The Founding Myth- Why Christian Nationalism is Un-American‌- By Andrew L. Seidel

The above titled book was written in 2018, during the first presidency of Donald Trump. It has some criticism of Trump’s presidency here and there, but the main point of the book, as it can be guessed from the title, is investigating the idea that the United States was built on the basis and pillars of Christian Nationalism. Andrew Seidel attempts to disprove such theory. It is a well-researched document, providing quotations for each claim.

America is a melting pot of many nationalities and races. Depending on where one is travelling, the person can see various races of different nationalities taken over an area of some major cities. Those who call themselves white people, converge in Christianity as their beliefs, and some of them have become very hostile to other races, especially since the presidency of Donald Trump. Our current president began deporting people who were not citizens of this country, in addition to cutting all government funded benefits for the poor and the needy. There is an epilogue at the end of this book about the time Trump was running for the White House the first time. It explains in detail how his Judeo-Christian supporters use profanity against other races and religions, and how militaristic his supporters are. With Trump’s total support for Israel, and promoting Judeo-Christian ideology, we are living in a dangerous time. With wars all around Middle East, promoted by Netanyahu for creating a greater Israel in the Middle East, a full global war between the East and the West, at least between the US and China and Russia is foreseen.
The book is divided into four parts, and each part covers several chapters. The first part titled: The founders, independence, and the colonies, discusses the founders and their religious beliefs, their declaration of independence from Judeo-Christianity, and their settlements and colonies. It talks about the founders’ religious beliefs, such as the story of Valley Forge, continental congress, and those who declared independence from Judeo- Christianity.
For instance, on chapter three and on page 59, it claims that the declaration of independence is an anti-Christian document. “The idea that all people are created equal is not a religious idea… The entire Hebrew Bible is about the chosen people. Religion promotes elitism, not equality. So too, the divine rights of kings elevated one individual or family over an entire nation... The Christian bible stands directly opposed to the Declaration’s central ideas, including that it is ‘the Right of the People to alter or to abolish their government, and to institute a new government.’”
The message of this book is clear: the founding fathers of this country did not follow Christian theories in order to establish a new state. Even if we conclude that declaration of the founding fathers was theological, the book claims that such theology was anti-biblical and anti-Christian. On page 90 of chapter four of this part, we read: “Exercising poetic license does not make the Declaration religious; nor does it establish a religion. The genius of the document and its poetic language is that readers may read into it what they will. Christians will see the religious references as being about their god, and atheists like me will think ‘divine providence’ simply means luck.”
The following chapter discusses how arriving settlers colonized the continent without the intention of building a nation. Vast majority of the original immigrants commencing from Europe were Christian, and therefore they considered themselves Christian. The book discusses two assumptions which lead to America as a Christian nation, one of which is that the Continental Congress prayed, and the other is that the pilgrims were seeking religious freedom. The book argues that those who prayed were still under the rule of the British Empire. In addition, it argues that those pilgrims were not necessarily seeking religious freedom, as they first migrated to Holland, which was a religious tolerant society at the time. In fact, so many immigrants were executed for their beliefs in New Amsterdam, later changed to New York. On page 100 of this chapter, we read: “The Pilgrims selected Holland for the freedom it promised. It was where the oppressed fled and were welcomed. Spinoza, Locke, Pierre Bayle…, Descartes, Hobbes, and Baron d’Holbach all found a Dutch haven from from religious persecution…During the sixteen hundreds, the Netherlands published about half of all books produced worldwide.” The book continues on banishment and execution of those immigrants who did support the main Christian Orthodoxy, which means that even if the immigrants fled for religious freedom from Europe, they were prosecuted in the new land: “Hutchinson was banished for believing in salvation through grace… The puritans executed Mary Dyer, William Robinson, Marmaduke Stephenson, and William Leddra on Boston Common for the terrible crime of being Quakers. The Puritans also waged a holy war on the Pequots, setting fire to a village on the Mystic River, killing seven hundred Native men, women, and children. The survivors were sold into slavery.” The book continues on the following page recording slaughter of many inhabitants and settlers for having a religion outside of their own Christianity, expressing that European immigrants did not migrate to the new land for the purpose of religious freedom: “Christianity used fire and the sword to purify citizens elsewhere in colonial America. In 1565, Spanish admiral Pedro Menendez de Aviles, founder of St. Augustine, Florida, and his zealous Catholic missionaries slaughtered 111 French Huguenots on the Florida coast for refusing to convert to Catholicism. Two weeks later, Menendez slaughtered another 134 Huguenots again for refusing to convert… Pope Pius V personally commended Menendez for doing ‘all that was requisite’ to extend ‘our Holy Catholic faith, and the gaining of souls for God and also for converting ‘the Indian idolaters’”.
This ends first part of the book. The second part is titled “United States v. The Bible” which discusses whether biblical principles influenced establishment of this nation. The first chapter of this part, which is chapter six, begins with quotations from Lincoln and Paine, and concluding that if Abe Lincoln or Thomas Paine quoted and alluded to many biblical quotations when they were making various statements, we cannot conclude their religiosity in Christianity, as some atheists make quotations from bible as many of them know the book better than some Christians. In this chapter the author ridicules other assertions made about the three separate branches of the government; legislative, executive, and Judiciary, which were taken from the bible, as they were claimed by some. He stresses that the idea came from Montesquieu who never mentioned or referred to the bible. This chapter examines other documents that may have been used by founding fathers. It also mentions their claims that the constitution may not be perfect, and some may alter it in the future, while the bible is supposed to be divine and infallible. The book quotes from Adams on page 114, saying that: “The Constitution is but an experiment, and must and will be altered”, also quoting Franklin as making similar statement. At the bottom of this chapter, the author selects several arguments in the constitution which are very crucial to the society, while such arguments are not to be found in the bible.
The following chapter, beginning on page 119, discusses: “Christian nationalists make many claims, but perhaps the most arrogant is that America is a Christian nation because we were founded on the Golden Rule.” The book contains 13 quotations from different times and various locations, predating Christianity and concluding on page 122 that: “empathy, compassion, guilt, forgiveness, morality and responsibility cannot be claimed as the monopoly of one religion. They are… part of our elementary human solidarity.”
The following chapter in this part is chapter eight, that discusses freedom that early immigrants to this land were looking for. Then it argues that the bible is all about submission and promotes compliance. The book selects some quotations from the bible which orders and promotes fear-based obedience, as a slave to man, and as a man to his god. It refers to a biblical story that promotes such behavior. We read on page 125: “Fear the lord your god with all your heart and with all your soul…, obedience… leads to righteousness…, vengeance on… those who do not obey the gospel of our lord Jesus.”
As the title of next chapter begins with the words crime and punishment, it represents its message adequately. It lists and compares some crimes in American judicial system with their punishments, which are harsher than some other countries. Then, it lists crimes mentioned in the bible and punishments for them, which are even harsher than what is exercised in the United States. It ends by quoting from Thomas Paine on page 137 that: “Of all the tyrannies that afflict mankind, tyranny in religion is the worst…”
The list of crimes continues in the following chapter, in fact these crimes are met with some punishments committed by the head of a family or a group, as a lesson to others. The reason these punishments are mentioned is that they are extremely harsh and brutal in comparison with the crime committed. On page one hundred 144 it suggests: “Biblical justice is so severe and vicious that it would, if implemented, violate the constitution.”
Was this country founded and was built on faith, or reason? That is the question that this chapter delves into. First, faith is defined and emphasized that faith in this scenario is religious faith. Then it continues on page one 146 that: “It is not used as synonym for trust, confidence, a wish, a deeply held non-religious belief, or hope.” Then the subject is narrowed down to religious faith, which the book claims it to be even harmful. The book goes through the thought process of each of the founders of this nation and it concludes that not only faith was not their guideline in structuring a nation, but it was deemed harmful to build a nation based on faith. It ends the chapter by emphasizing on page 151 that: “There is no place for faith in such an operation. Faith did not have a seat at the birth of our Constitution. Reason reigned.”
The last chapter of this part speaks specifically about the founders staying away from religion when creating the documents which would stay as the pilar of this society. It says that 41 percent of Americans believe that Jesus would return in the next forty years. Since religion is about the next world, the framers could not build a constitution for this world if they were concerned about the next! Therefore, the founders did not look into the God’s kingdom, but a democrat society. In the last paragraph of this chapter on page 157 the author reminds us that: “The founders studied the classics extensively, and they were familiar with Judeo-Christian principles, but they relied on the former and shunned the latter at the Constitutional Convention.”
Third part of the book begins with chapter thirteen which discusses the Ten Commandments in the bible in general, as the detail is discussed in the following chapters of this part. It argues that most Americans don’t even know these commandments, which are the basis of their believes. These commandments are supposed to be the most moral laws, and the book repudiates the claim. It begins with how those commandments were given to Moses, and the meaning and significance of each. It also compares most Jewish traditions with Eastern Orthodox Anglican, and Roman Catholic believes for each commandment. At the end, the author quotes from Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia on page 170, who said: “I doubt that most religious adherents are even aware that there are competing versions (of the Ten Commandments) with doctrinal consequences.”
As it was mentioned in the last paragraph, the following chapters, from chapter 14 through chapter 22 in this part discuss each of these commandments. There are a few very interesting statements that can be repeated here. For instance on page 207 we read: “Evangelicals believe in virgins giving birth, talking snakes, and all manner of obvious falsehoods. The religious mind is primed to accept lies. Presented with an extraordinary claim, it does not demand extraordinary evidence, but instead engages faith to overcome skepticism. Their religion has taught evangelicals to accept, rather than to question. Trump’s constant waterfall of outright lies landed on amenable minds. His support was greater among regular churchgoers than among lukewarm believers. The greater the faith, the more subordinate healthy skepticism becomes.” A comparison is also made between the way god treats men versus women. It copies quotations from the bible, as to how unclean and untrustworthy women should be looked at. On page 232 we read: “And let’s no forget: all the pain, evil, and suffering in this world is Eve’s fault. True, the biblical god actually created that pain, evil, and suffering, but Eve had the temerity to exercise the curiosity that god gave her, so she gets the blame.” On the last chapter of this part, and on page 245, we read about lack of what we call morality in religious books: “There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of bible passages that conflict with modern moral judgement. Passages advocating genocide, murder, rape, slavery, subjugation of women and races- we’ve seen many in these last four chapters. That enlightened citizens ignore these passages shows that their morality is independent of religion.”
The last part of the book is divided into four chapters, a conclusion, and an epilogue. Continuing on chapter twenty three, we read on page 258 about all godly statements by the government: “Almost without fail, that argument takes one of three forms. Fist, ‘we’re America, in God we trust!’ Second, ‘we’re one nation under God,’ often followed by a less-than-cordial invitation to move to Iran. Finally, if they wish to disguise their praying for us…’God bless America.’”
It is amazing how a government can create such a a monster out of the enemy, and at the same time cherish death by creating heaven and Garden of Eden, that a person can be pursued to kill another human being. Of course religion can play a pivotal role in such endeavor. On page 269 of the book we read: “Civil War generals and preachers stoked soldiers’ piety, recognizing religious usefulness in convincing men and boys to march to their death without fear because god is on their side… Soldiers began to throw away their bibles, over the chaplain’s protest, because ‘Bibles and blisters don’t go well together,’ said Hunter.”
The last paragraph of chapter 25 gives interesting statistics: “A 2018 survey found that 21 percent of Americans born after 1999 are atheist or agnostic. Another 14 percent have no religion affiliation.” One of the success of American democracy in its early stages was this separation of church and state. However, people with money, in the land of the largest promoter of capitalism, began having influences on direction of the government, to the point that a billionaire becomes the head of the government, as Trump is.
One of the early presidents who started using religion in addressing American people was Richard Nixon. As we read in the last chapter of the book on page 290: “Nixon spoke to the nation from his ‘heart’ and found occasion to mention ‘Christmas’ in April and ‘God given rights’. The address marks the first of many times a US President concluded an address with an appeal for supernatural support.” This very religious president was impeached due to Watergate scandal, and some of his aides ended up in jail. The best tool in the hands of a government to fool people is religion. Of course, when they go too far, as in Iran, people begin to discover what an empty bag a religion is.
As it was mentioned at the beginning of this brief, the book was written during the first presidency of Trump. Trump did not start a war in his first of presidency, but he was promoted by Christian nationalists with militaristic tone, who were supported by Trump in return. There are two notable quotations which will be made here from the last section the author added to this book, as an epilogue. On page 299 we read that: “In September 2019, I joined a panel … and I cautioned the 250 religious reporters: ‘Christian nationalism is the biggest threat to America today.’ … Experts had warned about Trump inciting violence against our democracy.” And the last quotation that will be cited here is from the last paragraph of the book on page 311: “America will never be a Christian nation… This is the choice we face as a nation: Christian nationalism or America? We cannot have both.”