Obama: US "Not a Christian Nation"

[DavidS]

Obama: U.S. "Not A Christian Nation Or A Jewish Nation Or A Muslim Nation" (VIDEO)

I guess I have a problem understanding the right-wing uproar about this.

"Unbelievable!" says one conservative.

"We've always been a Judeo-Christian nation and this revisionist history is enough!"

Fortunately, this poster is incorrect. We are NOT a Judeo-Christian nation. The Founding Fathers HATED Christianity so much so that Jefferson himself wrote his own Bible.

The United States of America does not have an official religion. We are NOT a Christian nation. Why are the conservatives in an uproar about this?

 

[jillian]

It's not a christian nation. I haven't seen the right wingers on the board ranting about this. So why beat them to the punch? or you just feelin' like stirring the pot a little today.

just wondering.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

That would be why God is mentioned so many times in the documents establishing this nation right? That would be why CHRISTIAN Chaplins have always opened the House and Senate with a prayer and are maintained at least by the house on a permanent bases?

That would be why almost every President has been sworn in with a BIBLE, A CHRISTIAN BIBLE.

Jefferson attended religious service every week while President in , as I recall, the House of Representatives.

 

[jillian]

yah...it's not like the foundiing fathers were actually deists or anything.

 

[Red Dawn]

Obama: U.S. "Not A Christian Nation Or A Jewish Nation Or A Muslim Nation" (VIDEO)

I guess I have a problem understanding the right-wing uproar about this.

"Unbelievable!" says one conservative.

"We've always been a Judeo-Christian nation and this revisionist history is enough!"

Fortunately, this poster is incorrect. We are NOT a Judeo-Christian nation. The Founding Fathers HATED Christianity so much so that Jefferson himself wrote his own Bible.

The United States of America does not have an official religion. We are NOT a Christian nation. Why are the conservatives in an uproar about this?

Here's article 11 of the Treaty of Tripoli, negotiated by George Washington, Signed by President John Adams, and unanimously approved by the US Senate in 1797

"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."

 

[del]

Obama: U.S. "Not A Christian Nation Or A Jewish Nation Or A Muslim Nation" (VIDEO)

I guess I have a problem understanding the right-wing uproar about this.

"Unbelievable!" says one conservative.

"We've always been a Judeo-Christian nation and this revisionist history is enough!"

Fortunately, this poster is incorrect. We are NOT a Judeo-Christian nation. The Founding Fathers HATED Christianity so much so that Jefferson himself wrote his own Bible.

The United States of America does not have an official religion. We are NOT a Christian nation. Why are the conservatives in an uproar about this?

"Jefferson believed in the existence of a Supreme Being who was the creator and sustainer of the universe and the ultimate ground of being, but this was not the triune deity of orthodox Christianity. He also rejected the idea of the divinity of Christ, but as he writes to William Short on October 31, 1819, he was convinced that the fragmentary teachings of Jesus constituted the "outlines of a system of the most sublime morality which has ever fallen from the lips of man." In correspondence, he sometimes expressed confidence that the whole country would be Unitarian, but he recognized the novelty of his own religious beliefs. On June 25, 1819, he wrote to Ezra Stiles, "I am of a sect by myself, as far as I know."

Monticello Report: Jefferson's Religious Beliefs

jefferson doesn't sound to me like he hated christianity, he just didn't accept all the dogma.
he seemed to think pretty highly of christ, though.

we'll add this to the list of things you know less than nothing about.

 

[tigerbob]

The Founding Fathers HATED Christianity so much so that Jefferson himself wrote his own Bible.

Care to provide a source for that? Otherwise, WTF are you talking about?

Lambert (2003) has examined the religious affiliations and beliefs of the Founders. Some of the 1787 delegates had no affiliation. The others were Protestants except for three Roman Catholics: C. Carroll, D. Carroll, and Fitzsimons. Among the Protestant delegates to the Constitutional Convention, 28 were Church of England (Episcopalian, after the Revolutionary War was won), eight were Presbyterians, seven were Congregationalists, two were Lutherans, two were Dutch Reformed, and two were Methodists, the total number being 49. Some of the more prominent Founding Fathers were anti-clerical or vocal about their opposition to organized religion, such as Thomas Jefferson[10][11] (who created the "Jefferson Bible"), and Benjamin Franklin[12]. However, other notable founders, such as Patrick Henry, were strong proponents of traditional religion. Several of the Founding Fathers considered themselves to be deists or held beliefs very similar to that of deists.[13]

Founding Fathers of the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[jillian]

Jefferson didn't buy the miracle stuff, but rightfully thought Jesus had a lot of the right ideas.

bummer that so many Christians don't pay his words any mind.

 

[Red Dawn]

Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity.
-Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782



But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.
-Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782



Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because if there be one he must approve of the homage of reason more than that of blindfolded fear.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Peter Carr, August 10, 1787


They [the clergy] believe that any portion of power confided to me, will be exerted in opposition to their schemes. And they believe rightly; for I have sworn upon the altar of god, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man. But this is all they have to fear from me: and enough, too, in their opinion.
-Thomas Jefferson to Dr. Benjamin Rush, Sept. 23, 1800

 

[del]

Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity.
-Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782



But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.
-Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782



Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because if there be one he must approve of the homage of reason more than that of blindfolded fear.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Peter Carr, August 10, 1787


They [the clergy] believe that any portion of power confided to me, will be exerted in opposition to their schemes. And they believe rightly; for I have sworn upon the altar of god, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man. But this is all they have to fear from me: and enough, too, in their opinion.
-Thomas Jefferson to Dr. Benjamin Rush, Sept. 23, 1800

and these quotes prove that jefferson hated christianity how, exactly?

 

[xsited1]

...

The Founding Fathers HATED Christianity so much so that Jefferson himself wrote his own Bible.

...

Oh brother. You know the Founding Fathers didn't hate Christianity. Why the spin?

 

[Mr. President]

We were established on Biblical Principals

 

[Ravi]

That would be why God is mentioned so many times in the documents establishing this nation right? That would be why CHRISTIAN Chaplins have always opened the House and Senate with a prayer and are maintained at least by the house on a permanent bases?

That would be why almost every President has been sworn in with a BIBLE, A CHRISTIAN BIBLE.

Jefferson attended religious service every week while President in , as I recall, the House of Representatives.

Just out of curiosity, where was God mentioned?

 

[del]

yah...it's not like the foundiing fathers were actually deists or anything.

some were, somne weren't. the really cool ones were unitarians.

 

[del]

That would be why God is mentioned so many times in the documents establishing this nation right? That would be why CHRISTIAN Chaplins have always opened the House and Senate with a prayer and are maintained at least by the house on a permanent bases?

That would be why almost every President has been sworn in with a BIBLE, A CHRISTIAN BIBLE.

Jefferson attended religious service every week while President in , as I recall, the House of Representatives.

Just out of curiosity, where was God mentioned?

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.....

The Declaration of Independence - TEXT

 

[Iriemon]

Obama: U.S. "Not A Christian Nation Or A Jewish Nation Or A Muslim Nation" (VIDEO)

I guess I have a problem understanding the right-wing uproar about this.

"Unbelievable!" says one conservative.

"We've always been a Judeo-Christian nation and this revisionist history is enough!"

Fortunately, this poster is incorrect. We are NOT a Judeo-Christian nation. The Founding Fathers HATED Christianity so much so that Jefferson himself wrote his own Bible.

The United States of America does not have an official religion. We are NOT a Christian nation. Why are the conservatives in an uproar about this?

"Christian nation" is an inherently ambiguous phrase and folks usually argue back and forth over each other applying different meanings to it.

If it means we are a Christian government, that is not true. There is no part of our constitution that references the Bible as to any rules as to how our nation is to be governed. It does not mandate that all businesses be closed on Sunday, for example, because the Bible says that is the sabbath day.

If the phrase is meant to say that the United States is a nation that has a Christian background/tradition and influence, it is undeniably true. By far the dominant religion in the US has been Christianity, which has shaped a number of cultural mores and laws.

If Obama says the US is not a Christian nation and he means it in the former way and that it is not like Iran is a Muslim nation, he is absolutely correct.

 

[jillian]

We were established on Biblical Principals

Actually, it was established on philosophical principles that were established during the Enlightenment...which specifically rejected Church as government. You might want to look at the writings of John Locke which had far more influence than the Bible.

 

[editec]

We worship Mammon.

The Baby Jesus just gets a lot of lip service, but everyone on the inside knows that's strictly propaganda to beguile the terminally stupid.

 

[elvis]

Jefferson didn't buy the miracle stuff, but rightfully thought Jesus had a lot of the right ideas.

bummer that so many Christians don't pay his words any mind.

A lot of Christians don't pay Jesus's words any mind, unfortunately.

 

[Ravi]

Thanks. So once, and it is nature's God. No mention of Christianity.