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There is not a universally accepted answer. Various answers and arguments are presented below.
"Yes" Answer:
Here are some quotes and such from our founding fathers:
1) On the Mayflower Compact - "Having undertaken, for the glory of GOD, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine our selves together..." [Argument from "No" Answerer: The Mayflower Compact was written 150 years prior to the Constitution. The Founding Fathers moved away from that perspective towards a belief that the country cannot impose one religion]
2) Then, John Adams stated "The general principles upon which the [Founding] Fathers achieved independence were the general principals of Christianity..."
3) Patrick Henry: "This is all the inheritance I give to my dear family. The religion of Christ will give them one which will make them rich indeed" [Argument from "No" Answerer: Patrick Henry was referring to his own private faith, not talking about the country as a whole]
4) 1782 Congress "The Congress of the United States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools." [N.B. The Constitution was written in 1787]
5) John Quincy Adams - "The United States of America were no longer Colonies. They were an independent nation of Christians" [N.B. John Quincy Adams was apprenticed to a lawyer, going to school at Harvard, and then becoming a member of the bar during the time in which the Constitution and Bill of Rights were being created -- he is not one of the original founding fathers]
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Excerpt from George Washington's Farewell Address:
"The name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotism more than any appellation derived from local discrimination's With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles. ...Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked: Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle. "
"No, Religious Freedom" Answer:
No, that was not the main concern. The Founding Fathers wanted a nation where people could freely worship in faith. They had faced persecution in England and other nations for religion. They wanted to remedy that here. The main concern was fairness and equality under the law. Many of the Fathers were Christian in origin, but there are questions as to how devout they were to their faith(s). Also, Did you realize that the words 'under God' in the Pledge of Allegiance were not there originally? The words in the Pledge of Allegiance 'under God' were inserted by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1954. Ditto the phrase "In God We Trust" as our national motto in 1956.
Our forefathers degree of devoutness to their Christian faith was of no consequence to their writing of the Constitution. Some were Christian, some were Deists. But they brilliantly left out their own personal religious views in order to guarantee religious freedom to all their citizens. Had Thomas Jefferson pushed his own personal religious views maybe we all would have been forced to be atheist. It remains our job to see that our forefathers intention is not changed, misconstrued, or fabricated as something it is not. As much as our Christian leanings might be, it most clearly was not intended to mix with our government, thus providing us with that ultimate freedom of religion.
Our form of government is not a Democracy, it is a Republic. Another brilliant move on the part of our forefathers. We probably would not exist still had we been a Democracy. But being a Republic we are bound by laws, not by majority rule!
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The Articles of Confederation, which were adopted after the Declaration of Independence but before the Constitution was written and ratified do not mention God, Christianity, or any other religion. The Founding Fathers were creating a democratic society. Their goal was to govern by representation.
(Supporting that idea: The closest the preamble of the Constitution comes to mentioning God is the phrase "blessings of liberty" and the Constitution contains the No Religious Test Clause and First Amendment contains the Establishment Clause.)
"No, Deism" Answer:
The basis of our laws and Constitution were largely English common law and the ideals of the Enlightenment. For example, while many of the founders believed in a creator/god of some sort, they weren't Christians per se; rather, they embraced a philosophy called deism. They certainly didn't want an explicitly religious government, and indeed took pains to ensure that there would NOT be one (forbidding religious tests for holding office, for example).
Of course, they were confident that divine providence was on their side in founding this nation... but that's nothing new. I can't think of a group of rebels or a national oligarchy/empire/kingdom/democracy that WASN'T convinced of their divinely favored status.
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Most of the Founders were Deists, although some were Christian. Some were openly hostile to Christianity, like Jefferson, Madison and Tom Paine. If you read Article 6 ("...no religious test for any office..."), it's clear they were designing a secular society.
Most of the early presidents (at least the first three) are Deists. The writers of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution believed individuals had certain God given rights and it was the duty of Government to protect those rights. One of those rights was freedom from religious political domination. The following quotation was drafted in 1796 by George Washington and signed by John Adams in the Treaty of Tripoli (Article 11):
As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."
The treaty passed by unanimous vote, with 339 votes cast.
"No" Answer
No, they did not. The operative word is 'base'. The founders had a wide range of beliefs regarding deity. Each of them was influenced by his own beliefs and convictions, and that is exactly as it should be. It couldn't have been any other way. But if they had tried to build into the Constitution and therefore the nation any specific set of religious beliefs and practices, they would still be meeting. Their aim was not to establish a state religion or a Christian Republic and for that we can be eternally grateful. If that had been their purpose, wouldn't the Constitution look radically different?
There may be occasional references to God as was the practice centuries ago, but the Constitution is primarily an economic document. Whatever we know of the founders' beliefs, it is the official and established documents of law that matter. When I read the Constitution, I see no mention at all of Christianity, the ultimate authority of a deity over worldly affairs, or the Christian bible as the source of law and the final arbiter of disputes. On the other hand, it appears that ultimate authority is reserved by The People. It is The People who give the federal government its power, and it is The People who can amend it. These are, when you think about it, anything but genuine religious concepts, and they are not compatible with Jesus' teaching on the nature of civil authority.
Jesus himself gave deference to civil authority and instructed people to obey the laws of the land. While it is true that the basis of this teaching is Jesus' belief that all authority has its source in deity, and not his love for first century politics, you will notice that regarding civil law Jesus had nothing to say about the fact that the Roman emperors of his day considered themselves to be gods. Yet the region of the world he lived in was under Roman law. So religion may have an understanding that authority originates with deity, but it also understands that humans will use authority as humans will-- imperfectly. This does not exempt people from being subject to non-religious law. Jesus understood the difference and taught it; this was not an accident.
What else can I help you with?
Who founded the Wells Fargo Bank?
your mom founded America
When was the Bank of America founded?
Bank of America was founded by Amadeo Giannini in San Francisco, California. It was founded in the year 1904 under the name Bank of Italy, and was changed to the name Bank of America in 1928.
What was the most important gift the British colonists brought to America?
Probably parliamentary government, although looking at our own government that may not have been a good thing.
What emotion did president Lincoln try to tap into when he spoke about the principles the country was founded on?
Pride
When was Bank of America founded?
The Bank of America was founded in 1940 after a merger of what would become the largest banking institution in America. Today it is the second largest bank holding institution, by assets.
Are women's rights based on biblical principles?
A:No. If women's rights were based on biblical principles, modern women would have few rights.
What is the Spoiling the Egyptians approach?
In Psychology Spoiling the Egyptian approach is the use of both Biblical principles with Secular psychology with allowing Biblical principles to take the lead.
Name of the Austrian who founded the biodynamic principles in 1924?
the name of the man who founded the biodynamic principles in 1924 is rudolph steiner
Who is founded principles of Algebra?
al khawrzmi
Is RCA a Canadian brand?
No, it was founded as Radio Corporation of America. Thus, RCA.No, it was founded as Radio Corporation of America. Thus, RCA.No, it was founded as Radio Corporation of America. Thus, RCA.No, it was founded as Radio Corporation of America. Thus, RCA.No, it was founded as Radio Corporation of America. Thus, RCA.No, it was founded as Radio Corporation of America. Thus, RCA.
When was boy scouts of america founded?
The Boy Scouts was founded in 1907. The Boy Scouts of America was founded in 1910.
When was Society of Biblical Archaeology created?
Society of Biblical Archaeology was created in 1870.
What was the last colony to be founded America?
The last colony to be founded in America was the colony of Georgia
America has been compared to the biblical?
bethlehem
What did Spain accomplish in the new world?
They founded south America and southern North America
The principles upon which New Jersey was founded?
Economic reasons
Was America founded in 1778?
The US was founded in 1776.
