I would like to preface this by saying I am not attacking
any religion. I am not saying mine is better than yours. I am simply making a
statement. I cannot help that you infer something other than what I imply.
Today is September 11. The twelfth anniversary of the
attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, as well as the plane that was
reportedly bound for the White House before being brought down in Pennsylvania.
I do not know who was behind it, although I have my thoughts. Some say it was
Muslims, some say it was our own government, some say it was a third party. I
don’t know, and for the sake of this rant, it doesn’t really matter.
My rant today is in response to all the people proclaiming
that this is a Christian nation and how we need to get back to God.
No, we don’t. This is not, nor has it ever been, a “Christian”
nation. I’m not arguing about the theological beliefs of the founders. Each one
had his beliefs, and that’s great. What I’m saying is that the Founding Fathers
were smart enough to realize not everyone has the same faith, or the same
beliefs. Even those under the same blanket umbrella term have varying beliefs.
Even different people sitting in the same church have differing opinions of
what they are supposed to believe.
Again, I’m not bashing Christianity. I don’t agree with it,
can’t believe in it, but then I don’t HAVE to. That’s the point I’m getting at.
This country was founded with the concept of Freedom of Religion. Each of us is
allowed to believe what we want. Where we run into problems is when members of
certain sects try to force everyone to follow the same belief system. The First
Amendment prevents this from happening
completely, although it does take place in far too many local areas.
Examples of this are the “Blue Laws” or “Sunday Laws” found
in many areas. These were created by secular governments at the behest of
religious lobbyists who believed everyone should take off the “Sabbath Day”
(despite Sunday not being the real Sabbath Day). It didn’t matter if everyone
in that area held the same beliefs or not, they all had to live by the same
religion based rules. And yes, these are allowed because the First Amendment
specifies that the FEDERAL government will not make any laws regarding
religion, but says nothing about local or state governments.
But I digress. This is not a Christian nation. This is a
nation founded with the idea of having Christians and Muslims and Jews and
whomever else living together in peace. People would be allowed to worship as
they believed so long as that worship did not infringe on someone else doing
the same. For example, it doesn’t matter to me if you think Sunday is the
Sabbath, or Saturday, or Wednesday. Just don’t tell me I can’t go shopping on
that day because it violates your religion. You don’t have to agree with mixed
race couples or same sex couples, but don’t tell me who I can and cannot be in
a relationship with just because it violates your religion.
If you want to pray to your god, or God, or Gods, or
whomever, to get this country great once more, I’m fine with that. If each of
us who have some sort of religious belief did that, it might actually happen. If
you don’t have any religious beliefs, I’m fine with that too. Don’t mock me for
having beliefs, and I won’t mock you for not having them.
I’m digressing again. Back on topic…. This nation was created
by men who knew people would argue over who believes the truth and who doesn’t.
They specifically designed for each of us to be allowed to worship or not
worship as we choose, in peace, without fear of attack by narrow-minded people
who can’t handle the thought that someone else might be different. Some of them
were Christian, sure. Not all of them. That didn’t stop them from setting down
the point that everyone is free to believe what they want.
So no, this is not a Christian Nation. Nor is it necessarily
a Religious Nation. It is a nation of individuals who were supposed to be able
to live together in tolerance, if not peace and harmony. What a shame we can’t
have that.
