Is America a nation under GOD?

Question

"If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under." -- Pres. Reagon on August 23, 1984
what do you think he meant?

Answer 1

Not according to the founding fathers. Try reading Madison's Memorial and Remonstrance for some of our founding father's thoughts. It's long, but well written. (see link)

Reagan was a Christian. Of course he'd think that the nation is dependent on some deity.

Answer 2

i think he needs to take a look at history. a lot of the founding fathers were deists. Not only that, but, the Constitution is a secular document. It even included a section on making it illegal for states to have god tests(to hold public office). in 1797 a treaty with tripoli stated:
As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.

also, its worth mentioning that "under god" wasnt added until the 20th century.

Answer 3

Authored by American diplomat Joel Barlow in 1796, the following treaty was sent to the floor of the Senate, June 7, 1797, where it was read aloud in its entirety and unanimously approved. John Adams, having seen the treaty, signed it and proudly proclaimed it to the Nation.


Art. 11. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.

Answer 4

Reagan could tell a joke like a champ but he was a man of the corporations like Bush is. His quotes, all written by speech writers, are not to be praised. The country did MUCH better under non-religious Clinton than religious Reagan and Bush. What really counts is intelligence in a president, not religious fervor. God rewards intelligence and dooms idiots like Bush to failure.

Answer 5

In the modern sense, our founding fathers would not considered Christian. Their beliefs were that of Deism and Humanism - they believed in the moral teachings of Christianity but not the divinity of Jesus, nor the miracles of the bible

We discover in the gospels a groundwork of vulgar ignorance, of things impossible, of superstition, fanaticism and fabrication.
-Thomas Jefferson
It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are 20 gods, or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.
- Thomas Jefferson
Religious controversies are always productive of more acrimony and irreconcilable hatreds than those which spring from any other cause.
-George Washington
The divinity of Jesus is made a convenient cover for absurdity.
-John Adams, U.S. President
The government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.
-John Adams
I have found Christian dogma unintelligible. Early in life, I absenteed myself from Christian assemblies.
-Benjamin Franklin,
During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What has been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry, and persecution.
-James Madison
I was born a heretic. I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires.
-Susan B. Anthony

Answer 6

first of all, a nation is defined as a people sharing a language and religion.

Maybe we're one State under God. Everything is under God, even communists, atheists, etc.

Answer 7

Atheists don't see the horizon that this country was blessed by God.
Look at this country since the 1960's and it is in the vortex of the flushing toilet.
Thomas Jefferson said the only way democracy and America would be destroyed is from the inside. Some are too busy seeing their own prosperity to notice the foundation of this country is crumbling.
The founding fathers, most of them, were Bible believers.

Answer 8

The conservative party has strong ties to the religious right. This is an example of those ties. It doesn't make it correct, or true.

Keep in mind, this quote comes from the same man who claimed that ketchup qualified as a vegetable for school lunch programs.

Answer 9

No, that phrase wasn't even put into the Pledge until the 50's because of the McCarthy Era Communism Scare.

Answer 10

Political play on words...............pure and simple.

"If, now, the good news we declare is in fact veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, 4 among whom the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through." -2 Corinthians 4:3-4