I noticed the full page spread in the Indianapolis Star on July 4. Another full page spread took the opposing view. But the paper ended up in our recycling bin before I thought to retrieve those sections. Apparently, these expensive ads were placed in papers all across America on Independence Day. What is the issue? Is the USA a Christian nation or a secular nation? Selective quotes from our founders will “prove” either thesis.
Biblical and Christian moral values were affirmed by most of our founders who saw the value of religion even though many of them weren’t Christians as defined in the New Testament…though many of them were. America’s founding documents and laws were hugely affected by the Bible and most of our founders had no qualms about that. But it’s also true that Evangelicals have at times over stated the case, not acknowledging the influence of Deism on some of our founders. I’ve enjoyed the writing and videos of David Barton who labors to make the case for a Christian America, but I fear he also participates in the practice of selective quotations and overstates the case.
For a more balanced approach, I commend the recent Break Point commentary by Eric Metaxas, subtitled, The Complicated Truth.
Tom Macy 
I do not think the issue of whether we are a Christian Nation is overstated I think it is misstated. Many historians refer to American Exceptionalism. The American formative documents are unique to any that had been written before or to my knowledge that have been written since.
The declaration of Independence state that our inalienable rights come from God alone. All other governments exists on the premise that citizens are granted rights by the rulers. America as founded was exceptional in that we were based on the principle that the people gave the government its right to exist.
We are not and never have been a Christian country, as the God who granted our rights, is not defined. It is a general statement that God is the author of human rights. So we are not a Christian nation, necessarily, but neither are we a secular one. Our documents recognize that God is the author and giver of life, and that rights come from him.
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