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- Protestant 51.3%,
- Roman Catholic 23.9%,
- Mormon 1.7%,
- other Christian 1.6%,
- Jewish 1.7%,
- Buddhist 0.7%,
- Muslim 0.6%,
- other or unspecified 2.5%,
- unaffiliated 12.1%,
- none 4%
(2007 est.)
So, call it whatever you want. Most Americans categorize themselves as Christians, but to fight over whether or not that makes US a "Christian country" is just a battle over definitions.
I really don't know about that. The Muslims pray to Allah and the Hebrews pray to Jehovah and a myriad of other names. Some people believe that there is a strong resemblance in the god of the three religions but I think that only the Christians call their deity, God. I could be wrong though.
Did you read the various ways that the states said the words around God? I don't think that you find that kind of wording in either Hebrew or Muslim words.
You believers need to decide among yourselves about this god thing you keep talking about. Come to some kind of rational understanding and agreement, please.
We atheists, in the meantime, remain very dubious about your god-claims.
You believers need to decide among yourselves about this god thing you keep talking about. Come to some kind of rational understanding and agreement, please.
We atheists, in the meantime, remain very dubious about your god-claims.
He is not making any claims, he is just using this in conjunction with word twisting to attack the president.
Technicality yes they do but call Him something different. I know Muslims even believe in Jesus and see Him as a religious profit as do the Jews I believe the only real difference is that Christians believe He was the son of God.
And that's the difference that matters. The whole point is that God came to earth and became the perfect sacrifice for sin, fulfilling all of the law. That someone believes that Jesus was a prophet is of no consequence.
- Protestant 51.3%,
- Roman Catholic 23.9%,
- Mormon 1.7%,
- other Christian 1.6%,
- Jewish 1.7%,
- Buddhist 0.7%,
- Muslim 0.6%,
- other or unspecified 2.5%,
- unaffiliated 12.1%,
- none 4%
(2007 est.)
So, call it whatever you want. Most Americans categorize themselves as Christians, but to fight over whether or not that makes US a "Christian country" is just a battle over definitions.
Umm.... a country is not defined by its majority, but rather by how well its minority population is treated.
99% could define themselves as Christian and this would still not be a Christian nation. The only reason it is that way is because that particular religion moved from the Roman Empire to western Europe to the United States as economic / political empires shifted.
The key is that in the founding documents (which were, btw, created by many Deists) it was explicitly stated that people would have freedom to pursue any religious or spiritual path of their choosing. Therein lies the beauty of this country. I went to a Christian school growing up and even I learned that one!
It's rather infuriating the propaganda being spread by the far religious right to rewrite our own country's history as if it were some religious experiment rather than political experiment in freedom of choice. It's either willful ignorance or blatant distortion of truth (lying) and a violation of their own religious laws.
Umm.... a country is not defined by its majority, but rather by how well its minority population is treated.
99% could define themselves as Christian and this would still not be a Christian nation. The only reason it is that way is because that particular religion moved from the Roman Empire to western Europe to the United States as economic / political empires shifted.
The key is that in the founding documents (which were, btw, created by many Deists) it was explicitly stated that people would have freedom to pursue any religious or spiritual path of their choosing. Therein lies the beauty of this country. I went to a Christian school growing up and even I learned that one!
It's rather infuriating the propaganda being spread by the far religious right to rewrite our own country's history as if it were some religious experiment rather than political experiment in freedom of choice. It's either willful ignorance or blatant distortion of truth (lying) and a violation of their own religious laws.
It depends on how one defines "Christian Nation". What does it mean? Is a country Christian Nation if most of its citizens define themselves as Christians, or is Christian Nation a country which constitution is based on Christian beliefs? Israel is a Jewish nation, because its constitution and laws revolve around Judaism. Saudi Arabia is an Islamic nation because their laws are written to follow the Islamic law. Of course there is another term for those kinds of countries, and that is "theocracy". US is not theocracy.
Republicans like call US a Christian Nation, while Libertarians and constitutionalists quote the founding fathers when they discussed the importance of the wall of separation. And Democrats say US is a country of many religions. And of course any Republican, Libertarian or Dem can call US a Christian Nation and refer to the fact that majority of Americans are Christians. So, take your pick.
But the point of the opening poster was to point out that Obama had said that US is not a Christian Nation, as if Obama had something against Christianity, but of course that claim is false, because it is taken completely out of the context. The goal of the poster was to smear the president by spreading misinformation. Plain and simple. If you listen to Limbaugh and Glenn Beck you'll hear them repeat that out of context sentence all the time, so when you hear it here, you know where is originated from.
The latter - a religious nation of any sort is a country whose constitution and law is based on that particular religion.
If it weren't, then Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Pagans, and Atheists would not be allowed to influence law or participate fully without accepting the tenets of one religion - and that's not how things work in the United States (at least not yet). In contrast, if one does not accept Islamic law in certain countries they are not allowed to participate or influence legislation.
You are right, though, that there is a powerful social component. One who is not Christian has a bigger hurdle to climb in reaching political power, but that's just social conditioning. If a Mormon like Glenn Beck can rally the rural conservative base who rejected Mitt Romney based on his religion, then it's clear that the hurdles are surmountable and not entrenched in some formal structure.
If a Mormon like Glenn Beck can rally the rural conservative base who rejected Mitt Romney based on his religion, then it's clear that the hurdles are surmountable and not entrenched in some formal structure.
There is a reason why Beck prefers to call himself Christian, and not Mormon. Mormons are not Christians, so the only reason for him to say he is Christian is to appease his audience. Of course if you asked him, he'd admit he is Mormon, but he would add that he is also Christian. Well, he can't be both.
God is a generic term, endorsing no single religion. Christians have a different meaning of God than Hindus or Buddists do. Muslims have a different meaning. Wicca has a different meaning.
God is generic.
The constitution of the United States does not guarantee you freedom from religion but freedom of it, to practice as you see fit.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roysoldboy
For some reason every one of our states mentions God in their preamble. Our President told the Muslims in Cairo that we are not a Christian nation and I am wondering when he will change any of these preambles. Maybe the ACLU may come up with something to change the wordiing.
There are more than 5,000 names for God in recorded history, how many Constitutions refer to one specific one?
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