America is Not a Christian Nation
By Steve Gillman
It is a common mistake to think that the United States is
based on Judeo-Christian ideas, but America is not a Christian
nation. To belief so is wishful thinking and based on ignorance
of history. Without getting into a long treatise on the subject,
one way to challenge this dogma of the religious right is to
simply look at what the founding fathers of the country said.
Here are some relevant quotes.
Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence
and third President of the United States. He is considered by
most to be one of the most influential Founding Fathers. Here
are some quotes from him:
The Christian God is a being of terrific character - cruel,
vindictive, capricious and unjust.
Shake off all the fears of servile prejudices, under which
the weak minds are serviley crouched. Fix reason firmly in her
seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion.
Question with boldness even the existence of God; because, if
there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than
that of blindfolded fear. (in a letter to his nephew Peter Carr)
Christianity is the most perverted system that ever shone
on man.
The priests of the different religious sects... dread the
advance of science as witches do the approach of daylight, and
scowl on the fatal harbinger announcing the subdivision of the
duperies on which they live.
John Adams
Adams is also considered one of the most influential Founding
Fathers of the United States. He played a leading role in persuading
Congress to adopt the United States Declaration of Independence
in 1776, and later became the second President. The following
quotes make it clear not only that he didn't think this was a
Christian nation, but also reveal his attitude about religion
in general.
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
tranquility, of Musselmen; and as the said States have never
entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan
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. - From a treaty
with Tripoli, under George Washington, signed by John Adams 1797
This would be the best of all possible worlds if there
were no religion in it.
As I understand the Christian religion, it was, and is,
a revelation. But how has it happened that millions of fables,
tales, legends, have been blended with both Jewish and Christian
revelation that have made them the most bloody religion that
ever existed?
James Madison
Called the "Father of the Constitution," because
he was the principal author. He also wrote many of the Federalist
Papers, which are considered to be the most influential commentary
on the Constitution. He is also known as the "Father of
the Bill of Rights," because he wrote the first ten amendments
to the Constitution. He believed that the United States needed
checks and balances to protect individual rights from the tyranny
of the majority. Here is what he thought of Christianity:
During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment
of Christianity been on trial. What has been its fruit? More
or less, in all places, pride and indolence of the clergy,; ignorance
and serviltiy in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry and
persecution.
Benjamin Franklin
A newspaper publisher, civic activist, statesman, soldier,
and diplomat, Franklin was an early proponent of colonial unity
and of an American nation. He arranged the French alliance that
helped make possible the independence of the United States. Always
pithy and to the point, he said the following:
Lighthouses are more useful than churches.
Thomas Paine
An author, pamphleteer, radical, inventor, intellectual, and
revolutionary, Paine wrote the powerful pamphlet Common Sense
(1776), which advocated colonial America's independence from
Great Britain. He also wrote the book The Age of Reason (1793–94),
which advocated deism, promoted reason and freethinking, and
argued against religion and Christian doctrines. The following
quote shows how he felt about all religions:
All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish,
Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions,
set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and
profit.
The Tyranny of Religion
Virtually all the founders of this country - whether atheists,
deists, agnostics or theists - believed strongly in keeping religion
out of Government altogether. Had they heard the following coming
from a sitting president, they would have been horrified:
No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as
citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one
nation under God. - George H. Bush, replying to journalist
Robert Sherman
Many of the founders were agnostics or deists. The latter
did not believe in the typical Christian god, but in a "creator"
that was something more like the "force" in the movie
Star Wars. This is clear from their many writings, which seem
to be ignored by all those who wish this was a Christian nation.
The dangers of promoting an official religion are hinted at in
the following quotes from well-known Christian leaders:
When the Christian majority takes over this country, there
will be no satanic churches, no more free distribution of pornography,
no more talk of rights for homosexuals. After the Christian majority
takes control, pluralism will be seen as immoral and evil and
the state will not permit anybody the right to practice evil.
- Gary potter, President of Catholics for Christian Political
Action
I want you to just let a wave of intolerance wash over
you. I want you to let a wave of hatred wash over you. Yes, hate
is good... Our goal is a Christian nation. we have a Biblical
duty, we are called by God, to conquer this country. We don't
want equal time. We don't want pluralism. Our goal must be simple.
We must have a Christian nation built on God's law, on the ten
commandments. No apologies. - Randall Terry, founder of Operation
Rescue
Michael Donald Bray, a violent activist and believer in a
theocratic United States, wants biblical law applied in the country.
In an interview with Richard Dawkins, for example, he said adulterers
should be executed. Other biblical injunctions that are supposedly
the word of God - and that a Chrsition theocracy might enforce
- include killing witches, stooning to death those who collect
firewood or otherwise work on the Sabbath, killing homosexuals,
killing those who say "God Damn!" and preventing cripples
from entering churches.
To prevent a Christain Taliban from gaining power in our country,
we need more people to understand that America is not a Christian
nation. Christians, Muslems, Jews, Buddhists, and others are
free to believe what they want, and say what they want, and worship
who they choose, but the United States was founded by men who
wanted religion to be thoroughly separated from Government. I
agree with their sentiments and hope enough others do. |
