Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Was America established on Christian Principles?

As a Christian, I have wondered whether or not we were established as a Christian nation as that is what I have always been told.

I found on this webpage the following and cannot attest to its accuracy:

George Washington attended Church of England or Episcopal Church services in Virginia but considered himself a Christian Deist. Deism is a philosophy with belief in a supreme creator of the universe but rejects prophecy, miracles or revelation.

John Adams was a Congregationalist who became a Unitarian, believing in resurrection but rejecting the Trinity and Jesus as divine.

Thomas Jefferson was also an attendee of the Church of England but was a man of the Enlightenment. He read the Bible but did not believe Jesus was the Savior.

**

Here is another website, which, again I cannot attest to accuracy.

***Text Color

These are the only references I could find in the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights to God or religion. I did not find any reference to Christianity:

The Declaration of Independence:

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

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, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Constitution (1787): Article VI:
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.

Bill of Rights (1789): 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.

***
I have concluded, perhaps incorrectly, that our forefathers were believers in God but did not establish our country on Christianity or any particular religion. "Separation of church and state" is attributed to Thomas Jefferson and others.

You have a classroom of 20 children in a public school; 16 are Christians, 3 are Jewish, 1 is a Muslim. This public school is paid for by taxes. Should a prayer be read by the teacher, principal, another student? I believe the Supreme Court made the correct ruling: no prayer.

I have come up with a really good idea. Perhaps, the parents can lead a prayer in their home before the child goes to school. Many of these same people who say we should have prayer in school say we should not have sex education in school as it should be taught at home. Perhaps, religion should as well??

Is it okay for a child to make a silent prayer? Of course, it is. I sometimes find myself praying in line at McDonald's, in the grocery store, driving down the road.

0 comments:

Post a Comment