Is America Truly a Godly or Christian Nation ?
Well let’s see: Our nation’s most popular holiday is “Christ”mas and “ThanksGiving…to GOD”, is in the top 3. Both are national holidays. Government is shut down and so are schools. Churches are everywhere in our communities and are overwhelmingly Christian. The State Constitutions are full of religious references – all of them. The Pilgrims and many of our original colonists were devout Christians.
To say that all of our nation’s people are christians or that all our nation’s Founders were orthodox Christians is surely false. However, what is very apparent to anyone who begins a study on the subject is that, “The United States has a Christian Culture. Our Institutions were founded on Christian Principles and the primary religion in our nation is without a doubt Christian!”
To say that all of our nation’s people are christians or that all our nation’s Founders were orthodox Christians is surely false. However, what is very apparent to anyone who begins a study on the subject is that, “The United States has a Christian Culture. Our Institutions were founded on Christian Principles and the primary religion in our nation is without a doubt Christian!”
As an introduction, here is YouTube Playlist of a number of videos addressing the subject. Playlist thumbnails appear after you start the video and hit the center-most knob at the bottom.
Let's Begin Our Investigation...
The question of our Nation’s Christian Heritage can most easily be answered by looking at the Constitutions, Founding, Educational and Religious institutions of the individual states. The Federal Constitution has limited references to GOD whereas each and every State had more, and some even started as “Christian Theocracies” where tax-payer funds were raised to pay “Christian Members of the Clergy”, a practice that continued even into the 1800′s.
References in The U.S. Constitution
Many have declared that the U.S. Constitution was intended to be a "Secular Document" drafted by The "American Founders of Enlightenment and Reason". It's true there are few Christian References so let's take a look at them:
Why so few references when the State Constitutions such as Massachusetts, had so many? Perhaps there was a concern with getting the states to ratify the document and since different Christian Sects dominated each state, perhaps the intention was to place the question of religion into the hands of the individual states which can clearly be seen in the language of the First Amendment..
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise there of."
References in The U.S. Constitution
Many have declared that the U.S. Constitution was intended to be a "Secular Document" drafted by The "American Founders of Enlightenment and Reason". It's true there are few Christian References so let's take a look at them:
- In the Preamble or Introduction to the document, the phrase,"Secure the Blessings of Liberty To ourselves and our Posterity..." is reaching out to God Almighty to help our nation preserve freedom for our people and descendants. When I read this I think of Thomas Jefferson who said," “GOD who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these “Liberties are of the “Gift of GOD”?"
- Article I. Section 7. ...If any bill shall not be returned by the President within ten days ( Sundays Excepted ) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be law... The Constitution gives the President "Sunday off" which just happens to be the Christian Sabath.
- The Constitution's final paragraph includes," Done by the Unanimous Consent of the States present,"The Seventeenth Day of September in the "Year Of Our Lord" one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven..........This is without question referring to Jesus Christ....
Why so few references when the State Constitutions such as Massachusetts, had so many? Perhaps there was a concern with getting the states to ratify the document and since different Christian Sects dominated each state, perhaps the intention was to place the question of religion into the hands of the individual states which can clearly be seen in the language of the First Amendment..
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise there of."
Let’s Examine the States Beginning with The Commonwealth of Massachusetts…..and parts of New England….
Massachusetts had it’s beginning in Plymouth as Christian Separatists settled in 1620. These Pilgrims drafted what some consider to be the first Constitution in the New World. This Mayflower Compact made it clear that their intentions were to “Advance The Christian Faith”. Let’s take a look at some of the actual text:
“In the Name of God, Amen.” We whose names are under-written, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King James, “By the Grace of God”, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, “Defender of the Faith,” etc. ……........
"Having undertaken, “For the Glory of God”, and “Advancement of the Christian Faith, and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually, “In the Presence of God” and one of another."
Near the turn of that decade, Puritan ( "Purify The Church" ) Settlements were established in Salem and later Massachusetts Bay Colony just south by John Winthrop who had intended to establish a community that would be a "Model of Christian Charity"..... like a "City Upon a Hill" with "All the Eyes of the People On Us"..
They later established the First Christian College in America at Cambridge named after Rev. John Harvard. It was funded by the colony on October 28, 1636 by The General Court of Mass. and this can clearly be seen today inscribed on the left-handed side of the Mass. ave entrance wall into the main College campus. See It below:
“In the Name of God, Amen.” We whose names are under-written, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King James, “By the Grace of God”, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, “Defender of the Faith,” etc. ……........
"Having undertaken, “For the Glory of God”, and “Advancement of the Christian Faith, and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually, “In the Presence of God” and one of another."
Near the turn of that decade, Puritan ( "Purify The Church" ) Settlements were established in Salem and later Massachusetts Bay Colony just south by John Winthrop who had intended to establish a community that would be a "Model of Christian Charity"..... like a "City Upon a Hill" with "All the Eyes of the People On Us"..
They later established the First Christian College in America at Cambridge named after Rev. John Harvard. It was funded by the colony on October 28, 1636 by The General Court of Mass. and this can clearly be seen today inscribed on the left-handed side of the Mass. ave entrance wall into the main College campus. See It below:
Why was Harvard College established! You can read about it in the oldest printed account of Harvard College that's still in existence today dated September 26, 1642, called:
“New England’s First Fruits……”
“AFTER GOD had carried us safe to New England, and we had built our houses, provided necessaries for our Iivelihood, reared convenient places for God’s worship, and settled the Civil Government: One of the next things we longed for, and looked after was to advance learning, and perpetuate it to posterity, dreading to leave an illiterate ministry to the churches, when our present ministers shall lie in the dust.”…..
This also is inscribed on the wall into the main entrance of the Harvard Campus, on the right side, which clearly and without question gives the true intention of Harvard College:
“New England’s First Fruits……”
“AFTER GOD had carried us safe to New England, and we had built our houses, provided necessaries for our Iivelihood, reared convenient places for God’s worship, and settled the Civil Government: One of the next things we longed for, and looked after was to advance learning, and perpetuate it to posterity, dreading to leave an illiterate ministry to the churches, when our present ministers shall lie in the dust.”…..
This also is inscribed on the wall into the main entrance of the Harvard Campus, on the right side, which clearly and without question gives the true intention of Harvard College:
Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae
“Truth For Christ and the Church”
1692 Motto and Shield of Harvard College
“Truth For Christ and the Church”
1692 Motto and Shield of Harvard College