Majority Of Republican Primary Voters Want To Establish Christianity As A National Religion

Do we need a national religion? Not the issue.

Do we really need to be conducting polls about subjects like this? I say no. We all know how we feel about polls anyway. We can make them say whatever we want them to say. But why? Why do this? What is the reason for something like this?

I'm posting this because it's just more political mad cow disease. I'm annoyed more by slanted tone of this than the issue itself, which they sneakily put up for "discussion," and which I don't fear or believe will ever come to fruition.

Just another way to divide us even further. And I'm calling them on it.

A national poll of Republican primary voters conducted by Public Policy Polling finds that 57 percent of these voters support “establishing Christianity as the national religion.” The First Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”
Only 30 percent of Republican voters believe that Congress should not make a law respecting an establishment of religion, according to the poll.
The same poll also finds that 74 percent of GOP primary voters have a favorable opinion of former President George W. Bush. Two-thirds (66%) do not believe in global warming, and a plurality (49%) do not believe in evolution.

thinkprogre ss.org

Ugh.

Why not?
Fan the flames, it's all coming down soon anyway...

Marriage is a religion thing that's become deeply tied to the state, and pretty much anyone pulling the strings around here is deeply christian. The separation of church and state is more of a saying than a doing.

a reply to: ~Lucidity
It's this kind of information that terrifies me more than a "Nibiru" crashing into the earth. It seems the Crusades never ended. The tactics just changed.

Line those republicans who approved up to be the first to be shot....

originally posted by: ~Lucidity
Just another way to divide us even further. And I'm calling them on it.

Correct me if I'm wrong but since 1954 the US are a Christian nation as displayed by their pledge of allegiance:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

There are only 3 main monotheistic religions and only Christians call their god "God".

Hence any American taking this pledge (especially officials) are expressing allegiance to a Christian nation.

a reply to: Develo

Oh, don't get me wrong. I know there's a strong Dominionist movement in the U.S. and that this happened.

Also, not everyone says the pledge of allegiance. Most of us do, however, earn and spend the money...


Thing is, to me, that phrase on the money is nebulous. There are different kinds of gods, you know? More probably pray at the alter of capitalism?

originally posted by: ~Lucidity
a reply to: Develo

Oh, don't get me wrong. I know there's a strong Dominionist movement in the U.S. and that this happened.

Also, not everyone says the pledge of allegiance. Most of us do, however, earn and spend the money...

Thing is, to me, that phrase on the money is nebulous. There are different kinds of gods, you know? More probably pray at the alter of capitalism?

I think it's pretty clear, and even clearer if you look at the evolution of religion in the US.

In Europe, nations usually started as Christian nations and became always more secular in reaction. People are still proud of the Christian heritage but they don't feel the need that religion should leave the personal sphere.


In the US, the country started as a secular nation, and is becoming always more Christian (and fundamentalist) as a reaction, and religious people want religion to always increase its influence outside of the personal sphere.

Absolutely we need this type of polls. People need to see what electing republicans is going to bring the country. It isn't terrorists we need to worry about today, it's the people we elect solidifying their power and taking away our freedoms. That is the thing about politicians, "they hate us for our freedom".

Wait a minute. I thought the Constitution was a nearly sacred document, second only to the Bible, that Obama and Liberal Scum were trampling to death and burning like cigarette papers... OR is it nearly sacred and untouchable as long as it says what you want it to say, but not so much when you don't like what it says...?? SO many contradictions.

This actually doesn't surprise me, as in order to be a Fundamentalist and believe 100% in the Bible as Revealed Word of God, you have to be very okay with contradictions and 'interpretations' that best suit your denomination.

Okay, I don't want to be unfair here, and I don't want to stir up any religious wrath, but when I was invited to look at Fundamentalism by a friend in High School, I didn't get very far because my questions were too disturbing. Apparently, I had the "devil" on my shoulder... (Yes. I was told that. And yes, it freaked me out when I realized they were serious.) That is when I realized I couldn't stop thinking, and therefore could not join my friend's church. Even so, I fully believe in the right of others to have their Fundamentalist beliefs, as is a protection under the Constitution, just so long as they are not trying to eliminate my right to believe religiously or otherwise what I choose to believe.

*sigh*

Unless we destroy the Constitution, this won't happen. According to the Founding Fathers, it SHOULDN'T happen. Even a Conservative SCOTUS would have to see this as anti-Constitutional. Right????

- AB

a reply to: ~Lucidity

I agree with you that this is another stupid, unneeded poll.
It just serves to divide our population even further than it already has been.

originally posted by: Develo

originally posted by: ~Lucidity
Just another way to divide us even further. And I'm calling them on it.

Correct me if I'm wrong but since 1954 the US are a Christian nation as displayed by their pledge of allegiance:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

I can only wonder about the similarity to this one:

"Children practicing the Hitler salute". I mean, really, why did they come up with this thing, which is so deceivingly similar to the Hitler salute?

There are only 3 main monotheistic religions and only Christians call their god "God".

Uhm... what do you think could "Allah" be translated to? Right, it means "the one and only God".

Hence any American taking this pledge (especially officials) are expressing allegiance to a Christian nation.

Yeah, or they are just parrots, repeating a meaningless parole as so many others did before them. Peer pressure?

America is and has always been a Christian nation. Go do your research on why the Pilgrims even came here in the first place. Good grief, what are they teaching you kids in schools these days?

I am not even a "Christian" in that I'm pretty much agnostic. Only time I step foot in churches is for weddings and funerals. However, to deny that America is largely founded on Christian principles is sheer ignorance. Just read some of the works of the founding fathers.

That poll is a hit piece trying to make Republicans and conservatives look like uneducated dolts. I'm sure I can find a poll showing liberal ignorance on a variety of subjects as well.

a reply to: ~Lucidity

I'm not totally convinced that these polls are as destructive as you claim, especially in light of the never-ending efforts of republican legislators to enact laws based on their religious beliefs.

Americans needs to know precisely who is promoting this garbage and what their vision for America looks like.

Furthermore, if you want to accuse someone of perpetuating "the crusades," you may want to take a closer look at those who would actually support designating the U.S. as a "Christian" nation as opposed to those conducting the poll.

IMO, their desire to designate the U.S. as a Christian nation is really an attempt to convert the U.S. Armed Forces into "The Lord's Army" for just such a purpose.

If anything, this poll just exposes the level of religious based ignorance and hypocrisy that currently dominates the GOP and it should serve as a wake-up call for the rest of America.

DENY IGNORANCE!

originally posted by: ManFromEurope
Yeah, or they are just parrots, repeating a meaningless parole as so many others did before them. Peer pressure?

Yes. But then if it's peer pressure, it means they do it because the whole nation is mainly Christian, not because it's their personal choice.

It's really contradicting the the constitution claims freedom of beliefs and yet the pledge officials have to take is about the Christian monotheistic god (let's be honest, they did not have Allah in mind when they wrote this).


I believe the nation is deeply struggling internally between freedom which is valued so much and the extremely strong Christian (especially Protestant) roots of the population. Freedom and tradition are things which are difficult to reconcile.

Much ado about nothing, that site had a handful of links with over the top lead in titles.

This will not happen supreme court would rightly shoot it down.

Second and more importantly I didn't see any actual information, like how many people were actually polled?

Without data it's purely a hit piece.

originally posted by: Develo

originally posted by: ManFromEurope
Yeah, or they are just parrots, repeating a meaningless parole as so many others did before them. Peer pressure?

Yes. But then if it's peer pressure, it means they do it because the whole nation is mainly Christian, not because it's their personal choice.

It's really contradicting the the constitution claims freedom of beliefs and yet the pledge officials have to take is about the Christian monotheistic god (let's be honest, they did not have Allah in mind when they wrote this).


I believe the nation is deeply struggling internally between freedom which is valued so much and the extremely strong Christian (especially Protestant) roots of the population. Freedom and tradition are things which are difficult to reconcile.

The US was founded on religious hypocrisy, elitism, racism, terrorism, slavery, genocide. Doesn't make it right though. Today's willful ignorance of history makes it more likely the US will be reprising the role of the Nazis in WW3.

What the Founding Fathers said, really?

OK.

Submitted to the Senate by President John Adams, Treaty of Tripoli, 1796:

"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]; and as the said States never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan [Mohammedan] nation, 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."

From Letter to the Danbury Baptists, President Thomas Jefferson:

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.

Letter from Benjamin Franklin to Richard Price:

“When a Religion is good, I conceive that it will support itself; and, when it cannot support itself, and God does not take care to support, so that its Professors are oblig’d to call for the help of the Civil Power, it is a sign, I apprehend, of its being a bad one.”

And so on.

Can we say "America's population is mostly Christian"? Absolutely, apparently from 75-85% of Americans say they are Christian.

If you believe in the Constitution of the United States, you cannot support such an idea in any shape, form or fashion.

originally posted by: Edumakated
America is and has always been a Christian nation. Go do your research on why the Pilgrims even came here in the first place. Good grief, what are they teaching you kids in schools these days?

I am not even a "Christian" in that I'm pretty much agnostic. Only time I step foot in churches is for weddings and funerals. However, to deny that America is largely founded on Christian principles is sheer ignorance. Just read some of the works of the founding fathers.

That poll is a hit piece trying to make Republicans and conservatives look like uneducated dolts. I'm sure I can find a poll showing liberal ignorance on a variety of subjects as well.

And your post could serve as a positive affirmation that "uneducated dolts" are the dominant species in the GOP and the conservative movement.

Our founding fathers had no intention of creating a "Christian" nation. They came here running from religious domination and rule, not to establish it.

The question in my mind is; What the hell did they teach you while in school? Or were you just one of those guys who were either denied or couldn't qualify for, advanced placement history classes?

a reply to: Gryphon66
Good post.
I like when people refer to the words and thoughts of our founding fathers regarding important issues that many seem to have no idea about. I hope people read it.
Our nation is secular by design and it needs to stay that way.

Sorry if we are going down that track that you did not intend, OP, but this is important, basic and seemingly misunderstood by so many.

This grinds my gears. The very same people being sampled as wanting a Christian theocracy in this country are some of the same people whining about an imminent Muslim takeover and instituting Sharia Law. Why is one theocracy acceptable, but not another? They both come with the same levels of intolerance and hate.