"[Christianity is] America's historical foundation and source of common law"

Actually this is not an absolute. The states (and the earlier colonies) were initially set up based on like-minded citizens - and some were more religious than others (some not at all), and religion comes in many flavors ... as Tom Lehrer reminded us in 1965:

Oh, the Protestants hate the Catholics
And the Catholics hate the Protestants,
And the Hindus hate the Moslems,
And everybody hates the Jews.

(btw - Tom is a satirist, so those offended need to grab a grain of salt)

E.A.Timm,

Hang on tight. Be prepared for 48 hours of....

We are not a Chrisitian nation- we are deists,
None of our Forefathers were Christian,
Thomas Jefferson said this and that,
blah, blah, blah.

And the denials will drool on for the entire time.....

"Maybe that is why in the 1776 North Carolina Constitution, only Christians were allowed to handle the affairs of the State."

Of course, that idea has been unconstitutional since 1791. Sure sounds good to Christians, but it's illegal today. Thanks for playing "Pump Up the Propaganda!"

Timm fails to point out that the North Carolina 1776 constitution Article XXXII limited office to "Protestant" Christians only. So "Catholic Christians" were not welcome in NC public office. This appears to be a contradiction with Article XIX ,guaranteeing religious freedom.

Also, active clergymen or pastors were forbidden to hold public office by article XXXI and religious establishment was forbidden by article XXXIV.

After, the civil war the Reconstruction Act of 1867 required NC to create a new constitution that conformed to the US Constitution in all respects, before it could be re-admitted to the Union. So the bigotry of religious test requirements for public office was eliminated from the NC Constitution.

Correct me if I am wrong....didn't the English leave their own country because of religious persecution?
"If we don't remember our past we are liable to repeat it"
Why have someone swear on a book they do not believe in or follow? Do Christians actually follow the teachings of Jesus Christ? Or are we a pick and chose society allowing our own thoughts to fit in with part of the teachings. Just because a Christian swears on the bible doesn't mean they will tell the truth.

If someone who is Muslim asks to swear on the Koran is that not the religious right?

I can't help wondering if using this Bible-based oath as a default ceremony amounts to a religious test? I know of people who opted for affirmation, and were treated differently afterwards in court. Might be a fun case for the Supreme Court to play with one day...

I was one that was treated (imo) differently in court because i refused to place my hand upon a book.
The judge looked at me as if i were an alien.

Sara,

You are right. Many of our framers in the infancy of our nation were making blunders left and right when it came to laws and religion. And they were about to repeat many of the same mistakes England made.

I think the best insight into this was Tho. Jefferson. He often railed against religion, its members and its preachers. He believed many of them missed the point of Christianity. He stressed then what people still do not get to this day-

"God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift from God?"

another sicko christian religious nut...this one citing some redneck south carolina stuff from long ago. screw the muslims. screw the jews. screw hindus. screw those who believe in anything different from what you believe.

"I think the best insight into this was Tho. Jefferson. He often railed against religion, its members and its preachers. He believed many of them missed the point of Christianity. He stressed then what people still do not get to this day"

I repeat: "The states (and the earlier colonies) were initially set up based on like-minded citizens - and some were more religious than others (some not at all), and religion comes in many flavors "

James,

Can you name for me specifically which founding fathers claimed to not be Christians? All Christians vary in how close they are to Christ- so what's your point?

To say they were all "like-minded"- I agree. They shared the same belief that freedom is a gift from God and that a democracy would not survive without Him.

I would ask for temperence on your actual question: "Can you name for me specifically which founding fathers claimed to not be Christians?" There were [effectively] no competing views of God, as there are today, only shades of zeal, although many -- including my argumentative college daughter, maintains many were in fact "Deists".

...but this guy takes your question head on:

http://www.yosemitedems.net/FFathers.html

I hold no magic alternative bullet, but here's one link that suggests these were all thoughful men (sorry, gals) that "took seriously the principle that men should worship according to their own conscious." That sounds Real good to me.

http://earlyamerica.com/review/summer97/secular.html

Much of the reserve from our founding fathers came from fear that one area's fervent religion might conflict somehow with another's ... so they were VERY cautious.

I think that is from where "States Rights" issues were founded, which I happen to agree strongly with (a recent conversion, btw), except even sates are too big, so I'm down to individual rights on things like pro-life/choice.

James,

I'm sorry, but any website whose name is "yosemiteDEMS" is hardly worth the search. The internet is littered with websites desperately trying to find any excuse possible to call our forefathers non-Christian or at least deists.

Along these lines, I will grant you two possible deists- Thomas Payne and Ben Franklin. But out of 250 founding fathers, it's hard to make an argument for deist roots. But I'm getting pretty sick and tired of hearing that the deist were the majority or that men such as Washington or Jefferson were other than Christian. Yes, Eric, Jefferson was a Christian.

But contrary to what many Christians on this blog may say, I also believe that they wanted to make sure that government and religion were separate. But that is not the same as precluding a president from governing with Chrisitan principles. That is a function of the electoral process.

If we, as a country, elect a Jew- then expect their decisions to be based on Jewish principles. If we elect an atheist- well, who know what you will get. But if we elect a Christian and we get Christian-flavored decisions out of the White House....well, what else would you expect?

Too many people believe that the "separation" of religion and government means that you have to govern as an athiest. That is not so. That's not how this country was founded. And that is why this argument is so important.

I think we are on the same page, Michael - not arguing for deist roots, but simply making a point for temperance.

Indeed, James. Peace.

Jefferson famously created a bible with all supernatural and divine elements cut out. These generalizations about the beliefs of the Founders are not very useful. This country had a religious culture at that time that was strongly influenced by Enlightenment values. We have a strong religious culture now, in large part I believe because the Founders were very careful to keep religion and government apart.