"One nation, under God"...?

Question

Vision of the founding fathers of the US, or McCarthy era propaganda?

Answer 1

Though, as you suggest, the phrase “under God” was added to the pledge to affirm America’s character as a godly nation in opposition to our godless Communist enemies, I’m going to go out on a limb and say the Founding Fathers would have approved:

George Washington: “What students would learn in American schools above all is the religion of Jesus Christ.”

John Handcock: “We Recognize No Sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus!”

John Jay (first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court): “Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.”

Alexander Hamilton: “Two things which make America great: (1) Christianity (2) a Constitution formed under Christianity.”

Patrick Henry: “It cannot be emphasized too clearly and too often that this nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason, peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.”

John Adams (before signing the bill creating Independence Day as National Holiday): “The general principles upon which the Fathers achieved independence were the general principals of Christianity… [July 4th] ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.”

Benjamin Franklin's plan of education for public schools in Pennsylvania insisted that schools teach "the excellency of the Christian religion above all others, ancient or modern."

Answer 2

The United States was not founded as a Christian nation...as was stated in the terms of the treaty with Tripoli drafted 1796 under George Washington and signed by John Adams in 1797:

"As the Government of the United States is not in any sense , founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religions, or tranquillity, of Musselmen; and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan 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,."

So yes, it was McCarthy era propaganda after all.

Answer 3

McCarthy era propaganda. The Founding Fathers used God only insofar as they could justify their beliefs in human rights (without Him, then they couldn't have done it). They designed the system specifically to minimize religious feuding and differences and thought about creating a deist civil religion to try and remove the brunt of religion further.

These men didn't believe. In fact, you could consider them antichristian. Ol' Ben Franklin certainly considered himself antichristian and was a member of the Hellfire Club. With men like that, the real question is, "How do you support that this was a Christian nation?"

Answer 4

McCarthy-era propaganda.

If it were the vision of the founding fathers, then God's name would be stamped all over the constitution.

The founding fathers were escaping religious persecution by coming to America--why would they impose their religion on others, in the same way that was done to them?

Answer 5

McCarthy era paranoid propaganda in response to "Godless Communism!"

Answer 6

The 'under God' part was never meant to mean that they declared themselves a Theocracy. It only means something like; 'On God's Green Earth, One Nation that promises Liberty and Justice for Everybody, not just the rich and powerful'.
Get over yourself.

Answer 7

McCarthy Era Propaganda.

In reality, One Nation, Under Canada.

Answer 8

Of course, it was part of the "Pledge of Allegiance" added later.

But you could say the concept was part of the original intentions of the framers of the Constitution in that they believed that the states answered to no higher power than God and the people. That is the basic argument of the Declaration of Independence.

I won't argue that the God of nature specifically means God as I understand Him, but the idea is still that we answer to our citizenry and God, and no one else. In that sense they intended for us to be one nation under God.

Answer 9

Seriously?

Answer 10

Well, since it wasn't there until June 14, 1954 I don't think the founding fathers had anything to do with it.