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Edited on Wed Oct-24-07 11:35 PM by icymist
in our Constitution and how it was argued. In an essay called Is America A 'Christian Nation'? on the 'Americans United for Separation of Church and State' web site I find: <snip> Maryland representative Luther Martin said that a handful of delegates to the Constitutional Convention argued for formal recognition of Christianity in the Constitution, insisting that such language was necessary in order to "hold out some distinction between the professors of Christianity and downright infidelity or paganism." But that view was not adopted, and the Constitution gave government no authority over religion. Article VI, which allows persons of all religious viewpoints to hold public office, was adopted by a unanimous vote. Through ratification of the First Amendment, observed Jefferson, the American people built a "wall of separation between church and state."
Some pastors who favored church-state union were outraged and delivered sermons asserting that the United States would not be a successful nation because its Constitution did not give special treatment to Christianity. But many others welcomed the new dawn of freedom and praised the Constitution and the First Amendment as true protectors of liberty.
Early national leaders understood that separation of church and state would be good for all faiths including Christianity. Jefferson rejoiced that Virginia had passed his religious freedom law, noting that it would ensure religious freedom for "the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mahometan, the Hindoo, the infidel of every denomination." Many of our founding fathers and greatest presidents such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, Abraham Lincoln, and James Madison were Deists. The often quoted economist and RW favorite Adam Smith is also on that list. RW neo-con Christian activists even go as far as to remove and add words to a dispatch Washington wrote in a letter as 'evidence' of his Christian piety:<snip> Phony George Washington Prayer
"George Washington's Prayer For The United States"
From a simple dispatch of official business was constructed a fabulous prayer that is used to this day as "evidence" of George Washington's Christian piety.
The interpolated words that are not from the Washington letter are in underlined bold red type.
The Alleged Prayer:
Almighty God, we make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep these United States in Thy holy protection, that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without an humble imitation of Whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
-- Engraved on a bronze tablet in St Paul's Chapel, Broadway and Vesey Streets, New York City, quoted from Franklin Steiner, The Religious Beliefs of Our Presidents, pp. 19-20
The final line is the language with which all prayers in the Episcopal Prayer Book end.
The words of the Washington letter that were removed from the Washington letter and interpolated by the prayer-maker are in underlined bold black type.
Actual Statement:
I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would have you, and the state over which you preside, in his holy protection; that he would incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow-citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the field; and finally, that he would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without an humble imitation of whose examples in these things, we can never hope to be a happy nation.
I have the honor to be, with much esteem and respect, sir, your Excellency's most obedient and most humble servant. -- G Washington.
-- George Washington, letter sent to the governors in 1783, urging them to quell anarchy and riots by alleviating distress and discontent, quoted from Ford's Writings of Washington, vol. x, p. 265, also quoted from Franklin Steiner, The Religious Beliefs of Our Presidents, pp. 19-20
The original letter is not in Washington's handwriting, but was penned by one of his secretaries, most of whom were allowed to make their own embellishments.Regardless of what these Christian activists believe, the USA is not a Christian nation nor was intended to be. The swift-boating of Democratic candidates by affiliation with other religions that right wingers are trying to portray as daemonic is an abomination (one of their words) of this country and all who have fought and died for her. |
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