Bear, there is no doubt in my mind that the majority of our founding fathers were Christian.
However, they were also very intelligent men who realized that some people who initially came to the colonies, did so to escape religious persecution, specifically. So they allowed for anyone, from any belief, to be protected and considered under the U.S. Constitution. Even religions thousands of years older than Christianity. They wanted this place, the United States of American, not to be bigoted or prejudiced towards one religion. They considered what the future might hold, they probably even considered that the majority of people in this great nation of ours, may change their belief system at sometime in the future like Rome, like the Middle East before the Muslim religion, like so many other great nations. It's our ability to accept all beliefs, all creators, all religions that makes us different from other nations. There are so many nations on earth that will jail you for having any belief other than what they deem is correct. I thank God our for-fathers realized that to choose one state religion and then apply it would cause the eventual collapse of a nation they set up to last an eternity.
There is no doubt our constitution was based in a large part upon Judeo-Christian beliefs. However, I have to believe they were also good Christian men, and decided that to allow for all religions was a better way, than to limit us to one. Even back then there were many different branches of Christianity, and other people who believed differently. Instead of penalizing or persecuting others for having different beliefs, they allowed for them as good men would, and didn't practice bigotry or prejudice. Considering the times, and how religious most people were, I think it amazing they wrote the U.S. Constitution in the way they did.
The First Amendment
In the United States, the religious civil liberties are guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution:
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.
The "Establishment Clause," stating that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion," is generally read to prohibit the Federal government from establishing a national church ("religion") or excessively involving itself in religion, particularly to the benefit of one religion over another. Following the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and through the doctrine of incorporation, this restriction is held to be applicable to state governments as well.
Freedom of religion in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is the specific part I am referring to:
The "Establishment Clause," stating that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion," is generally read to prohibit the Federal government from establishing a national church
Referring to a "Christian God" would be establishing a Federal government national church, on any currency or pledge of allegiance.
In the United States, freedom of religion is a constitutionally guaranteed right provided in the religion clauses of the First Amendment. Freedom of religion is also closely associated with separation of church and state, a concept advocated by Thomas Jefferson.[1]
Paper money did not have "In God We Trust" until 1957 when we were right in the middle of the cold war, the red scare and the U.S. was going through a religious fervor.
"In God we trust" was adopted as the official motto of the United States in 1956 as an alternative or replacement to the unofficial motto of E pluribus unum, adopted when the Great Seal of the United States was created and adopted in 1782.
In God we trust - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The words "Under God" were not added to the Pledge of Allegiance until 1954:
The phrase "under God" was incorporated into the Pledge of Allegiance June 14, 1954, by a Joint Resolution of Congress amending §7 of the Flag Code enacted in 1942
Pledge of Allegiance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
If you study American History, you quickly realize our for-fathers were very reasonable, and that the 1950s, although I think President Eisenhower's exit speech was genius:
it is generally accepted by historians that our great nation was a nation of scared people, the red scare, the cold war, commies, atheists, many many people were persecuted and many lives ruined because our government overstepped their boundaries. It was also the start of the systematic destruction of our rights and freedoms.
Any religious fervor is not healthy. Any country that only allows for one religion is an oppressive entity. I don't want to see the day when the majority of people in this nation are of some other religion, and lobby to have their god on our currency, or in our pledge of allegiance. And if we do not include everyone else's God, then we have to be fair and not include any God. Otherwise we become just like all those other religious governments all over the world that persecute Christians or other people who believe in God. We become just as closed minded and evil as they are.
You can assume the word "Creator" refers to a Christian God, but the fact is that American Indians also believe in a "Creator" as does all other religions. You can also believe that the word "Blessings" only means a blessing made by someone Christian, but it has been used by religions far older than Christianity, and for thousands of years before Christianity ever hit the scene. The Asian religions have been using "Blessings" and variations of since time and memorial.
The word "Created" is also used by every other religion on the face of the planet to describe who they believe are their "Creators" creating them.
I would be sickened to my stomach if this Nation of ours ever adopted one state sponsored religion, persecuting others. We would then become exactly what our for-fathers attempted to escape. A religiously oppressive country.
I have been very fortunate to have been able to travel all over the world, since I was a small child. I have encountered some of the most humble and religious people in those other countries whom are just as good as any Christian. I also have relatives (I come from a very religious family) who are missionaries on three continents, and several generations of them. And even they say that every religion has it's place. I tend to feel the Hindu have it right in believing that no religion is correct, but that all are correct and that each of us chooses for themselves the religion that fits us best. You see, they don't believe their religion is better or more correct than anyone else's. They accept all other religions and do not persecute based on a belief. It seems crazy to me that Christians believe they are more correct than religions that have existed for thousands of years before Christianity ever came along.
Also, unless you are a Coptic or Orthodox Christian, your version of Christianity was born of the Catholic religion, splintered from it. One was invented by an English King so he could divorce his wife because the Pope at the time wouldn't allow it. One was created by a German Monk that went by the name Luther (Lutheren), and the list goes on and on. Who is to say which "God" is the right God to print on paper, and which God does the current word God even refer to? I hope you are starting to understand the problem.
My personal belief is that anyone should have the freedom to worship whatever God or Gods they want to, and that nobody should have to be subjected to anyone elses God if they don't want to be. How would you feel if your children had to listen to a Muslim prayer, or an Indian prayer, or some other cult that believed in a sun god prayer? I am sure you wouldn't like it, and I'm sure that people praying to their Christian God would be equally offensive to some people as well.
If there is a God, I don't think he would want his name thrown about, printed on a corrupt government's money, be cause for people to fight about things that do not truly matter like mentioning God in the pledge of allegiance, etc. I believe that if there is a Satan, he would be promoting this type of thing to case strife and hatred, it's exactly the type of thing I believe a Devil would try to propagate.
I hope what I have said doesn't offend anyone, I respect so many people I have encountered here. I only seek to express what I believe is factual and the way our for-fathers intended this nation to be. My intent is not to offend, or upset. I thought about removing this post just now, and am adding this instead. I'm not going to say anything more because I believe I have said enough already. And I'm leaving this here because I also believe the people who belong to this forum are tolerant and intelligent regardless if the do or do not believe in the Christian God.
Scott
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Originally Posted by Pnutfarmer
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