The “America is a Christian Nation” hoax, revealed

Is America a Christian nation? Was America created based on Judeo-Christian values?

Many Christians would answer these questions with a hearty Yes. We pledge allegiance to “one nation under God,” we place our right hand on a Bible in our courtrooms (and some still have the Ten Commandments on the wall), our coins say “In God we trust.” And of course we have freedom to worship. So obviously we are, at least unofficially, a Judeo-Christian nation…

Or are we??? (cue suspenseful music)

What exactly are “Judeo-Christian values”?

Andrew Seidel takes on these questions in his book, The Founding Myth.  Seidel is a constitutional attorney and – hear me out – an atheist.

Now, before you roll your eyes and close this tab, take a deep breath. Atheists are not our enemies. (Attorneys, maybe, but not all of them!) Mr. Seidel is not just a constitutional expert, but is also well-versed in both history and the Bible. The Founding Myth makes for very compelling reading. I’ve read it twice, and while I did not agree with everything he said, I learned a great deal. (Yes, it is entirely possible for a Christian to learn from an atheist.)

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The book made me think about many aspects of Christianity and our holy book that I had always taken for granted – so much so, that I’d like to share with you some of Mr. Seidel’s insights (and perhaps one or two of my own) in the next few posts.

So, if you would never waste your money on a book by an atheist, today is your lucky day, because I’m going to share some of this book with you, free of charge!

If you believe America is built on Judeo-Christian values, like the Ten Commandments, stay with me, and you’ll be able to test your theory. This is a great opportunity.

If you know someone who believes America is built on Judeo-Christian values, you can learn over the next few weeks how to discuss this topic rationally. It should make for some interesting conversation during upcoming summer barbecues and campfires!

Stay tuned for one post  (or more) on each of the Ten Commandments (with a few other topics sprinkled in). You’ll find yourself smarter at the end than you are now. Tell your friends, and sign up for the newsletter! (The full series can be found here.)

(If you are energized by challenges to the evangelical status quo like this, please subscribe to my newsletter! If you would like to comment on this post, please pop over to my Facebook page. All of my posts are there and open to constructive comment! I welcome your thoughts.)

OTHER POSTS THAT MIGHT INTEREST YOU:

• GOP women promote purity (but don’t practice it) + sex appeal + toxic femulinity
• Did you know? The “pro-life” party is also pro-suicide
• Gun violence and the “politicization” of dead children
• Is there such a thing as too much Scripture?
• Examining the doctrine of Biblical inerrancy
• What evangelical certainty looks like

FEATURED IMAGE: “A Christian nation” by Windsors Child is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.