Posted on 09/14/2007 2:48:36 PM PDT by wagglebee
A majority of Americans believe the nation's founders intended the United States to be a Christian nation, a new national survey revealed.
In the First Amendment Center’s annual survey measuring attitudes toward freedom of religion, speech and press, 55 percent of Americans said they believe that the Constitution establishes a Christian nation. Furthermore, three out of four people who identify themselves as evangelical or Republican agree while about half of Democrats and independents do.
Compared to previous years, more Americans were found to support Christian activities in public schools. Most respondents (58 percent) say teachers in public schools should be allowed to lead prayers, up from 52 percent in 2005. Moreover, 43 percent say public schools should be allowed to put on Nativity re-enactments with Christian music while only 36 percent said so in 2005, according to the survey released Wednesday and titled "State of the First Amendment 2007."
Only 50 percent, however, said they would allow schools to teach the Bible as a factual text in history class, down from 56 percent in 2000.
"While the survey shows Americans highly value religious freedom, a significant number support privileging the religion of the majority, especially in public schools," said First Amendment Center senior scholar Charles Haynes.
Amid concerns from conservative Christians about the secularism of public schools, bestselling author Stephen Prothero, who wrote Religious Literacy, has expressed support for teaching the Bible in schools, saying that it plays a major part in the nation's culture and politics.
"The strong support for official recognition of the majority faith appears to be grounded in a belief that the United States was founded as a Christian nation, in spite of the fact that the Constitution nowhere mentions God or Christianity," Haynes argued in the survey report. "Of course, people define 'Christian nation' in various ways – ranging from a nation that reflects Christian values to a nation where the government favors the Christian faith."
In April, some 4,000 Christians, ranging from evangelicals to Pentecostals and mainline groups, assembled in Virginia Beach, Va., on the 400th anniversary of the first landing of English settlers in America to rededicate the nation to Christ. Christians nationwide believe the nation was founded on Christian roots and pray to revive the land from what they see as moral decay.
Nevertheless, the latest poll doesn't mean a majority favors a "theocracy," said Rick Green of WallBuilders, an advocacy group that believes the nation was built on Christian principles, according to USA Today. Rather, the poll shows that most believe the Constitution reflects Christian values, including religious freedom.
"I would call it a Christian document, just like the Declaration of Independence," he says.
Nearly all Americans (97 percent) say the right to practice one's own religion is "essential" or "important." The right to "speak freely about whatever you want" and the right to "assemble, march, protest or petition the government" are also highly valued by 98 percent and 94 percent of Americans, respectively.
In other findings, 56 percent believe that the freedom to worship as one chooses extends to all religious groups, regardless of how extreme, down from 72 percent in 2000. Twenty-five percent say "the First Amendment goes too far in the rights it guarantees," a rebound from the 49 percent recorded the year after 9/11, but up from 18 percent in 2006.
Also, 74 percent would prevent public school students from wearing a T-shirt with a slogan that might offend others; 34 percent think the press "has too much freedom" – the lowest since the survey was first conducted in 1997; and 64 percent could name freedom of speech as one of the five freedoms included in the First Amendment while only 19 percent was able to name religion.
The 2007 survey of 1,003 respondents was conducted by telephone between Aug. 16 and Aug. 26 by New England Survey Research Associates.
Doesn’t matter what I think. Matters what Jews think. That’s the whole problem with your argument.
I doubt you’d could get observant Jews to say that. And that matters more than what you are writing. I just happen to have several conservative Jewish friends who have said as much. As far as they are concerned Christians tried (and failed) to steal their religion. They know they are the “chosen,” and not Christians. Sorry, but you apparently haven’t asked any Jews, have you?
I believe they are Christian documents
“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…..”
With out the Creator whom endowed us with the above listed rights , then who is it that gives us these said rights?
Welcome to current Democratic Party Theology 101
JC
In which case, the opinion in comment 29 is every bit as valid as theirs.
And if they have that opinion, they would probably object to the term Judeo-Christian, too.
Doesn’t matter what I think on the subject. The observant Jews I know consider Christianity to be a joke - as in Christians tried to become sort of Jews - and failed miserably.
Indeed they do object to Judeo-Christian.
Then why didn’t they say Jesus, or the Bible?
If it was meant to be so “obviously” Christian, why did they use terms like “Laws of Nature” and of “Nature’s God”?
They didn’t want to endorse any specific religion, but at the same time they wanted to ground our Rights onto something higher than Man-made authorities. The terms they used are generic, not Christian.
* Alabama 1901, Preamble. “We the people of the State of Alabama, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution...”
* Alaska 1956, Preamble. “We, the people of Alaska, grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land...”
* Arizona 1911, Preamble. “We, the people of the State of Arizona, grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution...”
* Arkansas 1874, Preamble. “We, the people of the State of Arkansas, grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of government...”
* California 1879, Preamble. “We, the People of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom...”
* Colorado 1876, Preamble. “We, the people of Colorado, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of Universe...”
* Connecticut 1818, Preamble. “The People of Connecticut, acknowledging with gratitude the good Providence of God in permitting them to enjoy...”
* Delaware 1897, Preamble. “Through Divine Goodness all men have, by nature, the rights of worshipping and serving their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences...”
* Florida 1885, Preamble. “We, the people of the State of Florida, grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty, establish this Constitution...”
* Georgia 1777, Preamble. “We, the people of Georgia, relying upon protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution...”
* Hawaii 1959, Preamble. “We, the people of Hawaii, Grateful for Divine Guidance, establish this Constitution.”
* Idaho 1889, Preamble. “We, the people of the State of Idaho, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings...”
* Illinois 1870, Preamble. “We, the people of the State of Illinois, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors...”
* Indiana 1851, Preamble. “We, the People of the State of Indiana, grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to chose our form of government...”
* Iowa 1857, Preamble. “We, the People of the State of Iowa, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of these blessings, establish this Constitution.”
* Kansas 1859, Preamble. “We, the people of Kansas, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges, establish this Constitution.”
* Kentucky 1891, Preamble. “We, the people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties...”
* Louisiana 1921, Preamble. “We, the people of the State of Louisiana, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy...”
* Maine 1820, Preamble. “We, the People of Maine, acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity...and imploring His aid and direction...”
* Maryland 1776, Preamble. “We, the people of the state of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty...”
* Massachusetts 1780, Preamble. “We...the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe... in the course of His Providence, an opportunity and devoutly imploring His direction...”
* Michigan 1908, Preamble. “We, the people of the State of Michigan, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom establish this Constitution.”
* Minnesota 1857, Preamble. “We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings...”
* Mississippi 1890, Preamble. “We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work...”
* Missouri 1845 Preamble. “We, the people of Missouri, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness establish this Constitution.”
* Montana 1889, Preamble. “We, the people of Montana, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty, establish this Constitution.”
* Nebraska 1875, Preamble. “We, the people, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom. establish this Constitution.”
* Nevada 1864, Preamble. “We the people of the State of Nevada, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom establish this Constitution.”
* New Hampshire 1792, Part I.Art. I.Sec. V. “Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience.”
* New Jersey 1844, Preamble. “We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors...”
* New Mexico 1911, Preamble. “We, the People of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty...”
* New York 1846, Preamble. “We, the people of the State of New York, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings...”
* North Carolina 1868, Preamble. “We the people of the State of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for our civil, political, and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the continuance of those...”
* North Dakota 1889, Preamble. “We, the people of North Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, do ordain...”
* Ohio 1852, Preamble. “We the people of the state of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and to promote our common...”
* Oklahoma 1907, Preamble. “Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessings of liberty, establish this...”
* Oregon 1857, Bill of Rights, Article I. Section 2. “All men shall be secure in the Natural right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences.”
* Pennsylvania 1776, Preamble. “We, the people of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance...”
* Rhode Island 1842, Preamble. “We the People of the State of Rhode Island grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing...”
* South Carolina 1778, Preamble. “We, the people of he State of South Carolina, grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this Constitution.”
* South Dakota 1889, Preamble. “We, the people of South Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberties...establish this...”
* Tennessee 1796, Art. XIIII. “That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their conscience...”
* Texas 1845, Preamble. “We the People of the Republic of Texas, acknowledging, with gratitude, the grace and beneficence of God...”
* Utah 1896, Preamble. “Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we establish this Constitution.”
* Vermont 1777, Preamble. “Whereas all government ought to .. enable the individuals who compose it to enjoy their natural rights, and other blessings which the Author of Existence has bestowed on man...”
* Virginia 1776, Bill of Rights, XVI. “Religion, or the Duty which we owe our Creator .. can be directed only by Reason and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian Forbearance, Love and Charity towards each other.”
* Washington 1889, Preamble. “We the People of the State of Washington grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution...”
* West Virginia 1872, Preamble. “Since through Divine Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of West Virginia reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God.”
* Wisconsin 1848, Preamble. “We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, domestic tranquility...”
* Wyoming 1890, Preamble. “We, the people of the State of Wyoming, grateful to God for our civil, political, and religious liberties establish this Constitution.”
Why do we need a survey to establish that?
They left a wealth of writings and letters, most of them.
That they assumed a Christian nation is both implicit and explicit, simply by their choice of language.
Which, incidentally, is crystal clear in the final founding Documents.
Nothing is more convincing than going to the source.
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BTTT
That’s like saying anyone who uses the term A.D. is making an explicit religious statement.
He meant that since the documents themselves are largely silent on reilgious matters people would have to bring personal morality to bear. I agree. And there’s at least one document which explicitly states that the U.S. is not a Christian country.
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