Replies

When Washington was inaugurated the first President of the United States in New York in 1789, a public prayer meeting was conducted to commit the new nation to the "blessings of the Creator." Later the same year, on October 3, 1789, President Washington issued a Thanksgiving Proclamation. The document begins,

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor ... Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be -...

James Madison, the fourth president and the Father of the Constitution said,

The future and success of America is not in this Constitution but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded.

John Jay was the first Chief Justice of he Supreme Court. He said, "Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers. And it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of a Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers."

Fifty-three of the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence were reportedly Christians.

John Dickinson said, "To my Creator, I resign myself, humbly confiding in His goodness and in His mercy through Jesus Christ for the events of eternity."

Gabriel Duvall, later a delegate to the Constitutional Convention and an appointee to the Supreme Court said, "I resign my soul into the hands of the Almighty who gave it in humble hopes of his mercy through our Savior Jesus Christ."

And lastly, John Witherspoon, pastor and President of New Jersey College (Princeton University today) said, "I shall entreat ... you in the most earnest manner to believe in Jesus Christ, for there is no salvation in any other" [Acts 4:12] ... [I] f you are not clothed with the spotless robe of His righteousness, you must forever perish."

Political Science professors at the University of Houston, curious about who influenced the founders, gathered 15,000 quotes made by them. The effort took over ten years. They reduced the number to those that had a significant impact on the founding fathers and the result was 3,154 quotes. They determined that the Bible was quoted far more than any other source. Thirty-four percent of all quotes were from the Bible, and another 60% of the quotes were from men who were using the Bible to make their point. God's word was important to the nation's founders.

It was not just the founding fathers who expressed their Christian beliefs or recognition in the value of Christian principles as fundamental to the nation. Many of the leaders who followed and influenced this nation were Christians. Andrew Jackson, president and military hero of the War of 1812, said, "The Bible is the rock upon which this Republic stands."

Abraham Lincoln, preserver of the Union said, "I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from the Savior of the world is communicated to us through this book."

Woodrow Wilson said in a 1911 pre-presidential campaign speech,

America was born a Christian nation. America was born to exemplify that devotion to the elements of righteousness, which are derived from the revelations of Holy Scriptures. ...Part of the destiny of Americans lies in their daily perusal of this great book of revelations. That if they would see America free and pure they will make their own spirits free and pure by this baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Members of the Supreme Court have acknowledged the significance of our Christian heritage. Some historians recognize John Marshall the greatest Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He established the authority of the Court as a strong independent third branch of government. He said in a letter to Jasper Adams on May 9, 1833

The American population is entirely Christian, and with us Christianity and Religion are identified. It would be strange indeed, if with such a people, our institutions did not presuppose Christianity, and did not often refer to it, and exhibit relations with it.

The very first Congress of the United States allocated money to print and distribute Bibles throughout the nation.

During the War of Independence, Congress allocated money for the import of 20,000 copies of the Bible.

In 1787, the same year the Constitution was approved, Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance, one of the most important pieces of legislation because it was the blueprint for admitting new states into the Union. One of the provisions was that new states had to encourage education. Why? Because religion and morality were absolutely necessary for self-governing people.

The treaty between the colonies and Great Britain ending the War of Independence began "In the name of the Most Holy and undivided Trinity ..."

The Constitution expressly exempted Sunday as a work day for the president in the article concerning vetoes of legislation.

General George Washington required all of his men to attend Sunday services.

Every president since Washington, has when taking the oath of office, said, with his hand on the Bible: "... so help me God."

Since the days of the colonial army, chaplains have been required. Initially, during the days of the founders, those chaplains were all Christians.

You said, "That many of the founding fathers were Deists, not Christians, knocks the legs out of that argument. Nice try."

No, you basically took the last sentence of my argument and then you told a complete lie that the founding fathers were not Christians. I have now refuted that lie and proven you have no credibility.