Is the United States primarily Christian?

Question

I've read other peoples answers to questions and wonder where they get their info from. Why is it so hard to say that America is primarily a Christian nation? Most polls show 80% claim to be Christian. Now I know that doesn't mean they "act" like it but wouldn't that mean the US is primarily Christian?

People tend to respond by saying...separation of church and state but that's not usually what's being asked. FYI, most founding fathers were Christians of some denomination and those that weren't believed religion was needed for it's morals. (such as Benjamin Franklin) Thomas Jefferson went to church inside the White House. Where's the separation?

Anyways, I'm not asking if you agree with Christians or a certain denomination but why do people freak out when someone says the US is primarily Christian?

Ginger...I agree

Chippy...well, obviously people aren't acting like Christians cause our nation would be completely different. Just look at where we were 30 years ago to where we are now. What changed...I personally think people aren't walking the walk.
About founding fathers...I disagree. But people can spin anything anyway so I'll leave it at that.
Thanks for ur answer

YDoncha...thanks for your answer. Like I said anything can have a spin. Example, Washington was seen by his family and friends to frequently be in his study kneeling and praying and reading the Bible. They all said he was Christian (friend daughter etc) yet many portray him as something else. Thomas Jefferson didn't like relgion and well neither do I. So, depends on how you interpret it all.

Private P...I love your dogs too! Dogs rock :o)

Woodland...I think they believed in separation but not the way the left or right make it out to be.
As far as the founding fathers well...
John Adams, Samuel Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Patrick Henry, John Jay all believed in Christ
Ethan Allen and Benjamin Franklin were diests
Thomas Jefferson was either diest or athiest. He respected Christ's teaching but rejected his divinity. He called himself a materialist.
Washington could be either Christian or Diest. Depends who you ask and what you read.
So....I try not to lean left or right but can't understand why people freak out at the thought of us being Christian or that our founding fathers were Christian. Not that they all agreed and etc. But why deny our origin. What's so scary?
I personally don't agree with their religions but I don't freak out. Sigh....I'm so beating a dead horse.

Answer 1

The United States started out a Christian country. Now it is Christian mostly by name and not by actions. The Constitution says nothing about separation of church and state. It says we are not to become a theocracy. If you say something enough people begin t believe it.

Answer 2

FYI this statement is incorrect. "FYI, most founding fathers were Christians of some denomination and those that weren't believed religion was needed for it's morals." The founding fathers most definitely believed in the separation of church and state. It is one of the big reasons that the colony's revolted and we fought the Revolutionary war. Please check out the following link if you feel that I am wrong in this statement.

http://www.nobeliefs.com/Tripoli.htm

As to why alot of atheist claim that America isn't mostly christian, to me is unclear. I believe that christianity is the leading religion in America. But at the same time I do not believe it is nearly 80%. The reason for this being that, time has shown people can doctor polls to to support whatever their belief or agenda might be. For example. If you perform your poll in an area that is shown to be strongly religious, it will show that a large percentage is religious. While at the same time, if I perform my poll in a section of the country, where religious followers are scarce, my poll will show that. You have to look at the objectives of the people providing the poll. Also their are polls that show christianity is on the downswing, with more and more followers leaving everyday. It is all in what you chose to believe though. I think most people freak out when you say that the US is primarily christian, is because the US isn't any percent christian, it's people are. They maybe confuse what you are talking about? The government or it's people.

Answer 3

Most polls show up to 80% of Americans believe in god, etc. A smaller percentage define themselves as christian, but it is certainly far far higher than in more secular countries like Canada, Japan, and Western Europe. So I would say you are correct that the USA is a "christian nation". I don't think that is something to be proud of, however.

The USA also has the highest rates of murder, suicide, teen pregnancy, abortion, drug addiction, incarceration, illiteracy, poverty,disparity between rich and poor of all the developed nations like Canada, Japan and Western Europe. Cause and effect?? I won't draw any conclusions from that in this post....just stating the facts.

It is also true that the USA is a very superstitious/mystical nation, as polls show that there is a high rate of belief in ghosts, astral travel, Bigfoot, UFO's, psychic powers, telepathy, evil spirits, etc etc etc. As I said above, you really shouldn't be proud of this fact.

Also, you are compeletly wrong about your founding fathers. A few were Christian...though several went through the motions. Privately they were mostly deists Thomas Jefferson), atheists (Ben Franklin), and agnostics. They were quite clear that they wanted people to be able to freely practice whatever religious beliefs they wanted to without interference from the state. They also did not want religious ideology to influence or interfere with the running of a secular government.

Answer 4

I wish I knew the answer to your question. I believe that there is no one answer...but many.

I think the remaining 20% just want to be different...to them that makes them special.

I want to be special by being different; I want to rebel against authority; I want to deny that my father's world might be right. Those are some reasons why people act as they do...and not only regarding religious ideas and institutions. Why do so many believe that a conspiracy theory is better than than the truth? Is it because they want to be different in what they believe rather than believe in the truth as most others do.

Remember that 80% are willing to admit that they a Christian.

A comment about separation of church and state:
Separation of Church and State is a misnomer. The original words in the Constitution where meant only to eliminate a Government established religion (as in other countries) and not to deny the practice of religion even in our government institutions

Answer 5

Yes, unfortunately, America is mostly Christian. It is evident by simply checking our prisoner population statistics....75% of prisoners in jail across America are Christians (kinda blows the whole "Christian morals" argument out the window...)

And, for the record, you are wrong about our Founding Fathers. Most were Masons, who worshipped Baphomet, not the Christian God. And, while Jefferson may have attended church services to keep up appearances to his constituents, he was staunchly an Atheist... Please read Article 11 of the Treaty of Tripoli 1796 to read what Washington wrote and Jefferson signed....

Answer 6

Statistically, yes, and literally, yes. I is a loud-mouthed minority that is fighting old fashioned things like manger scenes, and carvings of the ten commandments. That is the result of religious freedom. However, it still remains, nine times out of ten, when someone sneezes, a stranger says "God Bless You", and when some thing really good happens "Thank God", in the USA. That is our basic roots and will remain that way for a long time to come, certainly beyond our lifetimes.

I firmly believe in religious freedom, what really irks me is when ANYONE want to shove their beliefs down my throat, that includes the shameful attacks on Christmas, Jesus, and the Virgin Mary. It is the same thing that those crying "foul" are complaining about. Lets all agree to peace on earth, that is ok, isn't it? You do not have to have any religion at all to handle that.


I really love my two dogs too!! They are like my kids

Answer 7

The majority of the founding fathers were deists, free masons, or very mildly Christian, not much of the fundamentalist stuff we see today. Furthermore, although some 80-85% of Americans view themselves as Christians, many of them use this label because they believe in a god, but do not necessarily believe in Christian beliefs including creationism or being pro-life. Many people were raised in Christian homes and continue to go to a church on the main holidays, but do not practice Christianity with the fervor many would assume. The separation of church and state does not exist, however much as I would like it to, as our lawmakers create many laws based purely on Christian ideals. Would a separation of church and state exist, most laws that serve to regulate morality would not exist.

Answer 8

well I'm an American. i believe America is a christian nation for the most part. even though people who don't go to church follow the bible, when ask what do you believe they start talking about heaven and hell and Jesus and God and etc. people in America even if they don't pick up the bible and read it, they are being taught by word of mouth. it's all they have heard since they were kids.its what slaves been taught even though they never learn to read and write. its how we are being taught now.the founding four fathers where Christians.they made the laws built upon christian belief. so yes, the U.S. is for the most part a christian nation.

Answer 9

I do not think there are as many christians as the poll states, it is that others see no reason to answer it. Most christians I was forced to grow up around were" judging better than you people." People do not want to be associated with that kind of title. I am not christian and I do believe it is NOT the primary belief. I am Native American in my beliefs and there are many of those that are different(Beliefs) who NEVER get counted. Is it christains who conduct the polls to give themselves an edge?

Answer 10

Well over 80% of Americans claim to be Christian.