Why do christians say that the US is a christian nation?

Question

It is not written anywhere in the constitution. The founding fathers made sure of that. While holding the meetings to write the constitution (60ish people) there was a motion to start the meetings with a prayer, only 4 people supported it and the motion died. They knew it then, why can't people understand that now?

kiaora83 - you don't swear on a bible in court now, you only swear that you are speaking the truth.

Mike B - What history?

fishers*of*men - Actually, many of them were not christians as you know it, many were deists, not theists. Also, the "first" thanksgiving was between the native americans and a religious group, of course they prayed. But they were NOT government.

problem - Ben Franklin also said :

Lighthouses are more helpful than churches." - Ben Franklin

"The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason." - Ben Franklin

"I wish it (Christianity) were more productive of good works ... I mean real good works ... not holy day keeping, sermon-hearing ... or making long prayers, filled with flatteries and compliments despised by wise men, and much less capable of pleasing the Deity." - Ben Franklin

"If we look back into history for the character of the present sects of Christianity, we shall find few that have not in turns been persecutors and complainers of persecution. The primitive Christians thought persecution extremely wrong in Pagans, but practiced it on one another. The first Protestants of the Church of England blamed persecution on the Roman church, but preactied i on the Puritans. They found it wrong in Bishops, but fell into the practice both here (England) and in New England" - Ben Franklin

Christianity [Religion] I

Christianity [Religion] I found to be without any tendency to inspire, promote, or confirm morality, serves principally to divide us and make us unfriendly to one another." - Ben Franklin

blue316 - Have you ever read an in depth book on the writing of the constitution? Apparently not. The motion was put forth by Ben Franklin and was NOT followed through with. They never prayed at their meetings.

Answer 1

It says "IN GOD WE TRUST" on all our currency - would you be willing to refuse money just because it says that on it?

Answer 2

The constitution is a legal document only. Besides the preamble, there is not the gallant speech of the time as is seen in the Declaration of Independence. A document I noticed you completely forsook. However, I will play. When you decide to become a judge, congressperson or member of the executive(trinity?) what do you have to do? Why, you must take an oath to defend the constitution of the United States. Do you take an oath on your mother's eyes, or perhaps auntie Millies Christmas fruitcake? No, you take that oath on the bible, "so help you GOD". Keith Ellison? Gentlemen, the exception proves the rule.

No one is speaking of the Constitution when they proclaim the Deity of our Nation. It is a fact that 80% of Americans believe in and worship GOD, today. Europe has a 20% portion. The rest of the world is less than this. Since our country is so obviously, unabashedly and willingly proclaiming our allegiance to GOD, we say that we are a Christian Nation. That is because Christ is the main focus of American GODly worship. This is based on the here and now, when government officials are chastised for speaking of GOD as the founding fathers did.

Our legal foundation is set upon the GOD of Jews and Christians. Thou shalt not lie, steal, murder etc. While you may find all of this disdainful, it is all fact. BTW, the founding Fathers were deeply Christian, no matter that one legal document doesn't mention GOD specifically. There is hardly a document from the period that does not invoke the Almighty. Washington's Thanksgiving proclamation, The Federalist Papers, the Declaration of Independence, etc.

Answer 3

I think it's because the Bible had an effect on those who formed the nation. They apparently read a lot back then . . . . no TV.

What those who formed the US didn't want is another "State Church", and therefore didn't apply similar documents that would make one. There would be no Anglican or Roman Catholic style government recognition of a particular church, the Inquisitions and the oppression of those churches still being fresh in the memories of the people.

Atheists seem to miss that part, thinking only in terms of modern values. They think that since Jesus Christ doesn't appear in the Constitution, the Founding Fathers were therefore not mindful of things like that. I can find quotes made by the Founding Fathers that would counter those arguments which state the importance of the Bible. But revision is the Atheist's friend.

Answer 4

The founding fathers believed everyone had religion that is plain to see and understand.

All of our founding documents reflect their Christian beliefs.

Remember that the founding fathers saw and knew what happened when the King of England dictated religion.

We use the Christian calender, Christian holidays are federal holidays, our laws are based on Christian beliefs.

If you wish to change the history of our country, you can do that by "reading in" whatever you want to, but that does not change the fact that our country was founded by Christians and based on Christian values.

Our country has never elected a non-Christian president and even today every single candidate claims Christianity. Why?
Because they know that if they don't they will not be elected.

And, as to your details, trying to convert people like George Washington from Christianity to being a Deist is getting a little old. Washington was a Christian. He was a member of the Episcopal Church.

Answer 5

Our roots were founded in Christianity even before the writing of the Constitution. We still have printed on our money, "In God We Trust." I believe as our prayers in school and taking God out of the Pledge of Allegiance are ways to persecute Christians. There are lots of religions upstart religions who are erode the Christian faith. I believe the 4 are highly justified because they know the meetings will be led by God. Well, the rest may someday pray to Allah before the meeting. I say, "Keep the Faith."

Answer 6

The intent was to not have a government-mandated religion, like most European countries had at the time - the religion of the British Monarch was automatically the national religion, and everyone had to conform. Review the Mary Queen of Scots saga. The idea over here was to let everyone choose their own, so that the government was not controlling. The idea of this being a Xian Nation is a misnomer in my opinion. The majority of people here claim to be Xians, therefore the proper way to claim that is to call it a Nation of Mostly Xians. Those who are not just have to suffer.

Answer 7

They seem to forget how to read when the Treaty of Tripoli is brought up too.
It's selective intelligence.

Edit: Why is it that most of the Christians on this board are so completly ingnorant to true history that they feel the need to completly freaking rewrite it.
"Humanic traits based on Christianity"?? Give me a break. Christians were just as blood thirsty as the rest of the ancient civilization. Christianity was spread by the sword in most of Europe. There was a REASON that Christianity was illegal in many countries. Try reading up on it.

Problem: Most of what Christians qoute to "prove" that the founding fathers were Christian are either false qoutes or dated EARLIER then thier claims of dietism or damn near atheism. They changed thier mind. This is what dates are for.

Answer 8

Considering that they elected W for president, largely because of the religious right base of voters, I would agree that the US is a Christian nation, unfortunately.

Answer 9

well if you really look it is and always will be but we are not saying you have to be christian it is a free nation so you can believe what ever you want to as long as you don't try to kill every one because of it, its all good but its not a christian nation its a christian based nation there for it was based on christian believes like doing right and all the good stuff like being FREE and god loves all no matter what all you have to do if you wrong him is ask for forgiveness and all that stuff................................ and people are stupid

Answer 10

The US is a FREE NATION...
Our prayers, sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor. To that kind Providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need his assistance?

"I have lived, sir, a long time, and, the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth--that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings, that 'Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.'

B Franklin

Exult each patriot heart! this night is shewn
A piece, which we may fairly call our own;
Where the proud titles of "My Lord!" "Your Grace!"
To humble Mr. and plain Sir give place.
Royall Tyler, a revolutionary war veteran

I won't go on for pages..but you are wrong.

Answer 11

this country was founded by people who admitted they were christians. The mayflower compact, for example, dedicated the colony for the specific purpose of spreading the gospel. When the founders mentioned God, as christians, they were referring to the god of the bible..