek and Roman culture the state was ALL and mankind was expendable. But it does sound a lot like Judeo-Christian influence with a CREATOR who made mankind in his own image and who gave us a Human spirit that yearns for liberty. Go figure man.....Go figure.

Answer 4

The founders feared democracy AND tyrany, hence the electorial college. This fear of over bearing authority stemmed on the English side from their experience of religious and civil war going back to the 1640s and the Stuart attempt to set up a Catholic monarchy during the reigns of Charles the 2nd and his successor.
Religion, however necessary it may have seemed was to be kept apart from government. I would say we had an established tradition of freedom of and FROM religion from the beginning.

Answer 5

Hitler had the same idea. America is just a huge money making machine. Whatever system it adopts to achive this end is irrelevent so long as it works to get the job done. Take away the lust for these little monsters $$$ what system would be in place then? Thats correct, decent human society, love and respect have all but vanished in todays ruthless world. It`s a horrible way to exist.

Answer 6

U country is made up of all values from different parts of the world. There is no America without so many nationalities living in one place and calling one nation as their home.

Answer 7

What I do know is that in the next few decades America will be based on Islamic values, if the stupid wave of dhimmitude continues
(not answering the question. I know.).

Answer 8

I think it's based on Utilitarianism.

Answer 9

judeo - roman. You should know that.