Religion
Related: About this forumPastor to rabbi, imam: U.S. is a ‘Christian nation’ but we ‘let’ you worship
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/03/31/pastor-to-rabbi-imam-u-s-is-a-christian-nation-but-we-let-you-worship/A Pentecostal bishop on Sunday told a rabbi and an imam that the U.S. was a Christian nation that was bridging religious divisions because Christians would let other faiths worship and were not going to persecute you.
Speaking to a interfaith panel on CBS News, Hope Christian Church Pastor Harry R. Jackson responded to Rabbi David Wolpe, who said that the Americans should celebrate difference because God is greater than any religious tradition.
In deference to the Christian foundation of this nation, it is that foundation that allows us freedom, Jackson explained. I dont see this diversity in other places. So to the credit of our Christian foundation of this nation, this freedom were experiencing is because folks came and said, We believe this is to be a Christian nation. We feel like weve been persecuted in the places we came from, and were going to intentionally let this nation be founded in a way that if you come here and youre Islamic and you come here and youre Jewish, were not going to persecute you.
Although we dont worship as Jewish people, were going to let this country be guided in a place where theres going to be liberty and freedom or worship. I feel wed be remiss if we act like some other set of countries has operated in this way.
liberal N proud
(60,335 posts)RedstDem
(1,239 posts)otherwise, he'll be going somewhere really warm when his times up!
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)Historically, he's right-- it all started with some European Christians looking for religious freedom and by the time we became our own country it was decided not to have a state religion that caused so much trouble back there.
But, I don't know if he's really implying that Christianity is in some way superior to other religions. He might believe that, but it's not so smart to say it.
formercia
(18,479 posts)Catapult the Propaganda.
JoDog
(1,353 posts)The Treaty of Tripoli, ratified by the US Senate on June 7, 1797, and signed by President Adams three days later; 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 tranquility, of Mussulmen [Muslims], ... 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."
"Not in any sense." Signed by a Founding Father, ratified by a Senate that included Founding Fathers. I think it speaks for itself.
trotsky
(49,533 posts)Thankfully one of the leading champions for that position was banned for homophobic bigotry. Not surprising to find those opinions lumped together, though.