The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism Is Un-American

The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism Is Un-American by Andrew Seidel“The Founding Myth” exposes the myth that America was founded on Christian principles and it is an effective assault on the Christian nationalist identity. Constitutional and civic rights attorney at the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), Andrew Seidel, takes the reader on a hard-hitting tour de force as he meticulously dismantles the concept of a Christian nation. This important 354-page book includes twenty-six chapters broken out by the following four parts: I. The Founders, Independence, and the Colonies, II. United States v. The Bible, III. The Ten Commandments v. The Constitution, and IV. American Verbiage.Positives:1. A well-researched, well-organized written book.2. The fascinating topic of debunking the Christian nation myth. “The purpose of this book is simple, if lofty: to utterly destroy the myths that underlie this un-American political ideology.”3. Reference quality material, a very useful debate tool.4. Does a wonderful job of keeping the material accessible and defining key terms and concepts. ““Judeo-” is a sop, a fig leaf, tossed about to avoid controversy and complaint. It is simply a morsel of inclusion offered to soften the edge of an exclusionary, Christian movement.”5. The recurring theme of how religion is divisive. “History had proven to the framers of the US Constitution that religion is divisive. They separated religion from government to avoid the mistakes of past regimes.”6. Exposes Project Blitz. “Project Blitz encapsulates the problem Christian nationalism poses. First, it seeks to alter our history, values, and national identity. Then it codifies Christian privilege in the law, favoring Christians above others. Finally, it legally disfavors the nonreligious, non-Christians, and minorities such as the LGBTQ community, by, for instance, permitting discrimination against them in places of public accommodation or in employment.”7. Discusses the founders’ intention. “Two facts illustrate the founders’ intentions to build this wall. First, our Constitution is deliberately godless. There are no references to gods, goddesses, or divine intervention. The omission was not an oversight. Supernatural power was rejected in favor of the natural power contained in the first three words: “We the People.””8. Discusses the source of morality. “Religion gets its morality from us, not the other way around.”9. Provocative statements throughout. “In other words, what most religions label absolute morality is simply their personal morality given divine sanction.”10. A debunk fest. “The Golden Rule is not a Judeo-Christian principle. It is a universal human principle.”11. Compelling arguments. “The founding documents of the United States revere and protect freedom above all else. The bible worships and demands the opposite: obedience, submission, and servility.” “Blind obedience to and fear of an omnipotent being is tyranny, not freedom. At its core, Judeo-Christianity’s insistence on obedience and fear conflicts with America’s essential value.”12. Christianity in conflict with our founding principles. “The entire Christian religion is based on a singular claim that violates the principle of personal responsibility so critical to our systems: that Jesus died for your sins.”13. Discusses the foundation of our godless Constitution. “Our Constitution is the product of human thought and perseverance, not faith.” “Reason and experiment dispel error; faith propagates it.”14. Dissects the Ten Commandments and how they conflict with the Constitution. Take the third commandment. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. “Blasphemy laws and religious restrictions on speech are un-American. This commandment stands opposed to all that makes our country great.”15. Biblical passages that are incompatible with the Constitution or common sense. “Jesus himself lays down the most vile and controlling sexual law by making it impossible to obey the adultery commandment: “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.””16. Discusses how capitalism is prohibited by the tenth commandment. “The particular thought the tenth commandment prohibits—covetousness—is itself a problem for the Christian nationalist. Even Americans with no historical or legal training should recognize that coveting is the basis of American capitalism and our consumer society. Both would fail without the desire to get what we don’t have. Coveting created America.”17. The distinction between a moral code and a religious one. “The alleged moral and ethical superiority of the Ten Commandments is important to the Christian Nation myth and, like the myth, is inaccurate. The Ten Commandments are not a moral code; they are a religious code. That distinction, often lost, is crucial. A moral code is a set of principles that help us analyze and reach moral solutions in the innumerable dilemmas life presents. A religious code is a set of rules based on divine authority—its only “morality” is to obey, to follow.”18. Great quotes. ““It is much easier to alarm people than to inform them.” — William R. Davie, delegate to the Constitutional Convention, in a letter to James Iredell, during the run-up to North Carolina’s ratifying convention, 1788”19. The evil of slavery. “Slavery is sanctified and permitted in the bible. Jesus even discusses the proper force with which to beat one’s slaves in Luke 12:45–49, a passage the Southern states often used to justify slavery.”20. Discusses the divisive motto. “The presidential tradition of troubling deaf heaven with bootless cries by closing presidential remarks with the phrase “God bless America” dates to Nixon and is rooted in one of the worst scandals to mar the presidency. Nixon used religion to distract Americans from Watergate.”21. Links to footnotes.Negatives:1. No visual supplementary material.2. No formal bibliography.3. Having to wait so long for such an excellent book.In summary, this is an important and reference quality book. We needed this book and Andrew Seidel provides a truly patriotic resource to fight back Christian nationalists that will stop at nothing to turn our country into a theocracy. A wonderful resource, I can’t tout this book enough. Get it, a high recommendation!Further recommendations: “Why the Religious Right Is Wrong about Separation of Church and State” by Robert Boston, “Nonbeliever Nation” by David Niose, “Atheists Can’t Be Republicans” by Cj Werleman, “The Dark Side of Christian History” by Helen Ellerbe, “Atheism for Dummies” by Dale McGowan, “Birth Control, Insurance Coverage, & the Religious Right” by A.F. Alexander, “50 popular beliefs that people think are true” by Guy P. Harrison, “Godless” by Dan Barker, “Freethinkers” by Susan Jacoby, “Republican Gomorrah” by Max Blumenthal, “American Fascists” by Chris Hedges, “Doubt” by Jennifer Michael Hecht, “Society Without God” by Phil Zuckerman, and “Why are you Atheists so Angry?” by Greta Christina.

The Founding Myth is one of the best books I’ve ever read. It has over 1,300 citations and is unbelievably thorough yet remarkably approachable to someone inexperienced in the topic. Christian Nationalism propaganda depends on lies about a Christian founding which never happened. They spread more lies about a time when America was “great”, which never has been for marginalized people. I was raised in a conservative Christian household and went to a conservative Christian college. I spent the first quarter of my life being indoctrinated with Christian Nationalists propaganda. I’ve learned a tremendous amount about Christian Nationalism since the first time I read The Founding Myth, and yet I still use it as a resource to battle Christian Nationalism misinformation more than any other. Once you finish it, you have to read his 2nd American Crusade: How the Supreme Court is Weaponizing Religious Freedom. I was involved in the deconstruction community for a couple years, but Andrew Seidel’s work is what inspired me to be an activist.

Covered a wide range of topics with compelling arguments for each. Got me interested in digging a bit deeper than the 5th grade view of some history I've been lugging around (e.g., the Puritans).

From at least the beginning of the Enlightenment, scientific method, reason, observation, and empirical evidence continues to dismantle one myth after another. Yet some persist. Andrew Seidel makes no bones about his agenda: the argumentative case that Christian Nationalists are peddling a myth that the United States was founded on Judeo-Christian doctrines. He explodes this myth by a methodical review of the evidence -- and the reader comes away with the profound feeling that Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, Paine, Madison and other founders would read this book and, pun intended, say amen. But the book also makes a subtler point that all but fanatical theocrats should appreciate: the salubrious consequence of a firm wall between church and state is the best way, in a pluralistic society, to ensure that religious practitioners of various faiths are free to exercise their beliefs and not be forced to submit to any particular established religion. And deists, agnostics, and atheists are free to go about their lives unconstrained by religious orthodoxy and singing John Lennon's Imagine.

Simply brilliant!A carefully researched analysis of the morality of the Christian bible v the American Constitution with copious reference sources. It's an eye opener for any student of the bible and any student of American politics and history. As a British reader, I found it a revelation particularly at this time of turmoil in British politics. The book carefully demolishes the arguments of Christian claims for the biblical basis of morality and confirms the quality of the work done by the Founders of the US Constitution.With numerous examples revealed in the book, christians should take note of activities of modern political "believers" who are prostituting their faith for political means. The true benefits of having a secular government insulated from the church are clearly demonstrated in this book.One can only hope that some of those intellects that are suppressed by their faith can be cracked open to see the real truth.

A must read for any students of USA history who are under the mistaken belief that it is a country that is One Nation Under God.

This very interesting lawyer does research and legal work for the Freedom From Religion Foundation. One of the more interesting facts found in this work is that the founding fathers of the nation tried to write a declaration that specifically stated that the Church and the State ,must remain as separate entities , that there is no requirement to subscribe to a religion to hold public office. He goes on to show how through misinterpretation and misunderstanding of the document , the original meaning of that declaration has been lost and manipulated by self interest groups. A book that explains the real meaning , and I think, one that folks in the United States need to read and begin to apply.

This is by far the best book I've read on the subject. Other books that are critical of christian nationalism are a little bit too "woke" for my tastes. I just want the info, i can think for myself.

Although this topic should be mandatory in high scholl level classes. Along with something like comparative religion!