tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3381224391260954323.post603029896666897042..comments2023-05-26T01:08:22.886-07:00Comments on The Religion Virus: Congressman Forbes: Another bogus claim that we're a "Christian Nation."Craig A. Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10569974341270668010noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3381224391260954323.post-89312605237115336552009-07-02T20:41:58.495-07:002009-07-02T20:41:58.495-07:00Made during the first session of the thirty third ...Made during the first session of the thirty third congress, the House Judiciary Committee concluded (1854): "Whereas, the people of these United States, from their earliest history to the present time, have been led by the hand of a kind Providence and are indebted for the countless blessings of the past and present, and dependent for continued prosperity in the future upon Almighty God; and whereas the great vital and conservative element in our system is the belief of our people in the pure doctrines and divine truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ, it eminently becomes the representatives of a people so highly favored to acknowledge in the most public manner their reverence for God: therefore, Resolved, That the daily sessions of this body be opened with prayer and that the ministers of the Gospel in this city are hereby requested to attend and alternately perform this solemn duty."<br /><br />The Senate Judiciary Committe also concluded (1853):The whole view of the petitioners seems founded upon mistaken conceptions of the meaning of the Constitution. . . . If [the use of chaplains] had been a violation of the Constitution, why was not its character seen by the great and good men who were coeval with the government, who were in Congress and in the Presidency when this constitutional amendment was adopted? They, if any one did, understood the true purport of the amendment, and were bound, by their duty and their oath, to resist the introduction or continuance of chaplains, if the views of the petitioners were correct. But they did no such thing; and therefore we have the strongest reason to suppose the notion of the petitioner to be unfounded. . . . They had no fear or jealousy of religion itself, nor did they wish to see us an irreligious people; they did not intend to prohibit a just expression of religious devotion by the legislators of the nation, even in their public character as legislators; they did not intend to spread over all the public authorities and the whole public action of the nation the dead and revolting spectacle of atheistical apathy."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3381224391260954323.post-3494958127276369962009-06-23T04:54:03.981-07:002009-06-23T04:54:03.981-07:00Mr. James...For all of your rhetorical God-given a...Mr. James...For all of your rhetorical God-given ability to öut-intellect" most of us, in God's sight we are all equal...The fact is that many of our "founding fathers" were God-fearing (Biblical translatio": in awe of God) is a strength not a weakness...A man/woman's freedom to choose their belief has come from His hand NOT our own...Ordinary men and women inspired by the word of God have done extraordinary things for this country even to the point of dying for it and what they believe in so that others may have the right to - Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, etc. and yes, even atheists...When it comes right down to it in the end, all of us will die some day and be held accountable to Him who gave us life to begin with...I will keep you, the nation, and the world in prayer, Mr. James and God Bless America.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3381224391260954323.post-27769624891884244042009-06-21T08:57:48.779-07:002009-06-21T08:57:48.779-07:00Desert Mariner, you are the one who doesn't kn...Desert Mariner, you are the one who doesn't know your history. The Treaty of Tripoli is just one of many, many documents that show, without a shadow of a doubt, that this country was founded with a secular government. Why do you pick on this one thing, and ignore the main question in my article? The key point is that we are a <i>secular nation</i> with a <i>Christian majority</i>. Why is it so hard for people like you to acknowledge this simple fact?<br /><br />Furthermore, your dismissal of the treaty as irrelevant is factually wrong. Read this analysis, by someone who has done a LOT more homework than you: <a href="http://www.stephenjaygould.org/ctrl/buckner_tripoli.html" rel="nofollow">Does the 1796-97 Treaty with Tripoli Matter to Church/State Separation?</a> by Dr. Ed Buckner.<br /><br />And your claim that the Barbary pirates enslaved three million "Christians" is absurd on the face of it, unless you want us to believe that by 1797, every person in Africa was a Christian. In 1860 — sixty years later — the <i>total</i> slave population in the United States was four million and that the Barbary Coast pirates were responsible for 100% of all slave traffic. The war on the Barbary pirates was mostly because they were capturing American ships and holding the sailors for ransom. It had nothing to do with Christians or slaves.<br /><br />By the way you should look up <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law" rel="nofollow">Godwin's Law of internet arguments</a>. You lost this argument automatically.Craig A. Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10569974341270668010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3381224391260954323.post-43361393029664536552009-06-20T12:05:53.682-07:002009-06-20T12:05:53.682-07:00So let's see... Out of the entire body of dec...So let's see... Out of the entire body of declarations, laws, treaties, policy statements, speeches, resolutions, periodicals, pamphlets, and letters that comprise the founding character of this nation, you manage to pull out ONE (1) passage out of an obscure minor treaty and use it to make the broad sweeping claim tht we are not a nation founded on Christian values and principles. <br /><br />The Treaty of Tripoli was signed in 1797 in a failed attempt to pacify the Barbary Coast pirates of Northern Africa who had forced an estimated 3 million Christians into slavery, and who were attacking American shipping and causing disruption to trade. The treaty was a pure and simple appeasement strategy and ransom payment that did NOT work. The treaty was broken by the Barbarys in 1801 with a declaration of war against the United States. The U.S. Navy and Marines attacked and defeated the pirates at Tripoli leading to a second treaty in 1805.<br /><br />Does this sound familiar? It should. Neville Chamberlain, Prime Minister of England attempted the same thing with Hitler and the treaty of Munch in 1938. While Neville declard "I believe it is peace for our time!", Hitler's Blitzkrieg rolled across Poland. <br /><br />The Tripoli Treaty was simply an appeasement strategy executed as an expedient to maintain trade. It was NOT a policy statement on the founding character of this nation. As a treaty, it was a failed instrument as all attempts to appease bullies do.<br /><br />Your argument is weak, very weak indeed, no matter how many times you care to repeat it.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00954601767387616341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3381224391260954323.post-38946886431253912512009-06-16T22:29:49.492-07:002009-06-16T22:29:49.492-07:00Anon - Actually, the facts prove otherwise. The w...Anon - Actually, the facts prove otherwise. The well being of nations goes up as their people discard the ancient myths collectively called religion. Measure any way you like – murder, overall crime, wars, wealth, mental health – and atheism is good for nations, religion is bad. Those are the facts.Craig A. Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10569974341270668010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3381224391260954323.post-48378411882248987992009-06-16T21:44:03.571-07:002009-06-16T21:44:03.571-07:00A nation that forgets God is headed for trouble. (...A nation that forgets God is headed for trouble. (Read Proverbs 14:34; 11:11,14; Psalm<br />9:15–17.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com