The Declaration was not written as an establishment document, but rather a document of severance from England. But even if you take the quote from the Declaration regarding the Creator, that in no way establishes the US as a Judeo Christian nation. Jefferson's post-constitutional take on religious freedom is clearly stated here:
"I consider the government of the United States as interdicted by the Constitution from intermeddling in religious institutions, their doctrines, discipline, or exercises. This results not only from the provision that no law shall be made respecting the establishment or free exercise of religion, but from that also which reserves to the states the powers not delegated to the United States. Certainly, no power to prescribe any religious exercise or to assume authority in religious discipline has been delegated to the General Government. It must rest with the States, as far as it can be in any human authority" (letter to Samuel Miller, Jan. 23, 1808). with many more quotes on the topic here: http://candst.tripod.com/tnppage/qjeffson.htm In no way did he intend with his words to create a nation under Christian dogma, in fact quite the opposite. On Thu, Jun 19, 2008 at 8:14 PM, Gruss Gott <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> Mo wrote: >> The Declaration of Independence has no force of law in the US. > > However it is a foundational document and as such can be looked to for > precedent. > > The more interesting question to me is this: > > Let's say Sam's erroneous proposition about Judeo-Christian values > were accurate - should we us that as a justification for socially > conservative policies? NO! That was then, this is now. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Adobe® ColdFusion® 8 software 8 is the most important and dramatic release to date Get the Free Trial http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;203748912;27390454;j Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/message.cfm/messageid:262297 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
