What did the Founding Fathers believe?

Question

Well, here is a biggie:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their CREATOR with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" (Declaration of Independence)

Obviously, the founding fathers knew where our rights come, not from the mob or from government, but from God

Madison himself stated several times that the Book of Issiah is where he got the idea for seperated enumerated power, and the continental congress was led in prayer and closed in prayer.Several of the colonies constitutions even required a christian faith to be a member of government

The fact is that the religious and secular war was being fought at our founding, and is still fought now. What has changed is that the secularists are winning now, whereas in the past the theists did.

We may not be "officially" Christian, but our culture has ALWAYS been Christian.

Comments?

Oh, you Fundiesd better be careful. Remember, "..call no man father.."
LOL LOL

Answer 1

That democracy would never work unless Christianity is at the basis of the way we do things

Answer 2

Actually, a lot of them were Deists - they believed in an impersonal God of Nature or "Clockwork" God who created the world and left it to run. Quite a few of the others were Jews, and some were atheists.

The First Amendment was created specifically because they had seen the consequences of government-mandated religion: in most of the colonies, the government required that everyone tithe to the church, and several others did their best to mandate attendance at the church. They saw the lives that were lost and countries ruined by fighting WITHIN the religion, and the horrors inflicted by conflicts between religions.

Thomas Jefferson did his best to spell out in the First Amendment that ALL religions were to be protected and respected, Christian and otherwise, although much of that got lost in the editing required to pass the Amendment.

If you notice, the word used is "Creator" - not "God", "Jesus", "JHVH" or "Allah." It was chosen because virtually all religions have a creation story, and therefore a creator, and to explain the concept of an overarching Natural Law that took precedence over the laws of man in terms that the average person of the time could understand.

Finally - while the Declaration of Independence is an important part of our history, it is the CONSTITUTION that is the foundation of our republic and the cornerstone of what it means to be American. And the Constitution clearly states that in the eyes of the government, ALL religions are to be treated equally.

Christianity has been the most prevalent religion in our country since its founding, yes. But we have always been pluralists - we weren't ever a truly "Christian" nation.

Answer 3

The Founders of the United States, or most of them, were Deists. They believed in a Creator, as mentioned in the Declaration, who had not connection to the contemporary world. The Creator (this is a common deist image) wound up the world like a clock and then stepped back from it. The deist Creator is neither loving nor judgmental. That is to say, they were actually not Christian.
Although they believed in this form of a Creator, they also understood the importance of separating religion and the state for the formation of their new nation. The previous constitutions of the colonies were superceded by the new Constitution. You'll note that the Constitution makes no more reference to the Creator or any other religious figure. With the Bill of Rights they established the separation of church and state. Although much of our culture is steeped in Euro-Christian beliefs and traditions, the writers of the Constitution understood the importance of keeping that separate from the government.

I'm curious how you see 'secularists' to be winning now, when the past 10 years have seen a drastic increase in religious based 'political' language and legislation.

Answer 4

Being English till after the conflict of Independence maximum have been v. type oriented and actually believed in ensue destiny and the white guy's burden. They believed that they might desire to be the dealing with elite and that they might shield (wipe out) the indigenous human beings w/out help from the Empire (that became into what the tax accrued became into for). there have been additionally the 1st stirrings of an anti slavery stream at that element coming from the Church of england which became into very irritating for American colonists who necessary them to paintings the land as much as horses. Slavery became into subsequently banned 2 generations till now than in usa of america for the period of the British Empire. between the main necessary of the pious sentiments related to immigration from the form became into paraphrased by potential of the French on the inscription on the Statue of Liberty, needless to say no-one has taken that heavily for many generations. you're appropriate on your remark, the 'English fought the English,' in thought to alter our Magna Carta w. your cutting-edge, however a great deal amended shape. Even interior the 1812 'conflict' you're able to have been stressful pressed to tell that have been the human beings and that have been the English w/out the uniforms, the bloodlines have been nevertheless comparable.

Answer 5

"Where the preamble declares, that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed by inserting ‘Jesus Christ,’ so that it would read ‘A departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our religion;’ the insertion was rejected by the great majority, in proof that they meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mohammedan, the Hindoo and Infidel of every denomination."
--Thomas Jefferson in his Autobiography, 1821

"Thirteen governments [of the original states] thus founded on the natural authority of the people alone, without a pretence of miracle or mystery, and which are destined to spread over the northern part of that whole quarter of the globe, are a great point gained in favor of the rights of mankind."
--John Adams, in his "A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America" 1787-1788

"And I have no doubt that every new example will succeed, as every past one has done, in shewing that religion & Govt will both exist in greater purity, the less they are mixed together."
--James Madison, letter to Edward Livingston, July 10, 1822

"It is contrary to the principles of reason and justice that any should be compelled to contribute to the maintenance of a church with which their consciences will not permit them to join, and from which they can derive no benefit; for remedy whereof, and that equal liberty as well religious as civil, may be universally extended to all the good people of this commonwealth."
--George Mason, Virginia Declaration of Rights, 1776

Answer 6

If you study other cultures, I think you will find that many people use the word 'Creator' do describe their God/gods/Divine mother/the Universe/the lifeforce/etc. It could also be argued that creator is simply another word for parents.

If my boss and my manager are Christian, does that make the whole store Christian? If the cook is Jewish and the waitress is Buddhist, what does that make the restaurant?

At this nation's founding, the fight was to have freedom from aristocracy. Please do some more research so that you can discuss this at greater length with an American historian.

Answer 7

Here is part of the treaty with Tripoli, signed in 1797 by John Adams.
Art. 11. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.
Was he a liar?

The United States was not intended to be a Christian nation in any way. If it were, the founding fathers would not have said it explicitly wasn't.

Answer 8

i want someone to site the article of the constitution that demands separation of church and state .there isn't any the only thing the f f's said was there shall be no state sponsored religion such as the church of England .from which they fled the persecution of . that's why i love god and hate religion just as i love my country and fear my government.
sorry for the rant c.c. but i'm sick o the separation lie.
joe c

Answer 9

Religion should be seperate from the state but "Congress shall make no law....." forcing one way or the other about religion. If people want to pray in school, well thats fine, but it must not be forced to pray, or forced not to.

Answer 10

Seperation of Church and state was coined by Jefferson in a letter to another diplomat...and go check Jefferson's Bible and tell me what they believed.

Answer 11

We have freedom of religion, not freedom from it, if you don't like it that I'm a christian, tough because unlike in the time of the nazi party if you try to take our freedom of religion from us, we will put you in the ovens