Originally Posted by AnimeSpirit
Historically speaking, the country wasn't officially founded until the signing of the Declaration of Independance. The 55 men who took part in this act of treason against the British did not do so as Christians, they did so in a patriotic sense. However, if you want to bring religion into the picture, I can point out that 9 of the 55 signers of the Declaration were, in fact, Freemasons. Among them included Benjamin Franklin and Jon Hancock.
Whether or not you consider Freemasonry a religion is still open to debate today. Officially, the Masons do not consider themselves a religion, but it has been said that one cannot be a devout Christian and an informed Mason at the same time as their principles will clash. Masons, officially speaking, acknowledge all religious traditions and do not try to favor any one specific practice. This is why the manuals of every major religion are found on the podium at most major Mason lodges.
In addition to this, I also happen to know that the Statue of Liberty, despite being a gift from France, is actually a depiction of the Roman Goddess Libertas, from whom we get the word "liberty." With this in mind, you begin to see that this country was not founded solely on Christian principles and not solely by Christians. America was, and is, a country of numerous different races, religions, and diversities. We are brought together not by our differences, but by what we have in common: the ground we all tread on.
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