Did I miss something here? When did freedom of religion go out the wondow? When did we turn into a theocracy? Do we have a state church now? Are they gonna start forcing people to go to church? Because seriously, unless that happens, this isn't a Christian nation. It's a nation dominated by Christians, yes, but it is not a Christian nation.
What do you think?
2007-02-21 04:39:03 · 25 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
fireball, the puritans didn't write the constitution.
2007-02-21 04:42:27 · update #1
lsuballs, do you think that everyone should be forced to go to Christian churches? Also, this country was founded on the writings of John Locke more than the bible. Most of the founding fathers wern't even Christian.
2007-02-21 04:44:56 · update #2
OK JEEZ...America is NOT and NEVER HAS BEEN a Christian nation. We were NOT founded upon Christian ideals since we don't approve of torture and death for crimes.
People need to LEARN SOME DAMN HISTORY!
USA was founded upon the enlightened European ideals of Thomas Paine, John Locke, Voltaire, etc. That all men had rights and that no ruler had power except that which was bestowed by the people..which meant that governmental power was subordinate to the power of the people.
The Founding Fathers even DECLARED in public, to the world that America was NOT a Christian nation in the Treaty of Tripoli which outright stated that the USA was in no way founded as a Christian nation. here it is:
"Article 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"
YDoncha_B:: I know of what you speak but the ACTUAL word from the founders trumps the imagined meaning by a Congress committee 1/2 a century later
2007-02-21 05:17:00 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Whether or not the nation was founded on Christianity is questionable, but it's very clear that all people believed pretty much in a sense of God and that their rights were given to them "by their Creator". (in founding documents). They were not atheists. As for America being a Theocracy, it's not, and I don't know what makes you think that Christians even want a theocracy. I've never heard any Christian attempt to make a rule that all people must be baptized or have communion, or go to church, have you? You are confusing moral laws with inflicting religion on someone. All people legislate morality. When you are pro-choice, you tell the father that he has no rights to the baby and you tell the baby it has no right to his life. Outlawing public prayer in public schools - another legislation of morality. It isn't only the religious that legislate morality, everyone does.
2007-02-23 06:39:52 · answer #2 · answered by ace 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Im an Atheist.
This is a Christian Nation, whether we like it or not. Read on:
The House and Senate Judiciary Committee also commented on the true intentions of our founders, saying in its report on March 27, 1854, "At the time of the adoption of the Constitution and its amendments, the universal sentiment was that Christianity should be encouraged, but not any one sect [denomination]." The report continued, "In this age, there is no substitute for Christianity" That was the religion of the founders of the republic and they expected it to remain the religion of their descendents.
Runkel v. Winemiller (1799), "By our form of government, the Christian religion is the established religion; and all sects and denominations of Christians are placed on the same equal footing." And in the Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States (1892), the Court, quoting 87 precedents, proclaimed, "Our laws and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind. It is impossible that it should be otherwise; and in this sense and to this extent, our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian."
Sorry to give so much fuel to the uneducated masses that troll these boards, but we cannot argue against case law.
2007-02-21 04:49:44 · answer #3 · answered by YDoncha_Blowme 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Actually we weren't necessarily founded by Christians. We actually were founded by people who were escaping religious persecution. I don't want to make America a "Christan State" and then have people like Catholic pedophiles take it over. We also celebrate a lot of other days. Our Constitution was passed not to protect Religion from the state, but to protect the state FROM religion. You do remember all those beheadings in England of protestants by Catholics until Elizabeth started the Church of England, don't you? "Amendment I Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
2016-05-24 02:51:43 · answer #4 · answered by Nedra 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People all too often think because America has a large Christian population, that it's a Christian nation. Iran is an Islamic republic. America is NOT a Christian nation, despite whatever obscure case laws you can dig up. Nowhere in those cases does it state Christianity will be mandated in any way, shape, or form.
2007-02-21 04:50:45 · answer #5 · answered by The Dude 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
What makes you think America is a "Christian Nation"?
I think it has more to do with the perception created by the Republican Party, the Christian Right, Televangelists and of course a President that believes God actually talks to him and tells him what to do.
Remember the adage: Reality is 100% perception, and at the moment people are perceiving a Christian Nation.
2007-02-21 04:43:51 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes, America is a christian nation. You wait and see the How the Evangelical Christians respond in the next election.
2007-02-21 04:48:28 · answer #7 · answered by iwant4wifes 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think it is a Christian nation. Our laws are based on some of the principles of Christianity. We get Sundays and Christian holidays off. We still fight for laws like rights for gay marriage, the right for a woman to have an abortion and even the right to die with dignity. The nuclear family gets tax (and if you're in the military w/ a family even more) benefits. If it werent for large evangelical groups we wouldn't have President Bush as a lame duck president. Other religions are still fighting for their rights. I'm Hindu and yet I don't get any holidays off. In Canada they have been giving Hindus and Islams their holidays off for years.
2007-02-21 04:46:16 · answer #8 · answered by cuteami78 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
It isn't.
Who told you it was.
There are very few real Christians.
There are many church goers.
There are many make believers.
There are many religious.
The are many irreligious.
There are many idolaters.
There are many pagans.
There is a lot of tares around.
Not very much wheat.
By the way, a true Christian doesn't have to go to church. Oh my, did he say that?
Sometimes a true Christian sees what is being taught in the churches and it revolts him. He has to get out of it. He has to run away from it. He sees that they twist the word to fit their way of thinking. ( A true Christian is the Church )
2007-02-21 04:51:16 · answer #9 · answered by chris p 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Personally, I think it's the desserts and drinks afterwards that bring them in as well as the social hour and business tips. My ex-wife would usually hook up with one of her boyfriends also for some of that good old closet sex. She had heard that it is not good for a man to be alone. I remember getting drunk at church once on some cheap wine. The Lord moves in mysterious ways uno. Who's ur daddy?
2007-02-21 04:59:26 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋