…Officially a Christian Nation
Though the internet presence from which the article below hails and the excerpt provided here clearly indicate a liberal slant on things, Joan Walsh did a reasonable job overall with separating her personal opinion from any reporting. But the fact remains from the title forward that this is a liberal take on the interviews of McCain and Obama by (Rev) Rick Warren at Saddleback.
What is bothersome is the title. ‘Officially’ may be defined as being authorized or sanctioned by some recognized authority. Who knows what recognized authority Walsh expected to make the announcement? The point should be and perhaps was, why is it important for McCain and Obama to appear with Rick Warren to discuss religion and issues? Because those who rely on religious matters in whole or in part in forming their decisions regarding ‘official’ votes carry some weight. It is not a demographic to be ignored by serious politicians.
Most quantitative analysis of the US population has a value of more than 80% for those indicating a religious preference. Of that only single digit percentages indicate a preference for religions other than Christian and the balance as having no preference. Along with the freedom of religion and history of religion in America. Yes, Joan, the United States where in God we trust, is, for all purposes practical and otherwise, a Christian nation. Ask any self-respecting Muslim terrorist and they will agree. Why do you suppose they want to blow us up?
Stanford Matthews
Sunday August 17, 2008 23:15 EDT
Are we now officially a Christian nation?
Joan Walsh - Salon
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August 19th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
I’m not one who can blithely call the U.S. a Christian nation. Heck, some of the most religious churchgoers (attending putative “Christian” churches) and clergy would scarcely qualify as Christian under any biblical standards I know of. And if “judgement is to start at the house of God” (1 Peter 4:17–echoing several OT prophets) then what hope for the pagan U.S. as a whole?
People may wear crosses as jewelry, they may say they believe in a god of some sort and even talk about Jesus, but when Joel Osteen and his ilk are held up as a Christian pastors/teachers, the definition of “Christian” has lost all meaning. Superstition and “god-ish” talk are a far cry from comprising Christiaqn principles and values. Heck, two popular TV shows of recent years what were all the rage with so-called Christians featured abiblical representations of angels and God (Touched by an Angel) and a so-called Christian pastor who couldn’t gett scripture right or even teach biblical precepts to his own children (that other show with tons of children in the family–whatsitcalled *heh*).
*feh* And so-called Christians idolized these shows in droves.
And to what degree do Christian principles and values instruct, inform and mold our legal system, legislatures and executive branches? Somewhere between damn little and zero. And so-called Christian Americans make what kind of argument for being heard in the public square? Oh, tradition. Those Ten Commandments aren’t religious documents, no, no; they are traditional underpinnings of some far off and long ago influence on the vague beginnings of jurisprudence.
And what of specifically Christian (see Romans chapter 13, et al) injunctions–specific precepts–requiring Christians to obey the law and show respect to civil government? Find that in any church you know? Heck, just check the parking lot of any supposedly Christian church at random and count the number of radar detectors. (You’ll likely find one in the pastor’s car, most of the deacons/elders’ cars, etc.)
And those are the “serious” so-called Christians.
No, America is as divorced from its Christian roots as much as it is divoced from teh Founders’ Constitution (a document that could be said to have died at Appomattox, although it contracted its fatal illness much earlier, cf. Marshall, Jefferson and others who laid axes to its roots early on *sigh*)
On paper, at a surface glance, the uncritical eye might see a Christian nation following the Constitution laid down by the Founders, but no one with their eyes wide open, looking at the society we actually have could honestly say either.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:10 pm
I reject institutionalized religion but I believe in God and was raised Catholic. Am I a Christian?