[dude1394]

Originally posted by: Mavdog
Madison and jefferson both were adament that there be no connection whatsoever between government and any religious institution. If you are consistent with the cause of "strict constructionism" as it relates to judicial opinions, their views (as framers of the constitution) prescribe this strict seperation of church and state. they would be totally against any public funds being given to any religious group (ala "faith based initiatives" being funded).

Your view of the contribution of immigrants is way off base. After all, every American save for Native Americans are immigrants, and the great wave of immigration, beginning with the Irish in the mid 1800s, to the eastern europeans of the late 19th century, contributed the human capital that has made our country what it is today. guess what? these groups were not anglo-protestant.

This is the great half-truth.. I'm making a distinction between settlers and immigrants as you pertain. Asian, German immigrants did not form our culture, anglo-protestants did. They were the "charter" group that formed it, not the other immigrants. Also unless I'm mistaken the Irish are also anglo(british Isles). Also as expounded on below the protestant nature of our country has transformed into "christian".

As Alan Dershowitz said, we are the American stew, not a melting pot, as the immigrants who have come to America seeking freedom have kept their cultures. These cultures have not assimilated into some "anglo-protestant" product, they have absorbed the ideals of liberty and freedom while maintaining their own cultures and history.

Sure they have. . They speak english, their currency has under god, they have been assimilated. Assimilation doesn't mean you become some sort of borg, you keep the racial and ethnic heritage that you have but they must conform to the dominant anglo-protestant(christian) culture.

Maybe you should famialize yourself with Haym Salomon, Isaac Franks, Francis Salvador and Mathias Bush, all non-christians who were active in the american revolution. It has been said that America would have failed tp sustain itself if not for the work of Franks.

You may claim that America is an "anglo-protestant nation" but in reality it is neither majority anglo nor majority protestant.

And you should familiraize yourseslf with Sam Huntington, Tocqueville, etc. You love to deal with semantics....The culture of America comes form anglo-protestant but it has morphed into anglo-christian. The catholic church for example has become assimilated into the american culture. I was talking about founding culture, but certainly it has changed over the years to accept the large number of "immigrants". But the basis for our founding culture is the same.

I'm not familiar with Isaac Franks except for this blurb stating that he was a jewish colonel but a practicing christian who loaned his home to washington??