Atheists & Agnostics

onager

(9,356 posts)

14. Yep, Thomas Jefferson researched that one...

Tue May 12, 2015, 11:09 PM

May 2015

Jefferson wrote that American law was based on English Common Law, which had absolutely no basis in the Bible or Xianity. For the very good reason that English Common Law got its start while Britain was still pagan. So it was impossible for America to legally be a "Xian nation," since its laws were rooted in a legal system pre-dating Xianity. (All of that is subject to the usual IIRC Disclaimer...)

Which doesn't help with Curmudgeoness' complaint - many local laws do get passed thanks to Xian bluenoses and buttinskis.

The whole nation did try one big experiment in moral do-gooderism. It was called Prohibition and didn't work out very well.

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Alana Massey: Taking Christ out of Christianity [View all] chervilant May 2015 OP

This message was self-deleted by its author Pacifist Patriot May 2015 #1

Indeed, habits are difficult to break. chervilant May 2015 #11

Thanks. This line cracked me up. onager May 2015 #2

LOL +1 n/t trotsky May 2015 #4

A mental version of waterboarding... chervilant May 2015 #13

My only objection to such a term... trotsky May 2015 #3

Actually, I think that many things in our culture are associated with Christianity. Curmudgeoness May 2015 #5

Oh certainly, but I'm thinking of things like democracy, civil rights, freedom of religion, etc. trotsky May 2015 #6

Our laws are NOT based on the Bible kiri May 2015 #7

I am thinking more of the laws on the books Curmudgeoness May 2015 #8

Yep, Thomas Jefferson researched that one... onager May 2015 #14

thank you. Warren Stupidity May 2015 #15

I can see myself becoming a "cultural Buddhist" Binkie The Clown May 2015 #9

but I recognize the pull of thousands of years of history and tradition. AlbertCat May 2015 #10

Some years ago, I had an interesting discussion with a fairly 'religious' friend chervilant May 2015 #12