Submitted by Ben, Dec 6, 2007 17:04

"I haven't said it was founded on Christian religion, but on Christian values."

Christian values are part of the Christian religion. The sentence said 'As the government of the United States is not, IN ANY SENSE, founded on the Christian religion.' They meant it. The U.S. was founded on Enlightenment values, in direct opposition to Christian values like the Divine Right of Kings.

"Freedom and equality between all men, for instance, are concepts present in Christian doutrine that - at least from an outsider's perspective - play an important role in the American ethical set."

Freedom and equality between all men are definitely enlightenment values. I don't see how they could be considered Christian values whatsoever. For the American Civil War, for example, the North stayed with the Secular U.S. Constitution, while the slave-holding South created their own Christian nation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederate_States_Constitution
"The preamble maintained the structure of the preamble to the U.S. Constitution with several distinctions. The Confederate preamble added the words "each State acting in its sovereign and independent character" after "We the people of the Confederate States"; substituted "permanent federal government" for "more perfect Union"; deleted the phrases referring to providing for the "common defence" and "general welfare"; and inserted the words "invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God"."

"I see 'we' in the print not as 'most of us', but as a affirmation of the principles that support your country."

Then its status as a National Motto should be removed. Also, it is NOT an affirmation of the principles that support our country.

"My point was just that it's not an offense to atheists or non-Christians."

Absolutely not true. The phrase is almost always used with some variation of atheists being called non-American. Same with the phrase added to the Pledge of Allegiance:

"Sherman: What will you do to win the votes of the Americans who are atheists?

Bush: I guess I'm pretty weak in the atheist community. Faith in God is important to me.

Sherman: Surely you recognize the equal citizenship and patriotism of Americans who are atheists?

Bush: No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God."

http://www.positiveatheism.org/writ/ghwbush.htm

Military.com did a poll somewhat recently asking if atheists had the same rights as other Americans. 33% voted 'no, our money says "In God We Trust" for a reason.'

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