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Well, that would be why we have lower and higher courts to mediate such things, because someone always feels their rights are being damaged.
As historian John Fea notes, “If the Treaty of Tripoli is correct, and the United States was not ‘founded on the Christian religion,’ then someone forgot to tell the American people… The idea that the United States is a ‘Christian nation,’ has always been central to American identity.” But debate rages over whether the Founders were Deists and why the Constitution bears no mention of God.
Like today, the Founding elites were less spiritually pre-disposed than the overall populace. Then, as now, politicians appropriated Christian themes. Obama even invoked Jesus to support same-sex marriage. The Founders knew the talk too. But as Gregg Frazier illustrates, when Washington, Adams and Franklin appealed to Almighty God they didn’t necessarily mean Jehovah.
In The Religious Beliefs of America’s Founders, (which I’ve not yet read) Dr. Frazier suggests designations of Deist or Christian are too simple. He describes the primary beliefs of core Founders as “theistic rationalism.” Frazier notes, “They took elements of Christianity and elements of natural religion and then, using rationalism, they kept what they thought was reasonable, was rational, and rejected what they considered to be irrational.”
This hybrid, unlike Deism, per Frazier, developed a benevolent god who heard and answered prayers to impart justice. All thought Jesus a great moral philosopher, but many important Revolutionary leaders denied his Deity. But be clear, biblical Christianity isn’t mere morals. Dr. Mohler stresses, diluting the Gospel to “Christian values” won’t save perishing souls.
Was America Founded As A Christian Nation? - Forbes
in some ways, we are a christian nation
in other ways, we are not
less and less people attend church on a regular basis across our nation, but more and more people find spirituality a core part of their being
i myself do believe we are a christian nation in that we stand for principles, we believe in liberty, and we were formed as one nation under god
but that is just my two cents
True. As they should be.
Just as it remains to be the case and the process with the Indiana RAFA law and other RAFA laws.
Indeed. Of particular note will be if the SCOTUS rules on gay marriage, and how they rule if they do.
Regardless of the outcome of that decision, at least the 'rules of the road' will have been made clear, or at least more clear.
No worries.True, I wasn't finished with the post you quoted, sorry about that!
Indeed. Of particular note will be if the SCOTUS rules on gay marriage, and how they rule if they do. But I'm pretty sure, that just as the long road of suffrage for women ended up with them having equal rights as men, and the equally long (nay, longer) road for African Americans have delivered them very near equal rights with White Americans, whether Christians like it or they don't, the gay community will have equal rights with them.
No worries.
Seems to me that the gay marriage issue isn't so much about rights (who's preventing LGBT couples from forming a life long relationship?) but more about the label, where the traditional definition includes 'a man and a woman', and the LGBT community wants to redefine that term. That seems to be more a cultural issue than one of rights.
I have to say, this is actually a nice different take on the question...albiet probably by accident.
Normally the question is asked whether or not the US is a christian "NATION". That's actually, from a political science perspective, significantly different than asking if the US is a christian COUNTRY / STATE.
The answer to that question is an unequiviocable..."no".
The United States of America is not, nor ever has been a Christian COUNTRY. To claim such, it would require that it's governmental system is one that codifies and establishes Christianity in some clear cut fashion. It most certainly does not.
There is a legitimate argument to be made that in the time of it's founding, and in it's earliest of years, the United States of America was a Christian NATION, as that has nothing inherently to do with Government. The population was overwhelming Christian, the majority of christians were actively practicing followers of the faith, and the practice and tennets of Christainity was ingrained into the shared culture of the overwhelming majority of Americans.
In more recent years, the claim of it being a "christian nation" would be far more difficult. While stll largely Christian, it is not nearly to the same degree as the past. Similarly, the number of actual routinely practicing and devout members of the faith are significantly lower as well. As such, the tennets and practice of Christianity is not anywhere near as integral and recognizable part of our shared American culture. There's still an argument to be made in some fashions, but it is a far weaker argument than the one that can be made relating to the time of the founding and shortly after.
But in terms of "country", which speaks to the governmental system? Absolutely not. It is not a "christian" country.
Dictionary
1country
noun coun·try \ˈkən-trē\
: an area of land that is controlled by its own government
the country : the people who live in a country
: an area or region that has a particular quality or feature or is known for a particular activity.
i still say what the county gives everyone should be a civil union certificate....and everyone with one of those gets the exact same rights and privileges
and then, if you want to get "married", you go to your temple, church, mosque, etc, and have the religious ceremony performed....with no additional penalties or bonuses for the title married
everyone can say they are married.....everyone gets the same rights.....everyone is under the same laws
and the churches/religions still have their sacrosanct title to marriage to give to their parishioners
i dont know why this hasnt happened.....it is the most logical thing to make everyone happy.....
i still say what the county gives everyone should be a civil union certificate....and everyone with one of those gets the exact same rights and privileges
and then, if you want to get "married", you go to your temple, church, mosque, etc, and have the religious ceremony performed....with no additional penalties or bonuses for the title married
everyone can say they are married.....everyone gets the same rights.....everyone is under the same laws
and the churches/religions still have their sacrosanct title to marriage to give to their parishioners
i dont know why this hasnt happened.....it is the most logical thing to make everyone happy.....
I like that solution but I don't think homosexuals like it.
i still say what the county gives everyone should be a civil union certificate....and everyone with one of those gets the exact same rights and privileges
and then, if you want to get "married", you go to your temple, church, mosque, etc, and have the religious ceremony performed....with no additional penalties or bonuses for the title married
everyone can say they are married.....everyone gets the same rights.....everyone is under the same laws
and the churches/religions still have their sacrosanct title to marriage to give to their parishioners
i dont know why this hasnt happened.....it is the most logical thing to make everyone happy.....
It seems to me ya'll are the ones hung up on a word.
Quite right... this issue has been debated to death on DP going back to 2010.:beatdeadhorse
Is the US a Christian country
Yes- Why
No - Why
Avalon Project - The Barbary Treaties 1786-1816 - Treaty of Peace and Friendship, Signed at Tripoli November 4, 1796
Was America Founded As A Christian Nation? - Forbes
ARTICLE 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 tranquility of Musselmen,-and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan 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.
That's perfectly reasonable If you mean "breeders" when you say "y'all" since "breeders" created the institution and the word. So, yeah, they're also "hung up" on what it means and don't necessarily accept that homosexuals are the final authority on what it means just because they pretend that they are.
Semantics.
No worries.
Seems to me that the gay marriage issue isn't so much about rights (who's preventing LGBT couples from forming a life long relationship?) but more about the label, where the traditional definition includes 'a man and a woman', and the LGBT community wants to redefine that term. That seems to be more a cultural issue than one of rights.
i still say what the county gives everyone should be a civil union certificate....and everyone with one of those gets the exact same rights and privileges
and then, if you want to get "married", you go to your temple, church, mosque, etc, and have the religious ceremony performed....with no additional penalties or bonuses for the title married
everyone can say they are married.....everyone gets the same rights.....everyone is under the same laws
and the churches/religions still have their sacrosanct title to marriage to give to their parishioners
i dont know why this hasnt happened.....it is the most logical thing to make everyone happy.....
I like that solution but I don't think homosexuals like it.
The US is a country with lots of Christians in it. That doesn't make it a "Christian nation."
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