U.S.A - A Nation Founded on Christian Faith (Jesus Christ, ritual)

[true blood]

Many of the British North American colonies that eventually formed the United States of America were settled in the seventeenth century by men and women, who, in the face of European persecution, refused to compromise passionately held religious convictions and fled Europe. The New England colonies, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland were conceived and established "as plantations of religion." Some settlers who arrived in these areas came for secular motives--"to catch fish" as one New Englander put it--but the great majority left Europe to worship God in the way they believed to be correct. They enthusiastically supported the efforts of their leaders to create "a city on a hill" or a "holy experiment," whose success would prove that God's plan for his churches could be successfully realized in the American wilderness. Even colonies like Virginia, which were planned as commercial ventures, were led by entrepreneurs who considered themselves "militant Protestants" and who worked diligently to promote the prosperity of the church.


The Continental-Confederation Congress, a legislative body that governed the United States from 1774 to 1789, contained an extraordinary number of deeply religious men. The amount of energy that Congress invested in encouraging the practice of religion in the new nation exceeded that expended by any subsequent American national government. Although the Articles of Confederation did not officially authorize Congress to concern itself with religion, the citizenry did not object to such activities. This lack of objection suggests that both the legislators and the public considered it appropriate for the national government to promote a nondenominational, nonpolemical Christianity.

Congress appointed chaplains for itself and the armed forces, sponsored the publication of a Bible, imposed Christian morality on the armed forces, and granted public lands to promote Christianity among the Indians. National days of thanksgiving and of "humiliation, fasting, and prayer" were proclaimed by Congress at least twice a year throughout the war. Congress was guided by "covenant theology," a Reformation doctrine especially dear to New England Puritans, which held that God bound himself in an agreement with a nation and its people. This agreement stipulated that they "should be prosperous or afflicted, according as their general Obedience or Disobedience thereto appears." Wars and revolutions were, accordingly, considered afflictions, as divine punishments for sin, from which a nation could rescue itself by repentance and reformation.

The first national government of the United States, was convinced that the "public prosperity" of a society depended on the vitality of its religion. Nothing less than a "spirit of universal reformation among all ranks and degrees of our citizens," Congress declared to the American people, would "make us a holy, that so we may be a happy people."

Congressional Fast Day Proclamation
Congress proclaimed days of fasting and of thanksgiving annually throughout the Revolutionary War. This proclamation by Congress set May 17, 1776, as a "day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer" throughout the colonies. Congress urges its fellow citizens to "confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions, and by a sincere repentance and amendment of life, appease his [God's] righteous displeasure, and through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, obtain his pardon and forgiveness." Massachusetts ordered a "suitable Number" of these proclamations be printed so "that each of the religious Assemblies in this Colony, may be furnished with a Copy of the same" and added the motto "God Save This People" as a substitute for "God Save the King."

Congressional Thanksgiving Day Proclamation
Congress set December 18, 1777, as a day of thanksgiving on which the American people "may express the grateful feelings of their hearts and consecrate themselves to the service of their divine benefactor" and on which they might "join the penitent confession of their manifold sins . . . that it may please God, through the merits of Jesus Christ, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of remembrance." Congress also recommends that Americans petition God "to prosper the means of religion for the promotion and enlargement of that kingdom which consisteth in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.'"

Another Thanksgiving Day Proclamation
Congress set November 28, 1782, as a day of thanksgiving on which Americans were "to testify their gratitude to God for his goodness, by a cheerful obedience to his laws, and by promoting, each in his station, and by his influence, the practice of true and undefiled religion, which is the great foundation of public prosperity and national happiness."

Morality in the Army
Congress was apprehensive about the moral condition of the American army and navy and took steps to see that Christian morality prevailed in both organizations. In the Articles of War, seen below, governing the conduct of the Continental Army (seen above) (adopted, June 30, 1775; revised, September 20, 1776), Congress devoted three of the four articles in the first section to the religious nurture of the troops. Article 2 "earnestly recommended to all officers and soldiers to attend divine services." Punishment was prescribed for those who behaved "indecently or irreverently" in churches, including courts-martial, fines and imprisonments. Chaplains who deserted their troops were to be court-martialed.

Settling the West
In the spring of 1785 Congress debated regulations for settling the new western lands--stretching from the Alleghenies to the Mississippi--acquired from Great Britain in the Peace Treaty of 1783. It was proposed that the central section in each newly laid out township be reserved for the support of schools and "the Section immediately adjoining the same to the northward, for the support of religion. The profits arising there from in both instances, to be applied for ever according to the will of the majority." The proposal to establish religion in the traditional sense of granting state financial support to a church to be controlled by one denomination attracted support but was ultimately voted down.

[Bright-ness' Shadow]

Tell me, true blood why all these religious men crafted a Godless Constitution and prohibit a politcal test of faith.

Tell us why they choose common law over God's law?

-pah-

[Bright-ness' Shadow]

Originally Posted by SOGFPP

I do feel that the doctrine of religious freedom (free from state support and control) was largely influenced by those Colonists who were fleeing from religious persecution in England (by another group of "Christians" if I remember correctly)........ but to call the country a Christian nation sounds silly to me.

I don't really know about the other colonies, Scott, but I do know about Plymouth. Unlike a "johnny-come-lately" with Madison as an ancestor, I have three ancestaral lines to the Mayflower. The Pilgrims were the most tyranical religious fantatics the US has ever known - they are further right than the Religious Right. Rhode Island and Connecticutt were initially settled by colonists the Pilgrims had banished from Plymouth Colony for being either more religious than they or had less faith or practise. This group was abborant, unlike any other group in this nations history From this group sprung, to the shame of Christianity and still an ugly blot today, the only locality in the US to persecute witches.

Why anyone would claim the Mayflower Compact as a model of American Christianity is beyound me.

-pah-

As a Christian and a veteran of three armed conflicts on behalf of the USA (Panama, Iraq, and Somalia) I can tell you that I would take up arms and fight for the United States of America today and any day.........

......... I would not fight for the Christian States of America...... it goes against the freedom that millions have fought and died for.

"....... and Justice for all."

Peace,
Scott

[true blood]

Originally Posted by pah

Tell me, true blood why all these religious men crafted a Godless Constitution and prohibit a politcal test of faith.

Tell us why they choose common law over God's law?

-pah-

God's law? What do you mean by this? Jesus Christ was the END of the "God's law". I really don't think you know what Christianity is. God's law only pertained to Israel. Jesus Christ, their Messiah, came to fullfill God's law and he did and doing so ENDED it. Understand? Faith in Jesus Christ is now "God's law".

[true blood]

Scott, If you were in the U.S. military you would go fight, not because of your "beliefs" in what your fighting for. But rather because, the Commander-in-Chief ordered you to.

[painted wolf]

-Faith in Jesus Christ is now "God's law"-

tell that to a jew

and blindly following orders is how things like the prison-torture evil happin. "I was just following orders." is no excuse for an evil act.

anyway, back on topic... I would just like to point out (once again) that the constitution was based in a large part on the Iriquois great law, and thus the whole based on christian principles is flawed as the Iriquois were certenly not christian.
it is also based on the Anchient Roman government wich also was not christian...
The third influance was the Magna Carta, wich incidently was also not a religious document but a set of civil laws to crontrol the power of the monarchy.

There is no biblical law within the constitution.

wa:do

[Fra.Morelia]

Speaking as a Marine, what I think Scott was saying was that he would pick up his weapon and go fight again... seemed obvious to me. He was saying if required he would fight for his peoples country not your twisted dystopian ideal of a nation. he seemed to be speaking for himself as a free man... what this nation made him.
The fact that the majority of our founding fathers were Deists is well documented. To issue a prayer to God does not prove they were christian. The prayer you cited repeatedly had no reference to Christ. Hellfire man, it could be used to make an argument that this was a muslim nation. Bah. Beat it to fit, paint it to match. That how you handle things that don't settle well with your 'vision'?

[true blood]

There is very little proof that our founding fathers were not Chrisitan Deist. George Washington was for many years a vestryman at Truro Parish, his local Episcopal Church. I'd like to see these "well documented" proofs you speak of. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison were in fact less hospitable to religion than Washtington as am I, religion is nothing more then a crutch, a popularity contest but evidence supports that they held very powerful support in a "true single religion" or a "Christian Diest" as was Jefferson. There are far too many references to Jesus Christ in early speeches, writings, journals, etc.. that were written by their own hand and/or out of their own mouths. I'd rather reason by their own words instead of "buying" what you say, or what some modern text book claims. I have enough reading comprehension to do so, as you should too. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson kept their own journals and when they make mention of "God, in the name of Jesus Christ", it doesn't take an intellect to know they were Christians. You claim they're Deist or that it could be argued they're Muslim. That is nothing more then Ignorance. The fact that Congress held prayer every morning during the drafting, and these prayers are also documented and likewise address God, in the name of Jesus Christ, to help draft the documents shaping the Government of this Nation. This is founding a nation on a Christian Faith by their belief that God, in the name of Jesus Christ, would help them each day while drafting the documents. Christianty isn't about the 10 commandments, it isn't about the Sermon on the Mount, it isn't about many of the things you label christianity to be. Christianity is about living as Jesus Christ lived, loving others as Jesus Christ did, its about equality, the rights and freedoms all people and that these are inalienable. The proof that this nation is founded on the principles of Jesus Christ is clearly evident even in the artwork of that time period. Its amazing how people will twist truth and spin it, especially among Athiest and those among self proclaimed denominations, example catholics. To do Justice, to lover mercy, to demean ourselves with charity, humility and temper of mind. These are the very characteristics of being a real christian.

My apologies to Scott. I just didn't seem how your opinon on what you find reasonable to fight for had anything to do with this thread. May I remind you, our Revolutions were based on "religion"

[Bright-ness' Shadow]

Originally Posted by true blood

God's law? What do you mean by this? Jesus Christ was the END of the "God's law". I really don't think you know what Christianity is. God's law only pertained to Israel. Jesus Christ, their Messiah, came to fullfill God's law and he did and doing so ENDED it. Understand? Faith in Jesus Christ is now "God's law".

Please tell your fine Christians friends, if they reject God's words in the Old Testament, they must also reject the story of creation and the reason for Christianity.

You can't pick and chose, true blood. It's there in your bible, the bible Christianity approved. Either it all stays and is relevant to today's Christianity or none of it stays. I'll hear none of this "matter of convienence", please

Now, answer why they chose common law - you seem to have forgot the most important point of my post

-pah-

[Bright-ness' Shadow]

Originally Posted by true blood

Scott, If you were in the U.S. military you would go fight, not because of your "beliefs" in what your fighting for. But rather because, the Commander-in-Chief ordered you to.

I have news for you, true blood. I retired from the military after 20 years of service to my country. I have no obligation to follow any commander-in-chief. But, and know this well, there are certain times, when if theocracy rears its ugly head in any credible or real way, I would take to the streets my weapons and the promise of my life to defeat it.

-pah-