How many of you agree with the following?

Question

I saw someone post this seriously elsewhere, and now I'm wondering how many people believe it:

"This country was founded in the name of Religous Freedom - To worship God freely!

Not to have the absence thereof!

The founding fathers had a very strong bond with Christianity, which is why God Almighty gave them such success."

If you only agree with parts of it, state which parts.

Obviously it's a reference to the United States.

Context: The answer was basically attacking the idea that atheists/agnostics should be allowed to have their... "beliefs"... in this country.

Why?

Apparently because the founders "didn't want that." Also because it's not "God's will."

I guess my position is pretty clear on this one, but I hope that doesn't change anyone's response.

Robert S: And what makes you think I don't know history?

Beano: Not sure it that was sarcasm, but thank you anyway. I get some pretty "interesting" answers, too.

Of course, it is simple to argue against this position. The purpose of my question was to see how many other people really think they deserve more than others who don't have the same beliefs.

Fortunately, most answers were against the discriminatory principles. The rest of you who think that non-Christians don't belong here, I have to say that YOU, in fact, are the "non-Christians." Good job in loving your neighbor...

Answer 1

Good question, and something I've been trying to educate people about, sadly to no avail. Let me see if I can sum this all up.

The pilgrims who first arrived in this country were Christians. But the country was then founded as a territory of England. If we're going to go with a Christian-based government, for that reason, we must also agree that we are a colony of England. Any of you Christians who are trying to manipulate history for your personal agenda want to give up our independence? No? Then shut the hell up about the pilgrims, and move forward to the actual founding of our current independent nation.

The founding fathers, to the best of my understanding, were not Christians. None of us can say for certain, though. What, specifically, they believed is rather obscured by the mists of time. However, I believe it can be said with certainty that they valued freedom above all else. Religious freedom included. And would not want any religion pushed on anyone. If only for this reason, it would make sense that we should have a government independent of religion of any kind.

All of that said, why does it matter? Why do people argue about what this country was founded on, as though that should have any bearing on what we do now? Should we be more concerned with upholding every aspect of what the founders believed in? Or the well being of our nation, and everyone in it? The founders allowed slavery to exist too. Does that mean this country was also founded on white supremacy, and that we should be a white supremacist nation? Of course not. We realized it was a bad idea, and we abolished it. We need to act based on what is in our nation's best interest, and develop and improve upon it ourselves.

What I really think is in our best interest is a policy as simple as this:

You are allowed to believe whatever you want, and express yourself in any manner you choose, so long as you do not infringe on the rights of anyone else to do the same. The government will not promote one person's beliefs over another's, and acts solely in the interest of preserving this policy of equality and freedom.

Sadly, there are a lot of Christians in this country, who believe that their religious freedom includes dominating the country, and being treated as though they are more important than anyone else and their beliefs are fact. It's selfishness, plain and simple. But take a look at Christianity, through history, and that's a trend you will undoubtedly notice. I should, however, make it clear that I do not intend to apply that to all Christians, only Christianity as a whole. I know there are also plenty of rational Christians who are as tired of all this "Christian nation" nonsense as I am.

Answer 2

<<"This country was founded in the name of Religous Freedom - To worship God freely!

Not to have the absence thereof!

The founding fathers had a very strong bond with Christianity, which is why God Almighty gave them such success.">>

Well first only some of our founding fathers were Christians, they were seeking freedom to worship the way they wanted to and they should still be free to worship in public or private.

Answer 3

I agree with "This country was founded in the name of Religous Freedom - To worship God freely!"

Since America was founded on the basis of Freedom,

I don't agree with "The founding fathers had a very strong bond with Christianity, which is why God Almighty gave them such success."

Since I don't believe in God

Answer 4

I don' think it was GODs will for the founders to massacre, and steal the land of the natives. It was not founded in the name of religious freedom because there were others living in this country that had their own religion. When they came they converted most of them to christianity, others did not have the freedom of choice they were forced to give up their religions.. My answer is it depends on whose side of the story you listen to. From a founder christians perspective I would agree, from a Natives perspective I would disagree.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

People who want to take away others rights to believe as they wish will say anything to bolster their position.
It does not matter whether or not the people who originated this country had atheism in mind or not when they talked about freedom of religion. The law of this land is the Constitution. And despite American fundamentalist fallacies, the American republic is also founded on secularism. Nowhere in its text is mention made of God, Jesus, or even a generic Creator. It is a secular document, and according to its own words, is "the supreme Law of the Land. The citizens of the United States have an unparalleled freedom: To seek Truth and Knowledge without the government telling them how to do it.” Nowhere does any document say "freedom of religion as long as it's Christianity." We DO have a right to believe OR disbelieve, and it is nothing less than traitorous and a slap in the face of those who have died for our freedom to attempt to warp the constitution or the Declaration of Independence to push your personal religious agenda. Those fundamentalists are nothing less than our own Taliban wannabes. They seek religious dominion, and will say and do anything to achieve it. It's disgraceful.

Answer 7

Question with boldness even the existence of God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear." - Thomas Jefferson

"Religions are all alike - founded upon fables and mythologies." - Thomas Jefferson

"History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government." - Thomas Jefferson

"In no instance have . . . the churches been guardians of the liberties of the people." - James Madison

" The divinity of Jesus is made a convenient cover for absurdity." - John Adams

"Lighthouses are more helpful than churches." - Benjamin Franklin


"The Bible is not my book nor Christianity my profession.

"The Bible is not my book nor Christianity my profession. I could never give assent to the long, complicated statements of Christian dogma."
-- Abraham Lincoln

"The divinity of Jesus is made a convenient cover for absurdity."
-- John Adams

"Christianity is the most perverted system that ever shone on man."
-- Thomas Jefferson

And there aren't a whole lot of quotes from Washington, but he was most likely a Deist. Washington DID say this, however:
"If they be good workmen, they may be from Asia, Africa, or Europe; they may be Mohammedans, Jews, or Christians of any sect, or they may be Atheists."

Answer 8

The original charters for EVERY colony state that the founding of that colony was for the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian religion.

I do believe that the founding of the is country was guided by non-Christians, for the most part. That's not to say that there were not Christians in support of it.

Answer 9

I agree with the reason for the founding of the country... the USofA being, among other things, the quest for religious freedom. As for God giving them success, no. We're talking about Almighty God. Wouldn't he have been able to give them success where EVER they were? .

Answer 10

The only part i agree with is "This country was founded in the name of Religous Freedom"