If USA was Founded upon Christian Principles, Why?

Question

The Nation Motto was Only Changed to "In God We Trust:" in 1956 ?
180 Years after the founding of the Nation.

I might be wrong , however willing to correct , if you could point me out.

Guys,

Here we are ASSUMING 100% that USA was Founded upon Christian Principle.

Argument of whethere USA founded upon Christian Principles is here

http://sg.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Aqn4kgbdCgPNGGFePY6BoDr54gt.?qid=20070530201950AAcaZUZ

Answer 1

It wasn't founded upon Christian principles.

The motto was changed and "under God" was added to the Pledge of Allegience to distinguish itself from Soviet Communism which had a policy of atheism (in contrast to the secularism of the United States.

Interestingly enough, in the early 1900's, the proper way to say the Pledge was to raise your right arm up in the air, palm outwards. Exactly like the Nazi salute.

Answer 2

The founding of this Great Nation was truly on the basis of religious freedom. One could argue Christianity had a mighty hand in what the "Founding Fathers" believed. If you would research the documents of ALL of the founding Fathers, you cannot excape the deep, clear and loud cry of a dependence on a Sovereign God.

Was not the motto changed as a part of what was a "natural progression" of what had already transpired. Examine the moral decline of the late 60's til today, and compare it to the reverential fear of God in the 50's and earlier.

Even organizations like the Ku Klux Klan had a reverence for God, even if their ideology was not altogether sound. Religious freedom is the fabric of this nation that has been scorched because we have allowed godless organizations like the N.O.W. and the A.C.L.U. to press hard against us, reasoning that we should be more open minded.

It is true that Christianity is a closed-minded view. However, please don't be so open minded that your brains fall out.


**** Additional Thought. Harvard was the first college in AMerica, and if we would trust historians, it was founded by a minister for the express purpose of training ministers. Many ministers were our nation's first school teachers. Moreover, schools were developed in this country for the express purpose that all citizens would be able to read, and guess what the book of choice was, the Bible.

Let's just face facts, America has changed. Our religious freedoms have allowed those who have no religion or desire no religion the ability to erase our heritage. Many of our founding fathers were of varied religious persuassions, however the commonality was a strong conviction of a Divine Providence, whom was referred to as God.

Answer 3

This country was seeked after and established because people wanted freedom period. Most of the early settlers were religious (remember the Salem witch trials) and there were many different beliefs.There were a lot of early leaders in American society that were also non believers. Freedom was the issue. Not wanting to be ruled by royalty. A chance for a new beginning and to own ones own land.
The idea should be for a country to change with growing knowledge. Christian principles don't mean diddly squat when our country supposedly filled with xtians persecuted and committed genocide on Native Americans, drowned and hanged people thought to be witches, and allowed the ownership of slaves. So much for xtianitly.

Answer 4

Well you're right, it was not founded on Christian principles. It was based on the political structures of England, the Roman Senate, the Greek Republic, and so on. However, John Adams did call the Jewish nation the greatest step toward modern civilization, I can get the exact quote for you if you want it, and America does have a Christian hertiage. It does not mean that America is a true representation of Christianity, it just means the country is most familiar with Christian attributes.

Columbus, who discovered America, was a devout Catholic
Vespucci, who America is named after, was related to a Catholic Pope
The first governor of Jamestown was basically impeached because he was rumored to be a Catholic, so they replaced him with a Protestant
Plymouth was founded by Pilgrims, who were really the first truly Protestant English sect (the Anglicans were very similar to the Catholics)
The Puritans who founded most of New England were Calvinistic (Protestant)
Roger Williams, who is frequently used as an icon of religious freedom, was a Protestant, typically called an old Baptist, and was a minister and preached in both Puritan and Pilgrim churches
Anne Hutchinson, another person referred to for religious liberty, was I think the most true Christian in American history.
The Quakers were, I think, the most similar sect to modern Christians (notice though, they were harshly persecuted, which goes along with my belief that modern Christians would be persecuted back then)
Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn, regarded for his religious tolerance, but he was a Quaker AND his state constitution, made by his own hand, REQUIRED the belief in one God.
Maryland required belief in the Trinity


Ah you know, I could go on, but I have a 410 page book on the topic ready to publish, I just need some professional editing. If you want to talk about anything, from Columbus to Spain in the New World to Jamestown to the Pilgrims to the Quakers to the Founding Fathers, please do email me. I am not one of those Christians that believes everyone in American history was an orthodox, admirable Christian. I well know some of the non-Christian things that Jefferson said, Thomas Paine in particular... John Adams and Franklin were also unorthodox in certain areas.... The only major Founding Fathers that were perhaps Christians were Washington but it is hard to say with certainty.... and Hamilton and Patrick Henry. Hamilton did not really have a true conversion until his deathbed though.

And the "In God we Trust" thing is not even a part of my 410 pages. I only go from 1492 until Jefferson. I actually do not cover a few controversial points..... "Under God" in the pledge I don't discuss because it occurred to late.... Ten Commandments in courtrooms I don't discuss. Prayer in schools I don't discuss. I just look at the historical writings of the men and women who built America.

Answer 5

The US was not founded on christian principles. Most of the ideas that went into the constitution, declaration of independance and the bill of rights came from prilosophers of the enlightenment, such as Voltiare, Rousseau and Locke. Christian faith had nothing to do with how the founding fathers intended for the country to run. In fact, most of them were deist or unitarian, both of which were and still are at the fringes of christian thought.

Answer 6

It wasn't founded on christian principles. It was founded IN PART on the idea of religious freedom for everyone. There is a lot more said about other rights and taxes than about religion. The fact that god was mentioned at all was simply a reflection of the time. Most people claimed to believe in god publicly because it was expected.

Answer 7

I am an atheist. But the USA was founded as a Protestant Christian nation. This is just plain and simple history.

True, not all money had the motto,"In God We Trust," printed/engraved until 1956. Before this time many coins and bills had it but certainly not all of them.
This was changed in 1956 because communism is atheistic and in 1956 the Cold War was raging.

Answer 8

It isn't founded on Christian principles. James Madison, also known as the "Father of the Constitution" had this to say:

"The experience of the United States is a happy disproof of the error so long rooted in the unenlightened minds of well-meaning Christians, as well as in the corrupt hearts of persecuting usurpers, that without a legal incorporation of religious and civil polity, neither could be supported. A mutual independence is found most friendly to practical Religion, to social harmony, and to political prosperity" (Letter to F.L. Schaeffer, Dec 3, 1821).

Answer 9

definite, the Treaty of Tripoli DOES have something to do with it. it truly is considered an good and early denial by skill of the government that the founders of pronounced government had any religious intentions by any skill. that there have been many human beings on account that attempting to pervert that denial does not substitute the actual undeniable fact that that replaced into the suited on the very start up- no religious foundation for the U.S. government. concepts on the subject of liberty and equality in the west are frankly in keeping with Greek and Roman pagan ideals, no longer christianity. that's precisely why the French Revolution got down to abolish christianity and fostered good photos drawn from western pagan antiquity. that's additionally why our public homes for 2 centuries have been in keeping with Greek and Roman fashions. it is the genuine fact. The values of this usa have been based on the values of pagan classical antiquity.

Answer 10

USA was founded by mass murder of the native population...if thats Christian Principle Im glad Im a Muslim