If Christians came to America to escape religious persecution?

Question

Then why did they come to this country to become the exact thing they were running away from? In Salem 141 were arrested, 19 were hanged and one was pressed to death just for acusations of having another faith. Today, on here for example, certain people fuss that athiests and agnostics don't belong on R&S because of their 'lack of faith', that it should only be for Christians. Does this country's religious freedom mean nothing to some?

Answer 1

It's called forgetting the lessons of the past.

Answer 2

I am a pagan. I know the history of what happened to our people and to the natives peoples, at the hands of Christians who also lived during some really bad times.

I suspect that there isn't a good Christian today who endorses what happened back then. And any person who does endorse those horrible events isn't a good anything.

I say these words as a pagan, in the spirit of the day today, which I have humbly called CHRISTIAN AND PAGAN APPRECIATION DAY in 3 questions that I posted.

In this spirit of togetherness and coming together, I say that let us remember the past and never let it be repeated. Religious intolerance is the root of why those terrible events happened, and the more we try to come together and love each other, and accept each others' differences, the less likely it will be that anyone will be burning anyone else at the stake.

I also offer this: if in my lifetime, I should ever see anyone, regardless of faith, being persecuted for their beliefs, if ever I see someone being dragged to that pyre, I will stomp on the match that would have set the blaze.

Answer 3

This question taps into the heart of our (pagan) problem in this country and into something that most Christians refuse to deal with or even really think about. They love to shout from the roof tops that this country is based on Christianity but want to forget the lessons that forced those Christan's here and WHY they settled in the new world. Their original intent is something that modern Christians would like to strip out of the history books. I believe that sooner or later an attempt to dismiss that little fact in our nations history will be addressed by Christianity and that history text books will minimize it until it either disappears all together in favor of a "they came to spread the word" or nothing at all. It is up to people of other faiths to keep that piece of history in the minds of all. The only time that this nations freedom means anything to some is when it concerns their faith. Others are nothing.

Answer 4

I always love the way the religionists turn this one around. The Puritans did NOT leave England to "escape religious persecution." They were KICKED OUT because they were persecuting everyone else, and plotting to forcibly overthrow the English government to establish a theocracy. It's all in British history books; you just have to look it up.

Ever wonder how much different our history might have been had the Mayflower been lost at sea and never reached this country? Something to think about.

"Religious freedom" is all well and good, provided the religionists remember that also guarantees the rest of us freedom FROM religion. They seem to often forget that part.

Answer 5

It doesn't mean a damn thing to many Christians. The idea of religious freedom is only for their religion, not for any of us who do not follow their path. It is getting harder and harder to respect them as a whole when I see things like you have shown here. They ran from religious tyranny to start their own kind of tyranny under the guise of "freedom" for all. It's a shame... But what is surprising is when they don't understand why people get offended by them when at every turn we see them becoming offended just by the idea that someone may believe something different. Dominionists are trying their best to take over and they have the majority of Christianity duped into believing it is for the good of all Christians. What they don't realize is that it's more political and only for their personal power (the Dominionists power that is). They will be right next to the rest of us Non-Christians when it comes right down to it, simply because their votes won't be needed anymore.

Answer 6

I love this quote from Robert Heinlein's "To Sail Beyond The Sunset":

"The potential for religious hysteria had always been present in the American culture, and this I knew, as my father had rubbed my nose in it from an early age. Father had pointed out to me that the only thing that preserved religious freedom in the United States was not the First Amendment and was not tolerance...but was solely a Mexican standoff between rival religious sects, each sect intolerant, each sect the sole custodian of the "One True Faith" - but each sect a minority that gave lip service to freedom of religion to keep its own "One True Faith" from being persecuted by all the other "True Faiths".

(Of course, it was usually open season on Jews and sometimes on Catholics and almost always on Mormons and Muslims and Buddhists and other heathens. The first Amendment was never intended to protect such outright blasphemy. Oh, no!)"

Answer 7

Humankind rarely learns. The deeply religious even less so it seems. :(
.
> If Christians came to America to escape religious
> persecution? Then why did they come to this
> country to become the exact thing they were
> running away from?
.

Answer 8

There is no such thing as a religion that ALLOWS people of any faith to die, never mind CONDONES it.

Those people who began the Crusades, Salem, Iraq II, WWII and all acts of killing that were linked with 'God's Will' were not Christians.

Indeed they SAID they were, as do all of those who today seem to share their opinions as to what is good and what is not.

It is their first commandment NOT to kill.

Why does it seem to me that those who continuously quote that Bible thing always seem to be the ones who don't follow its message?

I have been condemned by Christians for JOKING about Christianity before. I simply fail to see why nobody seems to 'turn the other cheek' and 'not judge' any more.

I have a sneaky feeling that the only true Christians, by definition of Christianity, are not even Christians at all.

May peace follow you throughout

Answer 9

The Folks that came to this continent weren't escaping persecution from OUTSIDE of Christianity, they were escaping from being persecuted by OTHER Christians. They arived here and began persecuting ALL those with whom THEIR own Religion disagreed. They seem to have the idea that because the U.S. is a popultaion that has it's MAJORITY as Christian, that somehow, that in and of itself, makes this a Christian Nation. It does NOT. They feel that the principles of the Nation mean Majority Rule, It does NOT!

Our U.S. Constitution was specifically set up to EXCLUDE Religion from having ANY influence in the oprations of the government. Just because Christians form the Majority of the population, does NOT mean that they can enact legislation that outlaws all who are NOT Christian. Yet THEY insist that it means precisely that. the fact that there are over 144 different Religions and sects of Religions in the U.S. alone, holds NO meaning to them whatsoever.

They screamed and hollered at the excesses of the Taliban in Afghanistan yet THEY wish to form and maintain exactly that for the U.S.. They fail to realize that a Nation that allows for the widest diversity of Belief, Religious, Political, Socio-economic, cultural, etc etc. is exactly WHAT makes this such a wonderful and powerful country.

Mind you, WE REALIZE that it's not ALL Christians who hold the views that the questioner is talking about. It IS just a tiny but vocal minority of such people who are advocating what is being talked about, here. The overwhelming majority of Christians are accepting those of other Faiths, are loving of people from ALL walks of life on the planet. To THOSE Christians, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart for being the way you are. Please do NOT take offense at what we are saying here, it's NOT directed at you. It IS directed at those radicals who CLAIM to be Christian but FAIL to truly follow the actual teachings of Jesus and choose to use Him to spread their OWN version of hatred.

Raji the Green Witch

Answer 10

England, especially under Henry VIII, resisted the Reformation that was sweeping northern Europe. The Anglican church, under Elizabeth, was still catholic, just not Roman Catholic. Puritans, Calvinists, Presbyterians, and others who wanted major reforms did not like the tiny steps the Church of England made, so they left for the New World, and religious freedom. So, it was people escaping the too catholic Anglicans (the Church of England) for a life where they could practice their religious ideas.

Answer 11

If you're speaking of the Puritans, they were not exactly be best example of Christianity (and unfortunately, I must admit that there are a lot of bad examples aside from them as well).

At its heart Christianity is a religion of free will. God wants to be chosen by people. (Joshua 24:15) So mandatory Christianity or converting people by sword never made any sense to begin with.

I am a Christian. I am proud of that fact, but essentially I agree with you. The way I see it, there is no room in the Bible to justify mistreating someone based upon their refusing to acknowledge Jesus Christ.

Christianity doesn't need to make anymore enemies. It needs the opportunity to be practiced the way it was intended: by people who choose to do so.