There is a misconception that we, the United States, were founded to be a Christian nation and, therefore, our laws and policies must reflect that. This warped perception is largely due to the repetition of phrases such as “one nation under God,” part of the “Pledge of Allegiance,” and “In God We Trust,” the national motto, that we have heard since childhood. The “Pledge of Allegiance” is frequently recited in classrooms, and having children repeat the phrase “one nation under God” can lead them to believe it was a fundamental principle at the country’s inception. I know I always thought the Founding Fathers meant it to be that way, but these phrases were actually introduced in the 1950s to foster a distinct American identity, lacking any ties to the nation’s founding.
While some founding fathers held Christian beliefs and principles, religion was never meant to be the center of our legislative existence. Many of the Founding Fathers were Protestant while others, such as James Monroe, John Adams, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, were more closely aligned with deistic beliefs, meaning they believed there was a creator, who after creating the universe played no part in governing humans. Franklin was even rumored to have visited the caves of Buckinghamshire’s notorious “Hellfire Club,” which was said to be “a satirical ‘gentleman’s club’ … intended to shock and ridicule religious beliefs through the act of mock religious ceremonies with the supposed president of the club being the devil.” However, whether the Founding Fathers were spending their Sundays at church or worshipping Satan in tunnels beneath England, one thing remains unyielding — they believed in a separation of church and state.
It is well known that the U.S. Constitution, particularly the First Amendment, as well as the Federalist Papers, advocate for this separation. If that was not damning enough to the myth of a Christian nation, the 1797 Treaty of Tripoli, which was created by Washington, signed by Adams and ratified unanimously by the Senate, states, “The Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.”
This election season, we, as citizens, must remember that our country was founded on freedom — in theory, our nation thrives not because it is governed by Christian beliefs but because we have the freedom to choose what religion, if any, to follow. Similarly, we must recall when religion became too entangled with legislation and how that subsequently hindered the pursuit of liberty. This core founding principle of choice seems to have been lost among some politicians, specifically far-right Republican lawmakers.
Take, for instance, the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Many hardcore Christian politicians argue that abortion is immoral because it ends a unique human life. However, scientifically, there is no universally accepted definition of life or what life is viable — it is more of a philosophical question. Why is an amoeba classified as life but not a virus? Since life cannot be definitively quantified, the debate should instead focus on whether the government should have the authority to regulate individuals’ access to medical procedures. If we were to unequivocally follow our country’s own doctrine and the explicit beliefs of our founders, the answer would be easy — no, because there is a separation of church and state. It could even be argued that abortion bans without exceptions go directly against religious freedoms since abortion is allowed and encouraged when the life of the mother is at risk under some religions, such as the Jewish law of “rodef” and the Islamic doctrine “maqāṣid.”
When writing policy, lawmakers should be allowed to consider their own religious values, but to try and force those values on others is a bastardization of “freedom,” which is supposed to be the bedrock of our country.
I would like to reiterate that Christianity itself is not the problem, but rather, the problem is the rise in Christian nationalism. It is absolutely imperative that we prevent Christian extremist politicians from being elected. One of these politicians we must condemn is vice presidential candidate and self-described Christian nationalist JD Vance. Vance claims to be for the people, yet he attended a Christian nationalist town hall led by extremist Lance Wallnau, who advocated for erasing the separation of church and state completely.
Politicians like Vance disguise their bigotry in a veil of piousness, which can have drastic repercussions. The most prominent example of the government using “Christian” nationalist beliefs to oppress was the application of Jim Crow laws that defined American life from the 1890s to the 1960s. These laws sought to disenfranchise African Americans, promote segregation and platform white evangelical lawmakers who subsequently aided in “righteous” missions, such as the prohibition of alcohol.
The most abhorrent result of Jim Crow laws was, of course, the brutal lynching of African Americans, which drew on the evangelical idea of blood sacrifice. As journalist Wilbur Cash observed in 1941 through his study of southern racial violence titled “The Mind of The South,” “Blood sacrifice is the connection between the purpose of white supremacists, the purity signified in segregation, the magnificence of God’s wrath, and the permission granted the culture through the wrath of ‘justified’ Christians to sacrifice black men on the cross of white solidarity.”
I do not wish to fearmonger and I do not believe that electing politicians like Vance will take our country back to the Jim Crow era. However, it is essential to consider the extremes to ensure we hold ourselves accountable and strive for continuous improvement. We must consider the country we were, both its flaws and strengths, to become the country we want to be. We also must remember that one of America’s fundamental rights is choice. We were never intended to be a theocracy but rather a diverse nation of people with varying beliefs. As you vote this election season, I encourage you to think beyond your own beliefs and consider your neighbors’ right to practice their own. I encourage all to exercise their fundamental right to vote and encourage those who do to leave religion off the ticket when considering policy regarding things such as reproductive freedom, LGBTQ+ rights and other forms of bodily autonomy.
Jordan Ori is a junior majoring in English and is a Pipe Dream Opinions intern.
Views expressed in the opinions pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece that represents the view of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the staff editorial.