do people still think the USA was founded as a Christian Nation?

Question

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_Barton

David Barton retracted such fictitious revisions as this but people still believe

* "We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God." --fictional quote attributed to James Madison.

Answer 1

I don't. Of course, I am intelligent enough to confirm what I am told instead of merely believing it.
The first admendment is based on the Separation of church and state. The reason why the forefathers came to this country was for religious freedom, not to make a Christian nation. In fact most of the fore fathers weren’t even Christian, but deist, atheist and agnostic.

Here are some quotes Wolfie might enjoy-

"As to Jesus of Nazareth, my opinion of whom you particularly desire, I think the System of Morals and his religion...has received various corrupting changes, and I have, with most present dissenters in England, some doubts as to his divinity; tho' it is a question I do not dogmatize upon, having never studied it, and think it needless to busy myself with it now, when I expect soon an opportunity of knowing the Truth with less trouble."
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, by Benjamin Franklin

Thomas Paine:
"I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, nor by any church that I know of... Each of those churches accuse the other of unbeliefe [sic]; and for my own part, I disbelieve them all."


--from The Age of Reason

He also had a few thoughts in regards to the Bible: "It is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind; and, for my part, I sincerely detest it as I detest everything that is cruel."

John Adams, the 2nd Constitutional President:
Twenty times in the course of my late reading have I been upon the point of breaking out, 'This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it!'"
(John Adams, A Biography in His Own Words)

Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise."

--James Madison in a letter to William Bradford

Answer 2

I can't believe how many said yes!
This country started b/c a bunch of brilliant men (some of them agnostic or deist) were tired of paying taxes and not getting protection in the new land. And, they did the separation thing b/c they hated church being part of the govt. These people need to learn British history (which is what the founding fathers learned from) during the 'silent' war between Protestants and Catholics.
The Treaty of Tripoli Section 11 says exactly the opposite.
Also, many of them were part of the Freemasons-George Washington even performed the first American government breaking the ground ceremony according to Freemason ritual!

Answer 3

It was not founded as a christian nation. Some people do believe that it was. Those people are misinformed. Even if it were does not mean it would have been appropriate. Liberty and justice for all includes everyone; not just the majority. The masses are asses. Cultural evolution will eventually make these sheeple fade into the haze of a dark and miserable past.

Answer 4

John McCain appears to believe it too, as he courts the right wing in hopes of winning the Republican nomination. It is truly revisionist history though. The framers of the constitution weren't stupid, and had they wanted America to be a Christian nation, would have said so in no uncertain terms and not taken it for granted that because most of them were at leasts deists, that we should be by implication a religious nation. In considering that we might be a nation founded upon Christianity, why the hell would The Founding Fathers tap Thomas Jefferson of all people to write the final draft of the Declaration?

Answer 5

maximum of them have been deists? the place are you getting this preparation from? (I actually choose for to understand. i will understand if a number of them have been. yet maximum?) whether maximum of them have been deists, they possibly attended church and have been formally Christians. that is possibly why people think of that usa of america grew to become into based as a Christian usa. for sure, those people who've study the form understand that it promotes freedom of religion, and there is not any point out of Christianity (or God, for that count) interior the form. So for sure, those Christians are incorrect in asserting that usa of america is a Christian usa. further, you would be incorrect in case you claimed that usa of america grew to become right into a Jewish usa or an Islamic usa or a Buddhist usa. despite the fact that, you're good in claiming that Christian values are the comparable values that are held with the aid of maximum civilized societies. yet in making this assertion, are not you admitting that they are one and the comparable? are not you besides mght admitting that one isn't incorrect if one is claiming that usa of america grew to become into consistent with Christian values? besides, if I have been a form of Christians which you're addressing, i might sense that your assertion will enhance greater questions than solutions (as do maximum non secular/philosophical questions).

Answer 6

When our country 'first began', the majority of the population was Christian, because they were being persecuted in other countries. BUT, it was founded as a free country, with no national religion.

That was the whole point of what our founding fathers were trying to create - a safe haven of sorts for people who wanted to do as they pleased, without the government telling them how to worship.

Answer 7

The really scary thing is that a lot of people actually do believe that the US was founded as a Christian nation. What are they teaching in schools now days. The fact is that this country was founded on "freedom from religion" and there are very good reasons for that. For those who do believe this, please study the history of religious persecution in Europe at the time of the pilgrims and it will give you a different perspective.

Answer 8

It doesn't matter what history says, or even what the Constitution says, many fundamentalists and evangelicals not only believe, but teach as fact, that the United States is a "Christian nation."

Even though many of the founding fathers were Christians, and like most national leaders claimed that God and righteousness were on their side, they purposely did not found the United States as a nation based on Christianity, or any other religion. And they most certainly did not found it as a nation based on the politically militant evangelical Christianity of today.

Did you ever notice that even though various founders quoted scripture, claimed God as their leader, etc., they never said things like, "Americans must be saved by Jesus," or "We must follow Jesus or fail..." As a matter of fact, they rarely even spoke of Jesus, but of God. Our national motto is "In God we Trust" (not "in Jesus we trust"). We are "One nation under God," not under Jesus.

Many of the founders believed in God, but unlike the modern Religous Republican Right, few if any attempted to force their religion on others, let alone force it upon the Constitution and the entire nation.

Answer 9

lol That's the story. If they only knew that most of our founding history is a bunch of hogwash they'd fall down dead. Very little of our history is true. The more you dig into American history, the more you realize we have been taught lies in school our entire lives. Our true history needs to be written once and for all. If the people knew, they would probably revolt with a civil war.

Answer 10

Yes, They do now.Thanks for this question. But they didn't for the last 50 years. Quotes by Thomas Jefferson state that "religion" of any kind supported by the state would be akin to the very govenrments that the United States will NOT become.
The religious right is in bed with the neo-cons and the combination creates perpetual war, hatered, dispair and is quickly ridding America of the middle class...HEY CONSERVATIVES? Look up the word "fascism" in Webster's... Right now... go look it up... I bet you're too lazy... go ahead..go look up the definition... I DARE YOU. "Corporate takeover of government" Go and pick up your dictionary. Do it now people! I bet you won't! Conservatives don't use dictionaries. You already know EVERYTHING. Because FOX and Bill O'Reily tell you it's true.......well....of course it MUST be ture. I dare you to look it up in a dictionary.. you won't