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STOP MAKING SENSE MR. MARTY!

MR. MARTY,
STOP MAKING SENSE!!!

It is significant that the first clause of the first amendment in the Bill of Rights prohibits "an establishment of religion." This country was founded in large part by religious minorities who fled persecution.

It would also do us some good to look at what is meant by a "Christian nation." Do Pat Robertson, Mitt Romney, Billy Graham and John Shelby Spong all mean the same thing when they call themselves "Christians"?

Mike, I read somewhere that Ben Franklin was a frequenter of black masses, Satan worshipping no less. You don't suppose the Islamic "extremeists" are right, this is a "devil nation" and must be destroyed?

Not to worry. When Jesus comes back things will be all fixed up, the righteous separated from the wrongeous. While we're waithing for Jesus His many representatives will do the separating. You know, divide and conquer.

Now the wrongeous are going to get their lumps while the righteous will be welcomed into the "kingdom" of the God of the father of Moses. All we need to do to understand the game is identify that God. http://www.hoax-buster.org/sellyoursoul will give you a hint.

Those who suggest this is a Christian nation are naive historically.

They should familiarize themselves with the writings (primary sources) and recorded lives of our founding fathers. Products of the enlightenment they were not swayed by "faith over reason", quite the opposite.

I believe it was Henry David Thoreau who said, "If you would convince a man that he does wrong, do right." But do not care to convince him. Men will believe what they see. Let them see."

I suggest a look at the church attendance patterns of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and their burial choices as regards religious observance. The majority of our founding fathers were Deists philosophically, Agnostics or Atheists in practice.

What's a Philosopher to do?

I chanced by the unemployment office where a large crowd had gathered. Off at the side I saw a sobbing Jewish philosopher being consloled by his Rabbi. "What's going on? What's up" I inquired. "Who are all these people."

"They're philosophers" replied the Rabbi. "All questions are now answered, fatih, and philosophers are no longer needed. They're here to sign up for unemployment."

I was moved by the sad condition of the Jewish philosopher and decided to console him. "We must turn the negative into a positive. If you can't figtht them then join them" I encouraged. "Why not become a minister?"

The Rabbi showed signs of disbelief when I followed with, "Christian minister" but cheered a bit when I noted that's where the money is. "I don't even believe in Christ, that Jesus was God" the philosopher complained.

"Not necessary! One only need say they believe, have faith. It can't be proved one doesn't really believe and therefore it's impossible to convict." Then I went on to tell him what the future could hold.

He could become a Catholic priest. From there he could be a bishop and then a cardinal. "The sky is the limit" I encouraged "but the sky has a limit that's way out of site. He could make it to pope, become the holy father of everyone, live in the papal palace, have great crowds gather wherever he went."

As I spoke the Rabbi became more and more irritated. "Not so fast" he objected. "Stay with us. Don't become a Christian. Pope is a high office but remember, one of our guys made it all the way to God."

Yes, there is more than one solution for the enemployed philosopher. He can aim low, become pope or he can take it to the limit, become God. It's just a matter of telling a small lie or two.

Many of the "Christian nation" arguments cite the Massachusetts colonial experience. It should be remembered that the Puritans and Pilgrims who settled there didn't care about religious freedom. The colony operated almost as a theocracy for decades.

I agree with Marty - claiming that America is a "Christian nation" harms both Christianity and democracy. How can freedom of religion prosper if non-Christians are regarded as less patriotic than Christians? It wasn't so long ago that Catholics and Jews in America often had their patriotism questioned simply because of their beliefs.