Our Founding Fathers Founded This Nation On Christian Values

[cotts135]

I have heard Christian Values defined in many ways. Not sure I know what it means anymore. Any opinions?

[zeus3925]

The Founding Fathers were driven mainly by the democratic philosophers of Age of Enlightenment -- John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau, among others. The Age of Enlightenment was not particularly kind toward organized religion. Remember that organized religion at the time held that the king was chosen by God to rule over his subjects and religious authority did what it could to supprees the "heresy" of government by the people.

Europe had just emerged from religious wars where the state and religion often worked in concert. The result devastation was most horrific. The Founding Fathers were most interested in ending the "Divine Rights of Kings" and the establishment of a state religion that could act in union with the state in reprising another religious war.

[BrianW]

Well first we need to determine who our founding fathers are? Those fellers who you list and are wonderful in their idea of this experiment of a republic they came up with? Or the very first Puritan settlers who were escaping religious persecution?

http://www.eadshome.com/QuotesoftheFounders.htm

John Adams:
“ The general principles upon which the Fathers achieved independence were the general principals of Christianity… I will avow that I believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.”
“[July 4th] ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.”
–John Adams in a letter written to Abigail on the day the Declaration was approved by Congress

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." --October 11, 1798

John Quincy Adams:
• “Why is it that, next to the birthday of the Savior of the world, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day [the Fourth of July]?" “Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the Gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer's mission upon earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity"?
--1837, at the age of 69, when he delivered a Fourth of July speech at Newburyport, Massachusetts.

“The Law given from Sinai [The Ten Commandments] was a civil and municipal as well as a moral and religious code.”
John Quincy Adams. Letters to his son. p. 61

Charles Carroll - signer of the Declaration of Independence | Portrait of Charles Carroll
" Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and pure...are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments." [Source: To James McHenry on November 4, 1800.]

[sinner]

Read "God is not Great"
Would be good for your balance!

[road kill]

I think if one were to follow the 10 Commandments they would be in good shape.
They seem to be the basic principles of Christianity.
I am not claiming I or any church follow them without fail.

Just sayin'.........

RK

[BrianW]

Read "God is not Great"
Would be good for your balance!

Is that in response to my post?

[YardleyLabs]

I think if one were to follow the 10 Commandments they would be in good shape.
They seem to be the basic principles of Christianity.
I am not claiming I or any church follow them without fail.

Just sayin'.........

RK

Technically, they are the basic principles of Judaism, and have simply been carried forward by Christians (who sometimes seem to pick and choose the portions of the Old Testament that did not expire 2000 years ago ). The first four (or five , depending on who does the counting) and actually stipulations regarding religious practice that have no real place in secular law. The fifth, honoring mom and dad, is nice, but once again hardly the basis of law. The last ones -- don't kill, don't screw around, don't lie, don't steal, and don't covet your neighbor's wife or property -- are pretty universal across all religions. In fact, all ten are common to Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

[dnf777]

Technically, they are the basic principles of Judaism, and have simply been carried forward by Christians (who sometimes seem to pick and choose the portions of the Old Testament that did not expire 2000 years ago )..

Jeff, is this what you're talking about??

[YardleyLabs]

Jeff, is this what you're talking about??

.............

[sinner]

Technically, they are the basic principles of Judaism, and have simply been carried forward by Christians (who sometimes seem to pick and choose the portions of the Old Testament that did not expire 2000 years ago ). The first four (or five , depending on who does the counting) and actually stipulations regarding religious practice that have no real place in secular law. The fifth, honoring mom and dad, is nice, but once again hardly the basis of law. The last ones -- don't kill, don't screw around, don't lie, don't steal, and don't covet your neighbor's wife or property -- are pretty universal across all religions. In fact, all ten are common to Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

Read the book!