Christian Nation?

Is the US a Christian nation? The short answer is no.

Here are the basic facts:

The Constitution forbids the establishment of a state religion

The Treaty of Tripoli, article 11, signed, 1796 states “…the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion.” Although there is some controversy about the Arabic version of the text, that wording was unanimously ratified by Congress.

A whole lot of people disagree, but the facts are against them. The founders of our nation had just won a war against a religious regime and wanted everyone in the new nation to have the same religious freedom that they had won for themselves, so they set up a secular state.

Here’s a summary of a long article from CNN.

“The question of whether America was founded as a Christian nation has been debated since its founding, with scholars offering various perspectives. Amanda Porterfield argues that early American colonists lived under Christian rule, but after independence, champions of liberty celebrated religious and political freedom. Figures like Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson distanced themselves from religious authority, advocating for religious freedom and secular governance. Steven K. Green asserts that the Founding Fathers were influenced by Enlightenment ideas, creating a secular government that deliberately separated religion from state affairs, as evidenced by the Constitution and the Treaty of Tripoli. Kevin M. Kruse emphasizes that, while the U.S. was demographically Christian, the founders did not establish a Christian nation.”

During the “Red Scare,” when people were afraid that “Godless Communism” might take over the world, a religious motto was added onto our money and “God” was inserted into our pledge of allegiance.

A national prayer breakfast was also instituted at about that time.

None of that makes any change to the rights or responsibilities of the people or the government.

The nation is still secular. No religion has priority over any other.

It’s ironic that people who believe in the tolerance and empathy of Jesus’ Good Samaritan and in the neighborly love of Judaeo-Christian tradition should claim special privileges for themselves.