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Do you want some more evidence or facts that America was founded on Christianity and Jesus' resurrection. I was ready to move on, but some of my Rant/Rave companions inadvertently encouraged me to dig in more.
(Read One Nation Under God written by Dr. James Kennedy. For this Rave, I borrowed from him.)
Christopher Columbus was motivated by Christian faith to make his journies. He said:
“No one should be afraid to take on any enterprise in the name of our Savior, if it is right and if the purpose is purely for his holy service”
His ship, the Santa Maria, was named for the mother of our Lord.
His first action once he landed in the "new world" was to erect a cross on the landing site. And guess what he called the island on which he landed "San Salvador". I speak no Spanish, but I understand it means something to the effect that "Christ on land that had never been exposed to the Gospel".
The Pledge of Allegiance was written to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ voyage.
Even Norwegian Viking Leif Erickson around 1000 took a voyage with the first priest to Greenland to establish a church in Greenland and to preach the Gospel of Christ to the native people.
He was blown off course and landed in Nova Scotia.
Another fact why Christians came to America to spread Christianity was the Collapse of Byzantium.
In 1452, Ottoman Turks besiged the Christian city of Constantinople. The Muslim invaders destroyed, murdered, raped and imprisoned everyone there.
The Muslim invaders had the rest of Europe in their sights.
There was a fight brewing between Muslims and Christians.
Christians were looking west.
Pilgrims first self governing document, the Mayflower Compact referenced the Lord.
Charters were granted to settle America and referenced the Lord.
The people that came under those charters to work were Christians.
The Puritans followed. They created Commonwealths, and modeled a representative government based on their church covenants.
Puritans wanted to reform the Church of England while Pilgrims set out on their own.
John Wintrop lead a group of Puritans, and he said:
“Thus stands the cause between God and us. We are entered into covenant with Him for this work.”
Puritans had their own theological and political practices as well as written agreements for self government based on the Bible.
Settlers’ education was exclusively Christian and Bible based. During the first 200 years of our nation, education was thoroughly Christian.
The Bible was the school handbook. The New England Primer was the first school book. Guess what it included.
“A Lesson for Children:”
Pray to God. Call no ill names.
Love God. Use no ill words.
Fear God. Tell no lies.
Serve God. Hate lies.
Take not God’s Speak the Truth.
Name in Vain. Spend your Time Well.
Do not Swear. Love your School.
Do not Steal. Mind your Book.
Cheat not in your play. Strive to learn.
A
In ADAM’S Fall
We all sinned.
B
Heaven to find;
The Bible Mind.
C
Christ crucify’d
For sinners dy’d..."
Up until 1947, it was legal for states to have a state’s own religious beliefs.
America was a haven for Religious Dissidents.
Presbyterians were familiar with self government in their churches.
The settlers and founders of America were all Christian.
Great Awakening occurred just before the revolutionary war.
Key in the American Revolution was the "Black Regiment". Those were preachers and ministers in their black robes.
At least twice a year, colonial ministers preached about liberty.
Biblical Christianity was the driving force behind the key leaders of and after the American Revolution.
George Washington
Samuel Adams
Patrick Henry
Bishop Francis Asbury
Alexander Hamilton said:
“For my own part, I sincerely esteem it a system which without the finger of God, never could have been suggested and agreed upon by such a diversity of interests”
The core belief of our country's founders was in man’s sinfulness.
The founders professed the Christian doctrine of original sin and insisting that this theological concept be incorporated into the new government through an elaborate system of checks and balances.
Benjamin Franklin stated:
“There is scare a king in a hundred who would not, if he could, follow the example of Pharaoh, get first all the peoples’ money, then all their lands and then make them and their children servants forever...”
Do you want an example where a revolution occurred and the founders did not insist on the Christian doctrine of orginal sin be incorporated into the new government? The French Revolution.
(Isn't it obvious?)
Do you know what the First Prayer in Congress included?
“..those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord....”
Okay, "other guys", your turn.