I found the above article yesterday. My initial reaction was to want to post another rant. I mean, how dare he? How dare he presume to tell Americans that the USA isn't a Christian country? Where does he get off doing that? Would I ever dare to do the same where I live? The nerve!
Fortunately, I decided to go to bed instead. This morning I got up to download yesterday's Issues, Etc. I had difficulty with my internet and decided to listen to Friday's episode while I worked on my cross stitch. It's a good thing I did. Dr. John Warwick Montgomery was the guest Friday. I enjoyed listening to him earlier in the week when he was speaking on Islam. He was asked if America is a Christian country. His answer? No, it's not.
Now before anyone reading this gets into a dither like the one I almost had after reading the article I linked to above, stop and think a minute. We are not a Christian country. The Constitution does not allow for an official religion. If we were a Christian country, we would have Christianity as an official religion. That is something the Founding Fathers would never accept. Our country was founded on the principal of freedom of religion. The thing they were most trying to avoid was any interference on the part of the government in their freedom to worship how they pleased. Yes, we've had our moments throughout our history where we've been less than willing to allow others to worship freely. But we generally accept the notion that everyone has the right to practice whatever religion they wish...or even no religion.
When I'm not summering somewhere, I live in a Muslim country. The laws of that country are mostly determined by the teachings of the Qur'an, Sharia, etc. We're not talking about a passing influence. Laws passed have to pass muster with the religious community. Everyone serving in government must be Muslim. There is a certain amount of freedom of religion there. There are churches permitted. There are temples for Hindus. As long as it's an established world religion, not some weird type of cult, you'll probably find it permitted. However, evangelizing is not permitted.
If the USA were a Christian country, in the sense that countries in the Gulf are Muslim countries, only Christians would be permitted to serve in government. Laws would have to pass muster with religious community. Even if there were a certain amount of religious freedom, there would still be control of what kind and how much.
I'm a Christian. I don't want to live in a Christian country. Why? What on earth is wrong with me? Absolutely nothing...that's not wrong with every other Christian, anyway. ;)
I'm a Lutheran. My beliefs are in keeping with the Scriptures and the doctrine of the Lutheran church. If the USA were a Christian country, how specific would it be? What kinds of Christians would be the "official" ones? Recognized mainstream churches? Would it just mean anyone claiming the name "Christian"? That would include Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, etc. What would be the official, government-approved religious teaching? Sound doctrine from one particular church (Lutheran, of course-LOL), or some watered-down drivel meant to try to satisfy all flavors of Christians (yeah, like that would ever actually work)?
Just as I don't want my children sitting through a religion class where they would be taught to pray to Allah and recognize Mohammad as the best thing since the invention of the wheel, I also don't want my children taught something that isn't agreement with what we believe disguised as "Christian". There are churches today that are actually blessing same-sex unions and ordaining openly gay and lesbian "clergy". Blech! They're twisting and abusing scripture all over the place to justify their vile positions. Do I want my children being taught government-sponsored propaganda under the guise of religious instruction in public schools? Even if they somehow managed to keep propaganda out of the religion classroom (like I believe that would ever happen), again what kind of tolerant drivel would it be? Would they have to be accepting of the Book of Mormon? They were baptized as infants. Would that be considered "good enough" or would they be required to be "rebaptized"? Would those who believe in "believer's baptism" be accepted or would they have to be baptized before they started kindergarten along with knowing the alphabet and counting to 10?
Now, having said all that, America is a Christian country in spirit. Christians are in the majority. When Christians (of any flavor) go to the polls, we vote based upon our morals and values. Where do we get those morals and values? Some get them from divorcing their faith from their political philosophies. So be it. Others get them from their faith. From reading the Scriptures and prayerfully considering their options at the polls. As long as that's the case, America will be a Christian country.
If you'd like to listen to Dr. Montgomery's interviews, follow the link below. Thursday the 3rd was the interview on Islam. Friday's is the one on "Is America A Christian Nation?" They're excellent.
7 comments:
Well initially I was upset by the beginning article, but the last one posted does bring everything into context. I think we are Christian in spirit as well especially since the military opens all ceremonies in prayer.
When I lived in Utah, a religious state anyway, my Communications 101 teacher told us to do a speech on a current controversial topic in the news. The most controversial topic right then was whether prayer should be allowed at high school graduations (there was an ACLU suit going on in Park City). My position was "no." I don't remember what I said, and I would like to think I was more diplomatic, but the god they were praying to was not necessarily the god of everyone there. Definitely wasn't my God. (and prayed to at my public university graduation where we gave an honorary doctorate to two high officials in the Mormon Church, including Gordon Hinkley...who became the next president and prophet).
Historically, while the Federal government was not to have an official religions, states could (official denominations, anyway). Part of this was to make sure that certain states didn't have privilege over others. South Carolina, for instance was Anglican, Maryland was Catholic, etc. The separation of church and state as we know it didn't come about until the 13th and 14th Amendments, where the Constitution then was proclaimed to have authority over the constitutions of other states on matters that it hadn't been given original authority over.(though I am glad that slavery was abolished, I wish it had been done in another way than changing the role that the Constitution had in relation to its states. We are constantly feeling the reprocussions from that one).
Actually, the founders did set the US up as a Christian country. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" All this refers to is that there was not to be a Church of the United States, like there was a Church of England.
The founders wanted Catholics and Lutherans, and Anglicans, etc. to all be able to be free to worship. But make no mistake, the US was founded on Jude-Christian beliefs and as a Christian nation.
You go, girl! I don't think that those who long for a "Christian country" are thinking it through. The reality is that we probably have more religious freedoms under the current structure than we would if we lived in a theocracy.
Hi, thank you so much for stopping by my blog and the lovely comments you left. I had a hard day at work and I feel so much better now! :)
I agree with this post. I used fight tooth and nail with anyone who used to say America was not a Christian nation, but lately I understand better and better what that means. It may have been founded on Judeo-Christian values, but that does not mean it is still a Christian nation like Kuwait is a Muslim nation.
Hi,
Thank you for stopping by my blog and the nice comment you made. I appreciate it. I've enjoyed stopping here and reading your posts. This one is a great one to get the mind thinking :)
Hi, I just want to correct something. First Kuwait has a civil law and a consitution, and Islamic law only practiced in Marriage and divorce. and Christians can serve in the Kuwaiti government The Kuwaiti Embassador to Switzerland is a Kuwaiti Christian and there are many Kuwaiti Christians who work in the government with high power positions.
Thanks
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