In recent years many Americans have become distressed by the obvious decline of social and moral values, which is evident in all regions and levels of national life.

Crime has increased, organized gang activity is up, drug abuse is surging, kidnapping incidence is high, and 12 million illegal immigrants have forced their way into American society.

Unprecedented student violence is at record levels, as evidenced at Columbine and Virginia Tech. Abortions and divorces multiply. Even standards of language and dress and common courtesy have descended to depressing lows.

In the fall of 2008, the nation entered a period of precipitous economic decline, admittedly caused by corporate greed, false loan applications, combined with widespread personal dishonesty. Fraudulent housing and credit card misrepresentation have added to the disarray.

Vulgar and profane language, coarse music, body piercing and tattooing signaled the downward spiral.  Conduct once reprehensible is now considered by some to be accepted, even exemplary.

Historians and clergy, sociologists and journalists of every stripe, have noted the decline, alleging that the nation is in tragic distress.

Many say that America is no longer a Christian nation, that it has become a pagan (irreligious) society, adrift from its religious foundation.

But I see it otherwise. During more than 400 years of colonial and national history there have indeed been periods of decline and decay. Progress, both material and social, proceeds at uneven and uncertain rates.  Revivals and uplifts take place and often recede. I see, even today, the opportunity for recovery.

President Obama glibly notified the Turkish parliament that “the United States is not a Christian nation.”

He surely meant well, possibly seeking to pander to Muslims and to others worldwide. But President Obama misunderstands his people. He is tragically mistaken and lacks a fundamental understanding of American history.

No one challenges the generalities that America is western, democratic, developed, industrial, tolerant, free and civilized. And by a margin higher than 80 percent America is Christian in religious faith.

Jews have been welcomed citizens since the very beginning.  Animists, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and a multitude of other religions have been welcomed. Constitutionally and in reality all Americans are free to worship or not to worship, to believe or not believe. And unlike many other nations the United States does not forbid or ban religious faith or practice.

Christian America practices full and unfettered religious freedom for all its citizens and visitors.

Yes, America is a Christian nation, despite the fact that many citizens fall short in faith and practice. Our presidents recite the oath of office with a hand on the Bible, and follow their vows by the pledge, “So Help Me God.”  All our monies, both coins and paper, bear the imprint, “In God We Trust.” We pledge allegiance “Under God.”  And our national hymns (America, America the Beautiful, God Bless America, and God Bless the USA) all reflect the national faith.

It is vitally important that we retain and practice our national heritage, always bearing in mind a central tenet of the Christian faith, repeatedly expressed in both Old and New Testaments: “Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself.”

Robert H. Spiro Jr. of Charlotte was appointed under secretary of the Army by President Carter, and has served as a business foundation executive.

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Comments (6)

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An Objection
written by Benjamin Wilkins, December 04, 2012

I have to respectfully (but strongly) disagree with the assumptions (and some of the facts) provided here by Mr. Spiro. Certain facts are simply untrue: Crime, while higher now than at mid-century, has been steadily decreasing for years, from a high point in the early to mid-90s, even while our population is increasing (http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/uscrime.htm). And though we have certainly gone through a period of economic decline (beginning in 2007, not 2008), the average American is still much better off economically than than they were in previous years, and certainly more than almost any other nation. As of 2011, the median household income was $27,554 according to the US Census Bureau (http://www.census.gov/hhes/www...al/people/) which was more than it had ever been. There is an increasing inequality between rich and poor and that is certainly a problem that needs to be addressed, but America is not in some kind of "tragic distress" as a whole. At least not by the numbers. We are a different society than we were in earlier days, certainly, but the implication of Mr. Spiro's editorial is that things are spiraling out of control because of loose morality. This, by any objective measure, is not true.

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An Objection pt 2
written by Benjamin Wilkins, December 04, 2012

Furthermore, we are not, nor have ever been, a specifically Christian nation. Many Christians played vital roles in the nation's founding, and continue to do so (Mr. Obama, by the way, is one of them). But we were founded not as a Christian Nation that tolerates other religions, but as a nation of diverse faiths - diverse even in the Founder's time. There was much disagreement between the founders on this issue and some did put forth ideas about establishing national faiths, but it was precisely because of this bitter disagreement (and the strong memory of religious warfare between Christians) that no such establishment exists. There are moral problems that we face, on both large and small scales, and as a Christian I do believe that following the teachings of Jesus, in our everyday lives, would make our country better and stronger, because it would make every individual better and stronger. But I do not believe that Jesus would use misplaced fear to get the job done.

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An Objection pt 3
written by Benjamin Wilkins, December 04, 2012

My strongest objection is to the bias inherent in Mr. Spiro's tone. The idea that immigrants have "forced themselves" into America betrays a lack of nuance that is not worthy of this newspaper. It implies that America is besieged by enemies, when in fact immigrants come to America in search of a better life, as all of us now living here, with the exception of the Native Americans, did at some point. They are driven by poverty and desperation. They have not come to destroy an American way of life. Besides which, many if not most of these immigrants that "force" themselves on us, are Christians. And is it not our Christian duty to look out for the foreigner? The stranger?

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An Objection pt 4
written by Benjamin Wilkins, December 04, 2012

The President did not "glibly" note that America in not a Christian Nation - it is not "pandering" to tell the truth: that America has a secular government that presides over many faiths. He did not say "Christianity is no longer the dominant religion of the American people."

Historically speaking, while the first English colonists to New England were Christians fleeing religious persecution (though they did their fair share of persecuting when they arrived), the majority of colonists came to America looking for economic gain - hardly a Christian motive.

The proof that Mr. Spiro offers (pledging "under God", "In God We Trust," and our unofficial national hymns) do not come from any of our founding documents - and were not even part of federal statute until nearly the 20th century. In God We Trust was not on any US coins until 1864 and not on paper money until 1957. Our first motto, of 1786 and on the Great Seal, was E Pluribus Unum - out of many, one. The phrase "under God" was not inserted into the Pledge of Allegiance until 1954. So it seems, even if we were to admit these as evidence of our supposed Christian national status (which we cannot - whose "God" are these referring to, anyway?), they can only serve as evidence of 20th century America, and a time when a nationalistic religion gained ground in historically secular America (note: again, I do not mean that most Americans were not religious - that's not what a "secular America" refers to. It refers to our laws, our government, and the acceptance of a diversity of religious belief). It is Mr. Spiro, not Mr. Obama, who seems ignorant of history. As to hymns, the only truly national hymn we have is The Star Spangled Banner - and this was not official until the 20th century as well.

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An Objection pt 5
written by Benjamin Wilkins, December 04, 2012

Who is it that claims America is now a "pagan (irreligious) society?" Not even Atheists say that, they only wish it were more the case. The only claims I've heard to that effect come from nationalistic Christians.

All this is to say that, yes, it is important for Christians to profess their faith, but not because it has anything to do with America. Christianity is much, much bigger than America. To conflate the two is to be blind to history, or at least selective, and moreover cheapens our universal faith. There are real problems Christians need to face, worldwide. We should not waste our time by not telling the truth.

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Thank you, Benjamin Wilkins
written by Bill Jones, December 08, 2012

Thank you, Benjamin Wilkins, for correcting the writer's historical distortions. Your point about our conflation of Christianity with America, patriotism, and nationalism is especially well-taken. My wife and I used to attend a church that had a beautiful stained-glass window - above & behind the pulpit, facing the congregation - whose central focus was Jesus at the center. However, on patriotic holiday weekends, a huge floor-to-ceiling American flag would be unveiled, totally covering that stained-glass window and the image of Christ. (Blasphemy, as far as I am concerned!) Our concerns about it were ignored and we ultimately left for many reasons - one of which was that this church had placed American nationalism ahead of faith in Christ.

Thank you again, Benjamin Wilkins. Every one of your objections is well-taken by this reader.

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