The US Was Not Founded Upon Christian Principles

A debate rages today about the prominence of religious symbolism in our public places. More accurately, the prominence of Christian religious symbolism (physical, such as the display of the Ten Commandments in a courtroom, and non-physical, such as "One nation, under God" in the Pledge).

The Christians cry out "this country was founded on Christian principles and values, and so Christianity is part of our cultrual heritage." This is their argument that Christian religious symbols should remain in our public forums.

As an aside, many times the term "Judeo-Christian Principles" and values are cited. However, Judaism and Christianity are two very different religions, with only the Old Testament in common (and the New Testament arguably overturns some teachings of the Old Testament). Here's an interesting compare and contrast between Judaism and Chirstianity.

[Author's Note: I will be using Christianity as an example, as it is the most promininent one. I'm unaware of Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or any other religion's symbolism being removed from public forums, or the arguments those religions use for keeping the symbols in place. Also, the argument about the US being founded on Christian principles and values is what I am discussing. Personally, it doesn't bother me if religious symbols are there or not...what bothers me are ludicrous arguments raised by Christians for keeping their symbols in public.

Ludicrous = raising an argument that requires one to be a Christian to accept, and expecting non-Christians to accept.]

I tried to find something defining what a Christian Principle is. By my thinking, a Christian Principle upon which Christians can make their argument that the US was founded upon Christian Principles must be a purely Christian Prinicple. The Principle cannot be shared by other religions or groups. If it is, then is more of a Common Principle and not a Christian Principle.

Here are some of my attempts. A nice exercise and I learned a lot:

I did a Google search on Christian Principles and Christian Values without much luck at arriving at a list. I only found descriptions of Christianity.

I Googled definition "Christian Values" and again descriptions of Christianity.

OK...back to basics:

From Dictionary.com:

Value:
4. A principle, standard, or quality considered worthwhile or desirable: “The speech was a summons back to the patrician values of restraint and responsibility” (Jonathan Alter).

Principle:

1. A basic truth, law, or assumption: the principles of democracy.
2. 1. A rule or standard, especially of good behavior: a man of principle.
   2. The collectivity of moral or ethical standards or judgments: a decision based on principle rather than expediency.
3. A fixed or predetermined policy or mode of action.
4. A basic or essential quality or element determining intrinsic nature or characteristic behavior: the principle of self-preservation.

The Ten Commandments (an interesting discussion is here):

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me. And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments."

"Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."

"Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee."

"Thou shalt not kill."

"Thou shalt not commit adultery."

"Thou shalt not steal."

"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour."

"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's."

Not much help in pointing out Chistian Principles.

In the Old Testament we find:

Fair and timely paychecks from an employer to his or her workers (Leviticus 19:13)

Enforcement of standard weights and measures (Leviticus 19:35)

Welcoming immigrants (Leviticus 19:33-34, Exodus 23:19)

Laws that apply equally to rich and poor (Leviticus 19:15)

Protecting the environment, even during war (Deuteronomy 20:19)

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) (Leviticus 19:14)

Laws against age discrimination. (Leviticus 19:32)

Pursuing justice for others, no matter how strongly public opinion is on the other side (Exodus 23:2)

(I found these here)

But, as you can see, many American Christians are against a number of these principles, and being from the Torah, these principles are typically identified with Jewish Principles. Some of these are not exclusive to Judaism or Christianity, but are common to many religions.

So, are there any Christian Principles or Christian Values that are unique to Christianity?

Striving for liberty and freedom are not Christian Principles because they are not exclusive to Christianity. If you claim that simply because Christians strive for liberty and freedom, those are Christian Principles, then I can state these are Atheist Principles as well. However, neither group can exclusively claim these as Principles.

Striving for a democracy is not a Christian principles, as this predated Christianity.

From what I've seen so far, Christian Principles are as follows: Faith in Jesus; Jesus is the Son of God, and the only way to engender God's grace is through faith in Jesus. This is exclusively Christian.

I'm happy to hear your thoughts on Christian Principles. Feel free to comment to this, or send me an email.

As to the founding principles of the US, I think the Declaration of Independence sums it up quite nicely.

"That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."

Text of Declaration of Independence.

The rights that need to be secured, depend upon a government deriving their powers from the consent of the goverened. The rights themselves

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"

depend upon men establishing a proper government. Thus, the underlying principle (see above "A basic or essential quality or element determining intrinsic nature or characteristic behavior") is not the unalienable rights but the attainment of those rights, namely, the establishment of a democracy.

Yes...the Declaration and other early documents recite a God, Creator, but simply because the Founders were Christian does not be default make the US founded upon Christian Principles, or require belief in a Creator.

The unalienable rights must be secured by men by throwing off the yoke of tyranny and establishing a government that rules by consent of the goverened. This is not a Christian Principle, but a Principle of those desiring to live a life of freedome and liberty.

The Bible does not require one, or even espouse, freedom and liberty. Quite the contrary. The New Testament in Romans requires obedience to whatever government is in power, because it was put there by God. The Bible, especially the New Testament, requires submission to whatever the difficulty is, and does not espouse fighting the powers that be.