THE RELIGIOUS FOUNDATIONS
Religion(D)
Other than, perhaps, politics or sex I can't think of a topic that has been the source of more discussion, disagreement or opinion than Religion. I have had the good luck to see much of the world and have the opportunity to meet members of many different religions. While the differences between their "theology" may be large or small, there is one, general, constant aspect of most religions. That aspect is that most - if not all - have, to one degree or another, some form of "moral code" concerning how people treat each other and, in the vast majority of the cases, this code is reflected in their society and laws.
In that aspect, America was no different than any other such culture. Religion played an extensive part in our history but in a radically different fashion than in the "old world". In Europe, at the time of the colonization of America, there existed a "conviction, held by Protestants and Catholics alike, that uniformity of religion must exist in any given society. This conviction rested on the belief that there was one true religion and that it was the duty of the civil authorities to impose it, forcibly if necessary, in the interest of saving the souls of all citizens".(*)
The people who first settled this country came here for many different reasons. Some came for economic opportunity, political freedom or simply adventure. Many of the settlers of the colonies that, eventually, became America came fleeing religious persecution in Europe.
The first colony in America was Virginia, becoming a "colony" in 1624. Virginia was first established, in 1607 by the London Company, under a charter granted by King James I, of England. While the London Company was basically an investment company, a look at excerpts from the charter(*) shows that money was not the only reason they came:
"I JAMES, by the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender
of the Faith, &c...We, greatly commending, and graciously accepting of, their Desires for
the Furtherance of so noble a Work, which may, by the Providence of Almighty God,
hereafter tend to the Glory of his Divine Majesty, in propagating of Christian Religion to
such People, as yet live in Darkness and miserable Ignorance of the true Knowledge and
Worship of God....."
The next colony was Massachusetts, founded in 1620 and becoming a colony in 1691. Massachusetts was founded by a religious group, the Puritans, a group of religious separatists who fled England to Holland, in 1608, and who came to America on the ship Mayflower. The Puritans are an important part of American history and our system of law as they formed the Mayflower Compact(*). This was a written agreement to set up a government and to submit to the will of the majority. This document set the precedent for a written Constitution!
While many, so called, Commie Core "History" texts contain portions of this compact, describing the organization and function of the colony, they deliberately omit the beginning, and other portions of the document as part of an ongoing attempt to remove Christianity from our history and heritage:
"In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are under-written, the loyal subjects of our
dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and
Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, etc...Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and
advancement of the Christian faith...in the presence of God..."
Maryland was founded, in 1634, by Lord Baltimore both as an economic venture and as a refuge for Roman Catholics who were still being persecuted in Protestant England. In 1636 settlers from Massachusetts, the Puritans, founded Connecticut in search of more freedom and economic opportunity. In 1639 they wrote the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut - a document believed by many to become the basis for the later United States Constitution.
Rhode Island, founded by Roger Williams in 1636, was founded on the separation of church and state and was the first colony to guarantee it's citizens freedom of worship. In 1664 James, the Duke of York, was given control of the Dutch colony of New Netherland which would become New Jersey. Settlers were attracted by the promises of representative government and religious freedom. The charters were eventually purchased by the Quakers. Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn, in 1682, with the goal to found a colony with religious freedom and to provide a "haven for himself and other Quakers".
These are only a few excerpts from the history of the original colonies that would eventually become the United States of America. They, and other writings of the time, show that the majority of the settlers who came to America were religious people and that basic elements of our law, such as individual freedom, representative government and religious freedom were integral parts of their beliefs.
Other than, perhaps, politics or sex I can't think of a topic that has been the source of more discussion, disagreement or opinion than Religion. I have had the good luck to see much of the world and have the opportunity to meet members of many different religions. While the differences between their "theology" may be large or small, there is one, general, constant aspect of most religions. That aspect is that most - if not all - have, to one degree or another, some form of "moral code" concerning how people treat each other and, in the vast majority of the cases, this code is reflected in their society and laws.
In that aspect, America was no different than any other such culture. Religion played an extensive part in our history but in a radically different fashion than in the "old world". In Europe, at the time of the colonization of America, there existed a "conviction, held by Protestants and Catholics alike, that uniformity of religion must exist in any given society. This conviction rested on the belief that there was one true religion and that it was the duty of the civil authorities to impose it, forcibly if necessary, in the interest of saving the souls of all citizens".(*)
The people who first settled this country came here for many different reasons. Some came for economic opportunity, political freedom or simply adventure. Many of the settlers of the colonies that, eventually, became America came fleeing religious persecution in Europe.
The first colony in America was Virginia, becoming a "colony" in 1624. Virginia was first established, in 1607 by the London Company, under a charter granted by King James I, of England. While the London Company was basically an investment company, a look at excerpts from the charter(*) shows that money was not the only reason they came:
"I JAMES, by the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender
of the Faith, &c...We, greatly commending, and graciously accepting of, their Desires for
the Furtherance of so noble a Work, which may, by the Providence of Almighty God,
hereafter tend to the Glory of his Divine Majesty, in propagating of Christian Religion to
such People, as yet live in Darkness and miserable Ignorance of the true Knowledge and
Worship of God....."
The next colony was Massachusetts, founded in 1620 and becoming a colony in 1691. Massachusetts was founded by a religious group, the Puritans, a group of religious separatists who fled England to Holland, in 1608, and who came to America on the ship Mayflower. The Puritans are an important part of American history and our system of law as they formed the Mayflower Compact(*). This was a written agreement to set up a government and to submit to the will of the majority. This document set the precedent for a written Constitution!
While many, so called, Commie Core "History" texts contain portions of this compact, describing the organization and function of the colony, they deliberately omit the beginning, and other portions of the document as part of an ongoing attempt to remove Christianity from our history and heritage:
"In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are under-written, the loyal subjects of our
dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and
Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, etc...Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and
advancement of the Christian faith...in the presence of God..."
Maryland was founded, in 1634, by Lord Baltimore both as an economic venture and as a refuge for Roman Catholics who were still being persecuted in Protestant England. In 1636 settlers from Massachusetts, the Puritans, founded Connecticut in search of more freedom and economic opportunity. In 1639 they wrote the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut - a document believed by many to become the basis for the later United States Constitution.
Rhode Island, founded by Roger Williams in 1636, was founded on the separation of church and state and was the first colony to guarantee it's citizens freedom of worship. In 1664 James, the Duke of York, was given control of the Dutch colony of New Netherland which would become New Jersey. Settlers were attracted by the promises of representative government and religious freedom. The charters were eventually purchased by the Quakers. Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn, in 1682, with the goal to found a colony with religious freedom and to provide a "haven for himself and other Quakers".
These are only a few excerpts from the history of the original colonies that would eventually become the United States of America. They, and other writings of the time, show that the majority of the settlers who came to America were religious people and that basic elements of our law, such as individual freedom, representative government and religious freedom were integral parts of their beliefs.
NEVER FORGET !
