Explore the United States - A Christian Nation?

Is the United States a Christian Nation? The short answer is No. The legal answer is No. The politically correct answer is No. The actual answer is relative to how one considers what comprises the United States of America. Setting aside the geographical composition of that greatest of Nations, as well as the governmental designation of Federal Republic, Democracy and more recently Federation, this article will attend to the Religious order within the above stipulated and accepted designations. The United States is after all in actuality the disposition and proposition of its people. The government is established to maintain order and defense, enact legislation, enforce legislation, and moderate within the parameters of its constitution and amendments the care and rights of its people. Its government of the people, for the people and by the people does not make the people; the people make its government. This of course is not generic to the United States but exist in all Nations and peoples to one extent or another. China would be a great modern example. A republic of the people, under communist rule, that is constantly being reshaped by its people. The demands and needs of the people effectually supersede the government, as evidenced by a growing capitalist westernization propagated by the desires and demands of its people even when it is vehemently opposed by the construct of its government. The smart poker player knows when to hold, and when to fold.

The constitution of the United States first amendment bill of rights prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion. Meaning neither the Nation nor it states may enact legislation declaring any religion as the “official “religion of its people. This of course has nothing to do with preponderance of what its people practice or declare of our own volition. The fact is 85% of the US population claims to be Christian, according to adherent.com who compiles the statistics from census and surveys. The number may not be exact as it varies but is an accurate depiction of the overall consensus. This is no way detracts from the other 15% it simply supports the argument that the US as a people is for the most part Christian. Again to protect the rights of all its citizens it cannot declare legally as a Christian or any other faith Nation, but all aspects of the society reflect Christianity as the predominant faith. So as a people yes it is a Christian nation.

The founding of the United States also reflects it is a Christian Nation and was intended to operate in cooperation with Christian principles. Its students are taught it is the result of a desire on the part of British subjects to experience freedom of religion as they did not want to be under the rule of the “Kings” church and a desire to have representation with taxation as opposed to paying taxes as a duty with no say in how those taxes were applied. Both of these are accurate contentions as recorded by history, but the discovery and initial colonization was actually a money making venture. In no way would we want to take away from what these great men and women that founded this great nation endured or the reasoning behind their willingness to do so. In actuality initially the British Empire was aware of the Spaniards profiting excessively from the invasions of Mexico and South Central America. They simple wanted their piece of the pie and realized they could have the bulk of the pie in North America. This worked to the advantage of the subjects who came later and actually established the United States, as their intention again was to practice religious freedom and mandate taxation with representation.

The founding Fathers of the American Revolution, consigners of the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution for the most part were Christians. To name just a few of the more well know names: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Samuel Adams, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Noah Webster, Daniel Webster, Charles Carroll, John Jay and John Hancock as well as many others too numerous to mention. The first line of the Declaration of Independence says “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… Now one could argue the creator is not defined, but taken in context with the preponderance of evidence from the letters and activities or establishments of the time, these gentleman concurred the creator was God.

In addition the Supreme Court building of the United States has statues at its entrance in the middle with all heads turned toward Moses holding the Ten Commandments. The large wooden doors entering the court have the Ten Commandments embossed into them. The Ten Commandments is etched into the wall behind the judges. Obviously our lawmakers and founders adhered to Christian ethics and influence as was the practice of their faith. In the annals of congress (where all law, bills and congressional records from inception to this day are housed, and open to the public) is a document signed Dec 4, 1800 Congress authorizing the capitol building for use as a church. Actually George Washington laid the first cornerstone in 1793 and the capitol had been used for church since 1795. This continued until well after Lincoln in 1865. The US treasury building was also used as a church for some time in its early years.

Source reference for some of the above mentioned founders statements:

ThomasJefferson, The Writings of Thomas Jefferson – letter dated January 9, 1816 “I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus Christ.”

John Adams,The writings of Thomas Jefferson – A letter from John Adams to Thomas Jefferson “The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.”

John Jay, The Life of JohnJay – letter to John Murray Jr. on October 12, 1816 “Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation, to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.”

George Washington, The Writings of George Washington – July 9, 1776 excerpt of an order “The blessing and protection of Heaven are at all times necessary but especially so in times of public distress and danger. The General hopes and trusts that every officer and man will endeavor to live and act as becomes a Christian soldier, defending the dearest rights and liberties of his country.”

Noah Webster, Book titled History of the United States published 1832 -” The religion which has introduced civil liberty is the religion of Christ and His apostles. This is genuine Christianity and to this we owe our free constitutions of government.”

There is no way any reasonable person could discount or negate the influence of Christianity, Jesus and his teachings on the founding fathers and development of this nation. To argue or be offended by facts such as these, would be to argue or be offended by acknowledging the night sky is dark and the stars appear to sparkle brightly against its background. It is to those very Christian precepts that we owe the first amendment. God by his word would never force anyone to accept redemption and reconciliation through Christ Jesus, and so it should be no one in the United States including its government will do it either. This is the greatest nation the civilized world has ever known, because God’s hand of favor is upon it. To jeopardize that assertion would be as detrimental to our nation as mandating everyone believe it. The first settlers learned to read from Christian readers, the first Universities were Christian, the laws that formed our nation were drafted by Christians, If you are Christian be proud, if you are not be grateful, because without those Christians we might still be subjects of an alien empire a few thousand miles away.

Source by Timothy Maher

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