Document Signed by Pres. Adams Proclaims America's Government Is Secular

[NAO]

Document Signed by President Adams Proclaims America's Government Is Secular

Treaty of Tripoli


Unlike governments of the past, the American Fathers set up a government divorced from religion. The establishment of a secular government did not require a reflection to themselves about its origin; they knew this as an unspoken given. However, as the U.S. delved into international affairs, few foreign nations knew about the intentions of America. For this reason, an insight from at a little known but legal document written in the late 1700s explicitly reveals the secular nature of the United States to a foreign nation. Officially called the "Treaty of peace and friendship between the United States of America and the Bey and Subjects of Tripoli, of Barbary," most refer to it as simply the Treaty of Tripoli. In Article 11, it states:

"As the Government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Musselmen; and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."

found at this website:

http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/summer97/secular.html

[Erika]

1. Our founding fathers ran from religious tyranny

as is shown here. They would roll over in their graves as to what Bush/Dobson is now trying to do to our Constitution and judicial system.

[mcctatas]

2. Every time I hear one of those dumbasses talking about our foundation in

judeo-christian values I want to scream "treaty of tripoli" at the top of my lungs!! Why is it that no-one who gets the bastards face to face ever quotes it to them?:rant:

[NAO]

3. Maybe we need a Freethought PAC to run TV ads on Treaty of Tripoli

Ok, I thought it was a BIG DEAL that the Constitution did not mention "God" or a Supreme Being once, NOT EVEN ONE time;

I was outraged when I learned that "Under God" was only added to the Pledge of Allegiance in the 1950's to combat "Godless Communism";

I knew that Thomas Paine wrote a devastating critique of the Bible and that most of the Founding Fathers were Deists;

but the "Treaty of Tripoli" is AN EXPLICIT STATEMENT, by one who WAS THERE when the founded the country.

Someone needs to run ads on TV.

My suggestion for a Freethought PAC

We need a Freethought PAC -counter the spread of religious fundamentalism
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3581897&mesg_id=3581897

[carnie_sf]

6. So when one of the delegates

to the signing of the declaration of independence wanted to start the proceedings with a prayer, Benjamin Franklin said "Should we really begin this thing by relying on foreign arms?"

[Rex_Goodheart]

4. Futhermore, and maybe more importantly...

is that the contents of that treaty were published in at least two New York newspapers and one Philadelphia newspaper, and there is no evidence, whatsoever, that the citizenry had any problem with the wording.

In other words, the citizenry of this country shortly after the Constitution fully understood the intended separation of church and state.

Separation deniers contend that the USA executed that treaty under duress, that hundreds of our soldiers were in Barbary prisons, and were forced to include that non-Christian disclaimer. Of course, it's all ad hoc bullcrap.

[NAO]

5. Can we put this on Billboards? Somebody please tell Dobson, too.

Seriously.

Our country DESPERATELY needs this information right now. Millions of people are being seriously mislead about the United States being a "Christian Nation, just as the Founding Fathers Intended".

It is DISHONEST for teachers at Christian Schools who know about this to continue to teach that the US was founded as a Christian Nation. It is DISHONEST for preachers to teach this if they KNOW it's not true!

Somebody please tell "Dr." James Dobson, so he cannot say this country was founded on Christian Principals ONE MORE TIME without bearing false witness against the historical record and against the Founding Fathers.

[NAO]

7. More evidence at link that United States was founded as Secular Nation

http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/summer97/secular.html