Who says we're a Christian Nation?

http://eaglewatcher.redstate.org ^ | 12/17/2005 | EagleWatcher

[filly]

To listen to the ACLU and the American Left you would think that Christianity was a radical and oppressive new concept being forced down the throats of US citizens. The fact is that the United States, its laws and customs are deeply rooted in Christianity.

As part of the Church of the Holy Trinity vs. United States. ruling the US Supreme Court considered the question of whether or not the US was a Christian nation. They studied the influence of Christianity going all the way back to Christopher Columbus. After carefully examining the evidence for nearly 10 years they found in 1892:

"Our laws and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind. It is impossible that it should be otherwise; and in this sense and to this extent our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian ... this is a religious people. This is historically true. From the discovery of this continent to the present hour, there is a single voice making this affirmation ... we find everywhere a clear definition of the same truth ... this is a Christian nation."

The ruling was later upheld in 1931 by Supreme Court Justice George Sutherland who reviewed Church of the Holy Trinity vs. United States and reaffirmed that we are a "Christian people." A more liberal Supreme Court in 1952 had no problem recognizing the spiritual nature of America. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas declared that “we are a religious people and our institutions presuppose a Supreme Being.”

Merry Christmas, America!

[filly]

Merry Christmas everybody!

[kjo]

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Don't let the liberals get you down. In the end we will win.

[Just mythoughts]

Merry Christmas.

History will show there is no other nation in the history of this earth since CREATION (for the TOE'rs) that can be compared or contrasted to this nation. Christianity does have it BLESSINGS and IF we are to keep and maintain those blessings we as a nation are required to protect our foundation of Christianity.

NOW nowhere in my words did I say that those who are NOT Christian must become Christian, because it does not work that way. Christianity is not real if it is forced, so for the unbelievers FEAR not regardless of who tries to convert you, YOU must make the choice, nobody else can make it for you.

[ICE-FLYER]

Foreign Observers of America in its earliest days

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Edward Kendall. Traveling in America in 1807 and 1808, returned to Great Britain in 1809 and published his three volume work , Travels In America.

(from his visit to Connecticut in 1807)
at about eleven o’clock, his excellency [Governor John Trumbull] entered the statehouse and shortly after took his place at the head of a procession which was made to a meeting house or church at something less that half a mile distance. The procession was on foot and was composed of the person of the governor, together with the lieutentant-governor, assistants, high-sheriffs, members of the lower house of assembly, and, unless with accidental exceptions, all the clergy of the State…The pulpit or, as it is here called, the desk, was filled by three if not four clergymen; a number which, by its form and dimensions, it was able to accommodate. Of these, one opened the service with a prayer; another delivered a sermon; a third made a concluding prayer, and a fourth pronounced a benediction. Several Hymns were sung; and among others, an occasional one [a special one for that occasion]. The total number of singers was between forty and fifty. The sermon, as will be supposed, touched upon matters of government. When all was finished, the procession returned to the statehouse. (Kendall, Vol. I, pp. 3-5)

This was TWO decades AFTER the constitution. This writer from England apparently saw no separation of Church and State.


Alexis de Tocqueville

Alexis de Tocqueville traveled throughout the nation in the early 1830’s. He published his findings in 1835 in The Republic Of The States Of America, And Its Political Institutions, Reviewed And Examined. This piece is now simply called Democracy In America.

Upon my arrival in the United States, the religious aspect of the country was the first thing that struck my attention; and the longer I stayed there, the more did I perceive the great political consequences resulting from this state of things, to which I was unaccustomed. In France I had almost always seen the spirit of religion and the spirit of freedom pursuing courses diametrically opposed to each other; but in America I found that they were intimately united, and that they reigned in common over the same country. (Alexis de Tocqueville, The Republic of the United States of America and its Political Institutions, Reviewed and Examined, Henry Reeves, translator (Garden City, NY: A.S. Barnes & Co., 1851), Vol. I p. 337.)

In the United States the sovereign authority is religious, and consequently hypocrisy must be common; but there is no country in the whole world in which the Christian religion retains a greater influence over the souls of men than in America, and there can be no greater proof of its utility, and of its conformity to human nature, than that its influence is most powerfully felt over the most enlightened and free nation of the earth.

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“The practice of morality being necessary for the well being of society, He [God] has taken care to impress its precepts so indelibly on our hearts that they shall not be effaced by the subtleties of our brain. We all agree in the obligation of the moral precepts of Jesus and nowhere will they be found delivered in greater purity than in his discourses."
[The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Albert Ellery Bergh, editor(Washington D.C.: The Jefferson Memorial Association, 1904) Vol. XII, p.315 Letter to James Fishback, Sept. 27, 1809

Jefferson used federal monies to teach the Indians the Gospel of Jesus Christ. he personally authored "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth". He approved funding while president for this. Annual support for the Tribe's Roman Catholic priest and church. The treaty approved stated :
"And whereas, the greater part of the Tribe having been baptized and received into the Catholic Church, to which they are much attached, the United States will give annually for seven years one hundred dollars towards the support of a priest of that religion.. and.. three hundred dollars to assist the said Tribe in the erection of a church"
[Henery S. Randall, The Life of Thomas Jefferson (New York, Derby & Jackson, 1858)
American State Papers, Walter Lowery and Matthew St. Claire Clark, Editors (Washington D.C. Gales & Seaton, 1832)]

“I have long been of the opinion that the evidence of the truth of Christianity requires only to be carefully examined to produce conviction in candid minds, and I think they who undertake that task will derive advantages…As to The Age of Reason, it never appeared to me to have been written from a disinterested love of truth or of mankind.”
(William Jay, Life, Vol. II p. 266 to the Rev. Uzal Ogden on February 14, 1796)

“[O]nly one adequate plan has ever appeared in the world, and that is the Christian dispensation” (John Jay, The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay, Henry P. Johnston, editor (New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1893), Vol IV, p. 52, To Lindley Murray on August 22, 1794)

"The Bible is the best of all books, for it is the Word of God and teaches us the way to be happy in this world and the next. Continue therefore to read it and to *regulate your life* by its precepts"
[John Jay, 'John Jay, the Winning of the Peace. Unpublished Papers 1780-1784, Richard B. Morris, editor, (New York, Harper & Row Publishers,1980) Vol. II, p.709

[It is] the duty of all wise, free, and virtuous governments to countenance and encourage virtue and religion. (Speeches of the Governors of new York, p.66, Governor John Jay on November 4, 1800)

Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation, to select and prefer Christians for their rulers. (William Jay, The Life of John Jay (New York: J. & J. Harper, 1833), Vol II, p. 376 to John Murray, Jr. on October 12, 1816)


[I] have a thorough contempt for all men…who appear to be irreclaimable enemies of religion.
(Samuel Adams, The Writings of Samuel Adams, Harry Alonzo Cushing, editor (New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1906), Vol. II, p. 381, to William Checkley on December 14, 1772)

Samuel Adams expounded on this Biblical principle when he explained:

He who is void of virtuous attachments in private life is, or very soon will be, void of all regard of his country. There is seldom an instance of a man guilty of betraying his country who had not before lost the feeling of moral obligations in his private connections. . . . [P]rivate and public vices are in reality . . . connected. . . . Nothing is more essential to the establishment of manners in a State than that all persons employed in places of power and trust be men of unexceptionable characters. The public cannot be too curious concerning the characters of public men.


The Christian religion is, above all the religions that ever prevailed or existed in ancient or modern times, the religion of wisdom, virtue, equity and humanity, the Blackguard [scoundrel, rogue] Paine say what he will.
(John Adams, Works, Vol. III, p.421, diary entry for July 26, 1796)


"Twenty times in the course of my late reading have I been on the point of breaking out, 'this would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it!!! But, in this exclamation I would have been as fanatical as Bryant or Cleverly. Without religion this world would be something not fit to be mentioned in polite company, I mean hell."
John Adams, Papers, Vol. VI. p. 348 to James Warren on August 4, 1778

[I]t is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. Religion and virtue are the only foundations…of republicanism and of all free government.
(John Adams, Works, Vol. IX p. 401, to Zabdiel Adams on June 21, 1776 / ALSO p. 636, to Benjamin Rush on August 28, 1811)

The idea of infidelity [ a disbelief in the inspiration of the Scriptures or the Divine origin of Christianity *] cannot be treated with too much resentment or too much horror. The man who can think of it with patience is a traitor in his heart and ought to be execrated [ denounced ] as one who adds the deepest hypocrisy to the blackest treason.
(John Adams, Papers, Vol. VI, P. 348, to James Warren on August 4, 1778)
(*Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (New York: S. Converse, 1828), s.v. “in fidelity

[W]e have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. . . . Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
(Source: John Adams, The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States, Charles Francis Adams, editor (Boston: Little, Brown, and Co. 1854), Vol. IX, p. 229, October 11, 1798.)

The moment the idea is admitted into society, that property is not as sacred as the laws of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence. If "Thou shalt not covet," and "Thou shalt not steal," were not commandments of Heaven, they must be made inviolable precepts in every society, before it can be civilized or made free.
(Source: John Adams, The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States, Charles Francis Adams, editor (Boston: Charles C. Little and James Brown, 1851), Vol. VI, p. 9.)


“History will also afford frequent opportunities for showing the necessity of a public religion…and the excellency of the Christian religion above all others, ancient or modern.”
(Benjamin Franklin, Proposals relating to the Education of Youth in Pennsylvania(Philadelphia, 1749), p.22)

[tenn2005]

The concepts and values of America are exemplified in the spirit of Christmas. Our roots, our heritage and our future are all based on an adherence to Christian values. This is very well laid out in "America; the Embodiment of the Spirit of Christmas."

http://www.nationalmorality.com/index_files/Page2092.htm

[Paloma_55]

At that time, the federal government had a constitutional mandate to allow freedom of religion and to not make laws regarding the establishment. It was called the 1st amendment.

Then we had Marbury vs. Madision in which the supreme court decided that IT had the supreme power in the land and could interpret any law any way they wanted, and could even interpret the meaning of the constitution into anything they want.

Since then, we had a 14th that said all laws for the federal government were to be applied to the states...which then rendered the same requirement upon the states.

So, now we have a judiciary that decides it is illegal to even mention the word GOD if you are employed by the government.

Simple, slippery slope argument demonstrated.

[RightWinger]

Merry Christmas.

May God continue to bless this nation.

[bcsco]

While this is a well written article, it misses the point. It's three reasons for why we should uphold Christmas values are 1) Family, 2) Spirit of giving, 3) Peace on earth goodwill toward men.

Sorry, but the reason for Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Christ, our Savior. All these other reasons are manifestations of the goodwill we, as Christians, necessarily derive from our relationship with Christ.

With that said, let me wish you, and all FReePers, a very meaningful and blessed Christmas. God's blessings to all!

[catpuppy]

Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas declared that ... our institutions presuppose a Supreme Being.

Unfortunately, Douglas and too many other robed wonders have decided that they are the Supreme Beings, capable of seeing penumbras, emanations and hidden meanings that we lesser mortals cannot hope to understand.

[wizr]

Without "In God we Trust", we would just be another ..... hmmmm..... San Francisco? No, that's close, but.... hmmmm ...... OH, YEAH!! New Orleans!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Para-Ord.45]

ping

[Conservative til I die]

May God continue to bless this nation.

This country has lost its blessings. I can't fathom God blessing a nation that allows any abortions, much less 9th month abortions, worships money, flirts with gay marriage, and OKs just about every sexual perversion known to man in the name of "freedom" ("vice" or "license" is a better term).

[sageb1]

Merry Christmas to you, too!

And just remember in regards to the liberals' and atheists' love for Jefferson's "separation of church and state," Christians are not a "Church."

[maestro]

.........................Who says we're a Christian Nation? ..............

Answer: '9-11'

[Always Right]

Strange that Christians created a country that was tolerant of minority views, but minority views are thanking Christians by being intolerant of Christian views.

[emiller]

Off the subject, I was thinking about hell, and I'm pretty sure I know what it is. The Bible mentions God "stretching out the Heavens"- (adding energy to space to make it stretch out to fill the hole universe, from a point), so, when God judges those that want nothing to do with him, I think God will simply confine the prisoners to earth, and block them from entering Heaven. The Bible talks about "throwing them down to earth", and then He'll simply pull Himself out of the universe, causing it to collapse in on itself. Space will collapse instantaneously (space was stretched out on the first day, so it's safe to assume that it can also collapse instantaneously, as there may be no temporal component to space- it may be dimensionless), and the universe will crush down into a point singularity- a black hole. A supermassive hole. Notice, hell is described as a "bottomless pit", of heat, but no light (photons are ripped apart by the supermassive gravity of the hole), and nothing can escape it. A spirit can be defined as living information, and no information or energy can pass the event horizon of a black hole. The event horizon being the point beyond which no information from any event in the hole can pass. So, it may be a prison for spirits as well.

Hell is called also, the "storm of darkness", in 2nd Peter- a perfect symbol for a black hole. A swirling hurricane like storm of darkness. Also, and here's the funky part, the Bible in Genesis calls Satan's judgement a "crushing". Satan will be "crushed" under your feet- Paul also says. And in a vision about the death of the antichrist- he is said to be "crushed". Jesus said that there is a valley separating hell from heaven- the event horizon? A valley no one can cross.

The "Lake of fire", may be a portal into the event horizon. Notice, death is said to be "swallowed up". Imagine the universe crushing to a point. Swallowing everything.

Time inside a black hole may continue as normal, eternally, but from our perspective, it would appear to stop. Also, with space destroyed, time would go with it, as might memory of this universe- which may be why God says He will "wipe every tear from our eyes". Our memories of this place may be wiped. Also, the old will "not be remembered nor brought to mind". Which is great, because I'm still carrying things around from the 4th grade-- ha ha

Merry Christmas

[Mr Rogers]

We may have been a Christian nation at the founding, but we sure are not today. I doubt believers account for more than 10% of the population. The rest who call themselves Christian ascribe to a "Touched by an angel" form of christianity.

[Nathan Zachary]

"the US Supreme Court considered the question of whether or not the US was a Christian nation"

All these sleepy judges need to do is look around the courtroom. Hopefully they know HOW the court system works.

It is after all an exact model of how the courts of the church were structured centuries ago when the church was the only authority to be found in the small towns and villages scattered throughout Europe. At a time before the concept of secular civic governments began to emerge. If anything shows just how much of a roll Christianity played in the making of our society, it's our justice system. Sadly the judiciary has become blind to this.

[Nathan Zachary]

10%?? The number of people who claim to be Christian and believe in God is 85%. How good of a Christian they are is another story, and irrelevent to the question. "We" that 85%, still believe we are a Christian country, and want it to remain that way.

[ICE-FLYER]

Simple, slippery slope argument demonstrated.

Its very appropriate that you bring that whole thing up. It is NO accident that it happened the way it did. Insideous onset always does take us "by surprise" in such things. We had over 170 years of established precedent of the christian faith involved at all levels of society and government UNTIL 1947 and the 1962 Supreme Court debacles.