Re: Country Related: Christmas

John Cowan wrote:

> Padraic Brown scripsit:
>
> > A Hindu friend of mine summed it up pretty well: 'It's stupid.  This =
is
> > the USA, a Christian country.  I am Hindu, but living here, I would
> > _expect_ people to say Merry Xmas.  How can I be offended at that?'
>
> Ahem.  The Treaty of Tripoli (ratified 1792, the first between the
> U.S. and a Muslim power) says "The United States is in no sense
> founded on the Christian religion"; like other treaties, this
> forms part of the "supreme law of the land" (U.S. Constitution
> Arcticle VI section 2).  I have also found this phrase
> attributed to George Washington.
>
> There are a lot of Christians here, but it is not a Christian country.
But what exactly do you mean by a "Christian country"? Do you mean
the predominant cultural attitude? Do you mean the largest group of
self-described Christians? Do you mean people who actually practice
(who may or may not describe themselves as Christians)?  Do you mean
a country where the government officially dictates Christian religious
principles?

Obviously, it's not at all clear what's meant, quite like asking what's
meant by "freedom" or "equality". And if it's not all that clear, certain=
ly,
with a different opinion of what a Christian country is, you can
legitimately say that it is one.

Note that the Treaty was being discussed in the context of the
official governmental opinion; while the government certainly is
not Christian, I would say a very good case could be made for the
society being Christian.


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Tom Wier <twier@...>
ICQ#: 4315704   AIM: Deuterotom
Website: <http://www.angelfire.com/tx/eclectorium/>
"Cogito ergo sum, sed credo ergo ero."

"S=F4=F0 is gecy=FEed / =FE=E6t mihtig God manna
cynes / w=EAold w=EEde-ferh=F0."
 _Beowulf_, ll. 700-702
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