The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism Is Un-American

by Andrew L. Seidel

America was not founded on Judeo-Christian principles. In fact, Judeo-Christian principles, especially those central to the Christian nationalist identity, are thoroughly opposed to the principles on which the United States was built. The two systems differ and conflict to such a degree that, to put it bluntly, Christianity is un-American.

Religions, particularly established religions or religions to which a majority of the population ascribe, will nearly always oppose revolution because revolution upsets the status quo in which they are powerful. This also means that religions will usually fight progress, as can be seen across history, from flat-earthers to geocentrists to young earth creationists; from the index of prohibited books to book burnings to declaring one—and only one—book the book of truth; from outlawing pain relief during childbirth to banning contraception to preventing women from taking control of procreation; from exorcisms to opposing vaccines and stem cell research; from validating slavery to enslaving women in the home to prohibiting same sex marriage; to the religious persecution of Socrates, Hypatia, Galileo, Giordano Bruno, Spinoza, and Charles Darwin. Progress threatens religion—this was true for and well known to the founders.

America’s colonial history does include governments established on Christian principles and the bible, but it is a mistake to argue that the United States is a Christian nation from those early examples. Some colonies had Christian governments—indeed, some were settled for that purpose. But when the founders were inventing America, they rejected the example of colonial governments established on Judeo-Christian principles, viewing them as examples of what to avoid.

The Judeo-Christian belief that women are a form of property significantly affected this country. Because the belief was religious, based on divine law and divine order, it provided an unquestionable justification for oppression. To question woman’s place was to question “God’s plan.” As with slavery, religion might not have been the root cause, but it provided an unassailable moral justification for diminishing half the population.

The Ten Commandments did not positively influence the foundations of the United States. America would survive without them—indeed, it survives in spite of them—because the United States is founded on ideals that are far more important, impressive, and timeless than anything Judeo-Christianity can offer.

Typically, the majority religion is content to let itself be corrupted by politics, so long as it is in the majority. But as soon as it becomes a minority it seeks to buttress the wall of separation. Christianity is declining in this country, so it will be interesting to see whether American Christians come to realize the value of state-church separation as they lose their majority.

Small groups of fanatics exploited times of fear and superstition to force their religion upon all citizens and violate our founding principles in the process. These shibboleths exemplify how religious entitlement, which every religious majority enjoys, has eroded the Bill of Rights. If we truly care about America’s founding principles and about keeping religious freedom, these phrases ought to be excised from our laws, currency, pledges, and government.