Religiosity in the U.S.

[hoov]

> Yes, but don't forget the secular equivalent -- the unthinking obeisance to
> the Founding Fathers, the pious invocation of the Federalist Papers, the all-
> prevailing notion that if Madison or Jefferson said something -- anything --
> it must be right, even though they contradicted themselves on innumerable
> occsions.  Religious piety in the US rests on a solid foundation of
> constitutional piety.
> Dan Lazare

that the US constitution is a myth that binds is unmistakable...and the
mere mention of the 'founding fathers' conjures up images of Washington
crossing the Delaware, Jefferson writing "all men are created equal,"
Patrick Henry demanding liberty or death, and ole' Ben Franklin flying
kites and issuing witty maxims (never mind that neither J nor H were
in Philly in 1787 or that the former initially had mixed feelings
about the document and the latter absolutely hated it)...even the
term 'framers' suggests the same men stood, quill pens in hand,
gathered around a table, creating a timeless document...

but John Winthrop's sermon on the Arbella obviously precedes the 
constitution and establishes the basis for the tradition of 
pronouncements about religious values and perspectives common to US
politics: America as a "city on a hill" would be an example for the 
rest of the world to follow...Winthrop's theme is reiterated throughout 
US history, for example, in Washington's Farewell Address, in Lincoln's 
Gettysburg Address, in John Kennedy's inaugural address...and, from
John Adams to Calvin Coolidge (at least), the Calvinist belief in hard
work, self-reliance, stern morality influenced the familiar image of an 
'American'...school textbooks used to (and may well again) routinely 
teach that the Revolution and the Constitution were inspired by God...
accordingly, the founders became virtual saints...these same texts 
described George Washington as 'immortal, 'godlike', a 'savior', and as 
a 'propitious divinity"...

as for the *Federalist Papers*, two decades of teaching introductory
US Gov't students suggests to me that many people have never heard
of them (which doesn't detract from their value as an explanation of
the 1787 constitution)...same goes for Madison (only 1% of
respondents could identify him in a *Wall Street Journal*/*NBC* 
bicentennial poll) whose obscurity indicates the preference for
personality over issues/ideas, and for style over substance in US
political culture...

the US is a religious - a Christian - nation with a constitution that
establishes a secular political state...evidence for the latter is
the fact that the 'founding' documents' - Declaration of Independence
and the Constitution - only mention god three times, each time
indirectly and only in passing...they mention religion twice, both times
to exclude it (Article VI and Amendment I)...Michael Hoover