thought of the day.319

Is America a Christian Nation?

Many Christians claim America is a “Christian nation” but America has never been a Christian nation for the simple reason that a “nation” cannot be religious—only people can. America, like all nations, is made up of people with myriad ideas, religious and otherwise, and those ideas are in constant flux. Most believe in one of the many flavors of Christianity though it should be noted that in 1790 some 90% of Americans did not go to church at all. Trends suggest we may be coming full circle as fewer and fewer Americans affiliate with Christianity or any other religion and it is possible we could see a predominately atheistic American population at some point. Of course it would be just as inaccurate to call America an atheist nation then as it is to call it a Christian nation now.

It is also argued that because America was founded by Christians it is therefore a “Christian nation” but It seems our first six presidents are better described as Deists, not Christians. The author of The Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, denied the divinity of Jesus and Thomas Paine, widely considered the man most responsible for inspiring the Declaration of Independence, absolutely detested the Bible. However, even if our founding fathers were Christians, it would not mean that our nation should forever embrace their religious ideas as most all of them also believed it just —even God ordained— to own other human beings as property and withhold from women the right to vote. We abandoned these and other primitive ideas so why not abandon their religious notions as well? What makes a country thrive is its ability to continuously evolve.

In 1873, Robert Green Ingersoll said, “It is contended by many that ours is a Christian government, founded upon the Bible, and that all who look upon the book as false or foolish are destroying the foundation of our country. The truth is, our government is not founded upon the rights of gods, but upon the rights of men. Our Constitution was framed, not to declare and uphold the deity of Christ, but the sacredness of humanity. Ours is the first government made by the people and for the people. It is the only nation with which the gods have had nothing to do. And yet there are some judges dishonest and cowardly enough to solemnly decide that this is a Christian country, and that our free institutions are based upon the infamous laws of Jehovah.”

In a "Reply To The Indianapolis Clergy" Ingersoll writes, “Our civilization is not Christian. It does not come from the skies. It is not a result of "inspiration." It is the child of invention, of discovery, of applied knowledge -- that is to say, of science. When man becomes great and grand enough to admit that all have equal rights; when thought is untrammeled; when worship shall consist in doing useful things; when religion means the discharge of obligations to our fellow-men, then, and not until then, will the world be civilized.”