In the wrong hands, history can become an extremely destructive tool. Consider the ceaseless argument about whether the Constitution is based on the Ten Commandments. According to some high-profile people such as Mike Hukabee and David Barton, the U.S. is a Christian nation that was founded according to Christian principles outlined in the Ten Commandments.
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Even a cursory look at these documents and American history, however, shows that this claim has little merit.
The U.S. Constitution and the Ten Commandments
Despite claims that the Founding Fathers based the Constitution on the Ten Commandments, there are some pretty big differences between the two documents. For instance,
- The First Commandment requires people to honor God, but the Constitution does not concern itself with this matter
- The Fourth Commandment requires people to keep the Sabbath holy. The Constitution does not mention the Sabbath
- The Tenth Commandment makes it clear that thoughts can violate God’s laws. The Constitution, however, establishes rights to freedom of thought and speech.
Early American History
The country’s history also contradicts Religious Right claims. The Treaty of Tripoli, for instance, explicitly states that the U.S. is not a “Christian nation.” Every member of the U.S. Senate ratified it in 1797. That’s a pretty clear indication that most of the Founding Fathers wanted a secular, rather than religious, country.
Of course, some Founding Fathers wanted to establish the U.S. as a Christian nation. The vast majority, however, opposed this idea and fought to keep the country secular so that it could offer a wider range of freedoms for people of all religions.
