Government should actively promote Christianity in general, as our Founding Fathers believed,
Our Founding Fathers did not believe that. they believed that People should promote Christianity - not the government.
There is a huge difference between a President offering a prayer and a law requiring religious teaching and religious behavior. The Founding Fathers would have no problem with the former but would scream at the latter.
Cute. But I can't blame you for pushing Justice Story aside as quickly as possible. He proves you are either a babbling idiot, or a blatant liar, when it comes to our Christian Heritage.
Our Founding Fathers did not believe that. they believed that People should promote Christianity - not the government.
Prove it. While you are at it, explain the 1844 ruling by the Supreme Court in the Vidal Case , and the 1892 ruling by the Supreme Court in the Holy Trinity case, where the opinion included, "If we pass beyond these matters to a view of American life, as expressed by its laws, its business, its customs, and its society, we find everywhere a clear recognition of the same truth. Among other matters note the following: The form of oath universally prevailing, concluding with an appeal to the Almighty; the custom of opening sessions of all deliberative bodies and most conventions with prayer; the prefatory words of all wills, "In the name of God, amen;" the laws respecting the observance of the Sabbath, with the general cessation of all secular business, and the closing of courts, legislatures, and other similar public assemblies on that day; the churches and church organizations which abound in every city, town, and hamlet; the multitude of charitable organizations existing everywhere under Christian auspices; the gigantic missionary associations, with general support, and aiming to establish Christian missions in every quarter of the globe. These and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation."
There is a huge difference between a President offering a prayer and a law requiring religious teaching and religious behavior.
Would the daily congressional prayers count as non-religious behavior?
This site offers many good references supporting the fact that this is a Christian Nation.