And that's the wonderful thing about America. You can believe and openly profess that, and those of other faiths and beliefs can do the same without any penalty.
That's why the Civil Rights movement pointed to the God of the Bible in making their case for equality. That's why we point today to the God of the Bible when making our case for the unborn or religious freedom.
Two quick points. First, one cannot acknowledge the impact to history of Christianity. Christianity has offered much to the world, but its history has not been without its infamies as I have pointed out earlier. Second, there are many who fully support civil rights for all, and who oppose abortion who are not Christians. Respect for life does not require a specific religious philosophy.
So as I said before I would certainly favor judges that recognize God's sovereignty, because I think my freedoms are much safer that way.
And I know that if we confirm a justice with respect for the Constitution as it was written, not as it one would like it to be, then I know my freedoms are protected.
Christ orders his followers to bring their Christianity to bear into every aspect of their lives. Thus Christians are, as Christ said, "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world."
You see that's my point. You say Christianity is personal, yet you lay the foundation for its infusion into the secular government.
I very much disagree. The statistics you site prove only that a sizable number of people attend church or claim to "be a Christian." It does not prove that even a majority of Christians have explicitly asked for forgiveness through Jesus Christ and been born again. That is what a Christian is, regardless of what people say.
Once again, you state the problem succinctly. Christianity is not what most Christians believe it is, only the "born again" Christians. And what of Catholics, the largest Christian religion? You believe that the problems we face today are the result of a sharp decrease in Christianity. Yet the Christianity you profess has never been significant in a country that is almost entirely Christian. I'm confused!
I don't take that sort of thing too terribly seriously.
I take anyone who wants to bring his religion into my government seriously, no matter how radical.
I certainly do. Again, Christianity is personal, not private, to coin a phrase. The decision to become a Christian is personal, yet God's jurisdiction is not limited to the inner life of the individual. God's claims to this world are universal.
I do not believe our Founders intended to forbid our government from favoring one religious ethic over another.
As I said before, I want our elected officals (through the democratic process) to favor the Christian ethic over all others. Certainly over the Muslim ethic, the Buddhist ethic or the humanist ethic. I do not want them to give preferntial tax breaks to Christians, make anyone believe, fund evangelism, bring the institutional church into the legislative process, etc.
Christianity is not what most Christians believe it is, only the "born again" Christians. And what of Catholics, the largest Christian religion? You believe that the problems we face today are the result of a sharp decrease in Christianity. Yet the Christianity you profess has never been significant in a country that is almost entirely Christian. I'm confused!
Let me try to explain myself a little better. All Christians are born again, regardless of what denomination they happen to belong to. Being "born again" is not simply getting up on the right side of the bed. Christ himself spoke of it in the Gospel of John 3. A Christian is "born again" when he submits himself to Christ, asking for forgiveness for his sins, and recognizes Jesus as Lord. Christ then sends the Holy Spirit to indwell that person, who is changed or "reborn" from the inside out.
So it has nothing to do with whether your particular religious denomination uses the term or not. I know many Catholics who are born again whether they use the term or not.
And on the contrary, American colonial history is absolutely replete with calls by clergy to repent and be born again. The First Great Awakening, which impacted the colonies profoundly, was based entirely on this doctrine.