This Land is God’s Land
I don’t think a single one of us hasn’t heard someone say, “America is a Christian nation!” It’s usually in response to a court room taking the 10 Commandments down, or removing “under God” from the pledge of allegiance.
Consistently, throughout history “Christian nations” have murdered, massacred, enslaved, mislead–failed.
But yet, we keep holding to this ideal as if it’s what’s going to reach people for Christ, when it’s doing the very opposite. Our “Christian” nation is all over the place, not necessarily responding to situations as Jesus would have. Our “Christians” demonize those God has placed in leadership over us, judging, blaming… How do people reconcile these things?
In their book Jesus Wants to Save Christians: A Manifesto for the Church in Exile Rob Bell and Don Golden state: “A Christian should get very nervous when the flag and the Bible start holding hands. This is not a romance we want to encourage.”
Why are we so married to this idea? America is a melting pot for ideas, cultures, religions, and the Constitution has clearly separated church from state. So what gives?
More importantly, why do we want this?
What do you think?
Let's not forget that the constitution says that we are "endowed by our Creator", which assumes a higher power. The founding fathers were concerned with freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion. There's a difference.
i just read the constitution of the united states of america and the phrase 'endowed by our creator' does not appear. in fact, the only reference to religion in the constitution is the first amendment, which states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…"
and i would argue that freedom of religion and freedom from religion are basically the same thing. not believing is pretty similar to believing when you get right down to it.
It's all faith in one fashion or another.
As I recall, Thomas Jefferson proposed separation of church and state to protect the church, not the state. I do see the benefits of it for the state, though, because if the state marries itself to the church, it will end up violating the right to freedom of religion.
From another standpoint, um … whether America has ever been a Christian nation, I won't look into. The fact is, it isn't one now, and it never will be again (if it ever was.) Quite frankly, I don't want to see the Ten Commandments corrupted by putting them up in a courtroom in a nation where money is god. I'd hazard to say that the United States has many gods, and I'm not sure if Jesus is one of them.
The whole concept of 'christian nation' has me so confused I'm not even sure what to write here … because from what I understand Jesus is a friend to individuals, IF they choose. He's doesn't force belief in himself … so how can anyone force a nation of people to any one thing?
I do think that when the constitution was written, freedom of Religion did not mean that Christian values were to be kept at arms distance.
Christian values were also not meant to be embraced. the whole point of that part of the 1st amendment is to make sure the government doesn't favor one group over another.
not that it worked very well, but you can thank corporations for that and not churches.