78 Comments
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Virgin Monk Boy's avatar

Christian Nationalists keep saying America was founded as a Christian nation because apparently “We the People” was too inclusive and not enough like a church bulletin with a police budget. Qasim’s point is the whole ballgame: religious freedom only works when the state belongs to no religion. The minute one faith gets the crown, everyone else gets treated like a guest who overstayed. They are not defending Christianity. They are trying to turn the country into a members-only chapel with subpoenas.

Estevan's avatar

How much love do you have for your country & freedom? Are you willing to step up & fight, starve, suffer, bleed, & die for it?

Serious question, are you an American, just a citizen, or a slave? Unite, speak up, arm yourselves to the teeth, show up & show out.

Are you free Americans or subject slaves?

Be brave, & fight!

Liberty is the American way.

Revolution is the solution.

Linda Carroll's avatar

I was in kindergarden when the phrase "under God" was added and I remember adults arguing about it.

As a researcher, I conducted a project on Jefferson's library, which contained books on the history of the rights of individuals and communities from ancient Greece on. One of the first books he owned was Paolo Sarpi's History of the Council of Trent, which refuted the notion that religious leaders (specifically the pope) have a right to dictate to civic leaders.

Before donating to Americans United, as for any charity, it is useful to read the report in Charity Navigator.

Zoe's avatar

The words and the ideas in this piece are why I subscribe to both ‘Let’s Address This’ and ‘Americans United’. PS: the words “one nation under God” inserted into our current Pledge of Allegiance in 1954 discriminate against citizens of no faith.

Qasim Rashid, Esq.'s avatar

Thank you, Zoe! Grateful for your support.

John Costello's avatar

sure, kick us when we're down, we can take it - we're Americans and you're not! so there

Jack Duggan's avatar

The worst example of religion trying to control politics is the fight over abortion. If we indeed have freedom of religion then we all have the right to choose how we use our bodies.

Jessica Johnson's avatar

I agree, like unless it's actually hurting tons of people, who cares? It's our bodies, we can do whatever we want with it.

John Costello's avatar

I said I was and I said it was petty to emphasize that aspect, but good for you

Shayne J 💥🔍⚡'s avatar

I'm a bit of a word nerd so your point about the addition of "under god" in the pledge and how it split indivisible into two syllables really resonated.

Qasim Rashid, Esq.'s avatar

Thank you! I love words, but I have to be careful. Every time I make a typo, the errorists win.

Barry LaFleur's avatar

Christians were on both sides of American ideals. Roger Williams was a devout Christian theologist with a background in law when he argued for American ideals. Unfortunately he was arguing against the whole of Christendom. So though he won the day, and the next 20 years, all of his work went down the drain when he died and Christendom returned with a vengeance, bringing slavery, piracy and capitalism to the only colony with a shot at being civilized.

Barry LaFleur's avatar

This is a Christian nation, it was founded on those principles.

American ideals we call liberty, freedom of speech, democracy and freedom of religion were supposed to stop us from becoming Christian so the Christians would not slaughter the natives and institute slavery. When the US was formed, all that already happened and our forefathers bastardized the principles of American ideals to accommodate slavery, piracy and Christian privileges.

If you do not know this, it is because nobody will teach this to you, you have to read the books yourself and find out.

Jessica Johnson's avatar

I'm literally American and Agnostic.

Barry LaFleur's avatar

Good for you, how long have you been leading America?

Raven Meyer's avatar

Interesting . 🤔 This is what I shall refer to as willful ignorance.

Barry LaFleur's avatar

That is safer than reading a book or two.

terrywoodrow's avatar

This is so clear. Thank you for getting the truth out there in pain, simple and memorable language.

Ken Firestone's avatar

My understanding is of the first 3 Presidents, 2 were not Christian, and the 3rd had little use for church.

Deborah Forsline's avatar

Thank you for your clarity. A great history lesson!

Mary T. Migliorelli's avatar

Every molecule of my “spidey-sense” activated when I read Graham Platner had a Nazi tattoo, and even more as the allegations of sexual assault were repeatedly brought forward. He was a disastrous candidate from the start, and women knew this. You didn’t listen. Stop excusing white men for hateful behavior against women. It’s time for everyone who promoted and backed Platner to 1) apologize to their readers for not believing women 2)denounce him and demand he resign so the Dems can run a qualified candidate….start by looking at the progressive woman who ran against him.

Teed Rockwell's avatar

Why did you post this here?

James Rankin's avatar

"The pledge, as originally written in 1892, said: 'one nation, indivisible.' That is the founding sentiment. Everything added after is revision."

Thanks for clarifying all this! I was aware of the 1954 addition of "under God" into the Pledge of Allegiance, but are you saying the part "with liberty & justice for all" was also a late addition? I like that part a lot, especially the "justice" part, which we've seen much too little of lately.

Khadija Fouad's avatar

Only "under God" was added. The rest, including "liberty and justice for all" is in the original.

James Rankin's avatar

Thanks for straightening that out!

VEE LAVALLEE's avatar

Qasim. American religion was not something the founding fathers could have envisioned it would turn into. I think, back then you were a country of 3 million not 300 plus million. Religions got invented to make sure the slave trade continued. Yes there were laws but most of them applied only to black men. The same crimes committed by the whites were not criminal acts back then. American slavery is what formed the religions, that is why they have so many and non of them adhere to the belief of equality for all men. I'll leave women out of this context for now because freedom never came for them until the last 15 to 20 years ago. Selling and trading of black people went on and now still does in the form of lower wages and not being allowed to get mortgages. In some cases as your prez liked to do, not even allowed to rent one of his properties! That philosophy continues. That you are brown and not black is just another variable. You are the "enemy" to these land owners and "Epstein class" individuals. He is deporting not white Scandinavians but only brown and black folk. Why do you think they use the technocrats "racial profiling?" Celebrating July 4th is a performance. Children are never taught their history. They are just taught that they wore the "white hats" and of course the bad guys wore the "black hats." America has so many religions to keep segregation alive and little dick has allowed them to crawl out from under their rocks and give it voice. They have no shame about how they feel because their prez has no shame either. Listen to a speech give by James Earl Jones in 1976. He tells it way better than I ever could. I would like all your subscribers to listen to it too if they want to see real change in America. Only then can they fix this and move on to be better people and a country to be respected for the first time.