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Was America Founded As A Christian Nation?
Forbes ^ | 9/25/2012 | Bill Flax

Posted on 09/25/2012 7:24:27 PM PDT by billflax

Few matters ignite more controversy than America’s Christian roots. The issue reverberates anew this electoral season where the faiths of both major candidates have been questioned. Religion imbues politics.

The battle over America’s beginnings muddles wishful hero worship with efforts to commandeer America’s past so to steer her future. The most vocal proponents of Christian America and their counterparts advocating a completely secular state necessarily cherry-pick data to prove exaggerations while discarding inconvenient details.

By transforming our Forefathers into faithful servants of Christ the Religious Right risks compromising the biblical message. Baptist theologian Al Mohler warns advocates of Christian America have “confused their cultural heritage with biblical Christianity.” While Believers must exercise their views, cheapening what constitutes Christianity for political gain profanes the Gospel.

Moreover, Believers should refuse Big Government operating in Christ’s name. As empty pews in Europe testify, politicized religion impedes ministry. Beautiful cathedrals dot the Old World, but with scant congregants, they memorialize a funereal dearth of faith coming from state sanctioned pulpits.

Meanwhile, those most ardently challenging America’s Christian origins wrongly portray the Founders as rank secularists. They would seemingly reduce religious liberty to mere freedom of worship letting Believers pray in their hovels, but in public: Be seen and not heard. Some liberals seem inclined on expunging Christianity. Democrats nearly revolted over a fleeting reference to “God-given potential” at their convention.

(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...


TOPICS: History; Moral Issues; Religion & Culture; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: americachristian; christian; christiannation; constitution; declaration; forefathers; founders; nation
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To: billflax

On April 30, 1789, George Washington took the oath as the first president of the United States. The oath was administered by Robert R. Livingston, the Chancellor of New York, on a second floor balcony of Federal Hall, above a crowd assembled in the streets to witness this historic event. President Washington and the members of Congress then retired to the Senate Chamber, where Washington delivered the first inaugural address to a joint session of Congress. Washington humbly noted the power of the nations’ call for him to serve as president and the shared responsibility of the president and Congress to preserve “the sacred fire of liberty” and a republican form of government.

After concluding his remarks, the President and Congress proceeded through crowds lined up on Broadway to St. Paul’s Church, where a service was conducted. 

www.archives.gov/legislative/features/gw-inauguration/#images

The service held at St.Paul’s was where the Founding Fathers dedicated America to God.


41 posted on 09/25/2012 9:06:53 PM PDT by PMAS (All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing)
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To: Slyfox
Our Constitution is based on the Ten Commandments

Yes, and the dead giveaway is how the Constitution contains precisely none of them.

42 posted on 09/25/2012 9:08:34 PM PDT by ReignOfError
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To: 353FMG

I have records of my ancestors from the 1600’s where my (many,many removed) great grandfather’s sister married a quaker. She along with him were banished and they moved to Rhode Island.

Here is an excerpt from a book written about the intolerance they held towards other faiths:

” Here hath arriyed amosgst us several persons professing
themselves Quakers, fit instruments to propagate the kingdom of Satan. For the securing of ourselves and our neighbours from such pests, we have imprisoned them, until they be des-patched away to the place from whence they came,” &c. They then request that certain laws may be propounded by the Commissioners to the General Court of each of the United Colonies. In pursuance of this impulse, and ^’acknowledging the Godly care and zeal of the gentlemen of Massachusetts,” the Commissioners at their meeting in Boston 1657, began with recommending to the Government of Rhode Island, “ that means be taken to banish the Quakers, be.” Capt. James Cudworth of Scituate, one of the Commissioners, refused to subscribe to this instrument, and from this time suffered much persecution himself, (see life of Cudworth In Family Sketches).

The reply of the Government of Rhode Island is to be admired for its moderation and discretion. We give a brief extract, viz.

” We have no law amongst us, whereby to punish any for only
declaring their minds concerning the things and ways of God. We are informed that they begin to loathe this place, for that they are not opposed by the civil authority, but with all patience and meekness are suffered to say over dieir pretended revelations,” &c. At their meeting in Boston 1658, the Commissioners addressed a circular to the Government of all the United Colonies, propounding laws against the Quakers, be. e. g. ‘’that after due conviction diat either he or she is of that cursed sect of hereticks, they be banished under pain of severe corporal punishment, and if they return again, then to be punished accordingly, and banished under pain of death : and if afterwards they shall yet presume to come again, then to be put to death as aforesaid, except they do then and there plainly and publickly renounce their said cursed opinions and develish
tenets.” The General Court of Massachusetts followed out
this recommendation to its greatest extent:* but Plymouth

* The preamble of the law of MatsachuseUa, in 1668, is as follows :
“ Whereas there is a pernicious sect commonly called Quakers lately risen, who by word and writing have published and maintained many dangerous and horrid tenets, and do take upon themselves to change and alter the received laudable customs of our Nation, in giving civil respect to equals or reverence to superiors, whose actions tend to undermine the authority of civil government, and also to destroy the order of the churches, by denying
aU established forms of worship, and by withdrawing from the orderly assemblies allowed and approved by all orthodox professors of the truth, Sdc, therefore ordered, that if any person or persons of the cursed sect of the Quakers shall be apprehended, ^c. upon trial and conviction they shall be banished on pain of death.”

I’d say they clearly established what faith this country was built upon. These were the men of Kent from Scituate, MA.


43 posted on 09/25/2012 9:16:43 PM PDT by jcsjcm (This country was built on exceptionalism and individualism. In God we Trust - Laus Deo)
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To: driftdiver

That was added to the Pledge of Alligence in 1954.


44 posted on 09/25/2012 9:23:58 PM PDT by turn_to
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Well, all the Founders were Christians and the document could have only been written by Christians. And at the time of the Document’s adoption, about 99.9 percent of the non-Native people living here were Christians.
45 posted on 09/25/2012 9:37:44 PM PDT by Godwin1
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To: driftdiver

without stone or paper, any hard drive can be re-formatted. :)


46 posted on 09/25/2012 9:57:08 PM PDT by huldah1776
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To: scbison

I wondered how long before someone would post the real truth. Some 39 posts later we have it, thank you sir.

As someone who at one time bought into David Barton’s stuff, who sincerely wanted to believe our founders founded a Christian nation, the facts say otherwise. Truth is, the founders were universalist Masons who purposely made sure that it BE NOT A CHRISTIAN NATION.

Ben Franklin and Jefferson were the most adamant of the lot. Thomas Paine, who’s “common Sense” pamphlet played such a major role, was a rabid infidel, antichrist, and a Mason. He desired a revolution and founding of a nation emphatically minus Christ having anything to do with it. He got his wish. He said, once founded, Christianity wouldn’t last 30 years. That was his hope. Roll over in your grave, antichrist, we Christians are still here!

Truth is, Christianity and antichristianity have been locked in mortal combat in America since day one. The Pilgrims representing the former, the Masons the latter. Like the devil making his appearance right away in the garden of Eden, like the tares appearing right away amongst the wheat in Christ’s parable of the wheat and tares, Matt. 13, it’s just the way it is...and will continue so till the 2nd coming.

For a great amount of eye opening documentation about what the founding fathers really were, check out this youtube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=X-a9i0FCEqk


47 posted on 09/25/2012 10:21:14 PM PDT by sasportas
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To: sasportas

Mistake, wrong video, here’s the one I meant: “The Hidden Faith of the Founding Fathers.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU24fJ4NQxo&feature=related


48 posted on 09/25/2012 10:28:46 PM PDT by sasportas
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To: Cvengr

Jefferson, who authored the Virginia statute of religious freedom that the first amendment was based upon was of the opinion that all religious faiths were to be protected from the intrusion of the government.


49 posted on 09/25/2012 10:33:44 PM PDT by allmendream (Tea Party did not send GOP to D.C. to negotiate the terms of our surrender to socialism)
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To: scbison; All

If you were to read the original State Constitutions you would find things like this from Delaware.

“ART. 22. Every person who shall be chosen a member of either house, or appointed to any office or place of trust, before taking his seat, or entering upon the execution of his office, shall take the following oath, or affirmation, if conscientiously scrupulous of taking an oath, to wit:

” I, A B. will bear true allegiance to the Delaware State, submit to its constitution and laws, and do no act wittingly whereby the freedom thereof may be prejudiced.”

And also make and subscribe the following declaration, to wit:

” I, A B. do profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, and in the Holy Ghost, one God, blessed for evermore; and I do acknowledge the holy scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by divine inspiration.”

And all officers shall also take an oath of office.”

They didn’t have it in the Federal Constitution because they looked at such things as states rights. BVB


50 posted on 09/25/2012 10:37:16 PM PDT by Bobsvainbabblings
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To: billflax

Yes, the U.S. was founded by Christians. Next question, secular maroons.


51 posted on 09/25/2012 10:42:30 PM PDT by MasterGunner01
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To: Bobsvainbabblings

I suspect you are correct.

On another note, I also suspect that over the past century, at least from WWI through the Korean War, many Masons were controlled by Christians, but since that time the Masonic institutions became controlled by antiChristian forces.

IMHO, one of their tactics, similar to some Muslims, has been to rewrite history to favor antichristian perspectives/ interpretations of history. This convolutes historical revisionism, not accurately portraying the Divine rewards which may have been given the nation in the past or falsely attributing such rewards to other proximate causes, promoting a false worship of things antichristian.

I concur with your analysis though. Other than their being enemies of Christ, I don’t understand the present favoritism for promoting Islam and continuing hindrance of all things Christian by present American leaders on both sides of the political fence. Perhaps it is simply allowing them to believe lies when they have rejected the truth.


52 posted on 09/25/2012 11:21:28 PM PDT by Cvengr (Adversity in life and death is inevitable. Thru faith in Christ, stress is optional.)
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To: billflax

I believe that the Founders were all Christians and assumed all other Americans would be as well. But there were Anglicans and Catholics and Presbyterians et al so they had to make sure no Christian denomination took over everything. As the Roman Church or the Anglican Church had done before. I believe the Presbyterians are a Scottish Church? Americans were to have freedom to join whichever one pleased their sensabilities.


53 posted on 09/25/2012 11:26:29 PM PDT by tinamina
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To: cruise_missile

Read the Mayflower Compact of 1620, people:

Mayflower Compact (1620)
The following is a very careful letter-for-letter and line-by-line transcription made by me of the Mayflower Compact, as it is found in the original page of William Bradford’s History Of Plymouth Plantation. Spelling and punctuation have not been modernized. The original from which this transcription was made can be seen in the graphic at the bottom of this page.

In ye name of God Amen· We whose names are vnderwriten,
the loyall subjects of our dread soueraigne Lord King James
by ye grace of God, of great Britaine, franc, & Ireland king,
defender of ye faith, &c

Haueing vndertaken, for ye glorie of God, and aduancemente
of ye christian ^faith and honour of our king & countrie, a voyage to
plant ye first colonie in ye Northerne parts of Virginia· doe
by these presents solemnly & mutualy in ye presence of God, and
one of another, couenant, & combine our selues togeather into a
ciuill body politick; for ye our better ordering, & preseruation & fur=
therance of ye ends aforesaid; and by vertue hearof, to enacte,
constitute, and frame shuch just & equall lawes, ordinances,
Acts, constitutions, & offices, from time to time, as shall be thought
most meete & conuenient for ye generall good of ye colonie: vnto
which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witnes
wherof we haue herevnder subscribed our names at Cap=
Codd ye ·11· of Nouember, in ye year of ye raigne of our soueraigne
Lord king James of England, france, & Ireland ye eighteenth
and of Scotland ye fiftie fourth. Ano: Dom ·1620·|

SIGNERS:
John Carver Edward Tilley Degory Priest
William Bradford John Tilley Thomas Williams
Edward Winslow Francis Cooke Gilbert Winslow
William Brewster Thomas Rogers Edmund Margesson
Isaac Allerton Thomas Tinker Peter Brown
Myles Standish John Rigsdale Richard Britteridge
John Alden Edward Fuller George Soule
Samuel Fuller John Turner Richard Clarke
Christopher Martin Francis Eaton Richard Gardinar
William Mullins James Chilton John Allerton
William White John Crackstone Thomas English
Richard Warren John Billington Edward Doty
John Howland Moses Fletcher Edward Leister
Stephen Hopkins John Goodman
History behind the Mayflower Compact

The Mayflower Compact was signed on 11 November 1620 on board the Mayflower, which was at anchor in Provincetown Harbor. The document was drawn up in response to “mutinous speeches” that had come about because the Pilgrims had intended to settle in Northern Virginia, but the decision was made after arrival to instead settle in New England. Since there was no government in place, some felt they had no legal obligation to remain within the colony and supply their labor. The Mayflower Compact attempted to temporarily establish that government until a more official one could be drawn up in England that would give them the right to self-govern themselves in New England.

In a way, this was the first American Constitution, though the Compact in practical terms had little influence on subsequent American documents. John Quincy Adams, a descendant of Mayflower passenger John Alden, does call the Mayflower Compact the foundation of the U.S. Constitution in a speech given in 1802, but this was in principle more than in substance. In reality, the Mayflower Compact was superseded in authority by the 1621 Peirce Patent, which not only gave the Pilgrims the right to self-government at Plymouth, but had the significant advantage of being authorized by the King of England.

The Mayflower Compact was first published in 1622. William Bradford wrote a copy of the Mayflower Compact down in his History Of Plymouth Plantation which he wrote from 1630-1654, and that is the version given above. Neither version gave the names of the signers. Nathaniel Morton in his New England’s Memorial, published in 1669, was the first to record and publish the names of the signers, and Thomas Prince in his Chronological History of New England in the form of Annals (1736) recorded the signers names as well, as did Thomas Hutchinson in 1767. It is unknown whether the later two authors had access to the original document, or whether they were simply copying Nathaniel Morton’s list of signers.

The original Mayflower Compact has never been found, and is assumed destroyed. Thomas Prince may have had access to the original in 1736, and possibly Thomas Hutchinson did in 1767. If it indeed survived, it was likely a victim of Revolutionary War looting, along with other such Pilgrim valuables as Bradford’s now lost Register of Births and Deaths, his partially recovered Letterbook, and his entirely recovered History Of Plymouth Plantation.

The term “Mayflower Compact” was not assigned to this document until 1793, when for the first time it is called the Compact in Alden Bradford’s A Topographical Description of Duxborough, in the County of Plymouth. Previously it had been called “an association and agreement” (William Bradford), “combination” (Plymouth Colony Records), “solemn contract” (Thomas Prince, 1738), and “the covenant” (Rev. Charles Turner, 1774).

This is the “Mayflower Compact” as written by Mayflower passenger William Bradford
into his manuscript History of Plymouth Plantation about 1630.

MayflowerHistory.com, Copyright © 1994-2012. All Rights Reserved.


54 posted on 09/25/2012 11:43:08 PM PDT by This Just In
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To: billflax

Twice mutinous parties had sailed off to make their own fortunes and some were eventually captured by the Spanish, revealing the presence of the French colony.
The remaining colonists were about to leave Florida in August 1565, when they spotted sails on the horizon. Ribault had arrived with a relief expedition of supplies and 600 soldiers and settlers, including more women and some children.

On learning of Ribault’s departure for Florida, Phillip II of Spain sent Admiral Pedro Menendez to remove the French from Florida. At a place later named Matanzas (Slaughter), he put to the sword about 350 men - all but those professing to be Catholics and a few musicians.

http://www.nps.gov/timu/historyculture/foca_end_colony.htm


55 posted on 09/26/2012 12:32:51 AM PDT by triSranch ( Home of J.C. Calhoun and the Birthplace and Deathbed of the Confederacy)
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To: billflax
More like it was founded on the assumption that everyone here would be Christian and therefore behave according to Christian principals.
When the State centralized control of education and enshrined the principals of the French Revolution rather than the values of our own Revolution, it was only a matter of time until Christian principals were discarded.

Once "everyone" went to college, it was all over. People had been brainwashed into accepting non-Christian behavior in public rather than allowing others freedom of worship as long as they conformed to a Christian moral code and public behavior in keeping with Christian principals. Having achieved their goal of brainwashing a few generations, the democrat fascist nobility was able to begin to openly take over. Since they couldn't start by murdering the priests and pastors, though, they did the same thing the pre-Revolutionary French folks did and got everyone used to violence and an absence of law.

Face facts, when King Barry was able to first grab power within the democrat machine and then get elected, the fascists won. They had and have exactly the sort of society and government machine they've been working towards ever since they lost their slaves.

It's just a matter of time before the final confrontation between the majority and the new nobility takes place. They can't actually win and it will be nearly impossible for them to blend back in and hide their real intentions, but they can make it a very, very, difficult time in our history.

There Will Be Blood.

56 posted on 09/26/2012 12:44:37 AM PDT by Rashputin (Only Newt can defeat both the Fascist democrats and the Vichy GOP)
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To: driftdiver; billflax; 353FMG; YHAOS

“....But, by the God that made me...”

Spirited: Though a Deist, Jefferson nevertheless understood and acknowledged that he was created by a living Creator rather than being an emergent product of evolution from non-lifebearing chemicals. Jefferson saw himself as a rational person rather than an evolved hominid. In short, Jefferson implicitly embraced “special creation” rather the secular cosmology-—matter is all that exists/ universal evolution.


57 posted on 09/26/2012 2:10:56 AM PDT by spirited irish
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To: turn_to

yes I know


58 posted on 09/26/2012 2:32:41 AM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: sasportas

So it was the Illumanti?


59 posted on 09/26/2012 2:34:34 AM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: scbison

The government derives its power from the people. The people get their rights from a creator.

The enlightened part was that the govt is subordinate to the people.


60 posted on 09/26/2012 2:41:38 AM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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