CHRISTIAN NATION? Well, at Least America Was Founded as One, Pt. 1
by James Rogers
Clash Daily Contributor
America is not a Christian nation? That may well be true in this day and age but to misquote or re-write the actual history of the United States is more deplorable to me. To state with absolute certainty that our Founding Fathers were either Atheists or Deists is a complete re-write of our history. Consider if you will this following brief history.
The only dissenter toward religion in the United States during the writing of the Declaration was Thomas Paine, a Deist who criticized the Bible and the church in his writings called Age of Reason.
Atheists today use a lot of his terminology against religion, probably without even realizing it. It does seem that the more educated people are, the more “common sense” is the rule to follow. Two of the “common sense” rules I have heard quoted are that it is impossible for a “virgin to give birth and a Savior cannot possibly rise from the dead.”
Putting Thomas Paine aside, let’s look at the Founding Fathers.
Patrick Henry is not quoted properly or at least completely in our present day school texts if he is quoted at all. “Give me liberty or give me death” is not all that he said nor why! Patrick Henry, who is called the firebrand of the American Revolution, may still be remembered for those seven words but his complete statement is:
An appeal to arms and the God of hosts is all that is left us. But we shall not fight our battle alone. There is a just God that presides over the destinies of nations. The battle sir, is not to the strong alone. Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death.
52 of the 55 signers of the Declaration of Independence were orthodox, deeply-committed Christians? The other three all believed in the Bible as the divine truth of God and His personal intervention. This was that same Congress that formed the American Bible Society. Immediately after creating the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress voted to purchase and import 20,000 copies of scripture for the people of this nation.
In 1776, Patrick Henry wrote this:
“It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great Nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religious, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded freedom of worship here.”
Consider these words Thomas Jefferson wrote on the front of his well-worn Bible:
“I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus. I have little doubt that our whole country will soon be rallied to the unity of our Creator and, I hope, to the pure doctrine of Jesus also.”
George Washington, the Father of our Nation, in his farewell address on September 19, 1796:
It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible. Of all the dispositions and habits that lead to political prosperity, our religion and morality are the indispensable supporters. Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that our national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.
And these words from his personal prayer book:
Oh, eternal and everlasting God, direct my thoughts, words and work. Wash away my sins in the immaculate blood of the lamb and purge my heart by thy Holy Spirit. Daily, frame me more and more in the likeness of thy son, Jesus Christ, that living in thy fear, and dying in thy favor, I may in thy appointed time obtain the resurrection of the justified unto eternal life. Bless, O Lord, the whole race of mankind and let the world be filled with the knowledge of thee and thy son, Jesus Christ.
John Adams, was our second president, who also served as chairman of the American Bible Society. In an address to military leaders he said:
“We have no government armed with the power capable of contending with human passions, unbridled by morality and true religion. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
How about our first Supreme Court Justice, John Jay when he stated that when we select our national leaders, if we are to preserve our Nation, we must select Christians:
“Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian Nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.”
John Quincy Adams, was son of John Adams, the sixth U.S. President, also chairman of the American Bible Society which he considered his highest and most important role. On July 4, 1821, President Adams said:
“The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.” … To be continued …
Image: http://cronkitenewsonline.com/2013/12/like-nation-congress-grows-more-religiously-diverse-but-frictions-remain/
Image: James Rogers is retired from 37 years of Newspaper/printing and publishing and has written and edited a lot of copy during those decades. He currently blogs and writes short stories for his entertainment and to keep his mind sharp.
