Christian Nation?

[BlueStreak]

Or a secular nation in which each individual is free to make their own spiritual choices?

With the GOP potentially being on the upswing in the coming year, we are most likely about to start hearing lots of "Christian Nation" propaganda being bantored about once again. Already Fox had a piece about some courthouse in Kentucky re-hanging the Ten Commandments in their lobby as a group of onlookers sang "God Bless America". We will hear all about how "The Founders" were all God-fearing Bible thumpers, the underlying insinuation being that they were all Conservative Republicans, of course. And my favorite Wing-nut at work will start running his mouth about "Rounding everyone else up and running them the fuck out!". And Hannity and Beck will go on, "blah,blah,blah", in perpetuity.

As many of you already know, I tend to believe we live in a secular nation that affords us the right to make our own inividual choice. And that all of this "Christian Nation" hooey is just that---hooey designed to elicit votes from Bible thumpers and rednecks.

As far as "The Founders" go. I tend to believe that one thing that remains constant---is human nature. Many of them may have been devout Christians, but I suspect the crowd may have been every bit as diverse (Spiritually) as todays crowd. And they may have just been using religion for the same purpose politicians use it today---to elicit support from Bible thumpers and rednecks.

So, what do you say, Fellas?

Dave

[noonereal]

We don't need the religious right dragging this country backwards again.

[finnbow]

Actually, a bunch of our Founding Fathers (e.g., Jefferson, Franklin) were pretty skeptical about religion, particularly in the political arena (as am I).

As for today's GOP, their symbiotic relationship with the Religious Right (and its effect on their politics) is one of my biggest complaints about them. I think it's clear (and generally OK) that the Judeo-Christian ethic informs a lot of our politics. However, I believe the way the GOP caters to the Falwell/Robertson/Bob Jones wing of the party is both sickening and harmful to the political well-being of the nation.

[noonereal]

thought that's what I said.

[Fast_Eddie]

Originally Posted by finnbow

Actually, a bunch of our Founding Fathers (e.g., Jefferson, Franklin) were pretty skeptical about religion, particularly in the political arena (as am I).

That is somewhat true today, but less true than it was years ago. In a few more years the revision of history will be complete and Paul Revere will have displayed his "one if by land, two if by sea" lanterns in the bell tower of the First Baptist church.

[piece-itpete]

I'm not going down this long long road again, but will say that, back in the years of old, Christianity was the baseline - of course you were Christian.

It's difficult to understand different cultures, which it certainly was then.

Strange how both Hillary and Obama claim to be Christian. Pandering?

Pete

[doucanoe]

If this is accurate, I would have to believe that our founders were overwhelmingly Christian, anyway.

http://www.adherents.com/gov/Foundin..._Religion.html

Here's another with quotation regarding religion and Christianity from many of them. It's arguably bias but I would like to believe that the quotations are correct.

http://www.eadshome.com/QuotesoftheFounders.htm

RC

[noonereal]

here is a good christian boy preparing to be president

http://morningcupofcoffee.files.word...heerleader.jpg

[rickr15]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

I'm not going down this long long road again, but will say that, back in the years of old, Christianity was the baseline - of course you were Christian.

It's difficult to understand different cultures, which it certainly was then.

Strange how both Hillary and Obama claim to be Christian. Pandering?

Pete

Do you think Obama would be president if he ran as a Muslim?

Whether he is or not is none of my business. But can you imagine the uproar if it was ever proven he is?

[epifanatic]

This is a sample of what the founding fathers thought about Christianity.
Benjamin Franklin: "I wish it (Christianity) were more productive of good works ... I mean real good works ... not holy-day keeping, sermon-hearing ... or making long prayers, filled with flatteries and compliments despised by wise men, and much less capable of pleasing the Deity."
"Lighthouses are more helpful than churches."
John Adams: "The divinity of Jesus is made a convenient cover for absurdity."
James Madison: "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."
"Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise."
Thomas Jefferson: "There is not one redeeming feature in our superstition of Christianity. It has made one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites."
"Millions of innocent men, women, and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burned, tortured, fined, and imprisoned, yet we have not advanced one inch toward uniformity.”
"Christianity is the most perverted system that ever shone on man."