Wow, 5 exclamation points... I'm flattered. But I don't see what you're so upset about. Exactly what lie am I living??
Is it your supposition that America is a "Christian" country?
Then why is it that nowhere does the Constitution say: "The United States is a Christian Nation", or anything even close to that. In fact, the words "Jesus Christ, Christianity, Bible, Creator, Divine, and God" are never mentioned in the Constitution-- not even once. Religion mentioned nowhere in the Constitution, except in exclusionary terms. When the Founders wrote the nation's Constitution, they specified that "no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." (Article 6, section 3) This provision was radical in its day-- giving equal citizenship to believers and non-believers alike. They wanted to ensure that no religion could make the claim of being the official, national religion, such as England had.
Or is it the myth that the founding fathers were Christian?
This one is kind of true. They were Deists, which is to say they thought the universe had a creator, but that "the creator" does not concern himself with the daily lives of humans, and does not directly communicate with humans, either by revelation or by sacred books. It's true that they spoke often of God, (Nature's God or the God of Nature), but this was not the God of the bible.
In fact there are many references to the founding fathers apparent distain for religion..
John Adams wrote in a letter to Thomas Jeffereson, "This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it."
Thomas Jefferson made no secret of his doubts about Christianity's doctrines.
"In every country and every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot ... they have perverted the purest religion ever preached to man into mystery and jargon, unintelligible to all mankind, and therefore the safer engine for their purpose."
I would like to make the point that I am not challenging a man's beliefs or his chosen religion. As you wrote, "religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God"
I am only pointing out that this country was not founded "by Christians, for Christians." as many would have us believe. In fact, I would suggest that a truly devout Christian could be considered diametrically opposed to a capitalist, democratic republic. Since at it's base, capitalism depends highly on several of the 7 deadly sins (greed, pride, envy) to support and advance itself.
