[StBernard] "We are no longer a Christian nation"

[Westley Annis]

John,

  You are right, but much like Muslims and Jews, there will be "variations"
on what "Christian" is and how it was defined. Quakers, Puritans, etc. while
similiar would be EXTRMELY upset if you attempted to lump them all the same
except in the broad sense of "Christian". And, many of the settlers may have
defined other faiths as "godless" but only for lack of better understanding
or enlightenment. And didn't I read on this forum about Jefferson not being
"Christian", the author of the documents and footholds on which we are now
discussing?

Wendy


-----Original Message-----
WT,

You are histoically incorrect.  Our founding fathers did in fact fight to
forge a "Christian" based nation and government.  Though history and
developments have changed in this country over the past two centuries, that
doesn't change the fact that what our fathers called "religious freedom"
only meant tolerance of the various sects of Christianity and non-Christian
religions, primarily Judism. But make no mistake it was Christianity they
used as the foundation for the Declaration of Independence and Bill of
Rights. 

In colonial America, you were either a Christian, a Jew or godless - there
were no other categories.  Things were seen very simply back then.  The
notion "they fought for a nation with RELIGIOUS FREEDOM- all religions" is a
contemporary belief, not what was believed back then.  It's sort of like the
modern day belief that the first amendment states something about a
"separation of church and State."  Again, that's a contemporary belief
expressed only by those seeking to interpret the First Amendment in such a
way to suit their own personal belief.  Sure, it's okay to see the first
amendment that way today, if you like, but that's not how our founding
fathers saw it back in 1787 when they convenied at the Constitutional
Convention.

Just watching the HBO series John Adams supports the historical correction
of what I'm saying.  In all the references to "God," meaning a Christian
God, was the basis of our founding fathers beliefs and the action they took
against ole King George.

John