Is America a Christian Nation? Or does the U.S. Constitution require the government to be "secular?"
You are invited to judge the evidence for yourself.
We invite you to imagine that you are a visiting dignitary: an extraterrestrial anthropologist from a distant galaxy, here to study the human race. Your scholarly team will be studying America, your specialty is American history, and your sub-specialty is "church-state relations."
This website will show you how to answer the question, "Is America a Christian Nation?"
Here are the steps we'll follow:
- We will go step-by-step through a decision by the United States Supreme Court, the highest judicial body in America, which officially and unanimously declared in 1892 that America is legally and organically a Christian nation (Holy Trinity Church vs. United States). This alone should answer the question, but we'll help you
understand the reasons behind the Court's declaration.
- The Court did not merely say that most people in America were Christian, or that there were no Muslims or Hindus in America. According to the author
of the Court's unanimous opinion, the Court's claim that America "is a Christian nation" is in "the domain of official action and recognition," not mere "individual acceptance." The Court demonstrates that our entire system of government was created
- with a duty to acknowledge the authority of the God of the Christian Bible, and to obey His commandments
- by Christians who
- acknowledged the authority of God and were committed to obey His commandments
- intended the government they created to acknowledge and obey God.
- The Holy Trinity case was effectively overruled in 1931, and replaced by subsequent Courts with the idea that the government is "separate" from God, not "under God." The new doctrine of "separation of church and state" covers way more than churches; it really means the
separation of God and Government. In 1989, the Court declared, "the Constitution mandates that the government remain secular." This is a lie. The Constitution does not require the government to ignore God's authority and
commandments, as the Holy Trinity case shows:
- From its earliest founding in the 1600's, each American colony was a Christian Theocracy.
- "Theocracy" means "ruled by God," not "ruled by priests." A nation "under God" is a "Theocracy" by definition.
- There was universal agreement that the formation of civil government was a religious/Christian/Biblical obligation. All governments were Theocratic. Governments were formed because it was believed God in the Bible commanded human beings to form them. The founding of a government was a religious act.
- Under the new federal government which began under the U.S. Constitution on March 4, 1789, the United States were Christian Theocracies.
- The U.S. Constitution would never have been ratified if it gave power to the newly-created federal government to prevent the United States from being "under God" and officially and legally acknowledging themselves to be under His jurisdiction.
- Does a consistently Christian Theocracy torture or imprison or execute blasphemers? This is a huge question, and we'll tackle it, with all its implications.
Note for now that two people can answer the question differently and both be Christian Theocrats. If Theocrat A answers, "Yes, execute blasphemers," and Theocrat B says, "No, Christ would not have us execute blasphemers in a perfect Christian Theocracy," the position of Theocrat B ("No....") cannot be used to prove that A and B were not living in a Theocracy, or that B intended to establish an atheistic nation.
Most of the historical arguments about whether America is a Christian nation violate this simple principle.
- The editor of this website believes that a perfectly consistent Christian Theocracy would be a Libertarian Theocracy, not a Police State or a totalitarian dictatorship by clergy. Many Christians (especially among "the Religious Right") who defend the idea that America is a "Christian Nation" will be offended by the libertarian character of some webpages on this site. This website is against capital
punishment, for example. To argue against capital punishment is not to argue against Theocracy (the idea that government should obey God). This is a question of how government should obey God, not whether government should obey God. Today the "Separation of Church and State" issue is a question of whether the State should officially acknowledge and obey a Higher Power (though a
century ago it was not).
In fact, it is theoretically possible to imagine a completely libertarian, 100% laissez-faire Theocracy, in which there is no civil government whatsoever. One can argue that the Patriarch Abraham constituted a "Theocracy" (although there was nothing we would call "civil government" at the time) because the government of his household was "under God." Before Israel
faithlessly imported political structures from the world around her (1 Samuel 8) she was considered a "Theocracy," but Israel was apolitical. See our sister websites, www.Anarcho-Theocracy.com and www.NAGocracy.com
Is America A Christian Nation?
First let's ask, WAS America a Christian nation? It may not be any longer.
Obviously an important place to determine the answer to this question is the U.S. Supreme Court.
In 1892 the United States Supreme Court emphatically declared that America was "a Christian nation." If you read the Court's opinion, you will gain a nearly-complete education in the Christian history of America. You will agree that America was once a Christian Theocracy, and if you hear the heart of Justice David Brewer (who wrote the opinion for a unanimous Supreme Court), you'll know that if he and
America's Founding Fathers could see America in 2019, they would begin immediately working to make America a Theocracy again. Here's where to get started:
The Supreme Court's Christian History of America (1892)
Step by step, the Court shows why America was founded as a Christian nation -- officially, legally, constitutionally, "organically." Let the highest court in the land be your guide. Follow the Court's history and review the documents cited by the Court.
It is a sad fact that the U.S. Supreme Court more recently has denied its earlier ruling, and has denied what every signer of the Constitution believed was the most fundamental obligation of every nation under heaven: to acknowledge God and His Providence. Many Christians are recognizing that battle
lines are being drawn. The federal government now confiscates ten times more in taxes than George III did, and Britain would never have dreamed of using colonial tax revenue to remove God from schools, fund Planned Parenthood, or send foreign aid to Saddam Hussein. If there had been no "taxation without representation," the American Revolution would have started anyway if colonial schools were
told they couldn't permit students to say the words "under God" or see the Ten Commandments posted in the school hall.
When you finish reading the Court's History of America, come back to this page for more evidence that America is a Christian nation.
Separationist arguments against using the Holy Trinity case answered.
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Does "A Christian Nation" Mean "Theocracy?"
American liberals HATE the word "theocracy." All you have to do to discredit an idea is accuse it of being connected in some way with "theocracy."
"Theocracy" literally means "ruled by God." It has nothing to do with priests. America was supposed to be a nation "under God." If America is under God, then God is over America. That's the literal meaning of "theocracy."
The mainstream media use "theocracy" as a scare word. They want you to think of Osama bin Laden instead of Jesus Christ. They want you to think of "tyranny under god" rather than Liberty Under God. Many writers who deny America's Christian history attempt to confuse you with caricatures of intolerant right-wing religious tyrants. Among them:
Neutralize the word here.
Every single American colony before 1776 would be described as a "theocracy" by the ACLU. The Declaration of Independence is, by the ACLU's definition, a theocratic charter. The Constitution would not have been ratified if it had been perceived as infringing on the "theocratic" character of the states. (And it was perceived that way, which is why the Bill of Rights was demanded as a condition of ratification.)
Not a single person who signed the U.S. Constitution intended to create a secular nation. From the beginning, America was a Christian nation, and the Founding Fathers did not intend to change this. Every single Signer of the Constitution believed the following:
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Christianity was the true religion, others were "false religions."
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Forming a civil government was a religious duty imposed by the God of the Bible, and hence all governments must be "under God."
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The God of the Bible answered the prayers of the colonists by directly and supernaturally intervening in human history, aiding their revolution against the British Empire to ensure American victory. Not a single "deist" ("clockmaker god") signed the Constitution.
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It is the duty of all governments to endorse and promote the true religion, and make sure the statutes they pass conform to the Bible.
Below are links to webpages with primary source evidence that the modern notion of "separation of church and state" is a myth. That slogan has nothing to do with churches, and really means "the separation of God and state." Our goal is to persuade you that America was intended to be a Christian nation. Imagine the following spectrum:
| Atheistic Nation |
"Neutral" nation |
Christian Nation |
Christian Theocracy |
| Communist China |
Sweden |
America, 1844 |
America, 1641 |
The links on this page should convince you that America was not only designed to be a Christian nation, but that America was intended to be a Christian Theocracy. If we can get you to listen to arguments that America was intended to be a theocracy, you'll end up feeling that the idea that America should be a "Christian nation" is far more "moderate"
(which will be a shift in the right direction if you're infected with ACLU views that the Constitution requires America to be an a-theistic nation).
All the evidence is against the idea of America as an atheistic nation. All the evidence points to theocracy. And when it comes to a nation's allegiance to God, none of the Signers of the Constitution believed that "neutrality" was an option. If you read all the evidence linked from this page, you will at least end up agreeing with "Christian nation," and will probably admit that America was intended to
be a Theocracy.
| Theocracy Throughout History: A Summary
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Additional Sources
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Ancient History
The Founding Fathers were keen students of ancient history. They knew that religion had always been considered of great utility by ancient governments. There has never been a separation of religion and state in the history of man. The Founders did not intend to change this.
The Reformation: Rebirth of Theocracy
- The Protestant Reformation was a key influence in the American Revolution.
- First, because the revolt against Roman Catholicism was a source of American anti-clericalism. Today's European Protestant churches are unreformed Roman churches. "New Presbyter is but Old Priest, writ large" (Milton). Most of the Founders' remarks used by atheists
in our day to support the separation of religion and state were actually anti-clerical remarks designed to separate churches and state, and reduce competition between clergy. This philosophy leads to the House-Church movement, where religion becomes more pervasive in the life of the believer, not to a secular state, where religion
becomes more peripheral.
- Second, because the Calvinistic emphasis on the Sovereignty of God was a direct challenge to "statism," the deity of the sovereign state. The Revolutionary War was a Calvinist Revolution.
It is important not to confuse anti-clericalism with secularism. The author of this web page, a fanatic Christian Theocrat, has not been a church-member for 15 years.
The pages linked below discuss Early American history in the context of Theocracy (a nation "under God") and Anarchism (a People with a divine wall protecting them from incursions on their rights by archists in church and state). There
is no compelling evidence that the Founding Fathers intended to separate God and government.
America: Theocracy in the New World
Modern secularists have problems understanding the American relationship between religion and government because they do not understand that the Founders believed that
- Christianity was the true religion, others were "false religions." It would be suicidal to base a commonwealth on a false religion.
- Forming a civil government was a religious duty imposed by the God of the Bible, and hence all governments must be "under God."
- The God of the Bible answered the prayers of the colonists by directly and supernaturally intervening in human history, aiding their revolution against the British Empire to ensure American victory. Not a single "deist" ("clockmaker god") signed the Constitution.
- It is the duty of all governments to endorse and promote the true religion, and make sure the statutes they pass conform to the Bible.
Every single person who signed the Constitution agreed with these four premises, and they agreed that the true religion was Christianity. It doesn't matter that they didn't agree among themselves as to the details of the Christian religion. It doesn't matter that they made sure that one variety of Christianity would have no legal power over other varieties of Christianity. What matters is that not a single signer of the Constitution believed in the
"separation of church and state" where the word "church" means "Christianity, the true religion." Not a single person who signed the Constitution believed the Constitution created a secular state.
The pages below are designed to explain these propositions and to show that they were universally held by the Founding Fathers.
"Vine & Fig Tree" in American History -- Homepage
American Law
Theocracy Defended by the U.S. Supreme Court
Famous American Theocrats
"The Separation of Church and State"
Theocratic Education
The Myth of Secular Governments
| Let's Make America |
| A Theocracy |
| Once Again |
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"America was NEVER a Theocracy!" |
"You mean like the Taliban?" |
Are you advocating the VIOLENT OVERTHROW of the government? |
| Oh yes it was. The literal meaning of "theocracy" is "God Rules," and a nation where God Rules is a nation "under God." Each of the 13 colonies were Christian
Theocracies. |
No, we mean "Liberty Under God," not "Tyranny under priests." Biblical Theocracy is source of liberty in Western Civilization. |
Absolutely not. Christianity is against violence, and the Bible commands us to submit to imperialists, fascists, Nazis, communists, Republicrats, and Demoblicans. Violent revolution against the Empire is never justified. Even America's War for Independence was not Biblically justified. |
“Liberty Under God”
is what made America the greatest nation in human history.
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But what does “Liberty Under God ” really mean? |
Does "Liberty" mean anarchy? Does "Under God " mean
Theocracy?
If not, why not?
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Continuing Education
Doctors, Lawyers, and other highly-trained professionals are required to take “continuing education” classes each year to remain highly-trained and up-to-date on the latest advances in their field. Failure to do so can result in injury to patients, imprisonment for the innocent, and malpractice lawsuits. In extreme cases, doctors and lawyers who fail to stay abreast of developments in their field can lose their license to practice.
At the risk of sounding conceited and judgmental, I believe most Americans are guilty of "citizenship malpractice." They’re suspicious of those who "criticize the government," even though Thomas Jefferson said,
In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.
Most Americans haven’t read the Constitution in years, are ignorant of its most basic principles and are not keeping informed of how today’s politicians are violating those principles. They have lost their edge, and millions of people around the world are in danger. If these citizens don’t take some continuing education classes in Americanism, they should lose their
citizenship.
What you are about to read is a “continuing education class” in Americanism. You need it to be a good citizen and to be a good influence on your rapidly-changing nation. |
The American Dream
The prophet Micah described a world of "Liberty Under God" -- a day when swords are beaten into plowshares, and everyone -- from richest to poorest -- owns their own property safely and securely, enjoying life under their Vine & Fig Tree. This ideal has been called "The American Dream," and the words of the Prophet Micah were frequently on the
lips of America's Founding Fathers. Immigrants with only a dime in their pocket came to America and found their Vine & Fig Tree in a land of "Liberty Under God." America became the most admired nation in the world because of its decentralized material prosperity and
its Christian goodness.
Although the U.S. Supreme Court frequently acknowledged that America was a Christian nation, there were a few Americans who were not Christians. But they were not imprisoned or tortured for their non-Christian opinions. Noah Webster said, "The ecclesiastical establishments of Europe which serve to support tyrannical governments are not the Christian religion but abuses and corruptions of it." Daniel Webster similarly
explained: "Christianity to which the sword and the fagot [burning stake or hot branding iron] are unknown -- general tolerant Christianity is the law of the land!"
"Liberty" meant freedom to try, freedom to fail, freedom to try again, freedom to succeed, freedom to enjoy success. "Under God" meant honoring "The Laws of Nature and of Nature's God" in your pursuit of happiness.
"The American Dream" was not the prospect of having "the government" take care of you from womb to tomb. It was the prospect of being free to try new ideas, give it your all, provide goods and services that benefit your neighbors, and enjoy the highest standard of living in the history of the world.
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