[fightu4it]

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or to often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by christians;not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here."

Patrick Henry

[Robert_Paulson2]

Patrick Henry, indeed said, “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ!”

What you have omitted mentioning is that this was part of an historical debate in which Patrick Henry played a leading role. Patrick Henry submitted this bill to the Virginia legislature for a general tax in support of religion, which caused Madison to respond with his “Memorial and Remonstrance.”

Henry’s views, and those of his Episcopal allies, were the views countered, and eventually defeated, by the ideas in Madison’s document. The issue was controversial and heated, but Madison’s side won.

So you see, it was not a principal for foundation of our national government or even the state of Virginia, but was the postion DEBATED and then REJECTED by the founders present in the Virginia state house, supported by Madison's legal and historical arguments...