Christian principles permeate modern laws. The fact that most US states operate under common law, which was handed down in part from Britain suggests Christian principles; because Britain too was once quite Christian... The 'English Civil War' which saw the rise of parliament was began in part over religion.
The USA had many Christian colonies at its founding.
http://www.geocities.com/iconoclastes.geo/constitution.html is an interesting site, because it's trying desperately to deny the Christian influence. For instance it recognises...'March 4, 1629 - The first Charter of Massachusetts read in part:
“For the directing, ruling, and disposing of all other Matters and Thinges, whereby our said People may be soe religiously, peaceablie, and civilly governed, as their good life and orderlie Conversacon, maie wynn and incite the Natives of the Country to the Knowledg and Obedience of the onlie true God and Savior of Mankinde, and the Christian Fayth, which in our Royall Intencon, and The Adventurers free profession, is the principall Ende of the Plantacion..”
But then counters by saying 'Let us now see the legal means the Christians of the Massachusetts Bay Colony enacted only a year later to achieve these goals: In 1630 it was made illegal to:
“shoot off a gun on any unnecessary occasion except an Indian or a wolf.” [SH241]'
So, their argument then is not that there was no Christian influence, just that it was limited.
The Women's Christian Temperance Union wanted laws changed in regards to alcohol. This was achieved in the 1920s; showing that Christian pressure groups could influence law-makers along Christian lines. This influence of Christians is still being exerted on law; through the laws of negligence (which I shall detail in another post).
Your calendar, and some public holidays are influenced by the Christian world; so your whole fabric of nation is yearly influenced by Christianity
“Justice Joseph Story and Chancellor James Kent were among many sitting judges during the nineteenth century who cited the maxim that “Christianity is part of the common law.” As early as 1764, Thomas Jefferson attributed the phrase to a misinterpretation made by Sir Henry Finch in 1613 that had subsequently been perpetuated by Matthew Hale and William Blackstone. But Justice Story disputed Jefferson's contention that it was a “judicial forgery” and quoted the opinion of Chief Justice Prisot of the Court of Common Pleas, which established the precedent in 1458:
As to those laws, which those of holy church have in ancient scripture, it behooves us to give them credence, for this is common law, upon which all manner of laws are founded; and thus, sir, we are obliged to take notice of their law of holy church; and it seems they are obliged to take notice of our law”*
http://www.reformed.org/webfiles/antithesis/v2n2/ant_v2n2_law.html
That is why blasphemy** was a crime under common law when it was codified. A law which US law-makers recognised...
“Following the ratification of the Constitution in 1788, the First Amendment and most state constitutions prohibited the establishment of an official religion. Nevertheless, states still occasionally prosecuted persons for blasphemy against Christianity!
In a typical 19th-century blasphemy case, a man called Ruggles made highly insulting remarks about Jesus Christ and his mother, Mary. The state of New York tried and convicted Ruggles and sentenced him to jail for three months plus a $500 fine. Appealing his case, Ruggles' attorney argued that his client could not be prosecuted for blasphemy since there was no state law against it.
In 1811, New York's highest appeals court unanimously rejected Ruggles' arguments. The court said that New York did not need a blasphemy statute. Ruggles' words violated the common law inherited from England, which made blasphemy against Christianity the law of the land. Based on this interpretation of the law, the New York court stated that reviling Jesus was a crime since it “tends to corrupt the morals of the people, and to destroy good order.”
The court seemingly ignored that New York's state constitution prohibited the establishment of any government-sponsored religion. Nevertheless, most other states adopted this legal opinion. Although very few persons were prosecuted, blasphemy remained a crime in several states well into the 20th century.”
http://www.crf-usa.org/terror/rushdie.htm
When Pilgrims/Puritans legislated against witches (a negative influence; but an influence no less), this law took precedence over any common right.
The USA had many Christian colonies at its founding.
http://www.geocities.com/iconoclastes.geo/constitution.html is an interesting site, because it's trying desperately to deny the Christian influence. For instance it recognises...'March 4, 1629 - The first Charter of Massachusetts read in part:
“For the directing, ruling, and disposing of all other Matters and Thinges, whereby our said People may be soe religiously, peaceablie, and civilly governed, as their good life and orderlie Conversacon, maie wynn and incite the Natives of the Country to the Knowledg and Obedience of the onlie true God and Savior of Mankinde, and the Christian Fayth, which in our Royall Intencon, and The Adventurers free profession, is the principall Ende of the Plantacion..”
But then counters by saying 'Let us now see the legal means the Christians of the Massachusetts Bay Colony enacted only a year later to achieve these goals: In 1630 it was made illegal to:
“shoot off a gun on any unnecessary occasion except an Indian or a wolf.” [SH241]'
So, their argument then is not that there was no Christian influence, just that it was limited.
The Women's Christian Temperance Union wanted laws changed in regards to alcohol. This was achieved in the 1920s; showing that Christian pressure groups could influence law-makers along Christian lines. This influence of Christians is still being exerted on law; through the laws of negligence (which I shall detail in another post).
Your calendar, and some public holidays are influenced by the Christian world; so your whole fabric of nation is yearly influenced by Christianity
“Justice Joseph Story and Chancellor James Kent were among many sitting judges during the nineteenth century who cited the maxim that “Christianity is part of the common law.” As early as 1764, Thomas Jefferson attributed the phrase to a misinterpretation made by Sir Henry Finch in 1613 that had subsequently been perpetuated by Matthew Hale and William Blackstone. But Justice Story disputed Jefferson's contention that it was a “judicial forgery” and quoted the opinion of Chief Justice Prisot of the Court of Common Pleas, which established the precedent in 1458:
As to those laws, which those of holy church have in ancient scripture, it behooves us to give them credence, for this is common law, upon which all manner of laws are founded; and thus, sir, we are obliged to take notice of their law of holy church; and it seems they are obliged to take notice of our law”*
http://www.reformed.org/webfiles/antithesis/v2n2/ant_v2n2_law.html
That is why blasphemy** was a crime under common law when it was codified. A law which US law-makers recognised...
“Following the ratification of the Constitution in 1788, the First Amendment and most state constitutions prohibited the establishment of an official religion. Nevertheless, states still occasionally prosecuted persons for blasphemy against Christianity!
In a typical 19th-century blasphemy case, a man called Ruggles made highly insulting remarks about Jesus Christ and his mother, Mary. The state of New York tried and convicted Ruggles and sentenced him to jail for three months plus a $500 fine. Appealing his case, Ruggles' attorney argued that his client could not be prosecuted for blasphemy since there was no state law against it.
In 1811, New York's highest appeals court unanimously rejected Ruggles' arguments. The court said that New York did not need a blasphemy statute. Ruggles' words violated the common law inherited from England, which made blasphemy against Christianity the law of the land. Based on this interpretation of the law, the New York court stated that reviling Jesus was a crime since it “tends to corrupt the morals of the people, and to destroy good order.”
The court seemingly ignored that New York's state constitution prohibited the establishment of any government-sponsored religion. Nevertheless, most other states adopted this legal opinion. Although very few persons were prosecuted, blasphemy remained a crime in several states well into the 20th century.”
http://www.crf-usa.org/terror/rushdie.htm
When Pilgrims/Puritans legislated against witches (a negative influence; but an influence no less), this law took precedence over any common right.
