Contrary to the whining of many, the United States was not founded by Christians or on Christian principles. As close as any of the Founding Fathers came to Christianity was George Washington who was a non-practicing Episcopalian. For the most part they were Deists or Theists with a few outright non-believers.
Thomas Jefferson re-wrote the Bible leaving out all the references to miracles and mysticism. It was pretty thin when he was finished. Thomas Paine, among the most prolific authors among our founding fathers, wrote: ” I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church.”
The Treaty of Tripoli, signed and ratified in 1797 says in no uncertain terms that the United States is not a Christian Nation. Article 11 of that document says, “As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion . . . “
Article VI of the Constitution ends with “no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.â€
So what has our House of Representatives done? In only five days House Resolution 847 was introduced, debated and passed into law. It reads, in part:
Resolved, That the House of Representatives–
(1) recognizes the Christian faith as one of the great religions of the world;
(2) expresses continued support for Christians in the United States and worldwide;
(3) acknowledges the international religious and historical importance of Christmas and the Christian faith;
(4) acknowledges and supports the role played by Christians and Christianity in the founding of the United States and in the formation of the western civilization;
(5) rejects bigotry and persecution directed against Christians, both in the United States and worldwide; and
(6) expresses its deepest respect to American Christians and Christians throughout the world.
Bush vetoes SCHIP a second time and they spend their time passing this crap.
Sometimes I just feel like crying.
Andy Hailey