This man has evidently never heard of the enlightenment. What an asshole.
That McCain thinks the Constitution established our Nation as a Christian one is all the evidence one needs to conclude he's not read it.
Neither Christ, Jesus, or God are even mentioned ... there is no no religious content of any kind. It is a secular document. When religion *is* mentioned it is done in a manner prohibiting the actions of the government.
This seems to be a common bit of pseudohistory. I recall that Ron Paul had a long speach up on his website claiming that the US Constitution was "laced with references to God." I didn't think much of it because there wasn't much of a chance of him becomming President but the Constitution only references religion in Aritle vi (no religious test for public office) and the famous 1st Amendment prohibition "Congress shall pass no law respecting the establishment of religion nor restricting the free practice thereof ..." A good number of the founding fathers were Unitarians or Deists and not Christians. There were a few Episciaplians but google Bishop Sponge if you would like to know about that denomination's adherence to Biblical Fundamentalism. Evangelical Christianity such as McCain was referring to did not even exist really until the early 20th century. "In God We Trust" was not used as our national Motto until 1954 which was also when "Under God" was added to Pledge of Alegence" he's just wrong! HE'S JUST WRONG!!!!
For any interested in Constitutional connects with religion, Jonathan Rowe has written some nice essays on the subject. Check out his blog at JonRowe.blogspot.com.
wow what an asshat. I didn't like Mcain before but now I will weep if he wins.
This country was founded on flying spaghetti monster gawd dammit!
So where does the christian bible talk about things like freedom of religion, democracy, equal rights, equal protection under the law, no blank check to break the law, etc? I've read the bible and that book is AGAINST these American values, not FOR them.
I'm just trying to think how depressing it would be if McCain became president...
Three branches of government = three persons of the Trinity.
The Congress = the Son, with two natures
The President = the Holy Spirit, which executes divine will
Supreme Court = the divine judge
I'm pretty sure it's explained in the Federalist Papers. Number... 3, let's say.
Nothing quite like swearing to uphold and defend a document you haven't read or don't understand, huh?
Transcript of John McCain video:
I would probably have to say yes, that the Constitution established the United States of America as a Christian nation.
I think the number one issue that is in the selection, that which people should make a selection of the President of the United States is, "Will this person carry on in the Judeo-Christian principled tradition that has made this nation the greatest experiment in the history of mankind"?
I just have to say in all candor that since this nation was founded primarily on Christian principles that, I, that, that's a decision that the American people would make, but personally, that's, that's just, I prefer someone who I know with a solid grounding in my faith.
I just feel that, that, my faith is probably a better spiritual guidance, a better spiritual guidance. I just would, I just feel that that's an important part of our qualifications to lead.
We welcome the poor, the tired, the huddled masses, and, but they, when they come here, they shouldn't, they know that they are in a nation founded on Christian principles.
Our Founding Fathers were concerned about church being part of the state such as had been in England and the imposition of a certain type of Christianity imposed on people. So, they didn't mean, in my view, separation of church and state, that there is no place for God or a Superior Being, a Creator. They also continued to emphasize the Christian principle, "In God We Trust", "created equal." Every statement that they made had to do with the belief in a Divine Creator.
We are a nation which is uniquely designated in many respects. But I think it was Man implementing the teachings of Christ.
(end)
If the U.S. Founders had wanted to create a theocracy, they certainly had plenty of models from which to choose and draw inspiration. But, they didn't do it; they didn't create a theocracy.
There is nothing in the U.S. Constitution that recognizes the authority of any religious organization, sect, or holy book. Further, there's nothing recognizing the authority of the "10 commandments". So far as interpreting the Constitution, no priority is given to the Bible nor is there any indication that it (or any other holy book) must be referenced at all. Constitutional interpretation is not envisioned as a branch of theology.
The U.S. government is composed of the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches; there is no "clerical" branch. No holy man or group of such men vets laws or candidates for office. No where in the Constitution is it written that any office holder is a semi-divine being receiving revalations from a god and acting in the god's name; one can even be an office holder without believing in religion at all.
If the Bill of Rights were in the Bible, mankind would have had freedom 2000 years ago. The Founders were inspired by Enlightenment ideas and not by the loony drivel found in religious revivals--the stuff of the "Christian Nation" propagandists today. These are not some kind of "super" Americans but are actually un-American and a huge threat to America.
For a detailed debunking of "Christian Nation" "history", see Chris Rodda's book Liars For Jesus
What a complete tool. You know he doesn't believe this shit, either, since he's buddying up to the very people he once denounced as "agents of intolerance". It's just pandering. Which doesn't excuse it... quite the opposite.
All I have to say is Treaty of Tripoli Article XI.
Yes, people. "That's just facts, the facts as I stated them."
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/
f..._verb_tens.html
Believe it or not, I've heard people claim that the Constitution is Christian because it's dated "in the Year of our Lord". Uh-huh...
You can find the text at http://www.earlyamerica.com/earl...ution/
text.html and search in vain for "God" or "Christ"
Oh, yes, it also says "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States"
Somebody suggested googling Bishop Sponge. That should be "Bishop Spong" I think. Maybe the poster was thinking of Spongebob Squarepants!
BTW, even with all the amendments, the Constitution isn't that long -- it fits in a small booklet. You can easily read the whole thing... and you can commit large portions of it to memory without much trouble. I recommend it.
What is the difference between Judeo-Christian beliefs versus Aztec beliefs when it comes to founding a country?
This old man is a moron. The only reason today I wish I was American is so I could vote against this asshole.
Mad old buzzard.
It gives me one glimmer of hope - his marketing team have no idea how to sell him to the public, so they're relying on the wingnut evangelical population.
It'll be a sad indictment on the American electorate if he gets voted in.
Most commentators here have missed the point. He is pandering to the worst extremists. He says he thinkgs voters should select a reprsentative of the judeo-Christian tradition? How is that him in particular? Only if you buy the conpsiracy theory that Obama is Moslem. That is the subtext here that will be noted and approved by the bible-thumpers
When stymied by, you know, facts, the revisionists exclaim that, because there were xians in their midst, anything they did was thereby stamped with godly goodness. By that logic, then this is not only a xian nation, but a propertied, white, male, xian nation.
"Propertied"?
"White"?
"Male"?
"Xian"?
Remind you of anyone?
If the founding father's had intended to create a democratic-theocratic state, our constitution and government would look a lot like, say, Iran? Which is odd, since, according to modern fundogelical new-conservatism, Iran is only one step down from the anti-Christ as an agent of evil.
Romans 13: 1-2
1Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.
2Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.
- - - - - -
So according to the Bible, the American Revolution was an ungodly undertaking because King George ruled by the Grace of God.
McCain is hellbound.
Hey Ick, how dare you point out Christianity and hypocrisy.
My favorite Christin principals that the US was founded on are slavery and genocide. What are you faves? lol!!
Don't know if McCain believes this fallacy or not, but it does raise an interesting point. I'm sure many intelligent Christians would agree that the Constitution is a secular document and would be opposed to a theocracy. But owing to very vague, half-thought-out notions, they still think we're a Christian nation psychologically or indirectly or some such thing.
An atheist -- and it hurts my American soul to say it -- has no chance of election to high office.
In God We Trust became the official U.S. national motto after the passage of an Act of Congress in 1956.
What drugs is McCain smoking to say that the founding fathers emphasized the Christian principle, "In God We Trust".
What a fucking wanker.
Blechhh! Moronic. Good luck with that.
America a christian nation?
What a bullshit statement to make. It's like labelling your own country, asshole.
Richard Dawkins refers labelling a child as a Christian child, a Muslim child, or a Jewish child, a form of child abuse.
I refer labelling a country as a Christian nation, a Buddhist nation, an Atheist nation, or a Mormon nation, a form of ridiculous country abuse.
McCain is just another clone of Bush and he should be the one wearing diapers over his head to stop those shit from coming out of his mouth.
I will weep too if McCain wins... that would certainly be the end of the American Empire...
That man is crazy, i just hope the Americans have brains not to vote for this ****
Wouldn't it be nice if our politicians would actually READ the Constitution before making claims that it's Christian? IT'S NOT. Read it.
CHRISTIANS ARE ALWAYS BAD WITH HISTORY, BECAUSE LYING IS THE ONLY WAY TO BELIEVE THE SHIT.
REVISIONIST!
LIKE DAWKINGS SAYS...LYING FOR JESUS!
Oh wow what a deplorable candidate! Such a prolific liar!
America had no Christian influence, this whole idea of the Puritans coming to establish America is Right-wing bull. The atheist influence that helped create this nations runs deeply in this country's veins, its so blatantly obvious.
I simply cannot understand the reason for why McCain would hold such erroneous ideas.
this country was founded on "his faith"?
gee, i wish we had that same theocracy
we had at the founding... then we
could have cool stonings, waterdunking
of witches (percursor to waterboarding?)
and burning of said witches, after the
ceremonial witch hunt.
holy chr1st, i never knew mccain was
such a fundie robot.
You all do realize that many of those who founded America were Fundamentalist Bible-believing Christians?
If you don't, then your beliefs have blinded you from seeing the plain simple facts: much of the people who founded America where of the same religious mindset as our friend here John McCain. Hate to break the news. Not saying that the constitution is religious in nature, but can it not be argued that it is made from the same set of principles that guided our forefathers in the Christian faith?
Liberals are fiberals.
Liberals are foolish.
Conservatism stops you from straying down the path of despair.
Andrew, The sarcasm is unwarranted. Yes, the Puritans were theocrats. However, there was a good deal of time between the initial Plimouth settlement in the 1620s and the American Revolution in the 1770s. During that time, the Enlightenment happened; the men commonly referred to as "Founding Fathers" subscribed to the Englightenment principles of reason and empirical inquiry rather than blind faith. That's why, if you actually READ the Constitution, you'll find that it's not religiously bound, but a fully secular document dedicated to the preservation of the rights to liberty, freedom, and property for all. They were NOT out to privilege Xtians, despite what nitwit demagogue preachers may have told you....
Actually, if you look at the end of the Constitution, it reads:
Article. VII.
The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same.
Attest William Jackson
Secretary
done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the
Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven
and of the Independence of the United States of America the Twelfth In witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names,
Go. WASHINGTON — Presidt.
and deputy from Virginia
But this was just a convention of the time. I know it's galling-- I'm not a believer myself, and t doesn't mean it's not a secular document-- it is, but there it is.
"Believe it or not, I've heard people claim that the Constitution is Christian because it's dated 'in the Year of our Lord'."
Y'know, when Happyhiker said that, I didn't believe it...
I figure Obama will not win because of his color, racism still being a massive issue in America, especially in the bible belt..
So this moron will be the next president!! OMG FAIL!!!!!!!!
"Y'know, when Happyhiker said that, I didn't believe it..."
Not much can be done to change it. Christians do use the fact of the dating as evidence that the document is Christian in nature. They are wrong, but the wording IS there.
Google the Treaty of Tripoli and get back to us, John.
Did he just say that the founding fathers wrote "In God We Trust?"
Lol.
You embarrass the shit out of me, John. If I weren't just a myth, I would come back and kick your profoundly stupid ass.
So the use of the Christian calendar in the Constitution makes us a Christian nation? Does the use of Arabic numerals on our money make it Muslim money? Oh, wait, $4.00+ gasoline, I guess it does!
John McCain. Whoopee. There's a guy who believes in TWO unjustified entities: God and Government.
BACK OFF HATERS! HE RIGHT(GET IT)AND YOU KNOW IT. IT'S CALLED THE WHITE HOUSE TO FOR A REASON OSAMA BARRACK MUSLIM LOVERS!!TO BAD YOU LOSE CAUSE YOUR PICK FOR PREZ. HIS A HATER OF HIS OWN COUNTRY!!AND HIS WIFES BIG MOUTH WILL GET HER IN MORE TROUBLE IN THE FALL WHEN THE TAPE OF HATING ON WHITEYS IS RELEASED!!
Year of our Lord = Anno Domini = A.D.
It's the rather formal way they dated official documents back in the day. The Use Permit for a whorehouse probably would have been dated the same way.
Nowhere does the Constitution make any reference to Christian or Christ. In a very loose sense, God is mentioned in the Declaration of Independence with the part of "God given rights being self evident. " But it is obvious that the term God is used in context of rights rather than belief in a deity. I swear with McCains's statement it makes me wish a Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, Wiccan, Pagan, devout Atheist or practitioner of Voodoo were running. I would vote for them hoping they would win and declare "See it really isn't a Christian Nation.
And Mr Senator. Neither is the United States a Democracy. We are and always have been a Republic. We do have Democratic principles but that's a long way from pure Democracy. The Founding Fathers saw that trap. A Democracy is rule by the majority. And as such the minority loses all theirs.
What an elite phony. Everyone knows judeo-christian is code for white christian control freaks. What he is saying is hopes everyone will remember the country was founded by white men and people should continue to not vote to not vote for a black man or a woman to lead. This is the same judeo-christian nation founded that committed genocide of native americans and ran the most brutal slave trade in recent history but I'm sure Americas judeo-christian god blessed all these things. hmmppff!
Actually, on this, John McCain is correct. The U.S. Constitution does recognize us as a Christian nation. It does this in the closing paragraph.
The closing paragraph is where our founding fathers signed the U.S. Constitution.
They signed it in "The year of our Lord", and in "The year of the independence of the United States of America."
"In the year of our Lord," is the definition for "A.D.", Anno Domini. This dating system is referring to the Jesus of the Bible.
And of course we all know (or should know) that the Declaration of Independence recognizes the God of the Bible, the Creator.
Yours Truly just happens to be the writer of the only article (to date) that I have ever seen on the topic of the second dating system used in the U.S. Constitution: http://www.debrajmsmith.com/usframe.html (And yes, it is copyrighted with the U.S. Library of Congress. Perhaps one day someone there may ready it. 
Debra J.M. Smith
of
www.InformingChristians.com
lol.... I just noticed that this is an "Atheist" blog. I found it on a Propeller news article.
oops.. I don't normally post on Atheist blogs. Sorry about that.
Debra...
If, we had a Catholic president elected and he declared the US a Catholic Nation, the rest of the Christians would have a cow. I well remember the statement in 1960 that if Kennedy were elected the Pope would run the country. Not so! In fact it was Nixon that gave Billy Graham an office in the White House. Ditto Ford, Carter Reagan, Bush Sr. And not surprisingly it was beginning with Nixon all this nonsense came along about being a Christian Nation. Afraid of Obama? Well Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both possessed and read the Koran. Lastly, I only hear this Christian Nation stuff from the evangelistic hard core fundamentalist Christians. And they are not the majority but definitely the loud mouthed minority. While I am an Atheist, I like Christians, most of them that is. But the fundamentalists would, as another mentioned, like to enslave and kill everyone that doesn't believe their way or is of non European blood lines.
I have to add this. If presidents and presidential candudates keep this up, declaring this a Christian Nation, the rest of the world, and not just Islam, but European Nations will be calling the US a nation of fanatatical religious zealots. And that will reduce us to the status of a country comparable to Iran.
This is obviously an edited video from a longer interview... does anyone know where the rest of the interview can be watched?. Everyone should be aware that editing can affect the appearance of an interview, and this appears doctored. I don't support any of the parties right now but I do appreciate J.McC. actually saying something which other candidates dare not say, but know is true about the US government.
It's like he's f.ing 5
Such a prolific liar
The other day, I heard McCain say that our nation was endowed by the Creator. He was apparently garbling Jefferson's "All men...are endowed by their Creator...".
Way too stupid to lead.
I really hate to burst everyone's buble but the first document that 'founded' this country was the Mayflower Pact. Read it and read how this country WAS founded as a CHRISTIAN nation. The founding fathers may have left some of that out when they wrote the Declaration of Independance but the intent was there in black and white.
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