if our nation wasn't founded on Christian principle, then what of these utterances?

Question

"We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind of self-government; upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."
- James Madison

“I will avow that I believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.”
- John Adams

“Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine our selves together…”
- Mayflower Compact

"Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged."
- Northwest Ordinance

“O Most Glorious God, in Jesus Christ, my merciful and loving Father; I acknowledge and confess my guilt in the weak and imperfect performance of the duties of this day. I have called on Thee for pardon and forgiveness of my sins, but so coldly and carelessly that my prayers are become my sin, and they stand in need of pardon.”
- George Washington

Answer 1

so if they spoke differently in the open as they did in private then they were all hypocrites along with slave owners, what a bunch of great people to look up to your founding bumblers

Answer 2

Of the 56 Singers of the Declaration of Independence only three or four were not Christians:



Tom Jefferson, Ben Franklin and Tom Paine.



John Adams was a Christian in 1776, but later converted to Unitarian because he did not believe in the Trinity.



29 were seminary graduates



24 were pastors



http://churchvstate.blogspot.com/2007/10/signers-of-declaration-of-independence.html



http://www.wallbuilders.com/



Edit: The truth about the Treaty of Tripoli:



http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=125

Answer 3

Wake up. Politicians publicly say whatever they need to say to get elected, like Gov. Sanford and Sen. Ensign being all "Promise Keepers" publicly when in fact they are serial adulterers.



If you read the private correspondence between Jefferson and John Adams you might get a different view. Correspondence on the subject of religion between Adams and Jefferson may be read below.



And may I just say I don't give a damn what the intentions of white slave owners were in the early days of the renaissance when they were deists and not Christians in the evangelical "born again" sense. We've been to the moon since. Try to keep up.

Answer 4

Wow! So much misunderstanding.



Yes, it's true, the United States Constitution does not mention God, Jesus or the bible. Now read its preamble very carefully.



We the People of the United States ... do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United Sates of America.



Now ask yourself a question. Two questions. Who or what is the "United States." And who or what is the "United States of America."



Is this a mistake? Intentional? Are they the same entity or two totally different entities?



We began as colonies which became states. Each had its own constitution and many of them made reference to God, Jesus and the bible. The states were established as Christian communities.



These later became the united States of America, a Union, not a nation or country. Each state was and still is a separate nation-state with its own government.



The United States is the Federal government of Washington DC. It's wholly secular. You might say "ungodly."



There are three separate lawful jurisdictions we live under. And we chose the jurisdiction based on our actions.



The first is God's Law – the bible. You are born under God's Law as a matter of right. You are born on the land or soil. (Nations and states are political territories.) You stand on soil, not the State of __________.



The next is state law under a state constitution. You live under state law when you declare yourself, by word or by deed, to be a state citizen.



The final is Federal law (also State Law [note the capital "S"]). You live under Federal (statute) law when your parents volunteer to have a birth certificate issued in your name, you volunteer for Social Security, you volunteer for a myriad of licenses from driver's to marriage to occupational, you register for any number of Federal or State benefits including public school, unemployment compensation, even voting.



Here's the bottom line ...



You could have been a man on the land, a sojourner like Abraham, subjecting yourself only to the Laws of God and living with all your inherent freedoms.



You could have (as almost everyone once did) been a state citizen subjecting yourself to the body politic and its interpretation of God's Law living with most of your inherent freedoms and some state granted privileges.



You most likely have become a Federal and State citizen subjecting yourself to the statutes at large and living with almost no inherent freedoms and many state granted privileges.



We began as a federation of Christian nation-states. Today we are a pagan nation.

Answer 5

Then why didn't they make that clear in the Constitution? Why didn't they mention Jesus or Christianity in the Constitution? Why did they put in the clause about government not respecting an establishment of religion? If they felt the way you infer, why didn't they just say that the government is founded on the Christian religion?



Edit: Okay, then....what's your point? If they were open to the freedom of worship and refused the tyranny they just revolted against, then what difference would it make whether they were Christians or not?

Answer 6

is the true character of someone based upon what is said in public, or on their private, inner most discussions and philosophies?



read the private letters of those men, and you will see an entirely different side.



Edit In Response:

"it doesn't matter public or personal, their hand was in the framework."



So, a priest's private matters involving alter boys means that he is still a "good christian" correct? using your idea of "private or not, doesn't matter."



Mayflower Compact written in 1620. Well, seeing how this nation didn't declare its independance until 1776..... The Mayflower Compact is for the colony of Plymouth, NOT the United States of America.



Northwest Ordinance: "Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged."

That says "Christian" where?

Answer 7

Two of my favorites from George Washington:



"Let no man call himself a true American if he ever attempts to remove religion from politics."



"It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible."



From John Adams:

"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people."

Answer 8

I have examined all of the known superstitions of the world and I do not find in our superstitions of Christianity one redeeming feature. They are all founded on fables and mythology. Christianity has made one half the world fools and the other half hypocrites. - Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)



"If people let government decide which foods they eat and medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny." -- Thomas Jefferson



Christianity is the most perverted system that ever shone on man. -Thomas Jefferson

Answer 9

Our founding fathers themselves thought that they were founding a new nation on a new set of democratic principles rooted in Biblical moral principles and guidelines.



What we think these days is irrelevant. We have no authority to change what they thought, wrote or did.



That's the part of history that really sucks for liberals and atheists. Once an historical event takes place, not even God can change it. Thinking that you can is a fundamental part of many delusions suffered by haters of all stripes.

Answer 10

The Founding Fathers believed in God, but the Constitution guarantees separation of church and state.



EDIT: The first amendment is part of the Constitution.

Answer 11

You forgot Jefferson quotes. He was a hardcore doubter. Might I mention he wrote the words "separation of church and State"

Answer 12

These utterances don't form the basis of the government of the US. The Constitution does. How many times does it refer to Jesus or the Bible?

Answer 13

Name one uniquely Xtian principle that the US was founded on.



edit: liberty is neither uniquely, nor even particularly, a Xtian principle.

Answer 14

We gave you a republic but can you keep it..

Benny Franklin



Interesting question in today's, The Obama environment,,,

Answer 15

@ wild sage - no, the constitution doesn't say word one about that. the 1st amendment states there will be no state controlled church.

Answer 16

Even if that would have been true... Welcome to "modern times," where man's knowledge is growing, and man's faith is fading.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T27kB4BjbEg

(Safe Link.)

Answer 17

that is how our nation was founded. sadly it is being destroyed by those who think they have freed themselves by not believing in God.

Answer 18

fweep`