This is said so often. However is there any truth to it at all? The simple answer is no. Just because the Country was started by our founding father who were thought to be Christian, does not make it a Christian Nation. This by far the biggest misconception you will ever hear.
People will tell you all day long: America was born on Christian principles. It was founded by Christians. We say "under God" in the pledge. The dollar says in "God We Trust". Usually these comments are followed by this means it is a "Christian nation". However many have been fooled into this not so accurate thinking by those who wish to help build rapport, and make Christians more important to our country then any other religion. Here's where the notion is merely an illogical claim...
First and foremost let's look at the Constitution of the United States: It does not in any way give any inclination that this is a "Christian nation".No where in it does it say any thing Christian. As a matter of fact one of the amendments says the opposite.
Amendment I"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Then we founding Fathers: Some of the founding fathers them selves were not even Christian, they didn't follow the Christian faith. For instance Tomas Jefferson was a deist.
The founding fathers actually were quoted opposing religion on several occasions.
Ex,.
The Christian god can easily be pictured as virtually the same god as the many ancient gods of past civilizations. The Christian god is a three headed monster; cruel, vengeful and capricious. If one wishes to know more of this raging, three headed beast-like god, one only needs to look at the caliber of people who say they serve him. They are always of two classes; fools and hypocrites. To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical.
Thomas Jefferson
Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we called it the word of a demon than the Word of God. It is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind.
Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine
History of the term in God we trust: This was added to our currency on April 22,1864 to the two-cent coin and then began appearing on various coins through out the years. It finally became introduced to paper money in 1957 replacing the original motto, "E Pluribus Unum" (which meant "From many, one".
The origins of "One nation under God": These two words were added to the pledge. It was adopted into congress in 1954 and signed by president Eisenhower. However the idea came about in a meeting on President Lincoln's birthday February 12, 1948
by, Louis A. Bowman at a meeting of the Illinois Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, he lead them in repeating the Pledge with the added two words, "under God," after "one nation."He explained that adding this two words were following the precedence of the Gettysburg address. Where President Lincoln said "This nation, under god, shall have a new birth of freedom" Between this time and the time of the revival of the pledge Bowman repeated this act several times.Eisenhower signed the bill on flag day June 14, 1954
Was the Nation was built on Christian principles: Yet again another miss-informed claim,
Thomas Jefferson wrote, "Question with boldness the existence of God. I do not believe any of the Christian doctrines." "Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear."
Truth be told most of the principles of America have Pagan history. Like many other things borrowed by Christians, For instance the U.s capital building itself Prominently displayed to the right of the main entrance, you will find a statue of Mars, Roman god of agriculture and war. The Great Hall of the Justice Department Building is home to a statue of the Spirit of Justice, based on the goddess of Justice herself, Justitia. (Here we also find another word in our language with pagan origins: justice.) Even in the military we can see the presence of the ancient divine. The Army’s Medal Of Honor features the Roman goddess of wisdom and martial prowess, Minerva. However, the largest and most obvious example of Pagan influence in our capital has to be the Washington Monument, which is, without a doubt, an Egyptian Obelisk.
America , Justice system , also is derived from Pagan Greek and Pagan Romans concepts. Courthouses throughout America honor our Goddess of Justice with magnificent statues.
The Latin term ANNUIT COEPTIS does not refer to the Christian God . Gaillard Hunt, the Department of State's first publisher on the seal in 1892, took official notice .... Hunt described Annuit Coeptis as an allusion to line 625 of Virgil's book IX of the Aeneid, "JUPPITER OMNIPOTES, AUDACIBUS ANNUE COEPTIS," (All-powerful Jupiter favor [my] daring undertakings). To translate the motto, the translator must supply the subject of the verb and the tense. In his 1892 brochure, Hunt suggested that the missing subject, in effect, represents the eye at the apex of the pyramid ... and he translated the motto-in the present tense-as "it (the Eye of Providence) is favorable to our undertakings." Regardless of how you translate it, the eye can only refer to the eye of the God Jupiter, the Supreme God of the Pagan Romans.
OK there are many more things that can be listed here, however I will come back to that in another blog.
Next I would like to address the laws.
Next I would like to address the laws.
First the ten commandments:
The only three commandments found in our laws are:THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT MURDER.
THOU SHALT NOT STEAL.
THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS.
Who doesn't know you shouldn't lie, steal, and murder. That is just common sense and has no proof that this influences our laws in any way. If the bible influenced our laws so many other things would be illegal, our punishments would be completely different, and even our justice system would not be the same.
In all Honesty I am a Christian however I am not deluded, I refuse to claim things that are not mine nor true. By making such preposterously false claims you are hurting the religion not helping the goal. Why do so many feel that they need to claim every great thing? So what Christianity didn't influence or build America does that hurt the Christian faith? No. So, Why try so hard to keep the misconception alive? Why try and claim a individual group created this GREAT LAND OF THE FREE? This country is for all. Not for some. Trying to make it a Christian nation goes against every ting this country and our founding fathers built it for. Yes I proved it is not a Christian Nation, however that does not make the Christian faith insignificant? Not at all, it instead leaves room for others. It gives this country to all not one. It restore it to what it was meant to be. So Why can't we accept it? Do we not all deserve the legacy?
Quotes of the founding fathers about religion:
http://www.zenhell.com/GetEnlightened/FoundingFathers/
http://www.anotherperspective.org/advoc550.html
The change in currency motto:
http://www.sullivan-county.com/nf0/dispatch/fathers_quote2.htm
http://www.shgresources.com/us/symbols/motto/
The addition to the pledge:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/nat_pled1.htm
http://undergod.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000067
Religion of the founding fathers:
http://earlyamericanhistory.net/founding_fathers.htm
http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/summer97/secular.html
No comments:
Post a Comment