US documents, which range as from declaration of independence, declaration of sentiments, US constitution, bill of rights and as well as Jefferson first inaugural address, are very crucial in addressing whether the US government is founded and based under religious or secular policies. There have been many attempts to rewrite the history and trying to conclude that United States' government is founded on a Christian foundation. Activists based on a religious background have been behind this attempt of manipulating the history that US have (Hunt, 2012). They have an argument that the Founding Fathers of United States had an intention of forming nation based on a Christian foundation. However, this idea lacks and does not support history evidence that US have (Swatos, 1999). Despite many Americans practicing Christianity, there were as well some Americans who believed other philosophies based on nature. In addition, as with many founding fathers of US, they never believed in Christianity despite the great respect they had towards other religions. The essay will focus on addressing the question whether US government is founded under religious or secular principles deriving the argument as from the US documents.
Considering the U.S constitution, it acts as a law that governs the Americans. This indicates the intention of the Founding Fathers. While it acts as a source of laws that are followed by the Americans, it forms a secular document that does not refer to God at any instance. The U.S government derives it from people but not from God. This is clear in the constitution where it states clearly that ‘we the people of the United States'. This intentional failure to refer to God in the constitution is aimed at keeping the government different from religion (Swatos, 1999).
Thomas Jefferson, who is the third president of United States, is confirmed as an atheist. He penned the Jefferson bible that was aimed at removing all superstitions and supernatural references that were being made on the bible. Despite his step to write the bible, he had an intense belief that despite Jesus being a religious leader, he is a wised and mortal. He highlights that religion is based on personal belief and understanding of the religious books that are used in the religion.
[...] Religious liberty. Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co. Swatos, W. H. (1999). The power of religious publics: Staking claims in American society. Westport, Conn. [u.a.: Praeger. [...]
[...] government founded on religious or secular principles? U.S. Government Documents US documents, which range as from declaration of independence, declaration of sentiments, US constitution, bill of rights and as well as Jefferson first inaugural address, are very crucial in addressing whether the US government is founded and based under religious or secular policies. There have been many attempts to rewrite the history and trying to conclude that United States' government is founded on a Christian foundation. Activists based on a religious background have been behind this attempt of manipulating the history that US have (Hunt, 2012). [...]
[...] This humiliating treaty clearly shows that the United States' government is not founded under a Christian foundation. In the Declaration of Independence document, the mentioning of God does not specifically describe God as described in Christianity the document's large part was written by Thomas Jefferson. The document explains the nature of God. However, concluding that since the document has a great influence in US politics the government is founded on a Christian foundation is not true (Hunt, 2012). Thomas explains the nature's view of God and how he agrees with the deist philosophy. [...]
[...] Thus the government is not founded on a religious foundation (Hunt, 2012). The Declaration of Independence document is an influential political document in America. In addition, the document is not founded on a religious background. As got from the document, all men are created equally. This is meant o imply that everyone have the natural abilities of life, liberty and as well happiness. As a government, in order to ensure its initial roles it plays in securing the rights that different people have, the document is used. [...]
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