“We have religious freedom, but we are essentially a Judeo-Christian nation.”
Can you elaborate on this point?
Are you saying that America’s political system is essentially Judeo-Christian? Or that our legal system reflects a Judeo-Christian ethic? Or that our culture is essentially Judeo-Christian?
I think you are wrong to suggest that atheists don’t recognize the huge role Judeo-Christian philosophy (and, perhaps even more so, Christian institutions) have played in the shaping of America.
The well-known atheist, Sam Harris—who I don’t always agree with, mind you—even titled one of his books, “Letter to a Christian Nation.” That suggests he, at least, recognizes the dominant role Christianity plays in America.
But I just wonder what you think defines the essence of our nation, and in what way you think that essence reflects Judeo-Christian philosophy and/or traditions.
The last. When people discuss a nation's culture they too often (I do it, too) think of it in purely political terms--a liberal political culture, such as ours (small "l" obviously)--when they should be looking at the ethnic and social cultures from which the population descend from. Certain aspects of the "old countries" for example are handed down, while some are ignored.
In the US our myths, religions, and values are essentially Judeo-Christian, even when someone is an atheist like myself--we all know about the Ten Commandments, and most of our friends and neighbors are Christian (excepting concentrated minorities). I think there are a lot of lapsed religious who aren't consciously in the Judeo-Christian tradition, but they are in fact. Our fiction, our stories, our shorthand when it comes to morality are based on the Judeo-Christian traditions. It's not set in stone with ONE religious tradition, but it's definitely in that universe. (We don't walk around quoting the Koran or Chinese philosophers or the Bhagahvadgita in casual conversation, and this is one indicator of where a culture stems from--the everyday, unselfconscious expressions of ideas we base our lives on.)