[ckphilli]

Found this recently..."On my poll question: Do you believe America is a Christian nation, 93% said YES." in social network land. I'm not citing the page because I'm not sure if the congressman would like to be connected or not, not my choice to make for him. I'm simply interested in the quote. There were some interesting responses there. I'm not interested in an ugly thread, but I am interested in what the tsg minds think of this. I'll start.

Yes, I believe we are. I think that we have veered off course and are unfortunately moving this way because people are looking for an excuse. This is not a dig, it's a fact. When people can't explain things they search. If they can't find an acceptable answer then they must look beyond themselves and the people around them.

Please, do not try to convince me or anyone else that God exists. And, please do not try to convince me or anyone else that God doesn't exist.

This thread is about the general feeling the United States as a Christian nation. While it's hard to separate beliefs from opinions, I hope we can debate this without drumming up too many old threads.

What say you?

[ekim68]

Well here's this for a start....Who says we're a Christian Nation? Is this coming from the Populous or the Media?
The Constitution says that there is a separation of Church and State, right? The problem I have is Religious intent... Are there different levels of Religion? Is one Religion more Right than another?

[ckphilli]

This was a poll given by a congressman to the general public Mike.

[Littlefield]

Eighty-three percent of Americans identify themselves as Christian so I would say we are not a Muslim nation

[pyritechips]

America is definitely based, historically, upon Christian values. It's usually "God bless America" or "In God we trust", but we should distinguish between a "Christian" nation and a "secular" one. Many countries, mostly Islamic nations, are just that, where religious law takes precedent above the legal code.

Yes, I believe that Christianity is so interwoven into the fabric of American history and culture that I cannot deny that America is, indeed, Christian.

[ekim68]

Well I'm curious about the poll Chris...Link?

[ekim68]

Originally Posted by Littlefield

Eighty-three percent of Americans identify themselves as Christian so I would say we are not a Muslim nation

83 percent of how many Americans?

[ckphilli]

Originally Posted by ekim68

Well I'm curious about the poll Chris...Link?

Can't do it bud. One, I don't want to link techguy and the social networking site I found it at-intentionally and 2, I think it may spin this somewhere that I don't want it to go.

The poll was just normal people that were fans of his page. Trust me?

[ekim68]

Ok Chris....

[wowzer]

Originally Posted by pyritechips

America is definitely based, historically, upon Christian values. It's usually "God bless America" or "In God we trust", but we should distinguish between a "Christian" nation and a "secular" one. Many countries, mostly Islamic nations, are just that, where religious law takes precedent above the legal code.

Yes, I believe that Christianity is so interwoven into the fabric of American history and culture that I cannot deny that America is, indeed, Christian.

Not this American.

[buffoon]

We speak of the Christian Occident over here, by that definition calling the West Christian. Tis more a cultural definition than anything else, but based, of course, on the principle that ethnocentric Europe defines itself as the primarily Western part of the continent that rose to whatever significance under the banner of the (whatever) Church.

From that follows that the "Maghreb", the most Western part of North Africa and placed further West than large parts of "Christian" Europe", lies geographically in the Orient.

But to answer the poll question, I'd call the US a Christian country. How many of its people are not into Christian belief doesn't really matter, its founding principles and cultural values (predominantly and initially brought along from Europe) are rooted in the Christian religion/culture.

Separation of Church and State addresses influence/power of each (or lack of it from one over the other), it doesn't regulate cultural identification.

[Drabdr]

America most definitely identifies itself as a christian nation.

I found this website. Now... the articles appear very biased and not at all objective, but this site does exemplify this "christian nation" concept:

http://www.wallbuilders.com/libissue...s.asp?id=23909

However, it does provide some sources for the statistics:

“Survey Reports: Beyond Red vs. Blue,” Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, March 17-27, 2005 (at: http://www.people-press.org/2005/05/...d-red-vs-blue/), reports that in 1996, 60% of Americans believed that America was indeed a Christian nation and that by 2004, the number had risen to 71%; the 2009 poll showed that the number had dropped to 69% and then to 62% (see “Newsweek Poll: A Post-Christian Nation?,” Newsweek, April 3, 2009 (at: http://www.newsweek.com/id/192311), in which 62% answered Yes, 32% answer No, and 6% answered Don’t Know to the question “Do you consider the United States a Christian nation, or not?” See also “This Easter, Smaller Percentage of Americans are Christians,” Gallup, April 10, 2009 (at: http://www.gallup.com/poll/117409/Ea...Christian.aspx), in which this statement appears: “The United States remains a dominantly Christian nation. More than three-quarters of all Americans identify as Christian,” according to this poll 77% of Americans identify themselves as Christians (55% Protestant, 22% Catholic).

A good example is here in Texas (and probably a fair amount of the South) high school football games are it. When the whole "you can't have public prayer" got going, it still creates a fair amount of dissention. Prayers will be led at games, graduations and other ceremonies, not so much for the value of the prayer, but more out of defiance.

I think the average american would be surprised, to the point of being offended, to learn that another american does not have a belief in God (or "christian" values; etc.).

[Drabdr]

Originally Posted by buffoon

Separation of Church and State addresses influence/power of each (or lack of it from one over the other), it doesn't regulate cultural identification.

This is an interesting subject. Glad Chris brought it up.

I would say that Americans, tend to be less myopic, in terms of separation of Church and State (my perception). They believe everyone should be christian, but are tolerant with those who practice other belief systems (catholicism; Jewish Faith; etc.).

But then... like I mentioned in the previous post, they get all bent out of shape about the mere suggestion, that a high school football game can be played without a publicly-led prayer.

A good-ole boy called into a local talk show host (when Mark Davis was just local) and was madder than a wet hen about not having prayer at a football game. Mark kept asking him" how would you feel if you were forced to pray a prayer to Allah (as an example)?" Of course Bubba was quite incensed by that. But I do believe Mark made his point.

[valis]

Originally Posted by pyritechips

America is definitely based, historically, upon Christian values. It's usually "God bless America" or "In God we trust", but we should distinguish between a "Christian" nation and a "secular" one. Many countries, mostly Islamic nations, are just that, where religious law takes precedent above the legal code.

Yes, I believe that Christianity is so interwoven into the fabric of American history and culture that I cannot deny that America is, indeed, Christian.

It's important to note that this wasn't even official until the 1950's or so. Heck, it wasn't even used on ANY coins until the US was 80 or so years old.

That said, even though the founding fathers split England to avoid religious persecution, I'd say we are very much a Christian nation, and very much a confused one as well.

I mean, we had HUGE outcry over Janet Jackson's nip slip on national television, and yet we have several shows about being a teenager, single, and pregnant........something is awry in that setup......

[Drabdr]

Originally Posted by valis

I mean, we had HUGE outcry over Janet Jackson's nip slip on national television, and yet we have several shows about being a teenager, single, and pregnant........something is awry in that setup......

True that, Tim. I just saw something the other day about parents having a cow over a dance routine some small girls did. Really?? Toddlers and Tiaras?? Really?

I still cite some of christian hypocrisy too. They're quick to judge the sexual sins of others. But.. their own gossipping, refusal to pay for WI-FI service, cheating on their taxes, etc., somehow becomes OK.

I'd say we are very much a Christian nation, and very much a confused one as well.

Brilliance.

I think our most vivid moment of clarity may have been 9/11. At least for a day, or a week, we set aside our religious differences, North/ South, Black/White; and just for a bit, became Americans.