Hello Guys,
First thanks for all the input, "Dave", "Fromtheright", "C4k" and others'! Dave your last post was excellent.
A few of you are dwelling upon and in theological terms, which was not the intention or direction. Nobody is saying The United States is a Christian Nation because God
commanded it to be such. As he commanded Moses to lead his people to freedom and the Promised Land. Or that it was some sort of fulfillment of prophecy. This is for others to dwell upon, if they choose.
However, I would simply point out Jesus taught us to pray as such.
Matt. 6:9-10 "Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven…
In strong language Jesus speaks of non-repentant “Cities”,
Matt. 11:20-24. “…if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago…it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment..”.
Jesus teaches us to build upon a Rock like a wise man and not upon Sand as a foolish man, Matt. 7:24-27. He also says to know a Tree by the fruit it bears, Matt. 12:33-37.
The Founding Fathers truly took these things to heart as seen with many exact quotes, prayers, and actions. The Bible says those who
Ask will be given, those who
Seek will find; and those who
Knock will have the door opened. Matt. 7:7-8. This is the promise and power of prayer.
Once again the Founderes did not build a Theocracy. But they did build a Nation which had great reverence for God or “under God” and was representative of the entire People. Our National motto is one nation "under God" and appropriately so.
Some of us would have no problem saying our home is a Christian home or household! Though you would find no official proclamation of such, most likely? Not that such is needed but if a stranger walked through they would most likely see a Bible, Crucifix, or Ten Commandments and conclude such. Yet some of us have a problem saying America is a Christian Nation?
original quote=C4K; I wish I could give you full marks on arguing your point Ralph. Whether I agree with you or not - you have done very well in arguing your side of the debate. The best, in fact, that I have seen in a long time.
However I differ on your quote above - "The Constitution could easily be seen as a prayer." This point is REALLY stretching it. You simply can't fit God into the Constitution, He really isn't there. The date is just that - a date - full stop.
C4K, you have been very complimentary and open minded. I appreciate this. Do not let the one point of God being in or not being in the Constitution; diminish the many other points made. Or weight and brevity of those.
I was not claiming the Constitution
is an actual prayer. But it’s really not so far fetched the Founders and People could not have embraced the notion. America was the great experiment as they saw it. It was an opportunity for all to worship God freely without persecution and was a promised land as such. George Washington alluded to these things immediately after the War of Independence in his "Circular to the States".
"The Citizens of America are from this period, to be considered as Actors on a most conspicuous Theatre, which seems to be peculiarly designated by Providence for the display of human greatness and felicity...Nothing can illustrate these observations more forcibly, than a recollection of the happy conjuncture of times and circumstances, under which our Republic assumed its rank among the Nations. The foundations of our Empire was not laid in the gloomy age of Ignorance and Superstition, but at the Epocha when the rights of mankind were better understood and more clearly defined, than at any former period...the growing refinement of Manners, the growing liberality of Sentiment, and above all, the pure and benign light of Revelation, have had ameliorating influence on mankind and increased the blessings of Society".
Let me continue with a few things from Washington and Congress.
George Washington wrote many letters to different Christian denominations as such:
"May the same Wonder-Working Deity, who long since delivered the Hebrews from their Egyption oppressors, and planted them in the Promised Land; whose providential agency has lately been conspicuous, in establishing these United States as an independent nation, still continue to water them with the dews of heaven, and to make the inhabitants, of every denomination, participate in the temporal and spiritual blessings of that people whose God is Jehovah" "Letter to Hebrew Congregation of the City of Savannah, Ga.".
When he wrote the Delaware Chiefs, May 12, 1779.
“You do well to wish to learn our arts and ways of life, and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ. These will make you a greater and happier people than you are. Congress will do every-thing they can to assist you…and to tie the knot of friendship…that nothing shall ever be able to loose it”.
God had a place in America and the Government actively sought to support Christianity! By allocating land and money for Churches and purchasing Bible's to be given out. Many other such things in addition to what has already been pointed out.
Y’all have a Great Fourth of July and be safe. :wavey: God Bless America!:Fish:
raise:
