Is the U.S. a Christian Nation?
Dodgerfan
2012/06/14 20:57:22
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10 votes
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18% | ||
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33 votes
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58% | ||
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14 votes
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25% | ||
So, lets read what the U.S. Congress said about it in the Treaty of peace and Friendship between the United States and the Bey and Subjects of Tripoli of Barbary:
Art. 11. 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 tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the
said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan 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.
This treaty was read on the floor of Congress and unanimously approved and recorded as 1/5 of the Senate voted for recording of said treaty.
Art. 11. 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 tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the
said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan 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.
This treaty was read on the floor of Congress and unanimously approved and recorded as 1/5 of the Senate voted for recording of said treaty.
Top Opinion
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Give me some time to think about it and I will get back to you.
"It may not be easy, in every possible case, to trace the line of separation between the rights of religion and the Civil authority with such distinctness as to avoid collisions and doubts on unessential points. The tendency to unsurpastion on one side or the other, or to a corrupting coalition or alliance between them, will be best guarded agst. by an entire abstinence of the Gov't from interfence in any way whatsoever, beyond the necessity of preserving public order, and protecting each sect agst. trespasses on its legal rights by others."
James Madison, "James Madison on Religious Liberty", edited by Robert S. Alley, ISBN 0-8975-298-X. pp. 237-238 .
"What influence, in fact, have ecclesiastical establishments had on society? In some instances they have been seen to erect a spiritual tyranny on the ruins of the civil authority; on many instances they have been seen upholding the thrones of political tyranny; in no instance have they been the guardians of the liberties of the people. Rulers who wish to subvert the public liberty may have found an established clergy convenient auxiliaries. A just government, instituted to secure and perpetuate it, needs them not." - "A Memorial and Remonstrance", 1785
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"It may not be easy, in every possible case, to trace the line of separation between the rights of religion and the Civil authority with such distinctness as to avoid collisions and doubts on unessential points. The tendency to unsurpastion on one side or the other, or to a corrupting coalition or alliance between them, will be best guarded agst. by an entire abstinence of the Gov't from interfence in any way whatsoever, beyond the necessity of preserving public order, and protecting each sect agst. trespasses on its legal rights by others."
James Madison, "James Madison on Religious Liberty", edited by Robert S. Alley, ISBN 0-8975-298-X. pp. 237-238 .
"What influence, in fact, have ecclesiastical establishments had on society? In some instances they have been seen to erect a spiritual tyranny on the ruins of the civil authority; on many instances they have been seen upholding the thrones of political tyranny; in no instance have they been the guardians of the liberties of the people. Rulers who wish to subvert the public liberty may have found an established clergy convenient auxiliaries. A just government, instituted to secure and perpetuate it, needs them not." - "A Memorial and Remonstrance", 1785
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"Experience witnesseth that ecclesiastical establishments, instead of maintaining the purity and efficacy of religion, have had a contrary operation. During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What has been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution." - Ibid, 1785
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"Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise." -letter to Wm. Bradford, April 1, 1774
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"Ecclesiastical establishments tend to great ignorance and corruption, all of which facilitate the execution of mischievous projects."
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"The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe in blood for centuries." -1803 letter objecting use of gov. land for churches
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Two of many by Thomas Paine:
"What is it the Bible teaches us? -- rapine, cruelty, and murder. What is it the Testament teaches us? -- to believe that the Almighty committed debauchery with a woman engaged to be married, and the belief of this debauchery is called faith.”
"It is the fable of Jesus Christ, as told in the New Testament, and the wild and visionary doctrine raised thereon, against which I contend. The story, taking it as it is told, is blasphemously obscene.”
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Thomas Jefferson, of many:
"There is not one redeeming feature in our superstition of Christianity. It has made one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites."
~
James Madison:
"Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise."
OK see if you can handle that one, buddy.
Many were Deists, not Christians.
And we have the right to decide weather to vote for him/her or not.
If anything, this speaks volumes more about Islam than it does about this Nation OR it's CHRISTIANS. But hey, just my two cents.