The Government of the USA is not, in any sense founded on the Christian religion

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.nobeliefs.com/Tripoli.htm

by Jim Walker
Originated: 11 Apr. 1997
Additions: 26 Dec. 2004

Many Religious Right activists have attempted to rewrite history by asserting that the United States government derived from Christian foundations, that our Founding Fathers originally aimed for a Christian nation. This idea simply does not hold to the historical evidence.

Of course many Americans did practice Christianity, but so also did many believe in deistic philosophy. Indeed, most of our influential Founding Fathers, although they respected the rights of other religionists, held to deism and Freemasonry tenets rather than to Christianity.

The U.S. Constitution

The United States Constitution serves as the law of the land for America and indicates the intent of our Founding Fathers. The Constitution forms a secular document, and nowhere does it appeal to God, Christianity, Jesus, or any supreme being. (For those who think the date of the Constitution contradicts the last sentence, see note 1 at the end.) The U.S. government derives from people (not God), as it clearly states in the preamble: "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union...." The omission of God in the Constitution did not come out of forgetfulness, but rather out of the Founding Fathers purposeful intentions to keep government separate from religion.

Although the Constitution does not include the phrase "Separation of Church & State," neither does it say "Freedom of religion." However, the Constitution implies both in the 1st Amendment. As to our freedoms, the 1st Amendment provides exclusionary wording:

Congress shall make NO law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.


FULL story at link.

[hobbit709]

1. From the Treaty of Tripoli 1797. Read aloud by President John Adams to the Senate

And unanimously approved by the Senate

"Art. 11. 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."

[Manifestor_of_Light]

2. Oh yeah.

Signed by that Bomb Throwing Anarchist President John Adams.

:sarcasm:

I've sent the treaty of tripoli to my local right-wing newspapers. Haven't heard any heads exploding.

[Lyric]

3. Off to the Greatest with ye!

:patriot:

[orpupilofnature57]

4. The first Agreement among settlers was. 1620 The pilgrims of Plymouth

http://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/mayflower.asp

[dipsydoodle]

6. Uncle Tom Cobley appears to be missing on your list

The phrase Uncle Tom Cobley and all is used in British English as a humorous or whimsical way of saying et al., often to express exasperation at the large number of people in a list. The phrase comes from a Devon folk song "Widecombe Fair", collected by Sabine Baring-Gould. Its chorus ends with a long list of people: "Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney, Peter Davy, Dan'l Whiddon, Harry Hawke, Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all." The surname is spelt as "Cobleigh" in some references.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Tom_Cobley

[orpupilofnature57]

7. Cool info ,Thanks

[orpupilofnature57]

10. Actually they were in one of my favorite places in the world ,Provincetown

Which in 300 or so yrs they would have had all kinds of allies on persecution and separation of C&S ,as far as Rights are concerned.

[War Horse]

13. This is what the GOTP yearns for, I guess...

[orpupilofnature57]

14. A Teabaggers in Ptown would be like Palin at Oxford. 1620 is a long time

before 1776.

[Arugula Latte]

5. Yep, my sig line from George Washington makes clear that he wanted Church out of State.

[Ezlivin]

8. Didn't Jesus and the 12 apostles sign the Constitution?

Judas was the first Secretary of the Treasury.

I think the Apostle Peter was Secretary of Defense.

I could be wrong. Or high.

[Arkansas Granny]

9. And if they had founded it on the principles of Christianity, I'm sure they would

have mentioned it somewhere in the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence. The last time I looked, there was nothing of that nature included in either.

[orpupilofnature57]

11. Positively ! not only independence from a King but also the concept of

God.

[Drale]

12. In a government class I took a few semesters ago

this issue came up and some idiot said if the US isn't a Christian nation was is murder illegal?