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	<title>Comments on: United States no longer a &#8220;Christian&#8221; nation</title>
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	<link>http://dangerousintersection.org/2009/04/06/united-states-no-longer-a-christian-nation/</link>
	<description>Human Animals at the Crossroads of Culture, Science, Religion and Media</description>
	<pubDate>Sun, 21 Mar 2010 09:08:59 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>By: Mark Tiedemann</title>
		<link>http://dangerousintersection.org/2009/04/06/united-states-no-longer-a-christian-nation/comment-page-1/#comment-38378</link>
		<dc:creator>Mark Tiedemann</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:13:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=5919#comment-38378</guid>
		<description>It may well be that the majority of citizens in the United States belong to a category called christian, but that doesn't make the United States a Christian Nation.  No more than the fact that the Democrats now hold majority positions in government makes the U.S. a Democratic Nation or when the Republicans held the majority position did it make the place a Republican Nation.  The nation that we are includes these things but to say it is defined by them is to miss the point---it is the inclusion of all these things that is the definition of what we are, not the specifics of what is included.

The Constitution is a-religious.  The laws of this country are founded upon the Ten Commandments to the same degree that an atom bomb is based on the principle of the slingshot.  This place was not established as a christian nation, but as a nation where christians---and anybody else---could be what they were without anyone else's permission.  To my mind that makes the United States much much more than merely a Christian Nation.  

So continually asserting a position that is true but irrelevant (that there are more Christians here than any other group) does not make it so, any more than my continual refutation of your so-called alternative scientific facts makes you realize the error of your ways.

It's always been true that we are not a christian nation (though we may have been a nation of christians---there is a difference, it's not semantics) but now we've got a president with balls enough to admit it.  

How refreshing!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It may well be that the majority of citizens in the United States belong to a category called christian, but that doesn&#8217;t make the United States a Christian Nation.  No more than the fact that the Democrats now hold majority positions in government makes the U.S. a Democratic Nation or when the Republicans held the majority position did it make the place a Republican Nation.  The nation that we are includes these things but to say it is defined by them is to miss the point&#8212;it is the inclusion of all these things that is the definition of what we are, not the specifics of what is included.</p>
<p>The Constitution is a-religious.  The laws of this country are founded upon the Ten Commandments to the same degree that an atom bomb is based on the principle of the slingshot.  This place was not established as a christian nation, but as a nation where christians&#8212;and anybody else&#8212;could be what they were without anyone else&#8217;s permission.  To my mind that makes the United States much much more than merely a Christian Nation.  </p>
<p>So continually asserting a position that is true but irrelevant (that there are more Christians here than any other group) does not make it so, any more than my continual refutation of your so-called alternative scientific facts makes you realize the error of your ways.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s always been true that we are not a christian nation (though we may have been a nation of christians&#8212;there is a difference, it&#8217;s not semantics) but now we&#8217;ve got a president with balls enough to admit it.  </p>
<p>How refreshing!</p>
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		<title>By: Tony Coyle</title>
		<link>http://dangerousintersection.org/2009/04/06/united-states-no-longer-a-christian-nation/comment-page-1/#comment-38376</link>
		<dc:creator>Tony Coyle</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:01:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=5919#comment-38376</guid>
		<description>Karl

More than 50% of Americans don't even know where America is on a globe.  Some of them don't even believe we're on a globe! 

Half of Americans believe themselves to be better or smarter than average - the other half know this to be the case.

I wouldn't hold the 'beliefs' of the American public up as strong evidence of truth, if I were you.  It's not very compelling, in light of other corroborating evidence.

And yes, it is a bunch of myths. Glad we can agree on something!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Karl</p>
<p>More than 50% of Americans don&#8217;t even know where America is on a globe.  Some of them don&#8217;t even believe we&#8217;re on a globe! </p>
<p>Half of Americans believe themselves to be better or smarter than average - the other half know this to be the case.</p>
<p>I wouldn&#8217;t hold the &#8216;beliefs&#8217; of the American public up as strong evidence of truth, if I were you.  It&#8217;s not very compelling, in light of other corroborating evidence.</p>
<p>And yes, it is a bunch of myths. Glad we can agree on something!</p>
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		<title>By: Karl</title>
		<link>http://dangerousintersection.org/2009/04/06/united-states-no-longer-a-christian-nation/comment-page-1/#comment-38371</link>
		<dc:creator>Karl</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:14:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=5919#comment-38371</guid>
		<description>79% Believe Jesus Christ Rose from the Dead.

Yup, these Americans still believe it, they just won't talk about it for fear of ridicule from the atheists.

After all, its not science and therefore a bunch of myths.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/lifestyle/holidays/april_2009/79_believe_jesus_christ_rose_from_the_dead</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>79% Believe Jesus Christ Rose from the Dead.</p>
<p>Yup, these Americans still believe it, they just won&#8217;t talk about it for fear of ridicule from the atheists.</p>
<p>After all, its not science and therefore a bunch of myths.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/lifestyle/holidays/april_2009/79_believe_jesus_christ_rose_from_the_dead" rel="nofollow">http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/lifestyle/holidays/april_2009/79_believe_jesus_christ_rose_from_the_dead</a></p>
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		<title>By: Erich Vieth</title>
		<link>http://dangerousintersection.org/2009/04/06/united-states-no-longer-a-christian-nation/comment-page-1/#comment-38172</link>
		<dc:creator>Erich Vieth</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:37:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=5919#comment-38172</guid>
		<description>Christopher Hitchens has a problem.  He keeps insisting on getting his facts correct in this debate against Ken Blackwell, who doesn't give a damn about the facts.  The issue?  Whether the United States is a "Christian Nation."

&lt;div&gt;&lt;iframe height="339" width="425" src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/30114573#30114573" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;p style="font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 425px;"&gt;Visit msnbc.com for &lt;a style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;" href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com" rel="nofollow"&gt;Breaking News&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032507" style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;" rel="nofollow"&gt;World News&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032072" style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;" rel="nofollow"&gt;News about the Economy&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Christopher Hitchens has a problem.  He keeps insisting on getting his facts correct in this debate against Ken Blackwell, who doesn&#8217;t give a damn about the facts.  The issue?  Whether the United States is a &#8220;Christian Nation.&#8221;</p>
<div><iframe height="339" width="425" src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/30114573#30114573" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
<p style="font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 425px;">Visit msnbc.com for <a style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;" href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com" rel="nofollow">Breaking News</a>, <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032507" style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;" rel="nofollow">World News</a>, and <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032072" style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;" rel="nofollow">News about the Economy</a></p>
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