In his answer, we find rhetoric typical of this “False Prophet.”

America was born a Christian Nation. Wallis (and others) attempts to twist that fact by entwining “religion” and “doctrine.” There are many doctrines ascribed to a myriad of Christian Religions. Christianity (and therefore Christians) on the other hand are those that follow the teachings of Jesus Christ as written in the New Testament.

Wallis also states in a parenthetical expression, “(despite the continual and historically groundless claims by some that the founders were all or mostly dedicated believers).” He gets away with this lie by qualifying his statement with “dedicated believers.” Whether or not the Founders/Framers were “dedicated believers” cannot be known for certain at this time.

What we do know is that there were no Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhist, Wiccan, Spiritualist, Native American, Baha'I, New Age, Sikh, Scientologist, Taoist, Druid, Eckankar, Santaria or Rastafarian among those who framed and signed the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution of the United States. They were all Christians with the exception of Jefferson and Franklin who in fact were Deists… believing in one Supreme God of the Holy Bible.

That the Founders/Framers did not want a Theocracy is evident in the Constitution (the structure and rules of our Representative Repuplic form of government). Religion makes only one direct and obvious appearance in the original Constitution that seems to point to a desire for some degree of religious freedom. That appearance is in Article 6, at the end of the third clause: “[N]o religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.”  The first clause of the First Amendment states; “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; “  This is commonly known as the “Separation of Church and State” clause but it does no such thing, nor does it build “a wall” between the two. It states in simple English that the government cannot by law establish a national religion and can not by law prohibit the free exercise of religion. The latter part of the clause is today totally ignored by people like Wallis and for all intents and purposes been made null and void by the Supreme Court.

The first Americans, 100% of them, were Christians. Those arriving on the Mayflower were escaping religious persecution by the Church of England (a state religion). Over the last 386 years that percentage has been diluted where today the breakdown is as follows[1]:

Religious Worldview

·        Christian     76.5%

·        Jewish          1.3%

·        Muslim          0.5%

·        Buddhist       0.5%

·        Other            3.7%

No Religion Groups

·        Agnostic       0.5%

·        Atheist          0.4%

·        Other         13.2%

Even so, the overwhelming majority of Americans today profess a Christian Worldview. Therefore it would seem to contradict Wallis’ “As a Christian, and an evangelical Christian at that, I want to say emphatically that America is not, and should not be, a Christian nation” statement.

Wallis says, “What we have grown to call the separation of church and state is good for both the government and religion— that citizenship should have no religious tests and faith can’t or shouldn’t be implemented by the state.“ The latter part of this statement is partially true, the first is blatantly false but he tries to make it true by qualification. The First Amendment language regarding religion is true, “what we have grown to call separation of church and state” is false and there is no move afoot that I am aware of that wants to tie religious tests or faith to citizenship or public office for that matter.

Wallis further states, “The path of Jesus, for example, could never be followed by the state and the prophetic integrity and power of religion to hold governments accountable to higher values and better behavior specifically depends on the faith community’s political independence.” Again, this bearer of false witness rhetorically entwines two different themes to prove his point. The only truth in the above statement is the latter part which is used to imply that a Nation cannot follow Jesus. Hogwash and balderdash… this Nation did just that for the first 186 years of our existence[2].

Wallis then responds to the Christmas part of the question by stating “…the “war against Christmas” discussion is finally so absurd.”  After which he throws in a dig at Wal-Mart and Target by implying that it is anti-Christian to buy and exchange gifts as part of the Christmas observance.

I seem to recall that the Magi worshipped and delivered gifts to the infant Christ. (Mat 2:11) However, that verse is probably not in Wallis Bible.

Wallis then ends his rhetoric with, “And does anybody really want to say that America has behaved in the world as a “Christian nation?” I hope not for the sake of Christian integrity. It is far better to regard faith communities as essentially counter-cultural; calling us all to higher ground and challenging political and economic power when it becomes abusive of the religious values of compassion and justice.”

In answer I say, YES, America behaves as a “Christian Nation”, it is the ONLY country that follows Christian principles in its foreign policy. Maybe not always and in all cases but WW I, WW II, in Afghanistan and Iraq America has delivered Liberty to untold millions. Now that is compassion and justice.