Obama said the United States is not a nation of Christians. Was he right? or did he tell the truth?
Right wing Christians like Hannity, Levin, Limbaugh, and maybe your minister like to make the claim that the founders of the United States were mostly Christians escaping religious persecution. But is this true? They repeatedly mention and read George Washington's prayer. As if that alone proves that he was a devout Christian. Ignoring the fact that the prayer was possibly not even penned by Washington himself. In fact there are many quotes from those who knew our first president, including quotes from the minister where he attended church, but never took communion, said he was as a Deist. Sean Hannity himself made mention of the fact that many of the founding fathers were in fact Deist in their beliefs. What is a Deist? Well, if you pray, you're not one.
The religous right spliced quotes from John Adams and Benjamin Franklin that if taken alone would surely make interesting sound bites on Limbaugh's morning show to prove that they were Protestants.. But again, this fails to take into account what sets the foundation or what requirements there are of a true follower of the Christian faith.
First, most believe in the Trinity. All believe in the Divinity of Jesus Christ, and surely, that he is involved in the affairs of humans. However, though he respected the tenets of the Christian Faith John Adams was a Unitarian rejecting the divinity of Jesus Christ. Thomas Jeferson, in a letter to Adams reffered to Christ's divinity as "a fabric of inferior minds". Benjamin Franklin, 5 months before he died wrote in a letter to Yale President, Dr. Stiles the following:
"As to Jesus of Nazareth, my opinion of whom you particularly desire, I think his system of morals and his religion, as be left them to us, the best the world ever saw, or is like to see; but I apprehend it has received various corrupting changes, and I have, with most of the present Dissenters in England, some doubts as to his divinity; though it is a question I do not dogmatize upon, having never studied it."
Sure there were others of that time who had a sincere, traditonal view of Christ. But who is to say that there are other beliefs that aren't sincere? Such as the belief in the seperation of church and state. Or that belief in Independence that is so rare in politics today. The kind of independence Thomas Paine, argued for in 1776 on behalf of future Americans. Who will do the same for us today? When all we are concerned about is left or right. Clearly ignoring a significant, needed balance which we strive to uphold today. The Constitution of The United States of America.
In conclusion, do Christians have a monopoly on "god"? Did Obama judge correctly? Maybe he could have expounded on that thought. But yes, he was right in saying that. Are there not Hindu Gods, and pagan gods, and is there not an Allah, the god of the muslims?
Who or what is the God of anyone but an object of worship and reverence whether real or imagined? And who here needs to expain why? But in respecting not having to do so, is this not the reason these faiths and the many more call America their home and are they're believers not brave for doing so?
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