Why do 55% of Americans think the Constitution establishes a Christian nation?

Answer 1

Because most slept through high school government and will believe any absurd thing their religious leaders tell them.

Answer 2

Because it was drafted by predominately Christian men. But these were fairly open-minded men, perhaps they were never exposed to an alternative to Christianity? This argument will go on and on with the right-wing conservative folks, but I like to look at it from a different perspective.
Let's say yes, the Constitution and the founding of the country were founded on laws that reflect the values of Christianity. These brilliant men would never allow homosexuality, people who didn't believe in Jesus, etc.. But they also wouldn't allow black people to have any rights. And if we are a Christian nation, than what are we doing spending $7 billion a week on a war, when there are poor and needy in our streets without food and a roof over their heads? Point is, do we really need the monachre of being under one religion, when there are things we don't need religion to tell us that are right and wrong?

Answer 3

Because they have never really read (or understood) the document. I believe it was truly a case of divine intervention--that doesn't necessarily mean divine Christian intervention. God exists, and probably is amazed, amused, and dismayed by the dogma we have created in His (or Her) name.

After reading some of the foregoing answers, my point is verified. The Founding Fathers were not Puritans, most were deists. Example: James Madison, the primary author of the Constitution. He was Jefferson's protege.

I feel myself getting old, but my memory is still pretty good. I don't recall anything in the Constitution referring to marriage or any attathment to Christian values. The Founders were appropriately politically secular. They kept their religion out of politics. NOTE: There is a hell of a big difference between religion and God.

Wow! While the foregoing answers were wild, those that followed are amusing--and disturbing. I doubt very strongly that the Founders gave many of the pet crusade-causes a thought--primarily because they were not within the purview of federal business, and conceivable not within the realm of state concern either. Mores and morality are religious issues, and therefore private. Quite frankly, I think most of the Founders would have seen many of the topics below their dignity to discuss. Adultry, homosexuality, etc. would have been issues of personal morality, certainly not issues for political debate.

Half of the problem with the United States today is we are so worried about what our neighbor is doing (or not doing) that we don't pay attention to what we are doing or should be doing. Also, many want to draw attention to our neighbor so we don't get caught doing what others think we shouldn't be doing. Most of us are a bunch of hypocrits.

Let's debate the political and public, not the personal and private. Nuf sed.

Answer 4

You forget, my friend, that America was founded by people seeking religious freedom. Naturally, with so many of our founding fathers focused on this, a country based on positive Christian and moral values was planned. So much of the Constitution has been re-interpreted and twisted to mean things it was never meant to mean, The intent of the founding fathers should govern how the Constitution is interpreted to insure that those principles and values remain intact. Christians today almost need another haven to start over again seeking religious freedom again. since corrupt minds are seeking to take us away from those values.

Answer 5

Because that is what their leaders teach them, and they never question their leaders, despite the fact that the Constitution says nothing about the United States being a Christian nation.

Of course, some of these leaders are the same ones who teach them that the world is 6 - 10 thousand years old, that scientists who don't agree with their interpretation of the Bible are either stupid or evil, and that the dinosaurs lived alongside men, and were wiped out by the flood.

Answer 6

There are many, many Christians, mostly evangelicals, who clearly do not understand their own government. They are told from the time they are babies that this is a Christian nation, and there isn't anything that is ever going to change their minds about that. Yes, we are predominately Christian in our choice of religion. But that doesn't give Christians the right to claim religious majority trumps all others - this country doesn't work like that. But trying to explain that to them is like beating your head against a brick wall. They claim complete untruths such as all the founders were Christians, and you can show them the unbiased facts all you please, they won't buy it. Because believing in their righteousness and their imagined entitlement because of that righteousness, is too ingrained by their insular church culture. They will believe their church leaders over facts in black and white any day of the week.

Answer 7

The Founding Fathers believed in God, but they had seen in England what happened when Church & State became intertwined, and were determined to keep the State out of Religion.

Regardless of what they are calling it - that religion the right wing is selling - it's not Christianity.

Answer 8

I think they don't understand the concept of separation of church and state. Otherwise, it must just be a habit to include government with other graven images. As well as the folks who came over on those boats, weren't exactly atheists. Given the time frame till now, it would seem that many would get the picture, but refuse to.

Answer 9

Because they don't know about the founder of Rhode Island Roger Williams and how or why he was forced to leave Plymouth Massachusettes.
Interestly enough RI was the of the 13 original colonies to join the colonies and the first one to declare it's indepence from england.

Answer 10

Because the majority of the founding fathers of the constitution were Christian so of course they added their Christian beliefs while writing the constitution.

Answer 11

If the US didn't think there was a God, then the senator who sued GOD couldn't have done so. Most of the people who created the Constitution were God fearing men. That's the logic behind it!