"What if America truly were a Christian nation?"

[Rachel333]

http://www.sj-r.com/features/x146178833 ... Christians

This is pretty good. He points out how very unlike Christ most people complaining about how America used to be a Christian nation are.

[MonkeyMomma]

Love it. That is all. :)

[FlorenceHamilton]

Great article.

[Spider Burps]

Awesome article. :D

My fiance and I have discussed that same idea many a time (especially when living in the Bible Belt). So often we would hear people justifying their absolutely horrible and hurtful actions/words because "that's what Jesus wants [them] to do". If more Christians thought like the author of that article they would make the Bible Belt (and the rest of America) a great place to live instead of one that so many people aspire to leave!

[MerryHappy]

Excellent!

[Swamptribe]

Sounds more like a humanists nation than a Christian one :) Too many times Christians forget that humanism started as a Christian movement.

I like Bill and Teds version "Be excellent to one and other".

[Austin]

Love-love-love it!

[notsocommon]

I like this one....

http://christianhumanist.net/christian_nation.aspx

(towards the end)

If the United States were a Christian nation, the principle of love, of respect for others and the affirmation of their dignity and essential humanity, would be the guiding principle underlying our laws, our social policy, our treatment of our citizens, as well as the basis of our foreign policy, and we would expect to judge ourselves and have others judge us on the basis of how well we fulfilled our national commitment to express love (agape) in our laws, our social policies and our actions.

Even a cursory reading about the life and teachings of Jesus suggests that if our nation were to become a Christian nation, with Christian values playing out in our public policy, it would be a very different country than it is today.

Our domestic policy priority would be to care for all of our citizens without regard to power or influence. We would feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, care for the sick, provide for the widows and the elderly, heal the veterans, teach and protect the children. We would be a caring nation, which means that we would see that all in our society were cared for. We do this now, grudgingly, stingily and with much complaining on the part of ideological Republicans that people must be responsible for themselves and that government should have no role in caring for the plight of individuals who cannot make it on their own. The selfish in our society want all their money for themselves as an entitlement and do not want to part with it in taxes levied for the common welfare of all, but this attitude reflects just the opposite of Christian values.

Our foreign policy would be less arrogant, more humble, not so quick to take offense, not as bellicose and belligerent, less inclined to resort to force, more interested in making and keeping peace. Our Peace Corps would be larger than our military. When Air Force planes or Navy ships headed to another country their holds would be filled with food, water, tents and medical supplies rather than bombs and the mission would be to provide aid in response to famine, flood or earthquake.

Our government and our citizens would demand justice and equal treatment for all: economic crimes and white collar criminals would be treated as any others; our officials would throw the money changers, money managers and lobbyists out of the temples of power in the Congress; corporations and business interests would have no more power and influence than the least among us; we would value integrity and honesty in our public and private dealings and we would not tolerate hypocrisy and self-dealing in our public officials.

We would speak truth to power. As a people we would stand with the victims among us against their oppressors. Our people would not be so quick to condemn others for their actions while ignoring their own foibles. We would not stone adulterers or lesbians or throw rocks at gays or condemn those whose values and priorities are different than ours but no less legitimate. We would not attempt to compel others to live by our values while disrespecting their values and beliefs. We would not condemn so easily those who believe in a woman's right to choose and support violence against those who support the right to abortion, and we would not pretend to support a culture of life while building bombs, promoting war and supporting the death penalty.

You say that these Christian values are impractical, idealistic and unworkable as national policy? Maybe so. But then don't tell me this is a Christian country. That’s not realistic either.

[darareaksmey]

If American truly were a Christian nation, a lot of people in Congress who now deem themselves Christian would so be out of a job.

[flojo]

And yet, look at the comments... A bunch of angry 'christians' telling him he's wring..